Dear editor:

For the majority of my years as a teacher in the Troup County School System, I was fortunate to have Cathy Sargent Hunt as a co-worker, as the chairperson for the English Department and as a friend.

Working closely with Cathy daily, I was motivated by her friendly smile, her professional attitude toward her colleagues and students, and by her enthusiasm for teaching. Not only did Cathy set high standards for her students, she set them for herself as a classroom teacher.

Her students admired and trusted her to be fair and to see them through the challenges of high school English as well as to go beyond the call of duty to help them with assignments outside the classroom if they called upon her to do so. In addition, Cathy led numerous extra-curricular activities and spent endless hours of her personal time working with students in practice and rehearsals for whatever time they needed in order to enjoy their participation in school outside the classroom.

As a member of the Troup County Board of Education, Cathy would be an asset in the decision-making process involving quality instruction as well as improved student learning. She has the ability to lead as well as to be a pleasant and cooperative team member.

She is smart and experienced in all areas of working within a large school. She strives for excellence in her work and understands curriculum much more than someone who has not been directly involved in daily interaction with school administrators as well as with teachers and students. I know this because I have worked closely with Cathy in planning departmentally.

We worked together to develop a writing plan for the senior high schools which would encompass all levels of student learning ability as well as meeting Georgia Department of Education standards and requirements of student writing at the high school level. In addition, I worked with Cathy to examine dozens of textbooks before selecting language arts textbooks for the county.

In the areas of managing a budget, I observed Cathy’s efforts at meeting the needs of students and teachers for many years. She did not complain; she got the job done and done well.

Finally, voters should know that Cathy Sargent Hunt knows what students need. She has spent her entire career working with students daily. Also, she knows what teachers need in order to be their best each day with students.

She has heard their voices regarding all of the issues that teachers face each day in a school environment, from testing demands to their need for administrative support. She will take her own experiences and knowledge of Troup County School System to provide leadership with deep concern for both students and teachers, with pride in a long and outstanding career in this system, and with eager determination to make a difference.

I cannot recommend anyone more highly for this position. I believe that just as in other professions such as business, law, medicine or any other, leaders should be selected from a background firmly rooted in that profession in order to be effective.

Troup County parents could trust no other person more to care for their children’s success than Cathy Sargent Hunt. I urge everyone in District 5 to take the time to vote. Never before have we needed strong, knowledgeable and concerned leadership from school board members than we do today. Your vote for Cathy will be a vote for your child’s quality education.

JoAnn Stephens Griffin

LaGrange