What candidates in Lexington 2 have to say about how they’ll lead the school district
Several people are seeking office in a Lexington County school district just across the river from Columbia.
Three seats are up for grabs on the Lexington 2 school board this year. Lexington 2 comprises the West Columbia, Cayce, South Congaree, Springdale and Pine Ridge areas. There are a total of seven seats on the board.
Four candidates are vying for the three seats up for election on Nov. 8. Current board member Bud Summers is not seeking re-election.
Those seeking seats include incumbent board members Linda Alford-Wooten and Christina Rucker, as well Joseph Chuck Hightower and Kevin Key.
The State emailed a series of questions to all candidates in the race. Alford-Wooten and Rucker returned their questionnaires. Here are their answers.
Linda Alford-Wooten
Age: 65
Occupation: Retired health care professional
Education: University of South Carolina
Political or civic experience:
Lexington District Two Board of Trustees, BCHS Foundation board of directors
Why are you running for the school board?
It is important to have a variety of views, opinions, and perspectives on a board of seven leaders. My background in nursing, my experience as a parent in the district, and my love for the community of which I am a product combine to provide a unique view.
If elected, what would your two or three priorities be during your first year on the board?
1. School safety. 2. Working to offset learning loss for students after COVID. 3. Providing a supportive working environment for our teachers, staff and administration, which will help give their gifts to our valued students.
What unique skills or life perspective would you bring to the school board?
My career has been in health care, I utilize a skill set learned in my profession. I can be a calming influence when needed. Further, I have experience and knowledge of issues currently facing schools based on my years of experience in the district. That knowledge will help to provide continuity and historical perspective to the board.
What current practice or policy of the school district would you preserve or enhance? Why?
Our school district is working diligently on enhancing our school safety. We have hired a district position dedicated to concentrating only on this issue. We have been fortunate to have a safe community. However, this does not absolve us of our responsibility to provide a safe and supportive learning environment. We have been able to do so by working through our building programs to make our building safe. We have been working with our local law enforcement agencies, making sure we have school resource officers in every school and implementing a clear bag plan for larger sporting events. We want our parents and our community to continue to feel safe regarding our schools.
How should the school board respond to controversies over subjects or materials taught in schools?
The school board should make sure that the superintendent has the support needed to understand and respond to any controversies. Further, teacher input should be considered when making all decisions over subjects and materials. We as a board must always make the best decision for our students.
What should be done in response to the grade audit at Brookland-Cayce High School that affected the school’s accreditation?
The S.C. State Department offers two options for accreditation. 1) Through the SC State Department and 2) through an accrediting entity accepted by higher education. The entire district and all schools in the district have been accredited through option two. After identifying some issues, the state department reviewed a random number of transcripts and found some coding and coursework sequence errors. As a result, the S.C. Department of Education placed the school on Accredited/Advised status. Both of our high schools have worked hard to review all transcripts and there is a plan in place that will prevent issues in the future. This plan has been accepted and lauded by the S.C. Department of Education. I look forward to Lexington District 2 moving forward and continuing to do what is best for all our students.
Christina Rucker
Age: 43
Occupation: Chief relationship officer
Education: Bachelor of arts in education
Political or civic experience: Lexington 2 School Board 2018-2022
Why are you running for the school board?
I am running for school board because I absolutely love serving the Lexington 2 community. This community has blessed me in so many ways and I want to continue to spend my time investing and giving back. Our children are a gift and will be treated that way. This community is so supportive of children and our schools and if we continue to work together our children will benefit from all the seeds that have been planted over the years. I have seen so much good and so much unity within our community that it gives me great hope for the future.
If elected, what would your two or three priorities be during your first year on the board?
My top priorities will always be safety and providing all of our students the opportunity and resources to learn at their highest potential. The district has recently hired a safety and risk coordinator and has put together a plan to continue to add safety measures to keep our students, teachers and schools safe. This will continue to be a top priority and as school board members we must never allow any outside distractions to keep us from always making school safety our top priority. The opportunities in Lexington 2 and the amazing staff that serve our children are pretty amazing. Over the next four years, I would like to see us continue to hold true to our core values and continue to be “Champions for Children.” Our children deserve nothing but the best from all of us each day.
What unique skills or life perspective would you bring to the school board?
I went to school for early childhood education. I absolutely loved it but God had other plans for me. I have been working in manufacturing for over 20 years but four years ago I ran for school board. I believe it was God’s way of getting me back to what had my heart first, our children. The past four years have been a blessing, a challenge, but a true blessing. I have enjoyed investing into our school district, our community and serving the students of Lexington 2. There is no greater responsibility than raising our children well and giving each of them what they need to become independent and productive members of our community. It is good for them and good for us. My background in education, my experience in running a business, and my heart for our children have been a great combination for serving on the school board.
What current practice or policy of the school district would you preserve or enhance? Why?
I do not have a specific policy of focus at this time. It is important to remember that all policy is critical to the operation of a successful school district. Overall, I believe the policies in Lexington 2 are good. Policy works best when it is clear, followed and reviewed regularly. Lexington 2 policies are located on the district website so they are easy to access at all times. The administration is encouraged to bring proposed policy changes to the school board if they feel a change is needed to improve operations. The board responsibility is the formulation and adoption of policy and the superintendent is responsible for executing policy. The key is having policy that produces a positive outcome and that is the responsibility of the board.
How should the school board respond to controversies over subjects or materials taught in schools?
The school district must continue to find ways to improve transparency to parents and to the Lexington 2 community regarding all materials in our schools. All concerns should be reported and the school and district staff should follow up on all concerns and address any issues immediately. There has never been a time that is more important than now for full transparency and for full accountability for the laws and policy that are created and passed. Lexington 2 has always encouraged parent and community feedback. I believe that is one of our biggest strengths is the strong belief system in our community and we are blessed to live in a district that is not willing to move away from that. I will be looking for continued improvements toward complete transparency.
What should be done in response to the grade audit at Brookland-Cayce High School that affected the school’s accreditation?
The audit is complete and the district’s corrective action plan has been submitted and approved by the state department. The district has announced that it expects to have its full accreditation restored at Brookland-Cayce High School to an “all clear” status following the next SCDOE review. The district is responsible for following the plan and ensuring these issues do not take place in the years to come. The plan is very thorough and clear and the district has the staff in place to ensure the plan is followed.
