Mike Ward, Lexington Richland Five
Name: Mike Ward
District: Lexington Richland School District 5
Contact information
Email: mikewardfortheboard@gmail.com
Phone number: 803-602-4113
Website: https://mikewardfortheboard.com
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/mikewardfortheboard
School Board Trustee Duties
Why are you running for School Board Trustee? I am running for School Board Trustee because I believe that education is the cornerstone of our community's success. As a parent, business leader, and advocate for public schools, I want to ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive in a safe, supportive, and high-quality educational environment. My experience in non-profits and leadership roles has equipped me with the skills to collaborate, listen, and make informed decisions that benefit all stakeholders.
What is the most important issue facing your school district today or a key problem you want to address? The most pressing issue in our district is ensuring that every student has equitable access to quality education, regardless of their background or circumstances. This includes addressing disparities in resources, improving mental health support, and ensuring that our teachers have the tools they need to be effective. It's about creating an environment where every student can succeed academically and personally.
If you could make only one change, what would you advocate? If I could make one change, it would be to strengthen communication and collaboration between the board, teachers, parents, and the broader community. By fostering transparency and encouraging dialogue, we can make decisions that truly reflect the needs and priorities of our students and families.
What knowledge and skills are currently lacking that you will bring to your School Board of Trustees? I bring a unique combination of leadership, business acumen, and grassroots community involvement to the table. My experience leading non-profits and working with diverse groups has taught me how to build consensus and make decisions that are both strategic and compassionate.
What does the word “stakeholder” mean to you? To me, a stakeholder is anyone who has a vested interest in the success of our schools—students, parents, teachers, staff, taxpayers, and the wider community. Each of these groups has unique perspectives and needs, and it’s essential to consider all voices when making decisions that affect the future of our schools.
How do you plan to communicate with constituents and how accessible will you be? I plan to maintain an open line of communication through newsletters and social media updates. I will also ensure that I’m accessible by phone and email, encouraging constituents to reach out with their concerns and ideas. Being responsive and approachable is key to building trust with the community.
Have you supported millage increases in the past and what are the circumstances where you would support them in the future? While I believe fiscal responsibility is critical, I would support millage increases if they are necessary to provide essential resources that directly impact student learning and safety. Any increase should be accompanied by transparent budgeting and a clear demonstration of how the funds will improve educational outcomes. Additionally, if the increase is for a specific purpose, we should have a plan to decrease the millage after the purpose is achieved.
What should be the top funding priorities? Our top funding priorities should be ensuring that teachers and students have the resources they need to succeed, including updated technology, mental health support, additional staffing, and professional development for educators. We also need to invest in safe and modern facilities to provide a conducive learning environment. Our world can be nasty and we need to make sure that the schools are safe for everyone inside. A focus also must be put on how we react when a crisis happens. This takes funding.
It is difficult to get an IEP or 504 for Special Education. How would you address this and how would you support Special Education? I would advocate for streamlining the process for getting an IEP or 504 by ensuring that parents and teachers are well-informed and that the district has sufficient staff to handle evaluations in a timely manner. Supporting special education means ensuring every student gets the individualized attention and resources they need to succeed. Every situation seems to be unique. However, I have talked to several parents that simply didn’t understand the need for their child to receive help. Our processes can help to better educate parents and help parents understand the needs of their children in better ways. Then, we as a whole system can work better to make that child as successful as possible.
What are your thoughts on the budget proviso requiring use of restrooms and changing facilities based on birth sex? I believe that all students should feel safe and respected in our schools, and that includes having policies that protect their dignity while addressing concerns from all stakeholders. I would approach this issue thoughtfully, ensuring that any policy is implemented in a way that considers the well-being of every student.
Would you make any changes to your district's policy on challenging instructional materials, and if so, what would those changes be? I would review our current policy to ensure it is transparent and equitable, allowing for a fair and respectful process when instructional materials are challenged. It’s important that the policy protects academic freedom while also being responsive to valid community concerns. We also must consider the additional amount of work we are placing on the teachers and admin teams. This work is necessary, but shouldn’t become so overwhelming that teachers cannot do what they’re meant to do, teach!
