Robert Kirk, a Republican, is running for the Cabarrus County School Board in the Nov. 3 general election. Three seats are open, and voters choose up to three candidates.

Asked in our questionnaire why he is seeking office, Kirk said: "I have a deep appreciation for Cabarrus County Schools, having dedicated 16 years to the students in our county." He added: "Additionally, I served one year on this very Board of Education in 2018, filling in for Mr. Tim Furr."

Five other candidates are in the race: Democrats Courtney Steinberg, Mishell Williams and Pam Escobar, and Republicans Patrick Hartsell and William Barbee.

Candidate information

Party: "Registered Republican," Kirk said in our questionnaire.

Education: "Doctor of Education (Educational Leadership) from Gardner-Webb University," Kirk said.

Family: "Married to my wife Elizabeth, with two grown sons, both of whom have their own families - one on Chapel Hill, NC, the second in Dallas, TX," Kirk said.

Residence: Kirk said on his campaign website that he has lived in Cabarrus County for over 25 years.

Experience and public service

Kirk described his work history in our questionnaire: "Life experiences living overseas (multilingual and multicultural), 20-year military service in the US Navy, general manager of a multi-million-dollar export company out of Raleigh, leading with non-profits (West Cabarrus YMCA, Dream On 3)."

He also cited volunteer work: "In the volunteer world, supporting our community: Rotary Club of Cabarrus County, Present Age Ministries, American Red Cross, church deacon and Sunday School Teacher, Cabarrus Arts Council Annual Breakfast, Meals on Wheels, etc."

Kirk said in our questionnaire that he was "appointed to serve on the Cabarrus County School Board of Education in 2018, to fill a seat vacated by a board members who stepped down due to health concerns."

Asked what accomplishments show he can handle the job, Kirk said: "Tactical and strategic thinking in the military, running a multi-minion dollar export company in Raleigh, being present in Board of Education meetings (open and closed session) as Chief of Staff - have enabled me to build a comprehensive library on the different approaches to handle the Teamwork required of a Board member."

Asked what sets him apart, Kirk said: "A career in Public Education within Cabarrus County Schools, having served as classroom teacher, assistant principal, principal, Chief of Staff for two Superintendents, and then filling tin for one year as mentioned above."

On the issues

Kirk identified three top issues on his campaign issues page: a lack of elementary capacity in western Cabarrus County, a need for the board to formalize a plan for near-future needs, and teacher recruitment and retention. He said the district needs "to be competitive in local stipend compared with neighboring counties," according to his campaign website.

On school capacity, Kirk said in our questionnaire: "Grateful for the funding of a high school and elementary school in th Northwest corner of our county, of which ground clearing has already begun." He added: "Am in full support of the GO Board on the November 3 ballot, which will continue to help us repair existing schools and project for future builds."

On the budget, Kirk said on his campaign website that he would examine Program Choice costs, including enrollment criteria and transportation expenses, and would involve department heads to identify places to reduce expenses by up to 5%. Asked about that review in our questionnaire, Kirk said: "I need to get a batter handle on how the students are transported to their respective choice locations. There seems to be a gap in transportation coverage for this select population."

On library books, Kirk said on his campaign website that all school library books "need to be age-appropriate for the grade level at that school's population" and that many schools have established a parent/staff book review committee to assess those standards.

Asked for the best advice he ever received, Kirk said: "Every person is my better in that I may learn from them. Seek to understand before being understood."