I'm going to start today with a story about two parents who had always taken an interest in their children’s education. They helped with their homework, participated in field trips and class activities, and talked to the teachers when they had concerns about grades. One would say they're actively engaged in their children’s education…but, as most parents, they had never been involved in the administration of the school it self.
Things like policy, rules, funding, were nothing more than conversation or the subject of complaints between other parents and themselves. Until one day, there arose an issue that was significant enough they felt compelled to address it. They felt enough time had been spent complaining…and now it was time to get up and do something. So to the members of the school board they made phone calls, sent emails, and they eventually had face-to-face conversations...but their attempts to address the issue were met, for the most part, with indifference. It was evident the two-way communication that’s necessary for both sides to understand an issue was non-existent. The parents I’m talking about are my wife and I.
I’m an Applications Administrator. When I can’t get information from a system I fix it. If I can’t fix it I replace it. The school board has stopped listening to us…it’s broke, and I decided it’s time to replace it. This is why I’m running for the 9th district seat on the school board.
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Larry Lewis. I'm 54 years old, and a life-long resident of Hamilton County. I have been married to my wife Christy for 16 years.
I have been employed by McKee Foods for 36 years. I have received training in conflict mitigation and project management. I've been a member of implementation teams on several multi-million dollar projects. I've developed curriculum and taught employees and members of management in a formal classroom environment.
I have 4 children, who have attended Hamilton County Schools,and four grandchildren. My youngest two daughters are preparing to enter the fourth and seventh grades in the fall, so I have a vested interest in the quality and direction of our local schools.
It was the lack of representation that motivated me to run for a seat on the school board. After filing the paperwork the first thing I did was create a list of things to do. On the top of that list was talk to the principal of every school in district 9. I feel you can’t represent the students, parents and teachers of a school if you’ve never talked to them. I asked questions like;
What do you want, what needs do you have?
I asked questions about Common Core readiness and RTI2…about staffing,computers, safety issues
I asked “What do you want from your school board representative?”.
Their response was overwhelmingly “We want someone who is active in the schools who knows what’s going on and what we need”, and “We want someone who will listen to us”.
I want you to feel comfortable talking to me about issues, to tell me what’s going on in our district. I want to have two-way communication with the people in district 9,and in return I’ll make sure your voice is heard by the rest of the board.
I want to establish direct lines of communication between students, parents, educators, and myself. I promise to be your voice on the school board.
Another aspect of communication is parental involvement. Better communication can increase parental involvement. Studies have shown where the parents are involved students have better attendance, higher grades, better social skills, and are more likely to go onto higher-level programs. You can have new schools with the best teachers money can buy, but if the children aren’t encouraged and motivated to attend and do well they’re not going to make it to graduation.
I want to create avenues that will encourage parents to participate in their children’s education. Not only do I want the people in district 9 to have my phone number but I want to start programs like holding district meetings,school mini-meetings, surveys, and create an on-line presence where both suggestions and criticism can be posted.
When elected I’ll to bring my experience as a parent and grandparent, as well as my logic and problem solving skills, to the Hamilton County School Board. I ask the voters of Birchwood, Collegedale,Harrison, and Ooltewah, to give me the chance to inject some much needed logic into the decisions of the Hamilton County School Board.
Ladies and gentlemen, please tell the school board you’re tired of no one listening to them, vote for Larry Lewis
Things like policy, rules, funding, were nothing more than conversation or the subject of complaints between other parents and themselves. Until one day, there arose an issue that was significant enough they felt compelled to address it. They felt enough time had been spent complaining…and now it was time to get up and do something. So to the members of the school board they made phone calls, sent emails, and they eventually had face-to-face conversations...but their attempts to address the issue were met, for the most part, with indifference. It was evident the two-way communication that’s necessary for both sides to understand an issue was non-existent. The parents I’m talking about are my wife and I.
I’m an Applications Administrator. When I can’t get information from a system I fix it. If I can’t fix it I replace it. The school board has stopped listening to us…it’s broke, and I decided it’s time to replace it. This is why I’m running for the 9th district seat on the school board.
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Larry Lewis. I'm 54 years old, and a life-long resident of Hamilton County. I have been married to my wife Christy for 16 years.
I have been employed by McKee Foods for 36 years. I have received training in conflict mitigation and project management. I've been a member of implementation teams on several multi-million dollar projects. I've developed curriculum and taught employees and members of management in a formal classroom environment.
I have 4 children, who have attended Hamilton County Schools,and four grandchildren. My youngest two daughters are preparing to enter the fourth and seventh grades in the fall, so I have a vested interest in the quality and direction of our local schools.
It was the lack of representation that motivated me to run for a seat on the school board. After filing the paperwork the first thing I did was create a list of things to do. On the top of that list was talk to the principal of every school in district 9. I feel you can’t represent the students, parents and teachers of a school if you’ve never talked to them. I asked questions like;
What do you want, what needs do you have?
I asked questions about Common Core readiness and RTI2…about staffing,computers, safety issues
I asked “What do you want from your school board representative?”.
Their response was overwhelmingly “We want someone who is active in the schools who knows what’s going on and what we need”, and “We want someone who will listen to us”.
I want you to feel comfortable talking to me about issues, to tell me what’s going on in our district. I want to have two-way communication with the people in district 9,and in return I’ll make sure your voice is heard by the rest of the board.
I want to establish direct lines of communication between students, parents, educators, and myself. I promise to be your voice on the school board.
Another aspect of communication is parental involvement. Better communication can increase parental involvement. Studies have shown where the parents are involved students have better attendance, higher grades, better social skills, and are more likely to go onto higher-level programs. You can have new schools with the best teachers money can buy, but if the children aren’t encouraged and motivated to attend and do well they’re not going to make it to graduation.
I want to create avenues that will encourage parents to participate in their children’s education. Not only do I want the people in district 9 to have my phone number but I want to start programs like holding district meetings,school mini-meetings, surveys, and create an on-line presence where both suggestions and criticism can be posted.
When elected I’ll to bring my experience as a parent and grandparent, as well as my logic and problem solving skills, to the Hamilton County School Board. I ask the voters of Birchwood, Collegedale,Harrison, and Ooltewah, to give me the chance to inject some much needed logic into the decisions of the Hamilton County School Board.
Ladies and gentlemen, please tell the school board you’re tired of no one listening to them, vote for Larry Lewis