Teachers often complain about the lack of discipline in the classroom, stating that many times students are sent to the principal’s office and promptly returned to the classroom, where the student continues to disrupt the class. As a board member, how would you address student discipline through policy? I would advocate for clearer guidelines on discipline that give teachers more support in managing their classrooms. This includes having consistent consequences for disruptive behavior and ensuring that administrators work closely with teachers to maintain a productive learning environment. Additionally, providing more resources for behavioral interventions could help address issues before they escalate. From my understanding, there is only so much that can be done at a school level due to some state laws and restrictions on how we can discipline students as well as how much we can discipline a student. While we must comply with current laws, advocacy to improve those laws and systems is something I’m also passionate about.
Experience
What has been your involvement at a school level and at a Board of Trustee or district level? At a school level, I’ve had the privilege of serving on several School Improvement Councils. I’m currently in my 2nd year of chairing the SIC at our local elementary school. Additionally, I have served as a Local Unit President for a PTA. That leadership experience gained me an opportunity to serve the South Carolina PTA as an Interim District President. I’m now serving in a new role with the SCPTA as the VP of Advocacy. These experiences have given me insight into how our schools operate and how decisions at the district level impact day-to-day education.
How many board meetings have you attended in person and over how long? I have not kept a count of how many board meetings I have attended. If I had a best guess, it would be somewhere between 20 and 30 meetings since 2017. I began paying attention to the District 5 school board in 2017. I like being involved, so I found the best way to learn about the board was to attend board meetings. When I’m not able to make a meeting, I check out the district’s website where they post agendas, minutes, and links to the meeting videos.
Have you spoken during citizens’ participation? If so, how often and what topics did you address? In specific reference to District 5, I spoke years ago at a meeting in praise of Superintendent Milton and an accomplishment of the District. I’ve spoken in other government meetings during citizens’ presentation. While it is a one-way method of communicating, I believe it is a critical component of the meeting. Citizens and community members should feel empowered by having that opportunity and not scared to speak their opinions.
Have you made SC FOIA records requests for information? If so, what information were you seeking? I have been a part of a larger group that utilized the SC FOIA system, however it was not related to District 5 and I did not personally make the request. Our group’s interest was related to law enforcement and unreported rates of crime.
Have you served on any district boards or committees? If so, which ones? The only district- level committee I serve on is the Superintendent’s Parent Advisory Committee.
Get to Know You
Do you have kids currently enrolled in Lexington-Richland Five? If so, which schools do they attend? If they have graduated, what schools did they attend? Yes, my family has children in D5 schools. We live in the Dutch Fork School cluster. My youngest attends Dutch Fork Elementary, my middle child attends Dutch Fork High School, and my oldest graduated from Dutch Fork High School and continues her education at the University of South Carolina Aiken.
What is your current occupation and are your hours flexible? I am an entrepreneur. My primary line of work is cybersecurity. I work from my office in Irmo. The schedule is very flexible for me.
What other occupations have you held, if any? Most of my life I have operated my own business. The few times when I worked for other companies, I have held jobs that range from the bottom rung of the ladder up to the top rung.
How much time do you plan to invest each week in board-related activities? This is a tough question to provide a simple answer. The reality is that I will put in the work that’s needed to make the right decisions for our district. Our community starts with our education.
Please list your community involvement – previous and current.
a Previous Community Involvement: National board member of Shepherds Center of America, District 58 Club Growth Director for Toastmasters International, Interim District President for the South Carolina PTA, School Improvement Council Member and Chair (multiple schools), various local and regional leadership roles in Toastmasters International training leaders to be great leaders, board member and vice- chair of the Shepherd’s Center of Lexington, Local Unit President for Lexington Elementary School PTA, ministry leader of Junior Bible Quiz, volunteer and commissioner of the Irmo Okra Strut, and I take some time each year to teach older adults how to safely use technology at various senior centers.
b Current Community Involvement: DFES SIC Chair, VP of Advocacy for the South Carolina PTA, Treasurer for NAIFA (a professional association), Commission Chair of the Irmo Okra Strut, volunteer at local schools as time permits, and I still use my talents to teach older adults how to use technology when time permits.
