09/21/2023
I thought I’d post the entire document here in case there is trouble opening the link. Here are my goals and objectives as a School Board representative.
As a lifelong resident of Orange County, I am deeply committed to serving our community. This is why I am running for the District 3 School Board seat on November 7, 2023.
I am the father of three, Cameron, Carter, and Kylie Rickett and a grandfather of three, Brayden, Baylor, and Blakely Rickett. Since 2006, I have been a small business owner in the town of Orange. I have dedicated my adult life to supporting our youth through education and creating jobs in our community. I learned from two of the most influential people in my life, Judy P Carter and Henry Lee Carter, that civil service is essential to a strong community. They both lived what they believed, serving as Mayor and Council member of the Town of Orange and as Chairwoman and Board Member of the Orange County School Board. They were also small business owners who understood the balance of running a small business and their responsibilities as civil servants. I have tried every day to live up to their examples in my own way utilizing my strengths of communication, leadership, and vision. Through my interactions with Orange’s youth, I try to convey what is possible through hard work and dedication. I am guided by my values and the belief that individuals can make a difference in people’s lives.
As a School Board Member, I will focus on three areas of need to not only positively impact the youth attending our schools, but to also impact the citizens of Orange.
1. Teacher recruitment and retention
One of the largest challenges we face as a community and school system is teacher recruitment and retention. We are not alone in this challenge as all small rural areas face the same obstacle. To tackle this, we need to understand teachers’ needs and determine whether we are asking the right questions. Our strengths consist of rural character and culture, quality of living in a rural community and most importantly the relationships fostered as members of a small community. Our teachers and administrators are our neighbors, friends, and family members. They are tirelessly committed to our youth but are stretched to do so much more in their jobs due to staffing shortages. They are at times portrayed to be the problem when teachers are the solution. Starting with the School Board we need to consistently communicate our support for all the hard work and progress our teachers contribute to the school system. In general, the number one determinant for employees leaving their jobs is not due to financial reasons. It is how they are valued and treated as individuals contributing to a common goal. We must stop this vicious cycle of losing quality teachers and staff. One thing I have learned in over 30 years of managing, recruiting, and retaining top people is that good people want to work for good people. All successful organizations have a commitment to consistent communication to the task at hand. A culture of success and accountability is developed when everyone at the table is given a voice. The School Board members are the leaders that set the tone and direction for the largest employer in Orange County. Each member must commit to asking themselves, “are my words and actions part of the solution or are they contributing to the problem?” That is not to say that members should not express their ideas and thoughts. Each member brings their own experiences to the table, adding value to induce productive discussion. My experience has always been that a group of diverse individuals who engage in open- minded discussion produces the best results.
2. CTE: Career Technical Education
This issue has been a passion of mine for more than a decade. I have sat on many committees, focus groups and both public and private meetings discussing a plan to bring a CTE facility to Orange. In every meeting, building a consensus for this was not the issue. Every person I speak with whether they are a parent, citizen, elected official, or a school administrator believes that this center gives us the tools to be an even more successful community. The Center will accomplish three goals:
a. For those students choosing a different path than attending a four-year college or university, The Center will give them the tools to be successful in life by teaching them a trade which allows them to enter the work force with a skill set to succeed.
b. Adult re- training. Many of our neighbors and friends would like to have the option to further their education. That may mean exploring a different career path or enhancing their current skill set. The Center then becomes a dual use facility by educating and training the future workforce and helping to advance the careers of our current workforce. This benefits our local businesses and our economy. This leads me to the final point:
c. Building a future workforce to sustain controlled growth here in Orange County. As the current Vice Chairman of the Economic Development Authority (EDA) we see the challenges current and potential businesses in Orange are having in finding skilled people to fill all positions. With commitment to a CTE center, we would take a major step in ensuring future growth in our local economy by training our youth and giving options to our current citizens.
I believe with my experiences and relationships within our community we can get this done. It now is a matter of will and a commitment that this is a priority.
3. Making educating our youth a top priority.
“It takes a village to raise a child” (African proverb).
The most important common theme for all parents is, “We all just want what is best for our children.” A simple thought, but in today’s times seems to be complicated. As a School Board “our children” means all children, no matter their economic, social, gender, race, or religious beliefs. We are tasked to educate all children to the best of our ability. We accept our youth as who they are just as we do our own children. Our national politics have attempted to bring an emphasis on what our differences are and how they divide us. Instead, we must reject hate and separation. As a community, we- parents, teachers, community leaders, citizens, coaches- must embrace being on the same side. We want what is best for our children. I say to parents, “teachers are not the enemy.” Likewise, I say to teachers, “parents are not the enemy.” We all have a common goal to educate our children. As such, I am running as an Independent. Partisan politics have no place in the school system. When my children attended school, I never asked a teacher about their political affiliation, nor did they ask me. We were there to discuss how to work together to advocate for my children. When elected, I commit to do my part to bring civility, respect, and open communication to the School Board. I will begin each discussion and deliberation with a simple question, “Does this add value to educating the youth of Orange County?”
With over 30 years of business experience and over a decade serving Orange County as an Economic Development Authority member, I believe I have the background and experience to serve as District 3 School Board member. The first 15 years of my career I worked for a Fortune 500 company in multiple roles. The most relevant experience was as Regional Manager leading a diverse group of over 90 direct employees and more than 1000 indirect employees and having the responsibility of managing the regional budget. Under my leadership, the region generated over $100 million in sales. I am most proud of two achievements during my tenure. The first was opening new locations in new markets. My job was to recruit and hire quality people and instill a culture to represent a brand that personified our corporate goals. The second being to establish an intern program that developed future leaders in our company. The first year I had twelve interns, eight of whom stayed with the company after graduation and six of whom went on to run their own locations.
In the last 15 years I have started my own small business in my hometown. I continue to conduct business with the values of treating my employees and customers the way we all want to be treated. At its peak, I created 30 jobs in our community. I am adept at successfully running a business and giving back to the community by sponsoring local sports teams, giving resources to support the local Chamber, volunteering to coach sports teams from recreational sports to the high school level, and giving our youth an opportunity to grow and learn through employment.
Over the last 20 years, I have served on the Orange County Chamber of Commerce, the Orange Downtown Alliance and most recently on the Economic Development Authority (EDA) as a 12-year member. My tenure on the EDA has been most fulfilling. It has been a privilege to serve with such hard- working, dedicated individuals from our community. I have learned a great deal from this diverse group of people. I have developed relationships during this time by working with Orange County Supervisors and staff, Orange County School Board members and staff, and the Towns of Orange and Gordonsville. Those relationships are why we have produced tremendous economic and employment results in our community. We have added new business and helped current businesses expand. The direct results of these efforts are as follows:
the creation of 568 new jobs in Orange County,
over $63 million in capital investments,
and most recently, the Mitre Project which will have a direct impact on our local economy. This project, coupled with a CTE center will generate jobs for our youth and further enrich our community.
In conclusion, I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my announcement and ask for your support toward the goals I have laid out. I will be scheduling events in the hopes of meeting you, listening to your thoughts and discussing the future of our school system and community.
I humbly ask for your vote on November 7th as your District 3 School Board member.
