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Election 2018 candidate profile: Scott Carrier
Scott Carrier
Scott Carrier.

Scott Carrier

Carrier, a longtime educator and administrator, is running for office for the first time. 

Reason for running: I would like to restore respect and a renewed focus on student achievement to the Liberty County Board of Education.   I have worked as a teacher and/or administrator at all levels of education.  I believe this experience gives me a unique understanding of what can be done at elementary, middle, and high school to ensure our students get the type of education that will make them successful while in school and after graduating.  

Platform: Focus on improving student achievement at the elementary, middle and high school levels. This will be done using a variety of strategies which include the following: 

Give teachers and administrators the authority to manage student behavior in a manner that will greatly reduce classroom interruptions, reduce bullying, and maintain safe schools. 

Allow teachers to focus on quality instruction by reducing unnecessary and burdensome paperwork.

Limit the number of new and work intensive innovations which will allow teachers to become proficient on those which are used and will allow students to focus on practices that will allow them to become more successful. 

Restore a quality phonics program to early elementary programs which will allow our students to develop strong literacy skills at a younger age. 

Set the expectation that the school system will only take part in quality professional learning that eliminates or greatly reduces the need for teachers to be out of the classroom during the instructional day.  

Ensure the school system is fiscally responsible with all available funds.  This will include the following: 

Carefully examine the existing budget and reduce unnecessary expenditures in an effort to ensure all funds are spent in a manner that eliminates waste and will focus on improving student achievement. 

Work with the budget in an effort to reduce the millage rate to Liberty County taxpayers, yet maintain levels necessary to maximize state and federal funding. Eliminate unnecessary travel expenses of all Liberty County employees including members of the board of education. 

Review all school system employee pay schedules with a focus on the following: Teachers and certified salaries are kept at a level at or above the region average. This will help ensure we are able to attract and keep quality teachers in our system 

Review and increase the salaries of all classified employees. This includes bus drivers, maintenance workers, cafeteria workers, office and clerical staff and paraprofessionals.  

Restore the public and employees’ confidence in the board of education.  Strategies to improve in this area include: Conducting board meetings in a manner that focuses on the items on the approved agenda. Working with all board members on a set of protocols which will ensure meetings are conducted in a professional and productive manner. Ensure all board members take part in required training sessions.

Eliminate wasteful spending by the board of education. Work with all members of the board of education to ensure they work within the prescribed limitations established for board members.  This will include the mandate that they are not involved in the day-to-day operations of the schools. 

Work with board of education members to explore and establish a set of term limits for board members     

Top three priorities if elected:

1. I plan on working with all board members to restore the public’s confidence in the Liberty County School System.  This will be accomplished by conducting public meetings in a professional and productive manner.  

2. We will also work to make sure the board of education does not jeopardize our school system’s accreditation by not following the approved guidelines established for all board of education members.  

3. I plan on working with all board members to establish a system of support for teachers that will greatly reduce or eliminate quality teachers choosing to leave our school system due to a lack of support in their classroom management efforts and an excessive  amount of paperwork and new program initiatives. I plan on working with all board members to refocus the attention of all school employees, including board members, on improving student achievement.  

Background: Graduated from Clarion University of Pennsylvania with a degree in elementary education. Graduated from Georgia Southern University with a master’s degree in school leadership.

Work experience: Teacher at Hinesville Middle School, five years; teacher at Joseph Martin Elementary School, 11 years; assistant principal at Joseph Martin Elementary School, five years; principal at Frank Long Elementary School, six years; principal at Bradwell Institute, seven years. 

Retired in June of 2017; 2017-18,  educational consultant working on school improvement with all Liberty County Schools. 


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