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Joyce Hevener: Seeking first term
General Election 2007
BY CHARLES GARRATT • STAFF WRITER
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BURNSVILLE - Joyce Hevener already wears multiple hats in the Burnsville community and will don another if elected to represent the Williamsville district on the Bath school board.
"I can do a good job and am willing to put in the time," said Hevener. "People know that I am honest, hard working and they know that what I take on, I am dedicated to."
This is a first run for elected office for Hevener. She decided to seek a seat when she heard current school board member Kay Hicklin had decided against seeking office again after one term on the board.
"I am very interested in what's happening in our schools system," Hevener said. She cites her two children who graduated from Bath County High School, two BCHS graduate grandchildren and three grandchildren still in the system as her motive to become more involved in the county's educational system.
She tutored at Valley Elementary school for the past four years and wants to make sure teachers have what they need to teach. Within the curriculum, Hevener would like to see more time spent on basic arithmetic and reading. "I don't think they read enough," she said.
Hevener would also like to see less concentration on the Standards of Learning and more on basics. She supports music in the schools and thinks students need more art at all grade levels.
The Williamsville district "needs to be well represented" on the board said Hevener. "Since I have a daughter-in-law who is a teacher, I know how hard they work and would like to see more money for our teachers."
She admits to not knowing much about the budget process but said she is "leaning real fast." Since deciding to run for the school board, she has attended one meeting. Hevener plans to continue attending meetings and if elected, plans to immerse herself in the paper work, rules, regulations, budget and other documents that go along with the job.
As a board member, Hevener said she would get involved with the day-to-day operations of the schools "if necessary." However, she doesn't consider herself a micromanager. "I don't ask people to do something if I am not willing to do it," she said, and doesn't like to "push people."
Hevener considers herself a good organizer and feels those skills would serve her well on the school board.
She admitted she sometimes is more concerned about how a person feels than a particular issue and that can interfere with her decisions as she tries to find a solution that protects everyone's feelings.
Her husband, Dempsie, tells her she is too open to people and has a tendency to talk about future ideas that don't materialize, she said.
Hevener is reluctant to make a judgment about superintendent Dr. David Smith since she has not been involved enough in the operations of the schools at this point.
The freedom of information act protects personal information within the school system, according to Hevener. Students, faculty and staff must give permission for the release of information, she said.
While not particularly familiar with the budget process or conflict of interest laws and similar nuts and bolts operations of the schools and board, Hevener pledged to study and learn quickly if elected.
As a school board member, she said listening to what people in the community are saying is a major part of that role. She hopes to receive a lot of positive comments and suggestions from citizens to take to the board.
About the candidate Joyce Hevener
Age: 68
Lives near Burnsville with her husband Dempsie.
Graduated from Annandale High School in Annandale.
Retired legal secretary.
EMT with Burnsville First Responders; secretary Burnsville station volunteer fire department; board member Cavern Valley Civic Association; treasurer, woman's group, Burnsville United Methodist Church.
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