During early voting and on Election Day, Marlboro County voters will have a chance to vote for representatives for Marlboro County Board of Education Districts 3 and 5.
The candidates for District 3 are the incumbent, Charles Chuck Graham, and newcomers Robert Goff and Nikki Pruitt. Dr. Rippin McLeod is running for the District 5 seat.
The Herald-Advocate emailed questionnaires to candidates to provide the voters with an opportunity to better know them and what they hope to achieve if elected or reelected to the board of education.
DISTRICT 3
Name: Charles “Chuck” Graham
Education: I graduated from Marlboro County High School in 1998 and graduated from South Carolina State University in 2002 with a B.A. in Business Management.
Residence: Bennettsville
Occupation: I am a correctional counselor with Federal Corrections Institution Bennettsville.
What current or past offices or areas of service have you held /participated in?
I was appointed to the Marlboro County School Board District 3 in January 2022 – present. I have been on the Lake Paul Wallace Authority Board since 2020 and a Community of Grace Church Youth Leader since 2017.
Why do you feel that you are qualified to be elected as a member of the Marlboro County Board of Education?
In January 2022, I was appointed to serve on the school board and fill the vacant seat for District 3. It was because of my consistent community involvement, youth mentorship, teacher and student advocacy at school board meetings, and overall leadership skills that the board felt I was the ideal candidate. Now that I am seeking to remain in office, it is these same factors that qualify me to serve and be elected by voters. I love my teachers and have always been a strong voice at board meetings on their behalf. I have held board members accountable to teachers, students, and community stakeholders. I have raised concerns about issues relating to mold, cheerleading uniforms, attracting/keeping qualified staff, and overall student achievement. Since joining the board, I have maintained this priority and made conscious efforts to ensure we address matters with urgency and operate with transparency. I have consistently served the community in various capacities, I have built a great rapport with stakeholders, and l lead with integrity. Saying you are for the children and staff is one thing, but actually volunteering within the schools, meeting with students and staff, and advocating for the things we need is another. I am not new to this, I am true to this, and being elected to remain the representative for District 3 affords me the opportunity to continue working on behalf of Marlboro County’s children and hardworking staff.
What difference have you made to the Marlboro County School District during your time as a board member?
In the nine months, I have served on the board, I have made a difference by visiting all schools and speaking with students and staff; supporting critical votes relating to staff pay; speaking out about issues relating to student achievement, district budget, facility needs, and more; and creating an “open door” policy for staff, students, and stakeholders to voice concerns.
The Marlboro County School District is beginning the search for a new superintendent. What qualities should the ideal candidate possess in order to lead the district?
Our district has specific needs and superintendents cannot address our needs with a “one size fits all” approach. We have several areas which need critical and detailed attention, and the next superintendent must be someone who:
–Has been a principal, and has knowledge of students in poverty, trauma, and students of color,
–Has superintendent experience, with an emphasis on turning districts around,
–Is a visionary, with actionable plans for moving the district forward and producing greatness,
–Can they “communicate” how they’re going to put systems in place to improve our schools academically and improve facilities,
–Implements fiscally responsive practices,
–Demonstrates an appreciation for and strong partnership between community stakeholders,
–Demonstrates high morals, values, and consistently operates with transparency,
–Leads the charge of keeping our children safe,
–Will invest in this community and be committed to seeing the progress through.
What are the two top priorities that the district needs to address?
The district needs to address staffing, including pay, recruitment of qualified staff, and amenities/incentives for retention. Secondly, after addressing qualified staffing needs, the district needs to then address student achievement and enrichment opportunities. We need to consider supplemental approaches to address the whole student and build transferrable life skills that would support students within the classroom. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, learning cannot take place until a child’s most basic needs are met. So, until we ensure our students are nourished, safe, loved, and confident, we will continue to struggle when it comes to academics.
Name: Robert Goff
Education: High School Diploma
Residence: Bennettsville
Occupation: I am a technical services manager with LATICRETE International.
What current or past offices or areas of service have you held/participated in? I was School Board Representative for the McColl area for eight years. I also coached various sports in Marlboro County for over 20 years. I am a member of the American Legion and also served as a school resource officer during my time in law enforcement.
Why do you feel that are qualified to be elected as a member of the Marlboro County Board of Education? I have worked in a business-related field for the past 16 years. During this time, I have been responsible for implementing and overseeing departmental budgets. I have also been involved in many aspects of the construction industry and used that knowledge during my time on the board to ensure we were getting what we paid for when it came to the construction of our new schools in Blenheim and Wallace. I have served the community in various roles since I returned home from the Air Force in 1994. I am a strong voice for the students and teachers in this county and have a record of voting to support that during my previous two terms on the board of education. I have also been part of raising and seeing 5 children who were all graduates of our public schools in Marlboro County. Lastly, I was raised by a mother who was employed with the district as an educator for over 40 years and was able to see first-hand the challenges that she faced.
