Receptive , Responsive, Resourceful and Retention
I’ve always heard about the three “R’s” of education, Reading, Writing and Arithmetic. I believe there are “R’s” for the Board of Education as well. The first being receptive. I believe that serving on the Board of Education is foremost listening to the constituents. Whether it’s a student, parent, UCPS employee or a Union County resident, we must listen and ensure that our constituents have been heard. The parent must be their child’s greatest advocate, a board member must listen and in turn be an advocate for all, serving all, regardless of where they live in the county.
Secondly, I believe that we must be responsive. We must act. I may not have all the answers, but by serving on the board I will have the resources to help others navigate the process within UCPS or even central offices to hopefully find a remedy. I may not be able to solve every problem, but it will be known that I listened and attempted to find a solution. I will answer your call. I will respond to your email. I will give you my time and meet with you and listen and we will find the resources and the possible solutions, if they exist, together. I will make no false promises, but you will know that you’ve been heard and shown the respect you deserve.
Third, I believe the Board of Education must be resourceful. The funds that are used to operate UCPS come from you, whether they're from the federal, state or local, regardless they came from you the taxpayer. The Board of Education must be a good steward of those funds and make every cent count. We must prioritize our teachers and students. We must understand the difference between needs and wants, priorities and wishes.
Lastly, the word retention. We must retain our teachers. UCPS is number one, the key to that success is our teachers and staff. We have got to do everything in our power to keep the teachers that make UCPS successful, right here in Union County! I don't believe success should be measured solely by test scores, but even if that were the case our teachers deserve to be compensated for their efforts and their statewide recognition.
We need to know what is being prioritized more than paying our teachers. As an employer I know that it is better to retain the employees you have than be forced to replace them with someone else and hope you can achieve the same results. As a Union County resident and UCPS parent, I’m proud of the achievements UCPS has made regarding testing. However, when we lose a teacher to another school system or profession, they take their proven strategies with them and then we learn just how valuable they really were.
I Need Your Support!
I ask for your vote; I also ask for your support. I hope our paths cross and I’m able to meet you in person. I’m running because I am a parent of a UCPS student, who was frustrated when I didn’t feel that I was heard or given the time when I requested it. I’m running because I couldn’t in good conscious vote for the incumbent I had personally voted for last time and knew we needed a change in representation for District 4 and on the Board of Education. I’m running because I had to be sure that the person representing District 4 would serve everyone, regardless of who they were or where they lived. I’m running for my daughter. I’m running for the parents like me. I’m running for the staff that feel under-appreciated and are contemplating leaving Union County Public Schools. I’m asking for your vote because what I couldn’t do alone, we can do together.
Please consider supporting the campaign by making a financial contribution. Every little bit will help, just $5 will cover the cost of a campaign sign. A contribution of $25 will cover the monthly cost of this website. A $50 contribution will help with the printing of palm cards and flyers. We are in the early days of this campaign, but we must be proactive and making preparations now for the election on November 3rd!
I need your help to make sure that our message is delivered, that we have a seat on the Board of Education and that our values are present in the decision making process that will impact UCPS for years to come. Thank you and I look forward to serving you.
Committee to Elect Stephen Smith
11211 Lawyers Rd. #116
Mint Hill, NC 28227
Thank you for your support!
