District 5 School Board: Bill Slayton

August 25, 2008

NAME: Bill Slayton

OCCUPATION: Retired educator (teacher and administrator)

BRIEFLY EXPLAIN YOUR EXPERIENCE AS IT RELATES TO THE SCHOOL BOARD POSITION YOU ARE SEEKING:

I have worked diligently over the last 36 years to provide the students for whom I was responsible the best education possible. The successes we achieved together indicate my leadership ability and willingness to work as hard as necessary. Guiding the Tate High School Band to national recognition, leading Woodham High School to designation as a New Millennium High School, and obtaining over two million dollars in grants for school advancement are a few of the indications of my leadership and willingness to work. Because of my past experiences, not only school based but also working with board members and superintendents, I will be an effective school board member immediately.

WHAT ARE THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FACING THE ESCAMBIA SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS:

The top issue in education is furnishing students with the best education possible. A part of this includes securing the most outstanding personnel possible to lead the education of those students. This would include providing top salaries, benefits, and working conditions. It is important not only to secure the best personnel but also to keep them. Before funds
are spent on anything else, we should be sure that services to students are not affected adversely. The priority must be providing a curriculum that benefits all students.

Realigning the school district budget to meet the needs of students and schools should be our first priority. Presently we protect the district office first and the schools’ budgets get the leftovers. I will always put students and schools first.

A five-year plan must be adopted for closing of schools, redistricting, and new school construction. We have to stop surprising students, parents, and teachers with last minute announcements. We will adopt a plan that addresses the shifts in populations and closing some of our oldest facilities.

WHAT CHANGES DO YOU SEE, OR DO WE NEED, IN NORTH ESCAMBIA SCHOOLS?

We have to address the overcrowding in some of our schools and the need to replace some of our oldest facilities. How old are some of our oldest northern schools? We need to stop trying to fix old problems and look at a new facility at Ernest Ward.

WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO CARVER/CENTURY K-8 SCHOOL, AND WHEN?

Once again we try to fix a budget problem without considering students. I am not in favor of closing Carver/Century but the present school board has already approved the closing. I would begin working with the community on a plan to show the school district and the school board that the community and students from Century are as deserving as any other students in the district.

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT WALK LIMITS FOR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN A RURAL SETTING LIKE NORTH ESCAMBIA?

Once again we fail to put students first and completely ignore safety. Students have no business walking to school on Kingsfield Road, Hwy 97, 297A, or Hwy 29.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD NORTH ESCAMBIA VOTERS KNOW ABOUT YOU?

I am a native of Pensacola and a product of the Escambia County School System graduating from Pensacola High School in 1966. I attended the University of Southern Mississippi where I received my Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Music Education. I also received certification in Administration and Supervision from the University of West Florida. I was band director at Tate High School from 1971 until 1987. While at Tate I was elected Teacher of the Year. I then became Music Supervisor at the county level until 1991 when I moved to Woodham High School as Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction. In 1996 I became the Principal of Woodham where I stayed until 2005. While at Woodham I was Escambia County’s High School Principal of the Year. I finished my 36-year career as the Principal of George Stone Technical Center.

My wife Judy was a Business Technology teacher for 35 years in the Escambia County School District, retiring in 2006.

Our children (daughter Melissa and son Charles) attended schools in Escambia County, District 5, and both are graduates of Tate High School. Melissa taught at Woodham for three years after receiving her degree from the University of West Florida and is now married to Lt. Cmdr. Jay Armstrong, USCG. They are the parents of our two granddaughters, Caroline (age 2½) and Lauren (11 months). Charles received his degree from Florida State University and is a manager at Guy Harvey’s Island Grill in Orange Beach, Alabama.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under General