An incumbent Lowndes County school board member faces opposition from a relative new comer in her bid to reclaim her seat in the Nov. 2 election.
Jane Kilgore, who is serving her first term as District 1 board member, has lived in Lowndes County for 25 years. She wants to continue work to improve the school district. Her challenger, Tracy Kugel is a Columbus Air Force Base wife who made Caledonia home about four years ago. Her husband plans to retire in the community, and she wants to contribute to the gains already made in the Lowndes County schools.
“I”d like to continue with the work of the existing board and continue the growth of the community and be a voice of the community,” she said.
“There”s some things that I haven”t finished up that I want to see done,” said Kilgore, noting the district has been performing well and continues to improve. She cited continued advances on state test scores as one of the district”s achievements over the years.
Kugel is in support of “anything that”s set in motion for the better of our children”s education” and promised better communication throughout the district.
“I think they”re doing wonderful things now,” she said of the current board. “I”d like to continue on that path and be a part of making that difference.”
Accomplishments Kilgore is proud of include being the only district in the area with a Level 5 school, the highest designation in the state”s accountability model. The district also has Level 4 schools and boasts some of the highest test scores in the area.
“The Lowndes County school system is the 16th largest school system in the state,” Kilgore noted, adding “schools are key to (attracting) business and industry.”
“I love Lowndes County, and I want to make sure we have good schools here and are educating our students to the fullest,” she said.
Kilgore also wants to see the district”s petition for unitary status through. Unitary status releases the district from a civil-rights era federal desegregation order and gives the board more flexibility and opportunities for innovative programs.
“I love Lowndes County. This is where I”m from — my children, my grandkids are here,” Kilgore said. “All three of my children graduated from Caledonia and I have a granddaughter who will start school there in about three years.”
Kugel, during her time in Caledonia, also has developed a fondness for the town.
“It”s just a wonderful community. It”s a growing community,” she said. “There are things you”d like to see stay the same, but at the same time you”d like to see us keep up with the growth and the times that are expected.”
Kugel, whose two sons attend Caledonia High School, said she wants “to be the voice for both students and teachers and the community and getting things accomplished for our entire district, actually, not just Caledonia.
“We need to work together — West Lowndes, New Hope. You can”t get much accomplished if you don”t pull together.”
Kilgore is the hospitalist coordinator for Baptist Memorial Hospital-Golden Triangle and is the wife of Caledonia Town Marshal Ben Kilgore.
Kugel is a substitute teacher for Caledonia schools and is the wife of Maj. Kevin Kugel, who is stationed at CAFB.
Lowndes County schools” district lines are drawn differently than those of the county supervisor districts. District 1 includes Caledonia and part of Steens.
Lowndes County School District board members serve staggered six-year terms. School board races go to the highest vote getter, regardless of whether or not there is a majority.
The only other board seat on this year”s ballot is District 2, the seat held by John Clark before he passed away in July. His son, Brian Clark, who was appointed to the seat on an interim basis, is running unopposed. District 2”s polling population includes a portion of the Columbus High voting precinct, part of Steens, part of Immanuel and part of Airbase.
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