In Dr. Baker's own words

Registered voters will soon begin casting ballots for several key leadership positions in Georgia. Early voting begins Tuesday, October 13th, and ends October 30th. If you do not vote early, you must vote on Election Day, November 3, 2026, at your assigned polling location between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

I encourage every registered voter to take part in choosing our elected officials. As a candidate for the Tift County School Board in District 6, I would appreciate your vote if you live in the district. Several other important races will also be decided, many of which will directly affect School Board operations and decisions. You can view a sample ballot at www.tiftcounty.org/departments/elections.php.

State and federal budgets directly affect local funding. During the last state legislative session, lawmakers introduced several bills that could change property taxes and school funding. The priorities of Georgia's two major candidates for governor also make clear that local school budgets will be affected.

I recently reflected on my voting history and how strongly my family shaped my belief in the importance of voting. I first voted while attending college, and I do not recall missing an election since. After reviewing voter numbers for Tift County and its individual districts, I was disappointed by the low turnout, though it is similar to turnout in many communities across the country. When I began voting, early voting was not available; the only alternative was to request an absentee ballot. Still, I was encouraged last week to hear how many local high school students registered to vote in this election cycle. It doesn't do any good to be registered if you don't vote.

Thank you

Dr. Jerry Baker

Candidate for District Six Tift County Board of Education

Throughout this year's campaign, I have shared information about my background and views on issues affecting Tift County Schools. The 2026 campaign concludes four weeks from today. Early voting for the General Election begins in one week, on October 13th, and Election Day is November 3rd.

An effective school board sets clear goals, engages the community, and prioritizes student achievement over politics. With three new members joining the Tift County School Board in 2027, the Board must address several critical issues. The following paragraphs outline my ideas for improving its effectiveness.

Research indicates that a school board's composition affects district performance through the quality of governance, oversight, and access to resources. These factors also influence employee performance by shaping organizational stability, resources, and management practices. The job description for the next Superintendent should establish clear expectations, and the district's goals should be specific and measurable. Because hiring and overseeing the Superintendent are among the Board's primary responsibilities, effective boards concentrate on student achievement and district goals rather than day-to-day administrative matters.

Strong community engagement will be a priority during my service on the Board. High-performing boards communicate openly and transparently with parents, teachers, and local taxpayers. They encourage public participation by seeking feedback and including stakeholders in decision-making. Tift County already provides opportunities for input through open Board meetings and local school governance teams (LSGTs). The state charter contract defines each school's LSGT responsibilities. Having worked with Tift County's LSGTs as both Interim Superintendent and Interim Principal, I believe the Board can strengthen them when the charter contract is rewritten.

Throughout my career, I have used data analysis to make informed decisions. Effective school boards routinely review student performance data and program evaluations to track progress and hold the Superintendent accountable. The Board's website includes presentations summarizing student performance data. Although these summaries are informative, as a Board member I would examine the data more closely and ask additional questions—not to micromanage, but to deepen understanding and support the most accurate data-driven decisions possible.

My last point relates to role clarity. Uncertainty about where a Board member's authority ends and the Superintendent's begins often creates friction and weakens district leadership. A strong relationship between the Tift County School Board and the next Superintendent is essential because a divided governance team can undermine student achievement and community trust. Research shows that uncoordinated leadership quickly affects the classroom. The Board must work effectively as a team, and the Superintendent should not attempt to micromanage it.

I still have a few campaign signs available for District Six residents who would like to show their support. Please email baker4tiftboe@gmail.com or text 229-234-0021.

For more specific questions, please contact me directly using the information above.

Thank you to Tift County School System's exceptional teachers and paraprofessionals for your unwavering dedication, patience, and passion. Each day, you do more than teach. You inspire curiosity, build confidence, support students, and create an environment where children can learn and grow.

Your work makes a lasting difference, often in ways that may not be recognized at the time. The citizens of Tift County are deeply grateful for the care, encouragement, and commitment you bring to our children and community.

Today, I encourage every parent, grandparent, and community member to take a moment to thank a teacher or paraprofessional who has made a difference. A simple word of appreciation can mean more than we realize.

Strong schools are built by people who care deeply about children. To our teachers and paraprofessionals: thank you for all you do.

Best regards,

Dr. Jerry Baker

Candidate for Tift County Board of Education, District #6

“Good to Great” is the title of a book written by Jim Collins. In the book he makes several comparisons between pairs of companies in the same sector. He further examines data that explains how companies can achieve enduring, exceptional performance.

