STEPPING UP

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MEDORA

Faythe Gill said she believes in her hometown and its school system.

So when she was approached about filling a vacancy on the Medora Community Schools Board of Trustees, she didn’t hesitate about applying.

This week, the board unanimously approved Gill to replace Todd Carney, who resigned at the end of January after moving out of the school district.

Gill will finish out Carney’s term, which expires at the end of 2016.

“I’m excited about it,” the 51-year-old said. “I love this town, and I believe in the school, and I believe we can raise some children into young people that can be productive adults that can stay here and make it a great town.”

Gill is a 1981 graduate of Medora High School and attended Apostolic Bible College and Jackson Community College, both in Tennessee. She works at Medora Pentecostal Church, where her husband, Tim, is the pastor.

She said she has worked with children since she was a teenager and took postsecondary classes in elementary education.

“Our church is very heavily involved in the school. We’ve always been and continue to be,” Gill said. “I graduated from this school, and my daughter (Whitney Gothra) graduated from here, and my son (David Gill) is a sophomore here this year. I think the school has a positive impact on the town, and I think there are some things that we could probably reach out even further and make some improvements.”

As far as positives, Gill praised first-year principal Chrystal Street for making some changes for the better of the school.

She also likes how the community always supports the school.

“I think it’s the heartbeat of the town as far as the whole town cheers at the ballgames for the ball team, and any of the plays that they have or any of the children’s performances they have the gym is full, and the town comes out for it,” she said.

The school also allows the community to use its facilities for a variety of activities, Gill said.

“Our church uses their facilities a lot, and other places in the community do, too,” she said. “So I think they are very open to our church to be involved. We have a prayer walk through the school before school starts ever year. They are just very open to us.”

In terms of what she would like to bring to the board, Gill said curriculum is one of her big interests. While she doesn’t have any problems with what the school is doing now, she said it would be good to explore some opportunities.

“I’d love to see some more languages brought in. I know that right now, we’re teaching Spanish, and I think that’s awesome,” said Gill, whose daughter is the school’s Spanish teacher.

“And I love that they are getting ready to go over to Lawrence County and look at that school,” she said of students taking vocational classes at Bedford North Lawrence High School. “I think some of the other skills would be great, offer some new skill sets.”

Gill’s service will start with the board’s next meeting, at 6 p.m. on April 13 in the school library. Trustees receive $50 for each meeting they attend.

Gill said she and board member Darrell Persinger went through school together, and she knows the other members, John Hughes, Larry Osborn and Joe Campbell.

“We moved here when I was 12, so I grew up here, and I feel like I’m very comfortable with and know them all,” Gill said. “They are good people, good men.”

Gill said she has attended school board meetings in the past as a member of the public, so she is ready to be on the other side of the table.

She said she looks forward to bringing a new perspective to the board.

“A female voice is good. It brings a little bit of softness, a little bit of grace. Also, I’m a mom, so that momma bear comes out,” she said, laughing. “I think that might be good.”

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Name: Faythe Gill

Age: 51

Residence: Medora

New position: Member of the Medora Community Schools board of trustees

Education: Graduated from Medora High School in 1981; attended Apostolic Bible College and Jackson Community College, both in Tennessee

Occupation: Medora Pentecostal Church

Family: Husband, Tim Gill; daughter, Whitney Gothra; son, David Gill

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