Dominion Post endorses Keim, McCrum and Zigray for Preston BOE; and yes to new, five-year school levy

The Dominion Post is endorsing Jack Keim, Robert ‘Mac’ McCrum and Jeff Zigray for Preston County Board of Education.
Keim is currently the Preston County’s BOE’s vice president and has served on the school board for the past 12 years.
Though his formal education ended after graduating from high school, he brings a wealth of knowledge and a common sense degree, as he puts it, to the board.
He was on the front lines of Preston’s school district’s dark days that began well before the March 2009 state takeover. He was there, too, when Preston’s school board got back local control from the state sooner than most counties faced with similar challenges.
It would be a mistake to call Keim old school. Yes, his graduating class numbered 26 from the former Terra Alta High School decades ago.
Yet, he may be the foremost advocate in the career and technical education schools next door to Preston High School that offers scads of programs, new and old.
McCrum is also an incumbent candidate with 12 years of experience on Preston’s BOE.
He brings an advanced degree in education, decades of experience as a retired principal and teacher who hails from a long family tradition of teaching.
He notes that the best outcome of Preston schools’ dark days was not just erasing its more than $2.5 million deficit.
Indeed, it was also the ideas that evolved from that period that made Preston schools a better system, better equipped to make the tough decisions.
Zigray is no newcomer to public office or public schools, having served on Kingwood’s City Council for 20 years and having taught in public schools for 35 years.
He advocates for educating students so they can compete wherever they may go outside Preston County or the state and keeping the district’s schools up to date.
The fiscal responsibilities that come with public service are also important to him, as are ensuring students and parents have access to the school board.
Our newspaper is also endorsing the five-year, $2.42 million annual school levy on the May 8 ballot.
Each of the candidates above point to this levy’s passage as the linchpin for Preston County schools future success.
These additional funds not only help maintain tens of millions of dollars in new schools. They also provide funding for school security, technology, expanded curriculum, instructional supplies and more.
When we asked Keim how best to support teachers in light of their recent work stoppage he answered in three words, “Pass the levy.”
He’s right and we urge Preston County’s voters to show their regards for teachers and students alike and vote yes for this levy.