Marlon A. Pendergraft

Pendergraft believes classrooms are meant to be off-limits to politics. He prioritizes school safety and focuses on mental health to help rehabilitate youths [1]. Pendergraft wants to address staffing shortages by creating a better work environment. To do so, he proposes adhering to the rights and responsibility handbook, creating and enforcing a cell phone policy, school counselor empowerment, having quarterly discipline meetings instead of yearly, increasing transparency, instituting system-wide accountability, and giving staff a voice in big decisions [2].

Pendergraft prioritizes accountability and transparency. He supports being open and honest with staff and families and keeping an open line of communication. He wants parents to be informed of school activities and events and staff to be involved in decisions that will affect them [1].

Pendergraft wants to offer families mental health options such as school counselors, psychologists, or locally-based companies. He plans to expand the mentoring program and establish a mental health committee [2].