The Tift County School District is a good school district. Our goal should be to become an enduring and exceptional school district. I believe that we should strive to become the school district of choice in South Georgia.

Several people in our community are calling for change. We should carefully assess our current situation to determine which changes are needed. Meeting the goals in the 2025–2030 Strategic Plan and the benchmarks in the Charter School Contract would help move our district from “Good to Great” and make it truly exceptional. In February 2026, the district released a Strategic Plan Update. Although I am encouraged by some of the progress described, I remain concerned that other areas have not improved enough. You can review the update on the Tift County Schools website.

A key core concept in the book by Jim Collins is “leadership”. To paraphrase him, we must get the right people on the bus before deciding where to drive it. We must maintain unwavering faith that we will prevail while simultaneously confronting the brutal facts of our current reality such as declining enrollments, subpar test scores, and frequent turnover of key leadership positions. We will be hiring a superintendent to help Tift County School District go from good to great and help us achieve our goals. The skills needed to direct our district must be clearly written. I want someone who will provide unyielding professional skills, directing their ambition toward Tift County Schools rather than themselves.

I am seeking a seat on the Tift County Board of Education and would appreciate your support and vote. Baker4TiftBOE.com

In a recent post I discussed teacher support opportunities. Today I want to mention student and family support opportunities by the Board of Education. The Tift County Board of Education serves as the governing body of a school district, functioning similarly to a board of directors. Rather than managing day-to-day school operations, a school board supports K-12 students by setting systemic policies, approving fiscally responsible budgets, selecting executive leadership, and establishing high academic benchmarks.

Recently the words culture and transparency have shown up in social media posts discussing Tift County Schools. In public education, transparency is not just a response to controversy; it is one of the ways a school system builds trust, strengthens culture, and keeps the community engaged. The culture of an organization or community is the shared values and norms that guide how people work together. The Tift County School System Strategic Plan goal #3 mentions engaging students, staff, and parents to cultivate a supportive culture. One of the initiatives under this goal is to increase internal and external communication structures.

While the current events at the Board level are related to communication and trust, I want to think about a longer horizon for transparency. Transparency in education systems means that rules, budget choices, and learning goals are open and easy for everyone to see. When we ask for more transparency, we generally are thinking about communication structures.

Openly sharing information removes hidden agendas and reduces uncertainty. Trust is improved when the community has confidence that there is not a hidden agenda.

A practical example is the use of executive session. When and how much information to share may depend on what and who is impacted by the release of information. Some information may be sensitive, and open public discussion can be limited by state statutes. However, even when executive session is used, the results of the discussion must be communicated. Georgia School Boards of Education are limited to using executive sessions, or closed-door meetings, only for specific topics allowed under Georgia's Open Meetings Act.

As election day approaches, voters are hearing short phrases from candidates about what they stand for, often without context or detail. I want to explain what teacher support means to me: protecting teachers' instructional time, improving working conditions, and ensuring students have the structure they need to learn.

Teachers are licensed professionals whose training prepares them to help our children become productive citizens. They are also mentors, role models, and steady advocates for young people. I have not met a teacher who did not want the very best for every student, including those who are difficult to teach. Each day, teachers come to work ready to serve our children and young adults.

Families also play an essential role in supporting teachers. Parents, grandparents, and guardians can help by making sure children get adequate sleep, eat a nutritious breakfast, and arrive at school on time. Children are a gift from God, and they need love, guidance, and support at home, so they are ready and eager to learn.

School administrators can support teachers by respecting their time. That means limiting meetings when information can be shared effectively by email or other communication methods. When meetings or training sessions are required outside regular work hours or workdays, teachers should be compensated; calling required work “voluntary” is not meaningful support.

Administrators can also support teachers by addressing disruptive behavior promptly, removing students when necessary, and partnering with parents to correct behavior early. “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) When instruction time is repeatedly spent managing misbehavior, teachers receive the message that their time and professional judgment are not fully valued.

What, then, can the Board of Education do to support teachers? As one Board member, I cannot independently change compensation or work requirements. However, I can contribute to responsible oversight, ask clear questions, and advocate for policy reviews that improve working conditions, protect instructional time, and recognize excellent work. I can also express sincere appreciation to teachers and paraprofessionals who dedicate themselves to educating the next generation of citizens.

If elected, I will take a deeper look at current discipline policies, compare our procedures with those used by other school systems, and consider whether our expectations are being applied consistently across schools. I also want to examine required training outside regular hours, compensation for additional responsibilities, and the accountability structures that help administrators support teachers effectively. My goal is to help provide the resources, policies, and learning environment teachers need to do the professional work they were trained to do.

