Meet the candidates running for North Platte School Board Ward 3

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - Two candidates are vying for the North Platte School Board Ward 3 seat.

Mark D. Nicholson works Union Pacific railroad. He joined the school board in January of 2019 and is seeking a second term. He says his number one priority will be continuing to ensure education for all students, particularly those who fall below the poverty line.

“We have to continue to work really hard to help those group of kids so that they have a chance in life honestly,” Nicholson said. “That may seem like a lot of pressure for our teachers and you’re right. It is. But it’s where we are as society. Of course you have to give everything to SPED and HAL and those things too but those kids below the poverty line really take up a chunk of our time here in North Platte Schools and we have to make that effort.”

Emily Garrick is a small business owner and former art teacher. She says given the growth that’s happening in North Platte, more needs to be done to address bullying and the teacher shortage.

“I think that it does start from the top down,” said Garrick. “I think that we really need to work really hard to create a culture where our students are safe when they come to school, that parents aren’t worried about bullying and violence, where our teachers feel respected and at the very least supported when they are not being respected. At the end of the day we need to value those people that are making our school run that way that it runs.”

The general election is Nov. 8. View a Lincoln County sample ballot here.

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