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BY IVAN SANDERS
STAR STAFF
ivan.sanders@elizabethton.com 
The Elizabethton Star continues to share information on the candidates for the Elizabethton Board of Education.

There are three open seats for the 2020 election as Chairwoman Rita Booher and Dr. Grover May have elected not to seek re-election while incumbent Phil Isaacs will be running to maintain his seat.

Candidate Gen Bacon Treadway answered five questions that were asked of all school board candidates and here are her responses.

Please give a short bio (family, education, work experience, any other pertinent info you feel important).
My name is Gen Bacon Treadway. I’m originally from California, moved to Elizabethton in 1998, and the orange and black’s been running through my veins ever since.
I graduated from EHS in 2000 and graduated from Northeast State with an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice in 2007.
My husband Brandon and I have been happily married for 16 years and have three handsome boys, Gage, Caiden, and Mason, who are currently enrolled in three different Elizabethton City Schools.
Our family attends church at Grace Fellowship in Johnson City. I currently own and operate a local small business, Treadway Travel Company.

Why did you decide to run for the Elizabethton City School Board and why do you feel qualified to do so?
I have been a member of the Harold McCormick PTAC for seven years and president for the past three years. I decided to step down this year to run for the school board.
I want to run for the school board to be a voice for the students, teachers, and the community. As not only a parent but as a younger, supportive member of the community I feel that I can bring some new perspective to the board.
I feel that it is important that we have board members who have children in the system and who are truly invested in this community.
I would do my best to keep our board united and working towards the goal of giving the students and the teachers the best tools and atmosphere possible for them all to succeed.
What do you think are the most important issues facing the Elizabethton School System and how would you suggest addressing them?
I think that COVID-19 is definitely the biggest issue facing the school system at this time.
The current administration was thrown into the most uncertain of times.
Now that we have had a few months to try and wrap our heads around the online platforms that virtual classes bring with it I would like to see us fine-tune the process so that we are giving our teachers and students the absolute best experience we can.
What strong points do you feel need to continue in the school system?
We are blessed with some of the best in the business.
As far as I’m concerned these faculty and staff are the salts of the earth.
Most have stepped up in ways we could’ve never imagined, trying to give our children some sort of normalcy in this ever-changing school year.
Our administration has done a great job of supporting them during this time and we need to be sure that continues.
Do you feel that the pandemic has negatively impacted the school system and what would you bring to the board in helping to overcome those issues if elected?
I think the pandemic has 100% negatively impacted the school system and everything that comes with the education experience.
I trust our current administration to continue to look at the data and listen to the experts to decide how we move forward.
If we have to continue with the hybrid/virtual schedule I would like to look at options that would make the virtual learning track easier and more efficient for both teachers and students.
I feel as if we won’t see the true impact of COVID on education for years to come. Even when things go back to “normal” teachers and students are going to need support.