Politics
23. In an age where partisan politics have crept into K-12 classrooms and boards, how would you describe your position on partisan politics? I truly believe that decisions about our children’s education should be based on what’s best for their growth and development, without getting tangled in politics. As a school board member, my focus will always be on creating a positive environment where every student, teacher, and family can succeed—free from political distractions. It’s important to me that we prioritize what’s best for education and our community, not party lines or political affiliations.
Other
24. Please include any other relevant information not mentioned above. I’m an active listener and I spend a lot of time making sure I find the right answers. The best way to do that is to do my own research, seek out professionals, and listen to experts within their fields. Whenever I make a decision or vote on a subject, you will understand why I voted the way I did. I will never simply vote a specific way because I’m told to. I will vote for what’s best for our stakeholders. Even if we do not agree, you’ll know why I voted the way I voted.
Lexington-Richland Five - Specific
Do you support districted school board of trustee seats within each county? Why or why not? I believe that a balanced approach is key. Districted seats help ensure that every community has representation on the board, making sure voices from all areas are heard. However, it’s important to weigh the benefits of this against any potential limitations, like dividing the board’s focus between counties rather than fostering unity.
Are you in favor of electing officers by secret ballot or voice vote? Transparency is crucial in building trust, so I support the voice vote as it allows the community to clearly see how board members are voting. However, there may be situations where a secret ballot could be more effective in encouraging honest, impartial decisions.
Do you support standing committees? If so, what would those committees be? I support standing committees with larger bodies. I do not believe that our board needs to have standing committees.
Do you support hiring an internal auditor? Why or why not? Do you support being briefed on district finances during monthly meetings? I support hiring an internal auditor because it adds a layer of financial oversight that can prevent errors or misuse of funds. I also believe regular briefings on district finances are essential so the board can make informed decisions and maintain transparency with the community.
What are your thoughts on redrawing attendance lines to accommodate more students? While redrawing attendance lines is never an easy decision, it can be necessary to ensure that students have access to resources and a quality education. I would support this only after careful study of the impact on families and communities, ensuring it’s the best solution for student growth. I would also be sure to make sure all other options are considered before uprooting families as bonds and relationships will be broken and the families are left having to rebuild those themselves.
What are your thoughts on the $240M bond referendum on the November ballot? Overall, I do believe that the bond referendum will be helpful to our district. When I have researched our current situation, I understand that we cannot continue operating the way we’re operating. When the bond referendum passes, we need to make sure we have a board that will hold the district accountable for making sure the money is spent wisely and on the projects promised to the public.
Do you support the current millage rate for operations? Why or why not? From my understanding, the current millage rate for operations is sufficient. I’ve heard our Human Resources director tell us that we started the school year with 8 vacancies that needed to be filled. If this truly means that we have enough staff, then we should leave the millage rate alone.
Do you support the current millage rate for bonds? Why or why not? The current millage rate for bonds does not need to be raised right now. From the information presented by the District Office, this millage rate supports the ability top borrow the $240 million without raising the rate any. If anything, we should be looking to make sure this stays stable and is lowered when possible. It is a balancing act of making sure we do not overtax citizens while making sure we do not undercut our maintenance funding.
Do you believe Lexington-Richland 5 would benefit from engaging in another forensic audit? Why or why not? Forensic audits have their place in a school district. When working within non-profit organizations, we require an additional layer of auditing to ensure the integrity of the regular, internal audits. However, I do not believe that we currently need to go through another forensic audit unless significant changes occur or significant accusations are made regarding our finances and those responsible for those finances.
Would you make changes to how the district chooses legal counsel? If so, how? I am not fully informed on the current process of how the district chooses legal counsel. I’ve seen meetings where a list of potential attorneys was shown to the board and then a vote was taken to accept or deny this list. What I’m not sure about is who comes up with the list. Making sure this information is public is important. We live in a litigious society and the need for attorneys is critical, but it is also important to know what connections these folks have with district employees and the board members.
