Rodney Christopher Eyes Henry County Georgia Board of Education Seat

MCDONOUGH, Ga. - Like many Georgia counties, Henry County's Board of Education has a tough job ahead of it. With plummeting property values and reduced state revenues, major cuts have been made to meet a budget that this year dropped another $40 million. In fact, this week, the entire Henry County Schools administrative offices are shut down as employees take five of their mandated furlough days.

In November, two School Board seats come up for election. Each of the board's five members is elected for staggered four-year terms. Recently I had the opportunity to interview District 5 candidate Rodney Christopher at a monthly meeting of the Henry County Democratic Party.

Christopher presents extremely well-rounded business, education, and civic experiences in his quest for the post.

"I've had a successful business career and recently received my MBA," he says. "I want to sit on this board as I honestly believe I can contribute to solving our education problems here in Henry County."

Christopher's list of community involvement is impressive, especially for a man who holds down a full-time job and fathers a blended family of four children, all currently enrolled in Henry County Public Schools.

RC, as he's known to family and friends, has sat on the Chamber of Commerce's education committee for three years. He has completed three Leadership programs: in Henry, Griffin/Spalding, and Warner Robbins, Georgia. Christopher's been a board member of Leadership Henry, president of the Forsyth/Monroe Rotary Club, and board member of the Spalding Chamber of Commerce.

Showing a devotion to the position even before election, Christopher has attended every public school board meeting for the past year.

"I've listened to the discussions, observed the process," he says. "I know the issues, and I'm ready to hit the ground running."

While Christopher's experience with local school governance is limited, he brings fresh ideas garnered from returning to school as an adult.

"I've taken courses online in recent years," Christopher says. "All my textbooks were provided in downloadable format. Do we really need to purchase extensive supplies of hard copy books? Or, are there certain textbooks that we can maintain electronically for access by the students who need them.

"If we are going to maintain a level of educational excellence and meet our budgetary responsibilities, we've got to engage in some out-of-the-box thinking. The old ways of doing things are not going to serve us well."

As a business man, he says he understands the need to run the school system efficiently and effectively.

"I've been the Communications Specialist for Central Georgia EMC for the past three years," he says. "I held a similar position at Flint Energies EMC prior to that. Before entering the communications field, I worked in banking."

For a non-educator, Christopher claims an intimate awareness of the realities of the classroom.

"My wife has worked for the Henry County School System for 15 years," Christopher says. "I also have four children attending three different schools in Henry County. I've been a Partner in Education with Bethlehem Elementary for two years. I have a wide window into our classrooms and the struggles our teachers are facing."

Henry County's School System is going to continue to face economic struggles and demands on its educational capabilities. It needs board members that understand fiscal responsibility as well as their primary duty to adequately educate the students of Henry County.

Rodney Christopher presents a strong resume advocating his ability to accomplish those tasks.

Sources:

Henry County Schools

Henry County School Board