Three incumbent Roanoke Rapids Graded District Board of Trustees are up for re-election this year.

Incumbents Cathy Keeter, Steven Ellis, and Jeff Kloss are being challenged by Jim Whitmire and Carlton Ansley.

The following are Kloss’s answers to campaign questions:

Why do you want to run for a seat on the board of education?

I grew up in Roanoke Rapids and graduated in 1988 and moved to Atlanta after graduating from college. Thirty-four years passed and I had an opportunity to move back and start a business. Upon returning, I was approached by several board members about filling a vacancy on the board, and I decided to do so because it was my way of giving back to a community that had given me so much in my youth. I had great memories of being in school and leading the marching band and participating in so many clubs and organizations. However; after a short while on the board I realized that it was no longer the school of excellence I had attended. I want to serve on the board to do my best at returning the RRGSD back into the schools of excellence they once were when I attended. I want to help it become a place to mold future minds and the best place to work in the Roanoke Valley for our faculty and staff. 

Have you served previously and for how long?

I was appointed last September to fill Tammy Colston's seat.

What experience do you bring to the board that will assist you in fulfilling the obligations and duties of the Board of Education?

I have been in a position of management or business ownership for 30 years and understand how to work with others to get things done. I hope to bring a sense of business ownership to the board, to be intentional on how policies are made, foster unity in the faculty and staff, and be responsible on how money is spent. I credit much of my success in creating a sense of community with my coworkers that creates a very uplifting positive place to work. This positive work environment is noticed and felt by our clients. My business philosophy has always been service-based. Serve the client first and the profits will follow. With the school system, we have two clients, the students, faculty and staff. If the faculty and staff is being served and a feeling of community is established, I believe greater results will follow for our students.

What do you see as the biggest challenge for our school system and what suggestions do you have for improvement?

Recruiting and maintaining exceptional talent. We must foster and develop talent from within and retain them once we do. It is difficult to compete with the larger cities in recruiting new talent. 

What do you see as the greatest strength for our school system and what suggestions do you have for capitalizing on that strength?

I am impressed with our school principals. I believe we can leverage their leadership and abilities to return our schools to excellence. There is a passion for teaching among our teachers and a desire to succeed.

What should be the role of a board member in the day-to-day operation of the district?

A board member should be involved by "taking the pulse" of each school in the district to understand what is going on at each school. This will lead to a better understanding of the environment where our students are learning and the teachers are working. This will give the board first hand knowledge of concerns of faculty and identify areas to improve our schools. The board will then know better how to implement policies to foster growth and pursue excellence.