Johnston County school board interviews three candidates for District 7 vacancy

The Johnston County Board of Education held a special called session to interview three candidates for the District 7 board vacancy and heard each candidate outline priorities including teacher recruitment and retention, student food security and career and technical education.

The interviews, conducted in a morning session that featured questions from multiple board members, included Gracie Chamblee, a retired Johnston County educator and community volunteer; Jeff Sullivan, a longtime Johnston County teacher and administrator; and Thomas Daugherty, a K-12 social studies consultant with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. The board recessed after the interviews and scheduled a vote on appointments at a special meeting Thursday at 8:30 a.m.

The candidates described overlapping concerns. Chamblee said she applied because of long experience in the district and concerns she has observed at board meetings; she pressed the board to pursue federal meal eligibility for children, citing material from School Meals for North Carolina and saying, “if you are hungry, you can't learn.” Chamblee also urged a formalized channel of communication between teachers and the board and said teacher retention and school safety were priorities.

Sullivan, who has taught drivers education and worked across elementary, middle and high schools in the county, emphasized teacher pay supplements, supports and early recruitment. He recommended forging stronger ties with teacher-preparation programs and using scholarships tied to return-to-service commitments. Sullivan said school leadership matters and that boards should “protect teachers' planning time” to help retain staff.

Daugherty, who works at the state level on social studies curriculum, said personnel and school leadership are the highest-leverage factors for student outcomes and urged expanded outreach — including marketing the district’s programs — so the community understands available courses. He recommended maintaining a broad mix of academic and career pathways, and noted that quality social studies and science instruction can support literacy. “I'm a much bigger believer in personnel than in programs,” he told the board.

Board members asked each candidate how they would work with the superintendent and district staff. Chamblee said the superintendent advises and takes direction from the board and described an earlier event in which Dr. Eric Bracey participated. Sullivan described the need for “open communication and trust” between the board and superintendent. Daugherty said board-superintendent relations should prioritize students’ needs and careful stewardship of district resources.

On career pathways and CTE (career and technical education), candidates recommended expanding internships, regional academy options and partnerships with local employers so students who do not pursue four-year degrees can earn certifications and enter the workforce. Sullivan suggested scholarships and return-to-service agreements to recruit county residents into teaching; Daugherty pointed to models that bus students to specialized schools for half-day academy programs.

No appointment was made during the special session. The board chair said the board will make a decision at a special called meeting on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. The board then moved to adjourn; the motion was seconded and carried by voice vote.

The session provided the board with direct comparisons of three candidates who each argued they bring practical classroom or education-policy experience and community ties to the District 7 seat. The vote Thursday will determine who fills the vacancy for the coming term.