Politics

Holt, Revis, Campbell, Bridges win School Board primary

By Amy McCraw, Published: March 6, 2024

Republican candidates Amy Lynn Holt, Kathy Revis, Beth Campbell and Robert Bridges won their party’s nomination for the Henderson County School Board on Tuesday, according to unofficial returns.

The Republican candidates will face Democrats Mary Ellen Kustin, Leslie Carey, Crystal Cauley and Rhonda Mountain in the Nov. 5 general election.
With all 35 precincts reporting Tuesday night, Holt led with 12,472 votes or 21.09 percent of the vote followed closely by Revis, who earned 11,928 votes or 20.17 percent of the vote. Campbell and Bridges each also earned winning spots on the board with Campbell receiving 11,352 votes or 19.20 percent of the vote to Bridges 11,008 votes or 18.62 percent of the vote..
Candidates Micael Absher, a former School Board member, and Tae Brown appeared to have fall short, with each receiving less than 11 percent of the vote.
Holt on Tuesday night said she was humbled by the win.
“I look forward to the chance to share my heart and passion for the students, staff and parents of Henderson County,” she said.
Campbell said the primary race was exciting and she was looking forward to the general election.
“I’m excited for the fight ahead. Our kids are worth it,” she said.
Bridges said he felt blessed to earn another term on the board.
“I’m very pleased,” he said. “I’ve been very blessed to serve Henderson County students and parents for over 30 years.”

Revis said: "I want to thank the voters for their vote of confidence in me for the primary and as we move forward to November, I hope that I can continue to earn voters' trust and confidence."

