Two candidates have filed for the Position 5 seat on the Lovejoy Independent School District Board of Trustees.

Long-time trustee Rich Hickman has filed again to run for his seat on the board. This time he will face challenger Brad Northcutt in the May 10 election.

Hickman has served on the board for 27 years and says he has enjoyed his time as a trustee.

“I started when there was an open position,” he said. “It was really a way for me to give back to the community. When I grew up, my mother served on the school board where I lived. I saw how much pleasure she got out of it.”

When he began his tenure, Hickman had a daughter in school at Lovejoy. All three of his daughters eventually graduated from Allen and Lovejoy schools and he now enjoys his time with his five grandchildren.

The senior vice-president for Bank of America has been married to his wife, Carla, for 37 years and they have lived in the district since 1978. He said he sees “issues and opportunities” facing the district in the next few years.

“We’ve set some high expectations for the district and the community, and I am eager to see those through—through our first graduating class and our new building projects.” Hickman said.

Like many new candidates, he said he sees finance as a major factor in the district’s growth.

“The challenges that go along with those opportunities are obviously related to finance,” he said. “Part of that challenge is not knowing what’s going to happen every two years because of what they’re going to do in Austin.”

He also sees progress as the district develops its K through 12 programs in which “every child learns to the capacity of their abilities.”

“Overall, I’m really proud of the direction the district is going,” he said. “ I would like to think that people are happy with what we’re doing. When you look at the percentages in the last bond election … that tells you that people are really happy with the job people elected you for.”

Northcutt said he hasn’t seen any issues he has disagreed on significantly with the board, but rather his candidacy is how he would like to give back to his community.

“I see the board clearly as a team. Each person brings a fresh perspective and that’s what I hope to bring is a fresh perspective of things that are taking place and changing,” he said. “I know our district is embarking on a new era. I think that how to keep our kids motivated with the AP and pre-AP curriculum outlined for our kids is going to be a challenge for us to keep everybody focused on striving for excellence. That’s the challenge the board faces is how to keep that higher level of motivation and participation — student involvement — without burning out the kids.”

Northcutt and his family have lived in Fairview for a year and a half, having moved from San Francisco where they lived a little more than six years. Prior to that, his family resided in Plano for about 10 years. His family is comprised of his wife of 21 years Vicki and daughter Kelsey, a Lovejoy High School freshman, and son Garrett, who attends Lovejoy Middle School.

Northcutt said he has not held any elected posts, but he has been involved with the PTA at LJHS. He has helped with drama and choir activities that his daughter participated in and has been as assistant coach with his son’s Allen Sports Association football team and substitute coach for his ASA basketball team for two years. He also serves as an usher and adult class teacher at the family’s church, Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church.

Northcutt said he has wanted to be involved in public service since he was at Texas Tech University.

“I was involved in the student government. I was in freshman council as president of the freshman class. I was a student senator in the business school and a vice president for the Texas State Student Association,” he said.

He said he was unable to continue his public service commitment once he entered the job market due to the demands of the securities industry.

“My company that I’m with now — Southwest Securities — they’re very active and promote community involvement. Plus with my kids being the ages that they are, it’s the perfect opportunity to get into public service,” he said.

Like his opponent, Northcutt sees school finance as key to the district’s success.

“With my background in finance, I feel I have a lot to offer in that area,” he said. “This is the first time the district has had a high school as well as a middle school. When they made that decision in 2005 to expand to secondary education, it took a shift … some of the big issues they’re going to have to deal with are how they deal with technology and how they deal with the high school.”

Contact Troy Brakefield at tbrakefield@acnpapers.com