BRISTOL, Va. – City native Randy Alvis paid close attention to the workings of the city School Board until 2009, and now is running for one of three available seats.
Alvis, 47, said his interest rose while following the division’s selection of new Virginia High football coach Chris Thurman.
“I was really interested in that process and curious about how they picked who they picked. It peaked my interest in the school system and how things were run,” Alvis said.
The candidate said he questions that selection process.
“There are some issues that I don’t know the whole community agreed with. I don’t know that everyone was happy with how that was picked. I know I wasn’t,” Alvis said. “I felt like there should have been more community involvement in that. I’m not saying anything against Coach Thurman. It was just the process.”
Thurman was hired after the division’s first choice declined at the last minute to accept another position. Thurman contacted the division and expressed interest in the job, was interviewed and accepted the position, Principal Martin Ringstaff said.
Ringstaff and Thurman previously worked together at Dan River High School, before Thurman went on to win two state titles at Gretna, Va.
Alvis is one of three newcomers and two incumbents running for the three seats on the city School Board. Incumbents Eric Clark and Randy White are seeking re-election. John Iskra and Beth Rhinehart are first-time challengers for the posts.
“I think parents are reluctant to come before the board and speak on issues they have, because they think there might be some repercussions or the board isn’t listening. I want to be someone who will listen to them and let them know they have a voice,” Alvis said.
The candidate manages a muffler shop in Abingdon owned by his father.
He and his wife, Cindy, who is a special education teacher at Virginia Middle School, have a son and daughter who are seniors at Virginia High School. An older son, a VHS graduate, is attending Liberty University in Lynchburg.
Alvis doesn’t foresee his wife’s job as a deterrent to serving on the School Board but said he might recuse himself from voting on certain issues related to her department.
Alvis also said the school system has served his family well.
“The faculty and administration at each school my children attended have been great,” he said.
Alvis is a 1985 graduate of Ferrum College near Rocky Mount, Va., who has a degree in business management and has worked at the family business for the past 25 years.
dmcgee@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2532
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