Brett Keasler, Principal of the Cherokee County Career and Technology Center, has qualified for the Office of Superintendent of Education and humbly asks for your vote. Brett has been married to Robin Henderson Keasler for over 33 years, and they have one son, Dylan, an eleventh grade student at Cherokee County High School.
When asked why he is seeking the office of Superintendent, Keasler stated, “I understand the stresses of raising and educating a child and that we all want the very best for our children. I have a vision for our school system, and I look forward to working together to help each child have the opportunity to reach their potential.”
Keasler, unlike the other candidates, did not go directly to college after high school; instead he went directly into the workforce. “Growing up in Cherokee County with hard working parents and grandparents that were cotton farmers allowed me the opportunity to gain valuable experiences that would serve me well throughout life. They instilled in me a strong work ethic, and if you are going to have something in life, you must be willing to work for it. I also learned important life skills such as independence, problem solving, and how to be innovative. Another lesson learned is that you need a skill to make yourself more valuable to an employer. With that in mind, I took welding for my elective classes while in high school. I learned to repair equipment and how to build new components from metal. After graduating high school, I worked several jobs ranging from a cotton mill to aircraft manufacturing and a lot of other jobs in between. The problem solving skills and metal working skills I learned from family and while in high school has been beneficial to me in all my jobs.”
When asked why he changed from metal fabrication to education Keasler had this to say, “We all experience life changing events in our life. I feel God had a different plan for me. One night, while on my home from work, my car broke down. I stopped to work on my car, and I was struck by another vehicle. As a result, my right leg was amputated. After much thought and prayer, I felt God leading me into education. I felt that my work and life experience would help me relate the material to my students and help them see how it is applied in the workplace. That’s when I decided to attend college”.
Keasler went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics Education at Jacksonville State University and a Masters of Arts in Mathematics Secondary Education and Education Administration from the University of Alabama. Since completing college he has served as a math teacher and Assistant Principal at Gaylesville School and is currently the Principal of the Career and Technology Center and serves as the Career Tech Director for the Cherokee County School System.
Keasler adds, “In my role as principal of the Career Tech Center and as Career Tech Director for the county, it is my responsibility to annually evaluate the needs of business and industry in our community, surrounding areas, as well as our state in order to ensure our programs being offered are aligned with the workforce needs and that we provide our students with authentic workplace experiences. I believe my experiences in industry, business management, the classroom, and educational administration is what makes me uniquely qualified to lead our school system in the direction that it needs to go in order for our students to have the success they need and to prepare them for their future.”
During his time at the Career Tech Center, Keasler has written both competitive and recurring grants that total more than 2.5 million dollars. Also, by working with Gadsden State Community College, the Career Tech Center was able to start two dual enrollment classes. Keasler emphasizes the importance of academics in conjunction with career tech education and other electives to help students obtain the experiences they need to be well rounded individuals and to be best prepared for their future.
Currently, the Career and Technology Center is working with elected officials on the state and local levels, key personnel from the city of Centre and the County, and the Cherokee County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments to develop a Fire Management and Emergency Services Program to be offered to juniors and seniors next school year. Additionally, plans are in place to start a new Computer Science course to be housed at the Career and Technology Center. Classes will begin in the fall semester of 2020. Plans are to grow this program into a full Computer Science Program.
When asked about school security, Keasler stated, “I believe in providing our children with the safest and most secure environment we can for them to learn, and I support the School Resource Officer program. As an administrator, I proved my support of school safety when entrusted with funds to improve safety, security, and accessibility to our schools; the Career and Technology Center did just that. The Career and Technology Center was the first school in the county to secure its perimeter and limit access to only the main entrance of the school. Additionally, I was asked to present at the State Superintendents Association Fall Conference on School Safety and the improvements we made at the Career Tech Center.”
“Being the Principal of the Career Tech Center and serving as a system-wide supervisor has given me the opportunity to serve the students from all schools in Cherokee County, as well as the ability to work with all administrators and teachers in the county. We have made many improvements to all of our career tech programs with the funds provided by the federal, state, and local government agencies, and plans are to continue this progress.”
“I believe I have the experiences necessary to lead our school system forward and a proven track record that I will stay the course and see any project to completion.”
“I humbly ask that you vote for me, Brett Keasler, to be your next Superintendent of Education.”
If you would like to discuss educational issues or want information on how you can support me for Superintendent of Education, you can email me at keaslerforsuperintendent@gmail.com or call 256-996-7891.