Early voting is underway in Summers County and many students, parents, teachers, educators and voters are pondering strategies to either press for change to the Summers County Board of Education or stay the course. The outcome of this race could topple the leadership of the board and the future direction of the school system.
Summers County is losing public school teachers and relying increasingly on substitute teachers. New River District candidate Janima ‘J’ Bond is among the parents concerned about the quality of the education children are receiving.
She says, “I’m running because I care about the children in our community, and I’m concerned with the state of education in Summers County public schools. Education is the foundation from which we build strong, solid communities and in a rapidly changing world, we need to ensure our schools are doing what’s necessary to keep up.”
The pandemic and school board drama the past couple of years have upstaged what’s most important to the community; the economy, the security of recruiting and retaining dedicated teachers and making every child and teacher feel safe and valued. She says she’s hoping voters redirect focus from personalities and confrontations at board meetings to what’s necessary to improve the public-school experience and environment for students; to prepare them for continued education, skills training and the opportunity to live a successful life in a rapidly changing world.
“Putting ‘Kids First’ also means making sure teachers have all the resources they need,” says Bond. One school is losing nearly a dozen teachers. New teachers come to Summers County to gain experience and then leave for higher-paying jobs in surrounding counties or elsewhere. “I support increasing salaries for teachers and all school personnel, smaller classes and expanded PEIA benefits. We have talented teachers and staff working within our school system and we need to ensure that they have the resources necessary to help our children build upon their gifts and talents,” Bond continues.
“I know education is the foundation for building strong, solid communities,” Bond says. “Our community is growing, and I think we have reached a crucial point for our school district to collaborate with the city, local businesses and the community to embrace the value of our learning environment, perhaps pursuing a partnership with businesses to implement comprehensive internships to prepare students to work in a trade or craft, filling the needs we presently already have for skilled workers.”
Bond is a known leader in the Hinton community, working with civic clubs, committees and boards of directors. She is well-known and supported by neighbors who are eager to see her elected to the school board, according to canvassing in her district. “I know that what lies ahead won’t be easy, but we need to do what’s necessary to support students, by providing an education that is tailored to support the success of EVERY student,” Bond says. “As a school board member, I will work to identify and address the obstacles and challenges that stand between our kids and their success. I’m approachable and I will take time to listen to students, parents, families, and teachers. To be successful, we will all need to come together as a community and work as a team.”
