Candidate Profile: Lisa McKissick

STAFF REPORTS — Cherokee County Board of Education Place 5 representative Lisa McKissick will seek reelection in the June 3 primary. She will face-off against fellow Democratic candidate Tommy McDaniel, a former Board member.

McKissick, a business finance analyst who has worked at Mohawk Industries for 15 years, said her experience offers her a business and parental perspective to school-related issues and understanding of finance and funding issues. She said her background in business led to her interest in improving educational opportunities for children.

"In my field the topic of education comes up quite frequently regarding qualifications for jobs, as well as hearing other peoples' personal experiences with their own children and education," she said. "Also, I have two children who came up through the Cherokee County school system and I saw firsthand some areas that needed improvement."

McKissick said she has seen many improvements to educational opportunities in Cherokee County in her four years on the Board.

"Thanks to the voters approving the millage extension, we are now positioned to build a much-needed Centre Middle School, a gymnasium at Sand Rock High School and make major improvements at all the other schools in Cherokee County," she told The Post. "We have also approved accountability procedures and have taken steps to reduce the drop-out rate."

McKissick said her time at the Alabama Association of School Boards academy has prepared her well for some of the issues she and the Board have dealt with in the past few years.

"No Child Left Behind, school finance, discipline, technology, personnel, legal and safety are just a few of the issues that have come up since I became a Board member," she said. "The academy training has prepared me to deal with these issues."

McKissick said she hopes voters will take into account her academy training, experience and dedication when going to the polls on June 3.

"I ask the voters of Cherokee County to give me the opportunity to continue to improve our school system, so our students can have the education they deserve."

Editor's note: This article originally ran in the May 12, 2008 edition of The Post.