My name is Chad Frierson, and I am a candidate for a position on the Picayune School District Board of Trustees in the election to be held on Saturday March 3.

I am the son of Emmy Frierson and the late Leon “Shorty” Frierson, Jr. As a life-long resident of Picayune, I am passionate about improving our city and ensuring a strong educational experience for our children. I hope to apply this passion by serving the citizens of Picayune and the Picayune School District as a member of the Board of Trustees.

This school district helped form me into the person I am today, as I attended Nicholson Elementary, Southside Elementary, and Picayune Junior High. I am 1981 honors graduate of Picayune Memorial High School, and a 1985 graduate of the College of Engineering at Mississippi State University. I am currently employed by the City of Picayune as the Director of Public Works.

My wife Jill and I have three children, Pacer, Anna Kae, and Ethan. My children have been blessed with the same opportunity I had to grow up in Picayune, and my family is thankful to be residents of this city. We are actively involved members of the First Baptist Church of Picayune, and I have taken an active role in civic affairs through my involvement with the Partners in Leadership for Pearl River County and the Picayune Youth Athletic Association, of which I have served as president. Through the variety of community activities I have participated in, I have seen that our school district is one of our most valuable assets. As a member of your school board, I have several goals which I intend to pursue to improve our educational system.

First and foremost, all of my efforts shall be focused towards providing quality education for our students, and ensuring that this education will last for generations to come. This vision for our school district has shaped several practical goals which I have. I would like to work with all the schools to improve our academic standing, so our students will be nationally competitive academically.

Believing that we must always have one eye firmly fixed on the future, I plan to explore the possibility of adding an additional middle school, housing sixth through eighth graders, to account for growth in our rapidly expanding city. Success begins with funding, and I believe that fiscal responsibility must be utilized to gain the most benefits for our students, teachers, and administrators. Students learn best in an environment of discipline and safety, and I intend to continually evaluate our policies to ensure that we are providing that environment for our children.

These goals can only be accomplished through a spirit of cooperation with the superintendent and other school board members. It is my dream that this unity can spread throughout our school district so we can provide the best possible education for our children.

I humbly ask that on Saturday, March 3, you cast your vote for me, Chad Frierson, for Picayune School District Board of Trustees representative.