Sally Harris Vying To Serve 2nd Time On Hillsborough School Board

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL — Patch sent out questionnaires to all candidates for local and state races.

The following is the response from Sally A. Harris, 70, who is running for Hillsborough County School Board District 7, a countywide seat, against incumbent Lynn Gray:

Background /Education

Robinson High School Class of 1968, University of Florida, University of South Florida and Hillsborough Community College.

Experience/Occupation

Gainesville Camps Federal Credit Union branch manager, occupational specialist at Riverdale High School in Lee County, occupational specialist at Monroe Middle School, occupational specialist at Tampa Bay Tech, occupational specialist and owner of the Circle C Ranch Academy South Tampa Preschool and Summer Camp.

Prior Elected Office

District 2 Hillsborough County School Board chair 2017-18.

Personal

Widow with four children and 30-plus foster children, past president of the South Tampa Chamber, Coleman Middle PTA, Madison Middle PTA, County Council PTA, Business and Professional Women, ACME Marriage Enrichment and Florida Vocational Association. Served on the Early Learning Collation, Children's Board, ZooTampa, Leadership Hillsborough 1989, Beta Sigma Phi.

Priorities

Bullying versus coping skills, vocational education introduction in middle schools, lower cost health benefits to employees, and safety for our students and teachers.

Why Are You Running?

I have unfinished business. I want to see our district look at lower cost benefits for all employees. I want to help move alternative choices from college for students who don’t plan to go to college to have skills and training opportunities and enter the work force with a trade.

I feel we have issues in our schools with bullying. We need to teach our children coping skills, not just remove the bully, but provide skills that help children cope with challenges that they will encounter in their life's journey. This needs to be done as early as second grade.

Our middle schools need to be totally revamped. Parents are not happy with the district middle school program, so we need to look at other ways to enhance middle school so our families feel better about our programs.