Editor’s Note: Terry Tippett is one of 13 candidates seeking a spot on the November school board ballot in Johnston County. Below are his answers to questions from the Johnstonian News. Four candidates either declined or did not respond to our questionnaire. They were Al Byrd, John Fischer, Jenn Gurley and Joe Preston. Six candidates will advance to the general election this fall.

What grade would you give the school board’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and why?

TIPPETT: I would give the school board a C for handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Initially, no one knew what to expect when schools closed in March 2020. The efforts made were as prompt as realistically possible. But remote-only learning had negative impacts for students with no device, inadequate internet access and the lack of a support system in the home.

The preparation was lacking for the 2020-21 school year. Many of the same issues remained, and solutions were not presented. Many teachers were left to fix things on their own. Many students were left with little to no access or assistance to daily lessons. Of course, academic performance continued to drop when we were already near the bottom before COVID.

The 2021-22 school year continued to be a struggle with the negative impacts students and staff were facing. Parents and guardians were often isolated and no real solutions were offered, with the main emphasis on the mask mandate, which should have been a Johnston County Health Department issue. Thus, in addition to low academic performance, students were forced to deal with the negative consequences of masks in the classroom.

Superintendent Eric Bracy’s goal is to have all Johnston schools earn a C or better on their state report card by the end of the 2023-24 school year. And yet the school board last fall extended Bracy’s contract through the 2024-25 school year. Do you support the contract extension beyond his stated date for having all schools earn a C or better?

TIPPETT: I would not have supported a contract extension at that time, as it was done to support his efforts and leadership during the COVID outbreak. I would be open to reviewing his contract before the final year, but the perception was a $200,000 bonus through an extra year on the contract. I prefer to base extensions on sustained progress. Yet, school staff on the front lines this year received a modest bonus with stipulations attached. The perception speaks for itself, even if not intended.

County Commissioner Fred Smith recently noted that school spending in Johnston is growing faster than enrollment. Is Johnston spending too much on its schools?

TIPPETT: Johnston County is not spending too much on the student in the classroom. Mr. Smith is correct in terms of total funding and comparisons. However, this is an area I have previously addressed. The budget includes many items not directly pertaining to the student’s learning. Utilities, transportation and nutrition, for example, are areas needed and essential for the student. However, should they be included when forming a justification for classroom needs or the total amount spent on education? Certainly, costs increases in those items rest with the overall economy and nothing the schools control.

There are many more examples, and the question becomes what is the role of education and where does it start and stop? Obviously, students have to be provided transportation, meals and utilities. There are many factors to examine as the budget is broken down line by line. A single statistic will not work to offer a true picture in this case.

The school board has asked the county to put a $253.5 million bond issue on the November ballot. Do you support that amount? Or would you favor something more or something less? The school has a list of building needs. What would be your building priorities if elected?

TIPPETT: Any bond amount will be unpopular at this time for many reasons. People may oppose a bond because school buildings were closed to students for a year. Voters might ask why they should approve a bond issue enrollment growth has slowed because of the pandemic. People have legitimate concerns about the money spent on schools and the lack of success to show for that spending.

Unfortunately, the issue remains: We are busting at the seams in some areas. Previous leadership has allowed us to get in this position and doing nothing will continue to grow the problem. Bonds are the most-used way to build public facilities. The question is when do we want to begin the “catch up” phase. I would look at all options and funds available. When building does occur, there should be an emphasis on larger schools, whether two stories or not, so they are not over their capicity when opened. A better working approach with county commissioners and the county Planning Board has to be a priority.

The N.C. Public School Forum has called for the elimination or revision of the state’s A-F grading system for the state’s public schools. How should North Carolina grade its schools to ensure that children are learning and that taxpayers are getting their money’s worth in education?

TIPPETT: The grading of schools will always be a point of disagreement, especially when or if money is attached. It is more than a bunch of test scores, even in a single school. Students are different and need different things and programs to be successful and prepared for the next chapter of their lives. Grades can be subjective, and many factors can be present. Certainly, proficiency scores have to be evaluated from grade to grade for the benefit of the student.

What do you consider to be the greatest issue facing Johnston schools, and how would you address it?

TIPPETT: I believe the greatest issue is ensuring that students are prepared for the next chapter. Pre-kindgergarten students need to be prepared for elementary school, elementary students need to be prepared for middle school, middle school students need to be prepared for high school, and high school students need to be prepared for what they choose as the next chapter.

Johnston County must allow high school students to choose their path and prepare accordingly, with college prep, work prep through additional trade and vocational opportunities, and more Junior ROTC programs for military careers as examples.

The push for college failed an entire group of students and led to high debt with unused degrees for many. We have to make the total school experience mean something as the student progresses. We must have a total transformation of the Johnston County Public Schools — from the county office to the individual classroom — with an emphasis on the student and individual school staff and a partnership with local communities.

About Terry Tippett

Age: 58.

Family: wife, Peggy; children, Lindsay Long, 29, Dawson Tippett, 22; one grandchild.

Education: graduate, Smithfield-Selma High School, 1981; bachelor’s degree, therapeutic recreation, UNC-Wilmington, 1985; master’s degree, recreation administration, UNC-Chapel Hill, 1994.

Occupation: retired special education teacher, Johnston County Public Schools.

Political experience: candidate, Johnston County Board of Education, 2020.

Community service: community athletics, church.

Religious affiliation: Free Will Baptist.

Online: facebook.com/TerryTippettForJohnstonCountyBoardOfEducation.