Florida
Three Candidates Compete in Nonpartisan Highlands County School Board Race
Highlands County School Board District 1 election overview The post Three candidates vie for Highlands County District 1 school board seat appeared first on The Florida Trib.
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Key points
- Three candidates with backgrounds in business, child welfare, and classroom teaching are vying for the District 1 seat.
- Highlands County school board elections are nonpartisan and open to all registered voters countywide.
- Early voting runs from August 6 through August 15, ahead of Election Day on August 18.
Voters Prepare to Cast Ballots in District 1 School Board Election
NewsWK — As early voting continues across Florida for the August primary elections, voters in Highlands County are preparing to select a representative for the District 1 School Board seat covering the Avon Park area. School board races in Florida are nonpartisan, meaning all registered voters countywide are eligible to cast ballots regardless of party affiliation.
According to a report first published by The Florida Trib, three candidates with backgrounds spanning ministry, business, child welfare, and public education are seeking the seat: James Jonsten, Chantel Parris, and Kari Pritchett.
Candidate Backgrounds and Key Priorities
James Jonsten, an ordained minister and business owner in the construction and commercial services sector, has described himself as a conservative focused on financial stewardship, school safety, and student accountability. Jonsten has extensive experience in youth ministry and business coaching, pitching himself as a steady hand to maintain fiscal discipline within the school district.
Chantel Parris holds a master’s degree in ministry and a bachelor’s degree in transformational ministry with a minor in social work. She previously served as an investigator for the Florida Department of Children and Families, as well as a advocate with the Guardian ad Litem Program. Drawing from her background overcoming challenges as a teenage mother with help from local school mentors, Parris credited community support for her career path. “Being a young mom, a teen mom, was difficult, but along the way, I grew the strength and the faith and the fortitude to keep going forward,” Parris told WGCU News.
Kari Pritchett, a lifelong Highlands County resident, brings hands-on classroom experience to the race. A graduate of Florida State University with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Pritchett worked as a public school teacher, reading coach, exceptional student education inclusion teacher, and district advisory council chair. In a public statement cited by the outlet, Pritchett emphasized fiscal restraint and academic achievement, stating, “I am committed to being a responsible conservative steward of taxpayer dollars while ensuring our schools remain focused on academic excellence, transparency, accountability, and student success.”
Early voting runs through Aug. 15, with Election Day scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 18.
This article was produced with the assistance of AI and reviewed by our editorial team.
Based on reporting by Eileen Kelley | WGCU originally published by The Florida Trib. Read the original story.
