Crews
Running for the Yadkin County Board of Education are incumbents Sam Crews, Tim Parks, Tim Weatherman and newcomer Barry Cole. The 2022 primary will serve as the Board of Education election and the three candidates selected will take office ahead of the 2022-2023 school year.
As part of The Yadkin Ripple’s 2022 election coverage the candidates answered a brief questionnaire on why they are running to serve on the school board and goals they have if elected.
Barry M. Cole
Bio: I am a native of North Carolina, a veteran of the US Navy Submarine Service, and the spouse of a long time public school teacher and high school department chair. I have guided process improvement in a number of well-known global businesses and not-for-profits. I have delivered management leading practice seminars before global attendees and served as a keynote speaker.
Family: Spouse of teacher with over 30 years in public school classrooms with two adult sons.
School(s) you’ve attended/highest level of education completed: Attended Pembroke State and State University of New York as an Undergraduate. Attended UNCG and California State University for Graduate School. Doctoral studies at California Coast University
Occupation: Organizational Improvement Advisor and Interim Executive
Q. Do you have (or have had) children in the Yadkin County school system?
A. Spouse taught in Yadkin County Schools and sons attended area public schools.
Q. What experience(s) makes you qualified to serve as a member of the Yadkin County School Board?
A. Understanding gained through parenthood combined with long-term personal and professional associations with public school educators and school administrators. Long and deep professional experience in assessing organizational and staffing shortfalls, then driving best fit solutions that consider the concerns of all direct stakeholders. Prior experiences serving on not-for-profit and for-profit corporate boards of directors.
Q. What are the most important issues you feel are facing students in Yadkin County and how can those issues best be addressed?
A. Based on career-long experiences as an employer of thousands of graduates entering the job market, critical thinking and respect for peers and associates have significantly decreased. Yadkin County in many ways is positioned to produce exceptional graduates for either continued education or occupations. Two well proven paths to produce graduates prepared for highly competitive environments are enhanced in-school opportunities and engagement with prospective community employers.
Q. Do you feel that increased safety measures should be implemented at Yadkin County Schools, if so, what measures would you propose?
A. Today cyber-crime, child exploitation, increased violence, and risky social pressures face every student in Yadkin County Schools. Not one of our students is fully immune to these risks. Leading practices dictate that these and other safety concerns should be clearly defined and that a management plan with continuing monitoring be implemented in cooperation with other Yadkin County agencies.
Q. In light of the issues related to the pandemic in the past two years, what proactive strategies would you suggest for future planning for these types of disruption to the educational process for students?
A. The real answer for Yadkin County Schools will certainly need to be framed by the specific needs of the students themselves… the right approach for a special needs learner is expected to vary markedly from what is appropriate for a gifted learner. The one common design feature to be addressed for the individual student is that opportunities for peer interaction must exist.
A Harvard-Kennedy School study highlighted that problem this way: “It’s fair to say we have appreciated teaching in person more than ever, and we realize how much of a profoundly human experience this was…. One thing we’ve learned from students is that they like to be put into different breakout rooms, because they just want to meet other students. They’re able to maintain ties with their close circle of friends, but they want that casual interaction reproduced. The College (Harvard) is trying to do that socially, but that’s where Zoom fatigue sets in.”
Q. What do you feel is the most important aspect of education in order to prepare young people for their future?
A. Developing Critical Thinking! Each of us remembers the influence of a few special teachers. One that I am thankful for was a seventh-grade English teacher. She said: “Our job as teachers is not to teach you what to think, but to give you the tools to take in all of the information, to weigh it, and then to use it to think for yourself.”
Q. How do you think Yadkin County teachers can best be supported in their roles?
A. The Yadkin County School Board in support of classroom teachers also must hold county and school level administrators accountable for clear and unambiguous expectations, timely and consistent feedback. During my career, my stated performance expectation of every manager reporting to me was that they remove opportunities for their staff to fail in their assigned duties. The Yadkin County School Board should expect this of every person in the system managing and supporting teachers.
