WUFT asked candidates running for office across north central Florida a series of questions about their background and plans if elected.
Below, find the answers from Ronnie Gray, candidate for Suwannee County Superintendent of Schools.
Why did you decide to run for this office?
I have been fortunate in that my career has provided extensive preparation for the position of Superintendent. I have served in every position of high impact for both students and staff. Having served as a Teacher, Head Coach, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, Principal, County-Wide Athletic Director, District Title IX Coordinator, District Equity Coordinator, School Safety Director, and Emergency Management Liaison, I believe that I am uniquely qualified to be successful. I decided to run out of a sense of duty and responsibility to the district. I am running to provide continued common sense conservative leadership that is grounded in experience and a track record of success that can perpetuate the district's current upward trajectory.
What are the three most pressing problems happening in your district or jurisdiction?
Needed academic growth in reading, obtaining and retaining highly qualified and effective teachers and administrators, and dealing with the challenges of maintaining and growing facilities in a fiscally constrained district.
Your suggested solution for the top problem:
Reading is a challenge that is best addressed by high-quality instruction and the absolute imperative of a focus on the importance the home plays in a child's reading development. Addressing teacher/administrator development, recruitment, and retention is another nationwide concern. Our focus will be recruiting certified teachers and growing our own to the greatest extent possible. We have already made strong headway in being able to offer a product that is highly desirable to allow in our recruitment of certified teachers. Financial challenges and housing are always listed as two significant challenges for educators desiring to make a move or stay in the profession, even in a district as successful as the Suwannee County School District. WE have worked diligently to overcome the barriers. The teachers' compensation in SCSD is among the highest in the area. Couple that with some of the best insurance options available, and you are creating an environment conducive for teachers to thrive financially. Insurance is always a hot-button issue, and we can now offer faculty no-cost insurance with a district-provided Health Savings Account contribution monthly. Further, we can offer, at no or little cost, depending on the employee's selected health insurance plan, access for employees to a wellness and health clinic to meet all their routine medical visit needs for the teacher and their children. Also, we are in the phase of developing internal programs and procedures to identify, develop, and retain teachers and administrators. Programs like the bridge from para-to-teacher and high school academies identify early those students who have an interest in education, as well as, providing incentives to complete the post-secondary education coursework and return to Suwannee County.
If elected, what is the first part of your agenda you intend to accomplish?
It is all about teachers and administrators in our schools. These individuals are the foundation and the backbone of the academic experience. Taking care of those you currently have and addressing the personnel needs at both the faculty and administrative levels to develop depth, strength, and quality in this area is paramount to student success. If we believe that students are our purpose and focus in education, then stating this without a full-force effort to address these individuals that make it happen every day, those who are providing the instruction and leading students' schools is going to be fruitless.
What else should voters know about you and your candidacy?
As we have seen in recent years, elections can have consequences. It will be crucial to elect a highly qualified candidate with a track record of success, vast experience, and a clear understanding of the priorities. I am that candidate