What difference have you made to the Marlboro County School District during your time as a board member? During my tenure from 2008-2016, we oversaw the construction of two new schools as well as the addition of a press box and restrooms at our baseball/softball fields. I was also strongly against tax increases during my time as a board member. I strongly advocated for teacher pay, including assistants and other support staff while demanding accountability from the district office in regard to how our tax dollars were spent.
The Marlboro County School District is beginning the search for a new superintendent. What qualities should the ideal candidate possess in order to lead the district? What we need is someone who is willing to dedicate themselves for a substantial period of time to the district. Time enough to effect change and implement policies and strategies that will seek to move our district forward. I have always been a believer that someone with a vested interest in our county would be great to serve and lead the district. We also need the board to work together with whomever is hired to develop a strategic plan that focuses on elevating our school district.
What are the two top priorities that the district needs to address? The first job is to hire a qualified superintendent that will carry us through the next phase of growth within the district. Second, we need to work to ensure that our teachers are receiving the compensation they deserve, while also being provided the tools necessary to give our kids the highest quality education possible.
Name: Nikki Lynn Pruitt
Education: I have a bachelor’s in business administration from Coker College as well as an associate in arts and an associate in business both from Northeastern Technical College.
Residence: Bennettsville.
Occupation: I am the assistant manager of Nomad Café.
What current or past offices or areas of service have you held/participated in? I have served for eight years at my church as a youth minister. I also served 10 and a half years as a government employee at the Marlboro County courthouse.
Why do you feel that you are qualified to be elected as a member of the Marlboro County Board of Education? My most important qualification is having three small children. I have a vested interest in what is currently happening in our schools. Next, my experience as a youth minister proves my heart for all the youth of Marlboro County. Being a school board member is first and foremost about the children and their future. In addition, my tenure at Marlboro County Government gave me life experience. My experience working in building codes, delinquent tax, and the Tax Assessor’s office as a real estate appraiser gave me knowledge of how taxes work and how they are used. Having experience in building codes makes me a great asset on the school board since it does not appear we will get away from building issues any time soon. Lastly, my education in Business Administration gives me an understanding of how to use our tax money more wisely.
What difference have you made to the Marlboro County School District during your time as a board member? I have not served on the board yet, but I know without a doubt that if I were given the opportunity, I would make a difference. I would push for making wiser decisions with all our tax money among many other things.
The Marlboro County School District is beginning the search for a new superintendent. What qualities should the ideal candidate possess in order to lead the district? In my opinion, the ideal candidate for our school district superintendent would be a visionary with ambition and commitment to doing a great job for the success of our children. He or she should have a desire and ability to build relationships with staff, parents, and students. Communication skills are very important. Communication to staff and the board are detrimental to the success of a school district. He or she should not be self-seeking but rather have a heart of servitude in his or her decision-making.
What are the two top priorities that the district needs to address? In my opinion, the two top priorities that the district needs to address are first and foremost teacher appreciation. We are not the only district that is having issues retaining teachers; however, if we were to show greater appreciation to our teachers, we would have a higher quality of education and increase teacher retention rates. This would inevitably produce more successful students. Secondly, would be stopping the nonsense waste of tax payer dollars. I believe that teachers and other staff could get bonuses and/or raises without raising taxes if we would address frivolous spending habits.
DISTRICT 5
Name: Dr. Rippin McLeod, Jr.
Education: I graduated from Bennettsville High School in 1968. I earned a BA from the University Of Michigan in 1972; a MA from the University of South Carolina in 1995; and Ed.S in 2007 and Ed.D in 2007 from South Carolina State University.
Residence: Bennettsville
Occupation: I am a retired school administrator.
What current or past offices or areas of service have you held/participated in?
I have served the Marlboro County School District as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, associate principal, Career and Technology Director, Attendance Coordinator, and Deputy Superintendent for a total of 24 years.
Why do you feel that you are qualified to be elected as a member of the Marlboro County Board of Education?
I have helped to run the district for 24 years, so I have an insight as to what it takes as well as what is needed.
What difference have you made to the Marlboro County School District during your time as a board member?
N/A
The Marlboro County School District is beginning the search for a new superintendent. What qualities should the ideal candidate possess in order to lead the district?
Be smart, strong leadership skills, great integrity, great empathy, and be a people person.
What are the two top priorities that the district needs to address?
Student achievement and staff morale.