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Sam Crews
Family: Married to Chastity Anne Crews with three children…Madelyn (23), Samuel (19) and Noah (18)
School(s) you’ve attended/highest level of education completed: Forbush High School graduate with colleges attended – Forsyth Technical Community College and Winston-Salem State University.
Occupation: Chief Estimator, sales, management for Johnson’s Modern Electric Inc.
Q. Do you have (or have had) children in the Yadkin County school system?
A. All three children, Madelyn, Samuel and Noah, are lifetime Yadkin County students with Madelyn and Samuel graduating from Forbush and Noah being a current senior at Forbush.
Q. What experience(s) makes you qualified to serve as a member of the Yadkin County School Board?
A. Being a board member since 2014, I have been fortunate to gain valuable experience and training to be an effective, contributing member to the Yadkin County Board. I have made it a most important point of my time on the board to collaborate with community partners including, County Commissioners, Surry Community College, local businesses and local churches to bring resources and opportunities to our students and staff. Being a product of the Yadkin County School system, I have worked hard to establish support not only the families and students of Yadkin County but also the men and women who have chosen to serve Yadkin County Schools through their career. I look back fondly on many of those teachers who helped pave a way that has helped me succeed in life. Those teachers who held me accountable and showed love toward me and others throughout the years is one of the things that makes this county so special. Whether through interaction with others through the board setting or through other opportunities including my occupation or my coaching opportunities I have been blessed with, I make it a point to proclaim the benefits and blessings that Yadkin County has been to me, my family and to so many others. Yadkin County is a special place and oftentimes entire communities feel like family as we care not only for own immediate families but also for the families that we have grown up with and neighbors we currently have. For the past 21 years, I have also coached recreation, travel and high school basketball within Yadkin and Davie County coaching kids from both Starmount and Forbush as well as coaching baseball, softball and soccer at the elementary level for.
Q. What are the most important issues you feel are facing students in Yadkin County and how can those issues best be addressed?
A. The difficult truth many students face in Yadkin County goes well beyond the typical concerns of high math and reading scores. While not always seen by some within the county, hunger and poverty are real issues that some students face daily. The Yadkin County Schools administration, educators and all others who work and support our school system strive to make sure all of the students needs are met even beyond academics. It is not uncommon to have YCS work with local churches and agencies to make sure students who may be in need of food or clothing receive those things. During the pandemic and when schools were forced to be closed in the spring semester of 2020, YCS had drivers delivering food to students shut in at home to help make sure they were being fed. Also with the educational budget cuts at the state and federal level, our students continue to be asked to achieve more with less resources. We have been able to secure grants to offer additional assistance for grades that need improvement and our trajectory has been in an upward turn over the last several years. Yadkin County is now ranked in the top 25% of the state and continues to improve. It is often stated that we want to be the best rural school system in the state but I like to think of Yadkin County as striving to be the best school system period. I believe in this county not only because of the efforts of the YCS staff including administration, educators and beyond but also because of the strong communities we live in driven by many likeminded individuals and organizations who understand that our children are gifts from God and while they are young, we need to do all we can to prepare them for life after their education within the county is complete.
Q. Do you feel that increased safety measures should be implemented at Yadkin County Schools, if so, what measures would you propose?
A. Safety is a top priority for Yadkin County Schools as well as its’ citizens. We have just within the past month received an approval on funding to update and add new access control systems for all of our elementary schools that will only allow entry by authorized personnel and hope to have all of this in place and in working order for the 2022 fall semester. Yadkin County Schools works closely with our local law enforcement to provide training to all personnel on our campuses to deter and recognize any criminal behavior. It is our hope to receive more funding from the state and federal levels to continue to improve our safety techniques and practices as well as hopefully retain more counsellors to help with any mental health needs of our students.
Q. In light of the issues related to the pandemic in the past two years, what proactive strategies would you suggest for future planning for these types of disruption to the educational process for students?
