Politics

Stacey Caskey to run for School Board

Stacey Caskey

By Lightning Reports, Published: February 19, 2018

Stacey Caskey, a Mills River resident, award-winning teacher, small business owner and college counselor, announced her candidacy for a seat on the Henderson County School Board.

With over 28 years of educational experience, Stacey can bring the kind of fresh ideas, solid experience, and practical knowledge that will benefit Henderson County’s students and the community.

In 1997, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani chose to visit Stacey’s classroom to open the school year after she was nominated for Microsoft Teacher of the Year. With a strong background in educational technology, Stacey also partnered with Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson at an educational conference that summer. Stacey has an undergraduate degree in Developmental Psychology and began teaching in New York City in 1990. She has since earned a master’s degree in education and two master’s certificates in mathematics and college counseling.

“I was very lucky to move to Western North Carolina in 2001, where I taught at Claxton Elementary School for nine years," Caskey said. While teaching at Claxton, she was named Teacher of the Year in 2007. Stacey and her husband, Brian, who was elected to the Mills River Town Council last November, have a daughter, Allison, who is a freshman at West Henderson High School. 

"I love my school, my friends, and my teachers," Allison said in a news release. "I would really like to see my mom on the school board. My mom is everyone’s ‘go-to’ for advice, not to mention she has great taste in music.”  

An 18-year resident of western North Carolina, she is committed to a nonpartisan partnership with the other members of the School Board. “We must make better curriculum and fiscal decisions because these directly impact our kids,” Stacey said in a news release. She combines a track record of innovation in the classroom with a laser-like focus on the success of her students.

Stacey can also bring the goods. “My grant applications have directly led to over $3,000,000 in donations from corporations to be used for technology in the classroom. Grant-writing is one of the keys to increasing resources without raising taxes.” She has written curriculum and numerous grants to improve the educational experience for all students in the community. 

Stacey has been recognized as Teacher of the Year by two school systems and maintains professional friendships with many of her former students, celebrating their successes as they move into adulthood. She is also dedicated to the preservation and continued educational use of Henderson County’s historic landmarks, such as the iconic Stillwell Building at Hendersonville High School.

Stacey looks forward to introducing a new voice to the Henderson County School Board. “Now is the time for the Board to focus on the needs of our young men and women, to ensure that they aspire to have the best possible future. We need people with real educational experience and practical know-how to enable our kids to reach their dreams.”

Eight years ago, Stacey and Brian opened Biltmore Tutoring, where they have worked with over a thousand of Western North Carolina’s best students to improve their grades and college admissions test scores. Stacey also volunteers with ‘Path to College,’ mentoring high school students in Henderson County and helping them bridge the gap between high school, college, and career.

“Although 93 percent of Henderson County students graduate from high school, only 28 percent go on to achieve a college degree and that is a huge disconnect. Strengthening our focus on college as well as vocational tracks will benefit not just our students, but everyone who lives here. A school board that understands and promotes that vision is imperative to Henderson County’s future.”

For more information on Stacey’s campaign, please visit her website at www.staceycaskey.com or her Facebook/Twitter pages ( www.facebook.com/staceycaskeyforschoolboard/ and https://twitter.com/staceycaskey4nc/ ).