Parents for Public Schools of Pitt County, Board of Education District 9 Candidate: Benjie Forrest

Benjie is from the neighborhood of Black Jack in Pitt County. He attended H. Conley High School and holds a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in agricultural education from North Carolina State University. He still lives in Black Jack and is widowed. 

Benjie is the owner of Benjie Forrest Farms, the manager and co-owner of B.D. Forrest Family Farms. He is also the Eastern Region Agricultural Education Coordinator. He previously worked as a teacher at Washington High School.

Benjie Forrest currently serves as a member of the Pitt County School Board of Education. He was first elected in 2008 and is serving his fifth term. He is a former chairperson of the Pitt County Schools Finance Committee. 

Benjie Forrest Campaign Website, 2014

Wanted vocational education to be equally as emphasized as health institutions and local colleges and universities.

Wanted the Board of Education to work alongside County Commissioners.

Wanted the Board to encourage more parental and community involvement.

Planned to hold an Open Door Policy and "return every call in a timely manner...[and] be a visible contributor in our schools.”

Supported the Bio-Diesels for Schools Program, which developed a 30 to 40 thousand-dollar annual windfall for County Schools from recycled restaurant cooking oils.

- Wanted vocational education to be equally as emphasized as health institutions and local colleges and universities.
- Wanted the Board of Education to work alongside County Commissioners.
- Wanted the Board to encourage more parental and community involvement.
- Planned to hold an Open Door Policy and "return every call in a timely manner...[and] be a visible contributor in our schools.”
- Supported the Bio-Diesels for Schools Program, which developed a 30 to 40 thousand-dollar annual windfall for County Schools from recycled restaurant cooking oils.

School Facilities & Resources

Wanted every school to have equal access to opportunities.

- Wanted every school to have equal access to opportunities.

Access to Education

Supported and helped pass a policy allowing a moment of silence for all students, teachers, and staff.

- Supported and helped pass a policy allowing a moment of silence for all students, teachers, and staff.

Teachers

Pitt County Republicans, Re-elect Benjie Forrest for Pitt County Schools

Aims to provide educational opportunities with partnerships with local colleges and universities, trade schools, and health institutions.

Supports increased and improved vocational courses.

Believed evaluating student achievement should include Student interest, career preparation, and drop-out rates, not just testing.

- Aims to provide educational opportunities with partnerships with local colleges and universities, trade schools, and health institutions.
- Supports increased and improved vocational courses.
- Believed evaluating student achievement should include Student interest, career preparation, and drop-out rates, not just testing.

School Curriculum

Supports career preparation, student interest, and reducing dropout rates.

Advocates for examining traffic patterns from local neighborhoods to schools in order to create safer travel.

Wanted school and bus security to be regularly addressed and improved.

- Supports career preparation, student interest, and reducing dropout rates.
- Advocates for examining traffic patterns from local neighborhoods to schools in order to create safer travel.
- Wanted school and bus security to be regularly addressed and improved.

Student Wellbeing

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Benjie Forrest

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Jennifer holds a bachelor's degree in food science and human nutrition from the University of Florida, a mental health peer specialist certification from the University of South Carolina, and a doctorate degree in health education and promotion from the University of Alabama. She is married to her husband, with whom she has 3 children.

Jennifer currently works as a professor at East Carolina University. She previously worked as an associate professor, executive director at Pitt County Coalition On Substance Use, and a graduate research assistant at the University of Alabama. She is a certified community resiliency model (CRM) trainer. She is on the leadership team and is a founding member of Building Resilience and Courage to Excel (BRACE. She also served as co-vice president of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) at her children's school. 

Jennifer C. Matthews' campaign for the Pitt County Board of Education serving District 9 is her first run for public office.

Wants to establish open communication with students' families about how they can involved in their schools while understanding families "need" to be better educated about the the communication channels that currently exist.

Wants to consider school personnel going directly to students' families to supply them with necessary information, "rather than the age old culture of expecting families to come to places that may not always be convenient for them..."

Wants to realistically find ways to develop stronger relationships and receive more support from community hubs.

- Wants to establish open communication with students' families about how they can involved in their schools while understanding families "need" to be better educated about the the communication channels that currently exist.
- Wants to consider school personnel going directly to students' families to supply them with necessary information, "rather than the age old culture of expecting families to come to places that may not always be convenient for them..."
- Wants to realistically find ways to develop stronger relationships and receive more support from community hubs.

As of June 14, 2024, Jennifer C. Matthews’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Wants to address a lack of teacher retention and county teacher's "heir concerns in a manner that makes applying to our school system appealing and rewarding."

Believes "it is the job of key decision makers at every level to compensate... [teachers] in any way that is beneficial to them and acknowledges their worth in the field."

Wants to ensure teachers are provided sufficient resources for student instruction.

- Wants to address a lack of teacher retention and county teacher's "heir concerns in a manner that makes applying to our school system appealing and rewarding."
- Believes "it is the job of key decision makers at every level to compensate... [teachers] in any way that is beneficial to them and acknowledges their worth in the field."
- Wants to ensure teachers are provided sufficient resources for student instruction.

Said, "Everything we do within Pitt County Schools should be to ensure student success."

Said it "must" be acknowledged that success is different for each student and wants to provide students with the necessary support so they can "meet their definition of success."

Said, "We also need to acknowledge that not every student wants to or should go to college."

Believes it is critical for County Schools to support "the growth of...technical programs in our schools."

- Said, "Everything we do within Pitt County Schools should be to ensure student success."
- Said it "must" be acknowledged that success is different for each student and wants to provide students with the necessary support so they can "meet their definition of success."
- Said, "We also need to acknowledge that not every student wants to or should go to college."
- Believes it is critical for County Schools to support "the growth of...technical programs in our schools."

Believes it is critical to involve student's families in the learning process and invite them to county schools.

- Believes it is critical to involve student's families in the learning process and invite them to county schools.

Jennifer C. Matthews

- The Board of Education runs the public school system. They create policies that establish standards, accountability and evaluation of essential operations of the school system.
- The Board of Education member hires a superintendent and can remove them when necessary. The superintendent assists the Board of Education in implementing the board’s policies. 
- The Board of Education is charged with deciding the school budget. This means they decide how to allocate money between different services, such as teacher pay, repairing school facilities, or access to technology.
- Board of Education members are elected every four years. 

Pitt County Board of Education Member, District 9

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School Facilities & Resources

Access to Education

Teachers

School Curriculum

Student Wellbeing