A. Yadkin County Schools was possibly the most proactive school system in the state in 2020. After the state closed down all in person instruction in March of 2020, we met in May and forged a game plan to make sure in August of 2020, our students would be back in school with in person teaching. Both the board as well as the administration set this as our main goal. We understood that kids need to be in school and to have that special interaction with their teachers as well as other students. In August of 2020, Yadkin County School students were in class from day one and stayed open the entire school year. We followed all of the restrictions and mandates required by the state but unlike many systems all around us, our doors were open to those students and families who desired in person learning. We understood some families would opt out of in person learning so we offered a strong and focused virtual setting for those families. The foundation is in place should any future disruptions occur. We all learned from successes and sometimes issues that arose as this was a completely new mountain we all had to climb. However, watching our teachers, administration, all other school personnel and coaches rally together under unprecedented adversity was truly inspiring. Yadkin County was a place of hope and optimism when others were struggling to push forward as we did.
Q. What do you feel is the most important aspect of education in order to prepare young people for their future?
A. Beyond the strong foundation that starts at home, I believe that the core fundamentals must first be mastered followed by applying the understanding of how to think for yourself and to solve problems on your own. These are key to preparing a young person for their future in an ever changing and more challenging world. Through Yadkin County Schools partnering with Surry Community College, we offer possibilities of internship programs as well as continual review of what programs and studies can be provided to help students prepare for either higher education or the workplace through a technical education.
Q. How do you think Yadkin County teachers can best be supported in their roles?
A. I mentioned earlier how special many teachers meant to me while I was a Yadkin County School student. It is so true as when our children are young and impressionable, it is important for them to understand the value of focusing and following through on assignments and projects that help them achieve not only high grades but also to provide them the confidence to see that their diligence and hard work then rewards them with a special feeling of knowing they can work hard and achieve big things. Life is not going to always be easy but through hard work, focus and not giving up or in, great things can be achieved. Our teachers are in a position to help our students to achieve those very things and need our support. Where would you and I be if not for the wonderful educators that helped us while we were in school? I believe that strong administration at each school supporting all staff is a must to ultimately help our students succeed in the classroom as well as helping our teachers find success in their profession. To be a teacher is truly a labor of love so we need to support them in their endeavor with not only strong administrators but also strong relationships with our communities. Again, Yadkin County is special, a hidden gem if you will, and we want to keep it that way and continue to strengthen those things that have made it so while striving to make it even better. I would also add that we in Yadkin County knows best for what is needed within our county so I would continue to push for the opportunity to have all educational decisions be made at a local level and not at a state or federal level. I believe in Yadkin County and I believe in our teachers. We know what is best for the needs of our Yadkin County students.
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Tim Parks
Bio: I am married to Angela Ball Parks, we have one son (Weston) , a daughter-in-law (Megan) and one grandson (Titus). We live in the Hamptonville area. I graduated from Starmount High School and from Mitchell College with an associate degree in police science.
Q. Do you have (or have had) children in the Yadkin County school system?
A. Yes, I had one child in Yadkin County School System
Q. What experience(s) makes you qualified to serve as a member of the Yadkin County School Board?
A. I have 35 years of law enforcement experience (many hours of training dealing with youth) I have coached in the community and at the high school level for over 20 years
Q. What are the most important issues you feel are facing students in Yadkin County and how can those issues best be addressed?
A. I think drug and alcohol abuse should be one of our main concerns, we are losing to many young people to these addictions, as a school system we need to be more proactive in getting information to our students so they can learn the danger of drugs and alcohol
Q. Do you feel that increased safety measures should be implemented at Yadkin County Schools, if so, what measures would you propose?
A. I think our school system has done a good job with safety measures; however, I believe the ultimate goal should be to have a school resource officer in every school.
Q. In light of the issues related to the pandemic in the past two years, what proactive strategies would you suggest for future planning for these types of disruption to the educational process for students?
A. Remote learning is now available in our school system if it becomes necessary, with that being said, local boards should have more control over strategies during a pandemic.
