Ray Lockhart
Ray Lockhart, Jr. is married to Linda Williams Lockhart )for 29 years. I am the Senior Pastor of Ellis Chapel Baptist Church, Patterson Springs, N.C. Prior to becoming senior pastor; I was the youth pastor at Ellis Chapel for four years. My wife, Linda, has been the media specialist for Cleveland County Schools for 20 plus years.
My educational career path came through Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute, North Greenville University, and Gardner Webb University M. Christopher White School of Divinity graduating with a Master of Divinity with a concentration in Christian Education.
1. Why are you running for the Board of Education?
The reason I am seeking a seat on the Cleveland County School Board is to become a vocal advocate for students, teachers and staff, parents, and the community. Also, I am in support of the Promise Program, a program designed to ensure all students attend college on full-scholarships.
2. What are the big issues the Board of Education will face in the next few years?
The Big issues the Cleveland County School Board will face in the next four years are:
• funding for teachers and teacher's assistants
• one-to-one initiative
• national and state testing for students
• offering more online classes
• competition with other educational institutions (charter, home, private, and faith based schools)
• School renovation for older schools
What are we doing right in the Cleveland County Schools? What are we doing wrong?
Key things being done right in Cleveland County Schools are offering students more opportunities for online classes, after school programs, and the building of a new school for North Shelby students.
What Cleveland County Schools are doing wrong is limited community involvement and transparency from the School Board, and no availability for question and answer sessions for the community.