Courtesy photo

Maredy Hanford of Port Orange, is riunning for Volusia County School Board, District 3, against incumbent Stan Schmidt and fellow challenger Sharon Lurbbers of New Smyrna Beach. Here are Hanford's top three priorities, in her own words, if elected:

• 1. Allow teachers to teach. Empower them to tell administrators and the board where red tape or ineffective policy is getting in the way of educating their students. A quality education begins in the classroom at the individual teacher level. I will be supportive of our teachers.
• 2. School funding and budgets. A key priority is to ensure we operate an efficient, effective education system. With input from teachers, school administrators and our valuable support people – cafeteria providers, maintenance people, etc. we will open up opportunities to use THEIR ideas on how to operate more effectively.
• 3. We must teach our American History and Heritage so that we preserve it forever. The studying of the Constitution and our American Heritage is a must. Our students need to learn the lives of our Founding Fathers and the great history of the United States. The Constitution is one of the most profound documents yet written by man. Our students need to be well versed in the heritage of our nation, our Constitution, and individual freedoms and liberties it preserves for the people.