Q. What do you feel is the most important aspect of education in order to prepare young people for their future?
A. Reading and math will always be important but they also need to learn about our history as a nation and the men and women who sacrificed their life for our freedom
Q. How do you think Yadkin County teachers can best be supported in their roles?
A. As a board we need to make sure they have the equipment and materials needed to do their job, bonuses and raises need to be given when money is available, Yadkin County can not compete with bigger counties when it comes to salaries but we can make sure a good working environment is provided.
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Tim Weatherman
Spouse: Susan Weatherman
Children: Anna, Jordan and Kyle
School(s) you’ve attended/highest level of education completed: Starmount High School, Surry Community College
Occupation: Retired from Lowe’s Companies Inc (IT Engineer) 37 years. Currently Employed by Yadkin County Parks and Recreation
Q. Do you have (or have had) children in the Yadkin County school system?
A. My 3 children attended Jonesville Elementary and graduated from Starmount High School. I have 2 grandchildren currently in the Yadkin County School system.
Q. What experience(s) makes you qualified to serve as a member of the Yadkin County School Board?
A. Having served on the current Board of Education since 2014, I have gained valuable experience and training to be an effective, contributing member to the Yadkin County Board. Before serving on the Board of Education I was a substitute teacher for many years, also a substitute bus driver. My mother retired from Yadkin County Schools. My daughter is currently a teacher with Yadkin County Schools. My son was a Resource Officer for several years at Forbush Middle School. This has helped me gain valuable knowledge in many different areas of our school system.
Q. What are the most important issues you feel are facing students in Yadkin County and how can those issues best be addressed?
A. Our students face many difficult and important issues not only including getting ready for a career or college but also poverty, hunger, neglect, bullying(including cyber bullying). Also the pandemic which affected all of us. Yadkin County Schools collabrates with Surry Community College, Yadkin County Commissioners and the Yadkin County Chamber of Commerce to address what is needed to prepare our students to be career and college ready. The last two years all of our students have been provided free meals, unfortunately in the latest bill the US congress did not include funds to continue to offer meals at no cost. In 2016 a Cyberbullying research center found almost 34 percent of students in middle and High School had been cyberbullied. It’s imperative for teachers, parents and even other students to work together to prevent cyberbullying. We do have an Anonymous tip line students can call at anytime to report issues such as these and other issues.
Q. Do you feel that increased safety measures should be implemented at Yadkin County Schools, if so, what measures would you propose?
A. Safety continues to be an issue of utmost importance to Yadkin County Schools and Citizens. We have many safety measures that have been put in place in the last couple of years since serving on the Board of Education. Yadkin County Schools continues to work closely with local law enforcement agencies to train and provide personnel on campus for support and visibility to deter criminal behavior. Our Resource Officers also attend yearly training. Emergency drills should be practiced on a regular basis with Law enforcement participation. I would like to see more counselors to address mental health needs of our students.
Q. In light of the issues related to the pandemic in the past two years, what proactive strategies would you suggest for future planning for these types of disruption to the educational process for students?
A. Having grandchildren and a daughter that is a teacher in Yadkin County Schools, I saw first hand the effects of not having in person learning. In Yadkin County we were able to bring back in person instruction earlier than most districts in our State and in the Nation. We were featured on nation news for our ability to bring students back. We also enhanced our technology access to all students which helped us stay ahead of many of the changes brought on by the pandemic.
Q. What do you feel is the most important aspect of education in order to prepare young people for their future?
A. Beyond mastering the core fundamentals, I believe the application of critical thinking and problem solving is key to a student’s future readiness.
Q. How do you think Yadkin County teachers can best be supported in their roles?
A. Provide strong, engaging leaders in administration that support our teachers in both setting and reaching classroom goals. I would also like to see more decisions at the local level instead of State and Federal. This would allow our teachers more discretion in the classroom to teach the needs of Yadkin County Students. I also believe it is imperative that we actively listen to feedback from our teachers and engage them in the process of improvement.