Tuesday will mark election day and many positions will be up for grabs.

On the Elizabethton City Board of Education, two seats will be listed on the ballot, with current members Tyler Flemming and Susan Peters in the running. Also running for the two open spots will be Danny O’Quinn and Eddie Pless.

Below are the candidates’ responses to a questionnaire provided by the Elizabethton Star.

TYLER FLEMMING

What do you feel makes you qualified to be a board member?

I have served in the education profession for forty years. I was director of bands at Dobyns-Bennett High School for 13 years before serving in a variety of roles as a school administrator in the Kingsport City Schools. Following those years, I was director of schools of Ashley Academy, a private School in Johnson City. I have proudly served as a Board of Education for the Elizabethton City Schools for the last four years.

What is the biggest issue facing the school system? How would you propose fixing it?

Like other City Departments, we face many funding limitations. I am very proud that we have worked with the City Council and the City government to resolve these issues in the past four years.

What do you feel is the biggest success of the school system over the past few years?

Projects that are currently underway include expansion of the pickup and dropoff area at Harold McCormick, an addition of a Maker Space, Virtual Reality Lab, amphitheater and flexible classroom spaces at the high school, and conversion of the old hospital property to athletic fields. Many of these projects owe a debt of gratitude to community sponsors as well as to City Council due to the Board and Council’s ability to communicate and work as a team.

DANNY O’QUINN

What do you feel makes you qualified to be a board member?

I have spent the past 18 years in public education.  The first 11 years was in secondary education.  Ten of those years was with the Elizabethton City School System as a teacher at the high school, an assistant principal at the high school, and principal at the middle school and the high school.  I have served as vice president at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology in Elizabethton for the past seven years. I feel my experience at both the secondary and post-secondary levels more than qualify me for this position.

What is the biggest issue facing the school system? How would you propose fixing it?

I think our biggest issue is the space at TA Dugger Junior High.  For several years, we have not had enough space there to house the number of students enrolled there.  There are plans for an addition there, but we do not have the funding to do them.  I think we continue to work with the city council and look at options to make those plans a reality.  The school is older and needs some renovations as well as a new extension. We need to develop a plan to deal with the maintenance and upgrades needed now and in the future for all our buildings to ensure the safety and smooth operation of the schools.  We need to plan on being proactive instead of reactive with those issues and work closely with the city council on developing that plan.

What do you feel is the biggest success of the school system over the past few years?

I think some of the major building projects that the system has completed in the past few years have been a huge success story in our system. The new stadium and the band room at the high school, some of the additions at the elementary schools, and the addition of the sports fields at the junior high were huge in ensuring our students have the room and facilities needed on their campus.  The safety upgrades at all of the schools a few years ago, helped secure each campus and provide a safe learning environment for our students.  Finally, some of our school’s test scores was a huge achievement for our system. I know that last year, Harold McCormick scored a 5 out of a possible 5 on student growth.  We have great teachers that provide a quality education to all of our students. We just need to keep providing them with the tools they need to be successful.

EDDIE PLESS

What do you feel makes you qualified to be a board member?

I have thirty-three years of experience in local public education. I have taught at the elementary, middle and high school levels. I served as the CTE Director, Athletic Director and Principal of Elizabethton High School. I also served as a supervisor for the Elizabethton City Schools for six years. Outside of K-12 education, I served as the Assistant Director of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology and currently work as a recruiter for the same institution. My life has been spent working for and with teachers and students and I would love to work on their behalf as a member of the Elizabethton Board of Education. I feel I have the experience necessary to be a member of the Elizabethton Board of Education.

What is the biggest issue facing the school system? How would you propose fixing it?

I feel funding is always at the top of the list. For Elizabethton City Schools to continue to provide quality education, further improvements, additions, and updates funds will be needed. Additional classroom spaces and upgrades are needed to ensure well-rounded educational experiences are provided. There is still a need to complete renovations and upgrades to T. A. Dugger. I would support efforts to prioritize projects and secure funding to meet those needs.

What do you feel is the biggest success of the school system over the past few years?

Capitol projects have been a big success for our system. The completion of the band/chorus facility and restructuring of the mini-theater at EHS, Citizens Bank Stadium, LaPorte Track, The Wandell Early Learning Center at East Side Elementary, new T. A. Dugger softball and baseball fields have all been great additions for our system.

SUSAN PETERS

What do you feel makes you qualified to be a board member?

I am seeking a second term on the Elizabethton School Board and feel I am qualified by my experience as well as my background. I have three undergraduate and graduate degrees all related to education and taught for 32 years in the public school systems in three states, having won numerous awards during that time. Since I relocated here in 2001 to care for my parents, I have volunteered at Harold McCormick Elementary School as well as tutoring at the Elizabethton/Carter County Library. During my first term on the Board, I have been quite involved with the new Bartleby Program at EHS and have tried to support, and be a voice for, teachers and students in the entire ECS system.

What is the biggest issue facing the school system? How would you propose fixing it?

I believe the ‘biggest issue’ facing the school system and our Board, is the constant striving and working towards the best education experience for all ECS students. A school system is a dynamic entity, and we are constantly looking forward and re-evaluating policies and looking to see what needs to be changed or improved. My personal goal has always been to encourage more public participation in deliberations, and I truly appreciate all the calls I have received over these years, especially recently when people need clarification about their issues or what they have heard in the community. I would hope that would continue. I feel that ECS is on a positive path towards the future and the Board works as a team with the best interests of the students always at the forefront of our decisions. I also have been interested in the long overdue additions at TAD, and hopefully, that will come to fruition. We have a very positive relationship with the City Council, and they have indicated their approval of this project when the bond market improves for them to initiate funds for this project.

What do you feel is the biggest success of the school system over the past few years?

The successes for ECS over the past few years are amazing. We just broke ground on new soccer fields where the old hospital used to be, and of course, we have a new football stadium and other sports-related additions. The sports program continues to perform excellently, and more and more students are becoming involved. At EHS, the Bartleby program is being recognized nationally and just received the largest grant ($2.7M) in ECS history. This project-based learning format has had many successes thus far and will continue to expand, and ECS students are thriving. ECS has had record graduation rates, a Level 5 growth score and a record composite ACT score while nearly doubling the number of students achieving a 30 or higher score. ECS also became one of the first school boards in the state to add a student liaison to the ECS Board. We value their input tremendously. At the elementary level, we now have a summer reading camp, the Betsy Book Bus and other reading initiatives and students have been flocking to them and been very successful. The legendary Betsy Band continues to perform and draw accolades, and the ECS chorus was the only chorus to be invited to Washington, DC to perform in the Memorial Day concert. There are many new projects planned on the horizon, and we as a Board are committed to remaining cohesive and productive and providing all students in the ECS system with a world-class experience/education at all levels.