W. Jean Kennedy
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W. Jean Kennedy held the District 6 seat on the Rowan-Salisbury Schools Board of Education in North Carolina. She won re-election in the general election on November 4, 2014.
Elections
2014
- See also: Rowan-Salisbury Schools elections (2014)
Four seats on the Rowan-Salisbury Board of Education were up for general election on November 4, 2014. Incumbent Richard W. Miller faced Phil Hardin and W. F. Owens for the District 1 seat. In District 2, incumbent L.A. Overcash ran against newcomers Lawrence Helms and Dean Hunter. Travis Allen challenged District 4 incumbent Kay Wright Norman. Incumbent W. Jean Kennedy was unopposed in District 6.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan |  W. Jean Kennedy Incumbent |
97.9% | 26,134 | |
| Nonpartisan | Write-in votes | 2.1% | 567 | |
| Total Votes | 26,701 | |||
| Source: North Carolina Board of Elections, "2014 General Election Results," accessed December 31, 2014 | ||||
What was at stake?
Issues in the election
Candidate forum
The Salisbury Post, Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, WSAT, and Catawba College sponsored a school board candidate forum on October 14, 2014. The only candidate not in attendance was Lawrence Helms. The candidates were allowed to present opening and closing comments, as well as answer several questions. They were given two minutes each time they spoke. The questions, which were submitted by Salisbury Post readers, covered policy, the consolidated central office, diversity, budget cuts, relationships with other governing bodies, and preparing students for 21st-century jobs.
Phil Hardin stated that he aimed to help the board refocus on student and teacher success, noting that budget cuts have required the district to reassess priorities and seek additional grant funding. Board chairman Richard W. Miller emphasized that staff retention is a high priority for the board, explaining that recent staffing reductions resulted from state legislative funding cuts. W. F. Owens expressed his belief that school system funding should be reduced and that students should be prepared to enter the workforce.
Dean Hunter said he believes there is a legitimate need for a central office and that he feels the board is making the district's administrators a priority over its students. L.A. Overcash stated that he aimed to see the board’s initiatives through to completion, including the district’s strategic plan, one-to-one technology program, and energy performance contract, and emphasized the need for a central office.
Travis Allen stressed the importance of prioritizing relationships and traditional teaching methods. He also emphasized the importance of technology, but that it was important that the district not neglect the fundamentals or get rid of classes like masonry and carpentry. Allen also said the district's priorities should be on the consolidated elementary school and Knox Middle, rather than a central office. Kay Wright Norman emphasized that the board needs to solve the literacy problem as well as focus on technology.
W. Jean Kennedy stated that education can't be uniform across the board, but the district had to meet the needs of varying students.[1]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "W. + Jean + Kennedy + Rowan + Salisbury + Schools"
See also
External links
Footnotes
