Three school board seats in Wilson County primary to be decided. What voters need to know

Three school board races in Wilson County have only Republican candidates, which will make the March 5 county primary winner unopposed in the general election this August.

Early voting is scheduled to start Wednesday, Feb. 14.

Both the Zone 3 and Zone 7 Wilson County School Board races and one at-large Lebanon seat all have the two GOP candidates. Each is without a Democrat or Independent candidate.

Three other races up for election are unopposed in the primary, but will each be contested in August.

The Zone 5 Wilson County School Board and Assessor of Property seats each have a Republican and Democrat running for office.

The Zone 1 Wilson County School Board seat has a Republican and an Independent candidate. Independent candidates aren’t on the ballot until August.

What you need to know:

Contested county primary races

Wilson County School Board Zone 3

Melissa Walker Lynn – Republican (incumbent)

Age: 59

Family: Son, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren. Lynn’s granddaughter will start kindergarten next fall.

Occupation: Retired teacher with 34 years in Wilson County.

What led you to run? “Upon retiring, my teacher friends said, ‘now you're going to be on the school board, right?’  It was my desire to help students, parents and employees, to have listening ears and a voice that I decided to seek the role of being a board member.”

What are the most important issues for you? “My focus was, is, and will always be students, parents and employees.  Students deserve to receive a high-quality education.  Students receive that high level of education by our retaining teachers with competitive pay and benefits and by our continuing to offer courses preparing students for college and/or careers.”

Joe Schippers – Republican

Schippers was asked the same information as the other candidates, but said in an email his campaign "will not be participating" in The Tennessean's voter guide.

Wilson County School Board Zone 7

Jamie Farough – Republican (incumbent)

Age: 42

Occupation: Registered Nurse, Nurse Consultant-Litigation and Special Needs.

What led you to run? “I proudly continue to have a student in Wilson County Schools. I felt led to run for re-election because I understand the direct impact of changing education policy, safety concerns and rapid county growth as a parent, taxpayer and lifelong Wilson County resident. My experience professionally and on the board, working within the parameters of the law and with budgetary considerations, has prepared me to readily address the new and changing needs facing our school district.”

What are the most important issues for you? “The most important issues for me are student/staff safety, teacher recruitment/retention and long-term planning (growth management/maintenance/transportation). These are the concerns I hear most often from my constituents. While our board has worked towards addressing these issues, unique challenges have presented themselves as well (COVID/Tornado/New funding formula/New education laws). I am proud of what has been accomplished and am anxious to move our board in the direction of proactively addressing these needs."

Jessica Hill – Republican

Age: 41.

Family: Married 16 years with one child in the Lebanon Special School District that goes through eighth grade before being zoned to Wilson County Schools.

What led you to run? "I was driven to run by a calling I felt was from the Lord. As a mother of a child in the public school system, I found myself concerned with the moral direction our schools are going and the way Zone 7 has been represented."

What are the most important issues for you? "Remove inappropriate and obscene reading materials from our schools that our students currently have access to. Maintain a fiscally responsible budget to ensure our current teachers, bus drivers and staff are supported, compensated and retained. Supporting parents to have a voice in the way their children are educated. We want to raise academics, not activism."

Lebanon Special School District at-large (one seat)

Heather Sadler Gallaher – Republican

Age: 43.

Family: Husband Chris Gallaher, children Drew Gallaher (21), Jack Gallaher (19), Sophie Sadler (9) and Savvy Sadler (7).

Occupation: Hospice Account Executive.

What led you to run? "As a mom of two young girls in the Lebanon Special School District, I want to have an active voice in their education. I feel very strongly about adding a mom to our school board to lend that perspective. I have been a widowed, single and now blended family mom and each of those tend to have a unique point of view."

What are the most important issues for you? "Communication: I believe our district and school communication has to be better at relaying information about school curriculum, extracurricular activities and school board meetings. I support the renewed strength of PTO/PTA groups, as they lead to a better relationship with schools, teachers and parents. Parent’s rights: Every parent has a right to be informed, involved and heard when it comes to the education of their child. More parent involvement leads to more academic success for our children.

Dusty Jones – Republican

Age: 44.

Family: Wife Julie Jones. Children Caden, 15, and Lila, 13. Parents are Steve and Nancy Jones.

Occupation: Assistant Director of the City of Lebanon Recreation Department.

What led you to run? “I want to make sure the overall integrity of the school system is in the best hands. Working for children has been a lifelong passion of mine.”

What are the most important issues for you? “Safety, Education and Support. Safety and security of our buildings is imperative. Every aspect of educating our children must the primary focus of the district. I will support our district through communication avenue awareness and the responsible organization of budget and policy planning.”

Wilson County races uncontested in the primary, but to be contested Aug. 1

Assessor of Property

Stephen Goodall – R (incumbent)

Derrick T. Hammond – D

Wilson County School Board Zone 1

Gregory Hohman – R

Carrie Pfeiffer – Independent  (incumbent)

Wilson County School Board Zone 5

Brittany Ash – D

Donnie Self – R

Early voting

Voters can go to any early voting location regardless of address.

Dates: Feb. 14-27.

Times: 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday.

Locations:

• Wilson County Election Commission, 230 E. Gay Street, Lebanon

• Mt. Juliet Community Center, 1075 Charlie Daniels Parkway, Mt. Juliet

• Gladeville Community Center, 95 McCrary Road, Lebanon

• Watertown Community Center, 8630 Sparta Pike.

Election Day vote centers

Voters can go to any election day vote center on Election Day regardless of address

Saint Stephen Catholic Community, 14544 Lebanon Road, Old Hickory.

Lakeview Elementary, 6211 Saundersville Road, Mt. Juliet.

Charlie Daniels Park, 1075 Charlie Daniels Parkway, Mt. Juliet.

West Elementary, 9315 Lebanon Road, Mt. Juliet.

The Church at Pleasant Grove, 555 Pleasant Grove Road, Mt. Juliet.

Rutland Elementary, 1995 S. Rutland Road, Mt. Juliet.

Gladeville Community Center, 95 McCrary Road, Lebanon.

LaGuardo Baptist Church, 8585 TN-109, Lebanon.

Berea Church, 50 Berea Church Road, Lebanon.

Maple Hill Church, 102 Maple Hill Road, Lebanon.

Lebanon High School, 500 Blue Devil Boulevard, Lebanon.

First United Methodist Church, 415 W. Main Street, Lebanon.

Market Street Community Center, 321 E. Market Street, Lebanon.

Southside Elementary, 1224 Murfreesboro Road, Lebanon.

Carroll-Oakland School, 4664 Hunters Point Pike, Lebanon.

Watertown Community Center, 8630 Sparta Pike, Watertown.

Norene Community Center, 11770 Cainsville Road, Lebanon.

Reach Andy Humbles at ahumbles@tennessean.com or 615-726-5939 and on X, formerly known as Twitter @ AndyHumbles.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: These school board seats will be decided in the Wilson County primary