Holt, 50, graduated from Miami Dade College in Florida. She and her husband, Ritch, own Champion Comfort Experts, where she serves as community outreach and major gifts officer. She and her husband have four children. Her hobbies include reading, flower growing and arranging, working with non-profits, following daughter Aliyah Faith’s gymnastic competitions and playing with her granddaughters Charlotte and Elle.
Holt was previously elected to the board of education in 2010 for three terms. She did not run for reelection and her term ended in December 2022.
“Since that time, I have missed it tremendously. We have a fantastic school system,” she said during the campaign. “I really want to continue to be involved to be a voice for parents, teachers and students. I still feel like there is a lot more work to be done and my job is not over yet.”
Revis, 66, has been an educator for more than 40 years. She earned her undergraduate degree in secondary math, has a doctorate in educational leadership and has experience as a teacher, principal and, for 17 years, assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. She worked part-time for WNCSource and served as a trustee for Blue Ridge Community College and currently serves as an adjunct professor in the master’s for school administration program at Gardner-Webb University. Elected to the School Board in 2020 she now serves as vice chair. She and her husband, Ken, have a son, Garrett, and three grandchildren who attend Henderson County public schools.
Revis said the variety of her experiences in education helped prepare her for a seat on the board. She said she wanted to continue to contribute to the school system and serve the school community.
“We have a strong school system, but we can always look for ways to grow and improve to provide the best education possible for our students and families. I believe I can view issues from different perspectives and work well with others to find positive solutions,” she said during the campaign.
Bridges, 77, earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a master’s degree in guidance and counseling, and education specialist degree in administration from Western Carolina University. He and his wife, Norma, have been married almost 56 years and have lived in Henderson County 55 of those years. They have two granddaughters. “Serving God and the people of our church is important to me, and woodworking is a hobby I enjoy,” he says.
Bridges said during the campaign that he wanted to continue as a board member because he loves and cares for the children of Henderson County and he wants to make decisions that impact them positively to be well-informed, contributing members of society.
“Being a former teacher, administrator and counselor in Henderson County and a current school board member has enabled me to have a wide range of experience that is an asset to developing positive policies for Henderson County schools,” he said.
Campbell, 36, lives in Mills River with her husband, Trae, and their three daughters. A graduate of Henderson County schools, she currently works part-time as a pharmacy technician. “My hobbies include raising chickens, learning about herbalism, spending time with my husband and kids, hiking and growing our farm,” she says. “I enjoy volunteering at our schools and staying actively involved in our church.”
During the campaign, Campbell said she ran for a seat on the board because she wanted to make a difference in schools and give students the best opportunity for a quality education.
“I want to help provide them with quality teachers who are valued, taken care of, and given every tool and all the support to do the job they love. I want to make Henderson County the top choice in public education and help give our future leaders the best start in their education,” she said.
The Lightning asked the candidates during the campaign to define their top priorities if elected, how they would vote on the school calendar and the parents’ bill of rights.
Revis said her first priority was to restore the public’s trust and faith in public schools.
“I think we must be transparent in our work and encourage open and honest dialogue with staff, parents, and community members,” she said.
Revis said she also wanted to find better ways to keep students safe at school.
“We have done a great deal over the past few years to secure our campuses, but we must continue to be diligent in this area,” she said.
Revis said other priorities include improving literacy programs in elementary schools and better preparing students for careers and college opportunities.
Holt said her priorities include working with the school system’s staff to come up with a plan for new construction and expansion for some schools that are overcrowded.
“We have a lot of subdivisions going in and bringing a lot more families into our district,” she said.
Working with the state legislature on the school calendar and coming up with a better solution for students who break rules than out-of-school suspension is also important, she said.
Campbell said she wanted to tackle the issue of the state over-testing students.
“Obviously, some level of testing is necessary to see how they are doing but I believe that how many they are doing far exceeds what is necessary. We are stressing these kids more than helping them,” she said.
She said she also wanted to improve the quality of food served to school children.
Bridges said he would like to see the school system maintain and increase reading and math scores for all students.
Keeping schools safe and keeping and recruiting qualified personnel are also always top priorities, he said.
“Finally, our county continues to grow. We need to keep abreast of population growth to determine future needs,” he said.
Bridges said he would also vote to begin school earlier than state law allows because it allows the semester to end before Christmas.
“By so doing, those who wish may enroll in technical programs, community colleges, or universities earlier. I would continue to vote for an early start date even though state law requires a later date. Our legislators should be encouraged to allow local boards to make the decisions that best serve their students,” he said.
Campbell called the calendar law a hot-button issue and said she did not support the law because it does not have students’ best interests at heart. But she said she would uphold the law.
“However, I look forward to joining the fight to get that law changed and make sure those who make the laws know that what they are doing hiding behind the calendar law and using it for profit is hurting our kids and I do not agree with that,” she said.
Holt previously voted to defy the calendar law because it allowed students to begin college early.
“With that said, over the last six months or so I have thought long and hard about voting to break the calendar law and start school early. It has become apparent to me that this is breaking the oath of office and not something I need to do,” she said.
Revis said she also did not like the calendar law. But she said her oath of office requires her to uphold the law whether she likes it or not.
“I think our current calendar makes common sense, except for one thing; it does not comply with the state statute. Just because we do not like a law, we cannot simply defy it. I voted against our current calendar because it does not comply with state statute,” she said.
Holt said she was 100 percent in favor of the Parents’ Bill of Rights because parents have a right to know what is going on with their children all the time.
“They should be consulted and approve of their child being called a different name or a different gender. It is not appropriate for anyone to address a child in a matter that their parents don’t approve of,” she said.
Revis said the legislation was in response to parents’ lack of trust in public education. She said she believes in transparency and has no problem with parents being aware of what happens when their children are in school.
“The Board had to make very few changes in our current policies to comply with this new legislation. My hope is that we continue to work with parents to build trust and collaboratively work together in the best interest of their child,” she said.
Campbell said she wholeheartedly agrees with the bill of rights for parents.
“I am extremely sorry that our kids are growing up in such a mixed-up confused world that we need it, but considering what is going on I am thankful to have it,” she said.
Bridges said he also fully supported the bill of rights for parents.
“Parents are positive advocates for their children, and I encourage them to become actively involved in their education,” he said.