VIDALIA — The race for the school board member slot in District 3-B for the Concordia Parish School Board has three candidates running for the position.

Candidates include James H. Cockerham, Cynthia “Cyndie” Dillon and Cheryl Probst.

James H. Cockerham

Cockerham said his 25 years of working with the school system as a bus driver and his love for the children in the parish are things that brought him into the election.

“I know a lot of the problems we have and things that need to be addressed,” he said. “I am ready to work with the other board members and to try and solve these.”

While Cockerham said he does see some area schools on the decline, he does see that there has been improvement in them as well.

“I do see improvements on testing scores. We have also made improvements in the school buildings throughout the years,” he said. “We have gotten some new roofs on some of the schools, and they are beginning to work on the air conditioners.”

Cockerham said focusing on teachers is key to improving schools.

“We have to keep and get the best qualified teachers we can get,” he said. “I want to work with the other board members to make sure we do what is best for the students.”

Cockerham said the first priority of the school board is to take care of the children.

“We need to get supplies and other things kids need in the classroom,” he said. “My concern in this whole race is the kids.”

Cynthia “Cyndie” Dillon

Dillon said she wants to serve on the school board because her grandchildren are in Concordia Parish schools.

Her concerns for the school district and her experience working on numerous other boards and with the mayor’s office in Ferriday qualify Dillon for the job, she said.

“I have worked on many committees and things that pertain to children,” she said. “I have also worked with economic development, and you need people in business to help keep a top-rated education system.”

Dillon said that overall, she thinks the school system is doing pretty much everything right, but she would like to help add more activities for children to participate in while they aren’t in school.

“I think there needs to be more than baseball, football and basketball,” she said. “We need a lot more wide range athletic venues for children.”

Dillon also said she would like to reward teachers for the jobs they are doing.

“I think teachers have the most important job in education,” she said.

Keeping graduates in the area is something Dillon said could be achieved through improving the educational system in the parish.

“If you don’t have top education here, people aren’t going to want to come here,” she said. “If our economy and area don’t grow, we are not going to be able to keep (our children) here.”

Dillon said having the school board pull together and work as a team is crucial to benefit the students in the schools.

“As a school board member we need to be working with everyone in the system,” she said. “We need each person putting their best effort toward what they are good at.”

Her love for Concordia Parish and her desire to help the community are things Dillon said she wants to bring to the school board.

“If elected I can serve the people, and I always put my all into everything,” she said. “I want to stay involved so I can help the community. I want my kids to come back here someday.”

Cheryl Probst

Probst said she wants to be elected to the school board because she wants to help the CPSB become a better organization as a whole.

“I want to do the best I can to improve the educational system in Concordia Parish,” she said.

Her interest and commitment to Concordia Parish schools, along with her experience working with school systems as college and career transitions coordinator, is what Probst said qualifies her for the job.

“I was educated here, and so were my children and grandchildren,” she said. “My parents were teachers here. The schools here have been a part of my life.”

Probst said she deals with five other parishes’ secondary schools at her job, and that Concordia Parish is doing something right.

“Concordia Parish has been managing everything,” she said. “They are doing right with the funds and programs that they offer.”

Probst said that since she has a background in career and technical education, she would like to find ways of improving on these fields in Concordia Parish.

Probst said finding the answers to the questions asked of the school board is something a school board member needs to do.

“You need to be a listener,” she said. “You need to make the most reasonable decision you can, to make a decision based on facts.”

Being educated on what you can and cannot do is an item that Probst said a school board member needs to help better the education of the children.

“The school board has to make decisions that fit the requirements on the federal and state levels,” she said. “Sometimes what we are going to want to do, we won’t be able to do, so we need to be knowledgeable of the facts.”

Probst said the campaign has been a wonderful experience so far, and she is thankful for the support she has received in the community.