It has been almost 3 years since the Board of Education asked me to serve as interim Superintendent of Tift County Schools. My charge was to calm the waters, restore confidence in the office of the Superintendent and provide supervision and management for the system. I do not know what the Board has asked Jennifer Howell to accomplish but my best guess is that it is similar to what the Board asked me to do.

Over the past few days, I have reflected on what I was thinking and feeling during the first couple of weeks in the role. I spent considerable time visiting all the schools, reviewing Principals' work plans, evaluating financial records, and meeting with various stakeholders. Ms. Howell already knows everyone in leadership roles at the AO and in the individual schools. Now we need to provide her with the support she needs to get the critical tasks completed.

My interim role left me with great appreciation for the teachers and staff. The teachers know what they need to do and we must continue to offer them encouragement and support. I believe this change in the Superintendent does not impact how individual teachers do their jobs. They continue to come to the classroom every day with commitment to the students.

I have been asked numerous times what I know about the reason Ms. Gore no longer works for Tift County Schools. I was surprised Wednesday night like most others in the community. My professional experience as a leader in educational institutions helps me appreciate why the Board has not issued any further details. I am certain that the Tift County Schools' attorney has cautioned them about making statements. I also appreciate that Ms. Gore has a right to her privacy and may be following legal advice. Personnel issues are often sensitive and there are significant legal guidelines that must be followed. Dismissal or terminating an employee for cause considers numerous factors and options. These decisions must be made after careful review of all the facts.

In closing I want to encourage the readers to review my previous post on hiring the next Superintendent. The position description is the key first step and this must incorporate input from stakeholders. Providing the best opportunities for our students to achieve their goals and supporting our teachers is critical.

I am seeking a position on the Tift County School Board. I appreciate your support and vote in November.

I have stated in previous posts that I would like Tift County Schools to be the preferred district in South Georgia. We should strive to be number one for several reasons. We must prepare our young students for success in later grades. We want our high school graduates to be sought after by colleges, universities, and employers. Strong schools that prepare students attract companies to locate here with opportunities for both graduates entering the workforce directly and college graduates returning to Tift County. Community development and economic development depend upon great schools.

The State Board of Education and the Tift County Board of Education entered into a contract beginning July 1, 2022, that runs through June 2027. The agreement created a Public Charter School in Tift County. I share this because Georgia Department of Education oversees public charter schools under a performance-based contract which allows for flexibility from certain state rules in exchange for strict accountability.

The agreement can be found on the Tift County Schools website. It is lengthy and contains legal language, so most citizens are unlikely to read it, but it is worth considering. Appendix A and B, included on the website, outlines the performance measures that must be achieved to avoid the consequences in the contract. I mention this now because the current Charter agreement expires next June. The Tift County Board of Education (with three new members), along with a new Superintendent, will have to prepare for renewal of the agreement.

The charter agreement lays out the vision and goals for Tift County Schools. The appendices of the charter agreement refer to the expected improvement in vague terms. My concern is that we need to know what the baseline is before we can determine the rate of improvement. The community needs to understand that this agreement will provide the direction that our schools will move and at what rate.

I am seeking a seat on the Tift County School Board, and I would appreciate your support and vote if you reside in District 6.

This past Thursday I participated in a meeting to discuss the proposed 5th & 6th grade school. This meeting was led by Madeline Stewart, the lead architect from the design firm GMC. The meeting was well attended with representation from the community and the school district.

One of the first tasks was to review a draft vision statement for the school. One of the items mentioned was the importance of the Eighth Street School and honoring the legacy of the school. Legacy was incorporated into the draft vision. The vision will assist with designing the building as well as the surrounding land area. This new building will become an important part of the district's physical plant for many years.

The School Board has devoted considerable time and effort these past few years discussing the physical buildings, land, infrastructure, and fixed equipment needed for educating our youth and serving the needs for extracurricular activities. There are several buildings needing significant renovation. As a property owner as well as a candidate for the school board, I am thankful for ESPLOST. ESPLOST is a critical source of funds to help pay for the new buildings and renovation of buildings. The Board has a leading role in managing the funds received. Sometimes they have to say no to “wants” that might be nice to have but are not necessary. I fully support the judicious use of the funds rather than raising property taxes.

To wrap up today's post I want to share ideas for honoring the legacy of a school building. I will be completely transparent and state that I asked Google Gemini for ideas. I am sharing the ideas below. I hope that those reading this post will share their thoughts and suggestions.

