Editor’s note: The following is a statement submitted to rrspin.com by the candidate who is running for a seat on the Halifax County Board Education. With the exception of edits for style, grammar, and punctuation it is posted as submitted by the candidate. Other candidates who have filed for this race are encouraged to submit their statements with a photo to
Retired education administrator Curtis W. Young of Roanoke Rapids recently filed for a seat on the Halifax County Schools Board of Education. He is running as a challenger to board incumbents.
An alumnus of Halifax County Schools — Northwest Halifax Class of 1978 — Young believes he is uniquely qualified to serve as a board member given his nearly four decades of experience in public education.
“My experiences range from a classroom teacher for students with special needs to department chairman. After serving as a classroom teacher for 18 years, I was selected to serve as an administrative assistant to the principal while completing my master’s degree in educational leadership. Upon completion of my graduate degree, I was appointed as an elementary school assistant principal. Following that initial administrative appointment, I served as a high school assistant principal and an elementary school principal.”
Young cited that one of his elementary appointments was for a pre-kindergarten through fourth-grade school with an enrollment of over 1,200 students and 110 staff members. After serving as a school administrator for over 14 years, he assumed the position of his district’s director of administrative services until he retired.
“My experience as director of administrative services covered all aspects of administrative responsibilities for the school district,” he said.
Young’s platform includes:
Higher academic standards for all students
Providing a safe And orderly environment for teachers to teach and students to learn
Ensuring better teacher/staff retention by providing competitive salaries to others in our region and better working conditions for all staff
Increasing parent involvement in the educational process
Young’s civic involvement includes stints on the Roanoke Rapids Recreation Advisory Committee, Halifax County Planning Board, and as secretary/treasurer of Roanoke Rapids Precinct 9 for the Halifax County Democratic Party. He currently serves as chairman of Roanoke Rapids Precinct 7-9, the county’s largest precinct. He has actively worked with Relay For Life of the Roanoke Valley for over 20 years, served as a board member on the Southside Virginia Education Board, and as a member of the Northwest Alumni Old School Association. He is a member of the Halifax/Northampton Retired School Personnel and the local chapter of the HBCU Collaborative.
Young attends Quankey Missionary Baptist Church where he is an ordained Deacon. His roles there have included President of the Laymen League, member of the Board of Trustees, Vacation Bible School teacher, church bus driver, and facilitator for the development and implementation of the church’s safety plan.
He is married to A. Faye Young and they have two sons, Corey and Chase. All four are proud alumni of Halifax County Schools.
