Politics

VOTER GUIDE: Democrats hope to break through in School Board race

By Lightning Reports, Published: October 14, 2026

Five candidates are running for three seats on the Henderson County School Board, including Republican incumbents Shelia Dale and Alyssa Norman.

Incumbent Blair Craven chose not to seek re-election. Also running are Republican Randy Beaver and Democrats Reid J. Barwick and Mary Ellen Kustin. Dale, Beaver and Norman did not respond to the Lightning’s candidate survey.

Meet the candidates

My name is Reid J. Barwick. I’m 75, married to Deborah. Children are Brogan Taylor, Ryan Barwick and Nathan Weber. I have a B.A. in communications and history from Western Michigan University and an MBA from the University of Central Florida. I’m retired from a career in hospitality procurement and logistics. Hobbies include painting, writing and cycling and interests are travel, cooking and human behavior.

I’m Mary Ellen Kustin (42 years old), and my husband Will and I are the proud parents of two curious and active children who attend Bruce Drysdale Elementary School. We especially enjoy spending time together outside with our three dogs, friends, and family. When forced indoors, we like playing games, reading, and baking together.  I hold a master’s degree in public policy, and I have spent my career in the nonprofit sector. I love engaging with my community, and I’m blessed to get to do so as the Director of Community Impact at United Way of Henderson County.

Why are you running for the Henderson County School Board?

Kustin: North Carolina ranks last in the nation in per-pupil spending. Henderson County deserves better! I’m running to make sure students have support they need to thrive — from retaining high-quality educators to partnering with more local farmers to provide healthy lunches. We have a lot to be proud of in our schools, but we run the risk of burning out teachers and shortchanging students when we don’t properly invest in public education. Today’s students are our future. I have a track record of bringing stakeholders together, and I’ll work hard to make sure every student has access to a great education.

Barwick: I am running because there is a lack of political will to invest in our children’s future and our teachers who outside the home are the greatest influencers, yet are devalued in their contributions to our community,.

What do you see as the biggest challenges for the school district in the next 2-4 years and beyond and how can the School Board best meet those challenges?

Kustin: Grappling with artificial intelligence is a huge challenge. We need to set clear and thoughtful usage policies and figure out how to enforce them. I support technological literacy, but we must ensure our students can think on their own, too! A more tangible challenge is the scarcity of workforce housing options. It is increasingly difficult to afford to live in Henderson County on a teacher’s salary. Other school districts in North Carolina have partnered with local jurisdictions and credit unions to provide attainable housing options for teachers and first responders. I would like our school board to explore similar solutions.

Barwick: Knowing Henderson County is the most desirable county west of Charlotte for growth, we need to be capable of handling an expanding student population. Knowing our county is primarily a service driven economy, we need to be proactive in positioning our children with life and trade skills beginning in our public schools for productive livelihoods in our county.

What would be your top priorities for county schools if elected to the School Board?

Barwick: Evaluate the outcome of the election impact in Raleigh. If it will be more of the same as the past two years or have a Legislature with the courage to step up for not only Henderson County, but all of  Western North Carolina. We need to be more than competitive to keep and attract the best teachers.

Kustin: 1. Legally set our own academic year calendars that make sense for our students and our community – either with an exemption or pushing for a law change in Raleigh. 2. Work to address kindergarten readiness gaps with cost-effective pre-K expansion. Increase weekend learning instead of out-of-school suspensions for non-violent offenses. 3. Leverage skilled volunteers to help meet math and reading tutoring needs. 4. Partner with more businesses and nonprofits to increase experiential learning opportunities. 5. Enforce a zero-tolerance policy for bullying. 6. Support student mental health with more trained personnel in schools. 7. Be proactive in improving our school facilities to match the housing growth.