Honoring a beloved school building involves preserving its physical history, celebrating its community impact, and carrying its spirit into the new space. When a community is grieving the loss of a historic school, the transition requires empathy and active participation to turn sadness into a celebration of legacy.

Tift County Schools relies on four primary funding sources: state budget appropriations, property taxes, ESPLOST revenue, and federal Department of Education grants. Each source plays a different role in supporting daily operations, capital needs, and student services. The following sections outline these sources and connect them to my experience with educational institution budgets.

Consequences matter because, in life, our actions and words carry results.

If we roll through a stop sign and are pulled over by the police, we receive a ticket. That is cause and effect: the failure to stop is the cause, and the ticket is the consequence.

Several weeks ago, I listened to a sermon on submission to authority. Today, we see many examples of people rejecting authority, and that rejection can lead to lawlessness and harm to innocent people. I believe we should also ask whether a similar pattern is affecting our schools.

Most students come to school every day ready to learn. They follow the rules, pay attention, and respect their teachers. Unfortunately, a small number of students can disrupt instruction through rude, undisciplined, or defiant behavior. When teachers must repeatedly stop to address misbehavior, students who are ready to learn lose valuable instructional time.

During my interim roles with Tift County Schools, I saw how student behavior affects everyone. When students do not follow established rules and expectations, the result is lost learning time, frustrated teachers, and a more difficult teaching environment.

Tift County should review its policies and procedures for addressing misbehavior. We need clear, consistent guidelines that begin in the early grades and help students develop a strong sense of appropriate behavior. PBIS has value, but positive reinforcement alone is not enough if misbehavior is not addressed with meaningful consequences.

Good behavior also begins at home. Teachers cannot solve these challenges alone. Parents, family members, school officials, and teachers must work together with shared accountability to protect a learning environment where students can succeed and teachers can teach.

I am seeking a seat on the Tift County Board of Education, and I would appreciate your support.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been thinking about the search for the next Superintendent of Tift County Schools. I am assuming the current Board will not begin that search until the new members have started their terms.

The purpose of this note is to outline the principles I believe should guide the next Superintendent search: define the position carefully, seek broad stakeholder input, compare search-process options honestly, and evaluate both internal and external candidates against the same criteria.

My thoughts below are based on years of experience hiring senior leaders at academic and nonprofit institutions. It is critical that the position description be carefully written to reflect the needs and priorities of Tift County Schools. The description will become the standard against which candidates are evaluated. Stakeholder input will be important in assessing those needs and priorities.

There are two basic ways to conduct the search. One option is to hire an external search firm to bring a set number of finalists to the Board for a final decision. The other option is for the Board to conduct the search itself. Each approach has advantages and disadvantages, regardless of which process the Board chooses.

I have heard the view that the Board should hire someone from within the system. Current qualified employees should certainly be considered, but I would not favor limiting the search to internal candidates for this key leadership position. In my experience filling critical leadership roles, there have been times when none of the applicants met the criteria and other times when several excellent applicants brought different strengths. That is why the Board should evaluate all candidates against the priorities specified in the position description.

The final choice will be made by the Board, but students, parents, and teachers should have meaningful input into the district's needs and priorities before that choice is made.

For these reasons, I believe the Board should begin by defining the district's needs, gathering stakeholder input, and using that work to create a position description that guides every stage of the search. That process would give the Board a stronger basis for choosing the next Superintendent and would give the community confidence that the decision was made thoughtfully.

I congratulate Natalie Gore on her achievements as Superintendent of Tift County Schools. One of the primary duties of a Board of Education in Georgia is the selection and evaluation of the Superintendent. It is vital that the members of the Board have the skills and discernment to make the selection of her replacement.

I am seeking a seat on the Tift County Board of Education. I am an experienced education leader and a longtime Tift County resident. As a member of the Tift County Board of Education, I will leverage my experience gained through more than 30 years of leadership in higher education, nonprofit governance, and public service.

Georgia law says school board members should bring sound judgment in: policy making, financial oversight, long-range planning, and selection of strong school system leadership. These essential duties help protect our accreditation and keep the focus on student achievement.

During Academic Year 23/24 I had the opportunity to serve as the Interim Superintendent for Tift County Schools and as the TCHS Principal. These two positions provided me with a great appreciation for the needs of the students and teachers in Tift County. I know that these experiences will be invaluable when serving on the Board. I welcome your support and vote.