Candidate Profile: Nickie Leighly, Bartow County School Board Dist. 3

CARTERSVILLE, GA — Three candidates are running for Bartow County Board of Education District 3 in the May 24 General Primary Election.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as the primary draws near.

Nickie Leighly is running for Bartow County Board of Education District 3.

Name: Nickie Leighly

City of residence: Cartersville

Office sought: Bartow County Board of Education District 3

Party affiliation: Republican

Education: Georgia Highlands, Life Bible College, WVU

Occupation: Mom, small-business owner, board member for Defend the Voiceless

Family: Married to my wonderful husband for 19 years; 7 children, ages 5, 6, 11, 13, 14, 16 and 18. They all attend Bartow County schools. We have been foster parents, youth pastors, small-group leaders. We have family businesses and a small farm.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Previous public office, appointive or elective: I was on the 11th District committee for the GOP.

Age: 41

Why are you seeking this office? I want to help ensure that every child has a strong foundation for his or her chosen future.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it. The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is communication. So many things are needed for our community and the answers can be found in our neighbors, friends, co-workers and other community members. We simply need to work together.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? I am uniquely qualified in that I have three children in elementary school, one in middle school and three in high school and that I am freshly aware of the daily issues parents and teachers face and would be able to try to find solutions within our community.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community? The current officeholder has big shoes to fill. He was a fair leader who listened and made the decisions that were good for our community. He was important in bringing our system where it is. I hope to bring new ideas into different areas that will be able to make our school system better for all students.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign? I hope we can have implementation of trust based relational intervention for teaching. I also hope to bring focus to the areas that can seem forgotten because they are not mainstream.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? I have helped start businesses with my husband that are successful. I have been on the board for Defend the Voiceless to help speak for others who cannot speak for themselves. Most importantly, my seven children are the reason I can handle this job. They are seven different personalities with different strengths and learning areas. My seven children give me a desire to make the school board the very best it can be for their future and the future of generations to come. I believe the school board position does not need to be a person who has knowledge in how to educate but simply has a love for the children and the community.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? Failure is not the end but just a small part of your journey. Never stop trying, and never stop dreaming.

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions? If you were looking for a person who will love your children and want the absolute best for them, if you want a school board member who will fight for the education safety and security of every student in our school system, I am your person. I will be a good steward of making sure your tax dollars are well spent and that our community will benefit the best way possible. If you want someone to fight for children, support our teachers, and strive to enrich our community, I am your girl.