Candidate: Jerry W. Harrell

Jerry Harrell I am the son of Wesley and Louise Harrell, born on December 11, 1952 at the Washington County Hospital in Chipley, Florida. I graduated from Chipley High School in 1971. Following graduation, I attended Washington Holmes Area Vocational Technical Center, Chipola Junior College, and then on to University of West Florida leading to a Florida Department of Education Certification in Vocational Education. I have been married to Sue Hicks, daughter of Reverend Corbin and Iduma Hicks of Wausau, for 36 years. She graduated from Vernon High School in 1973. We have been blessed with three beautiful children, Gina, David, and April, and they are all proud graduates of Washington County schools. I proudly served our country as a member of the United States Navy from 1974 to 1978. Initially, I was stationed on the USS Jesse L. Brown FF1089, serving as the Liquid Load Control Officer and promoted to Tag Out Log Out Safety Inspector from 1976 to 1978. While serving in this capacity, I received the Sailor of the Quarter Award and a Letter of Commendation from the Commander of the Sixth Fleet. Following my tour of duty, I transferred to the United States Naval Reserve in 1978 and continued my service through 1983 with a variety of duties to include training reservists on shipboard operations. In 1980 I applied for the position of Automobile Repair and Refinishing Program Instructor for the Washington Holmes Area Vocational Technical Center, under the direction of Mr. Wayne Saunders. My wife also attended WHAVTC, earning her Licensed Practical Nursing License in 1980. During my 35 years of teaching secondary and adult students the technical knowledge and skills required for gainful employment in the field of automobile repair and refinishing, coupled with the employability skills necessary for success in the workforce, I have become a firm believer that the heart and soul of our small towns and communities is our schools. Although, I retired from the Washington County School District on May 31, 2015, I know that I still belong to that wonderful family of educators! I will continue to be a dedicated advocate for public education. I hope to serve as your next elected District 2 Washington County School Board Member. Toward this endeavor, I pledge enthusiastic leadership devoted to citizen involvement. As your school board member I intend to remain focused on moving our school district forward and educating all students to meet high standards. I understand that communication between the School Board and our community is imperative, through public discourse and or written reports that keep the public informed of our district’s progress and challenges. As I continue to educate myself about the issues facing our schools, I encourage you to do the same and together we can ensure that the desires of our community and the visions and goals set by our school board are met. I am passionate about delivering our long held community values into our schools. I believe that the decisions that the Washington County School Board makes will have a greater long-term impact on our communities than those of any other elected body at any other level of government. We must assure that all students, regardless of gender, race, or socioeconomic status, are progressing toward and achieving high standards of learning. The challenges to student learning and to providing equity among all students in achievement are complex. However, through respectful collaboration, diligence, and hard work we can provide a path for our students to reach their potential and discover a world of possibilities for a bright future.