The election for Gravette School Board is on March 3rd, with early voting starting on February 17th. Gravette School Board Members serve 6 year terms, with elections coming every two years. This year we have three seats on the board up for election with two of those races being contested. Position One, currently held by Tim Craig who is stepping away from the board, will have candidates Jessica Pike and Natanya Riddle running. Position Two has current board member Heather Barnwell Finley running unopposed. Position Three, currently held by board member Tracy Moorman, will see Mr. Moorman face Jackson Bird and Melanie Nichols. Candidates were each asked to answer the following questions to help inform the public.
Position One
Candidate Jessica Pike (Position One)
Why are you interested in serving the Gravette School District as a school board member?
I am interested in serving on the school board because I have a passion for education, a love for our community, and a commitment to seeing student success. I understand firsthand the impact of board-level decisions on students, teachers, and families. Through my experience in classrooms and school leadership, I have seen what students and educators need to be successful. I want to serve in a way that supports teachers, partners with families, and keeps students at the center of every decision so our district can grow and succeed.
What skills or qualifications do you have that make you an ideal candidate to serve as a school board member?
I bring a combination of classroom experience, strong community ties, and a collaborative approach to leadership that I believe makes me well suited to serve on the school board. Through my time spent in the classroom, I have seen the daily challenges and successes our teachers and students experience, giving me a practical understanding of how board decisions impact learning at every level. As a member of this community and a parent of a student in the district, I am deeply invested in the long-term success of our schools. I value listening, asking thoughtful questions, and making informed decisions grounded in experience, data, and respect for multiple perspectives. I am committed to working alongside fellow board members, administrators, educators, and families to support students, strengthen trust, and help our district continue to grow.
What do you believe is the role of a school board member?
I believe the role of a school board member is to serve the district’s mission by setting goals, providing oversight, and ensuring decisions and policies benefit students. My classroom experience has shown me how board-level decisions impact teachers, students, and learning environments, highlighting the need for thoughtful, well-informed governance. A board member should listen to the community, respect diverse perspectives, and collaborate with fellow members while trusting educators to do their work. My focus would be on guidance, oversight, and support, ensuring strong systems, great resources, curriculum, professional development, and safe environments so students and teachers can be successful. By focusing on these areas, we can help create an environment where families feel supported in times of need, teachers feel equipped and valued, and students have every opportunity to succeed.
What do you believe are the most pressing challenges facing our district and public education?
I believe some of the most pressing challenges facing our district and public education include supporting the diverse academic, social, and emotional needs of students while ensuring our teachers and staff have the resources, time, and support they need to be successful. From my experience in the classroom, I’ve seen how learning gaps, mental health, and increasing expectations can affect both students and educators. Also, districts are navigating preparing students for a rapidly changing workforce, new technologies, technology integrity, staffing shortages, staffing retention, financial pressures, budgeting, and the need to manage resources while maintaining strong academic programs. Another important challenge is building trust and communication with families and the community. Addressing these issues requires student-centered decision-making, collaboration with teachers, families, and administrators, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
How would you work to engage our families, staff and the community and ensure all voices are heard?
I believe engaging families, staff, and the community starts with listening, transparency, and consistent communication. From my experience, I’ve seen how valuable it is when students, parents, and educators feel heard. As a board member, I would seek input from teachers, administrators, and families through meetings, surveys, and community events, ensuring concerns are heard firsthand. I would work to make decisions clear and maintain a straightforward pathway for feedback. While families may not always know every detail, respectful, consistent communication and thoughtful follow-through are essential to building trust and strong partnerships.
How should our funding be allocated to best serve the needs of our students and educators?
I believe funding decisions should always be guided by the current needs of our students, keeping their success at the forefront. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, because the needs of students and educators are constantly evolving. Some years that may mean investing in professional development for teachers, other years it may be updating technology to prepare students for an ever-changing world, adopting new curriculum, or enhancing safety through equipment, training, or resource officers. The guiding question should always be: what will best support student learning, growth, and well-being? Funding decisions should be flexible, thoughtful, and focused on providing educators and students with the tools and resources they need to be successful.
Candidate Natanya Riddle (Position One)
Why are you interested in serving the Gravette School District as a school board member?
I am running because I love our community and have a vested interest in the success of our school district and its students. I believe strong schools are built on strong values. My desire is to help protect local control, keep common sense at the table, and ensure decisions are made with students and families in mind, not outside agendas.
What skills or qualifications do you have that make you an ideal candidate to serve as a school board member?
I bring extensive experience and many perspectives to the role. My entire life has centered around serving children through my family's foster home, emergency shelter, day care, and Sunday School classrooms. I understand the struggles families from all walks of life face. I am comfortable asking hard questions, working through complex issues, and making decisions that are fair and principled. I value accountability, fiscal responsibility, and respectful collaboration. My 20-year background in the legal field has taught me how to communicate clearly, stay calm under pressure, and advocate for people while following the law and proper processes.
What do you believe is the role of a school board member?
The role of a school board member is to work as a team to set policy, protect the mission of the district, oversee the budget, and hire and evaluate the superintendent. A board member should serve as a steward of the community’s trust, uphold the law, and ensure that schools remain focused on academics, safety, and character development.
What do you believe are the most pressing challenges facing our district and public education?
Public education is facing pressure from many directions. Declining respect for teachers/admin, increased behavioral issues, academic challenges, and financial strain are real concerns. There is also tension between parental rights and one-size-fits-all policies. We must focus on the basics: reading, math, critical thinking, and personal responsibility while supporting teachers and restoring discipline and order in the classroom. There are too many outside distractions.
How would you work to engage our families, staff, and the community and ensure all voices are heard?
For years, I have been in Gravette schools as a parent, PTO mom, substitute, and Bright Futures board member. I serve on the Gravette baseball rec league board and also help coach. I own several businesses which are always participating in or hosting community events. I am accessible and encourage open and respectful dialogue. Transparency builds trust, and trust strengthens schools. We may not always agree, but everyone should be heard and know their concerns matter.
How should our funding be allocated to best serve the needs of our students and educators?
Funding should prioritize the classroom first and foremost. Teachers, instructional resources, student safety, and core academic programs should always come before unnecessary extras. We owe it to our stakeholders to be wise financial stewards and to our students to invest in what directly supports learning and long-term success.
Position Three
Candidate Jackson Bird (Position Three)
Why are you interested in serving the Gravette School District as a school board member?
I believe in the value of children and how a positive educational experience will create happier and more successful members of our community. I believe my standards, leadership, and life experience qualify me. Most of all, I am interested in responsibly building children's confidence by setting the vision of what is possible and helping their efforts turn into achievements. I love my children and I want to give them a successful future.
What skills or qualifications do you have that make you an ideal candidate to serve as a school board member?
Father of children in the district (all campuses), Bachelor of Science Technology with Sigma Lambda Chi Honors in Construction Management, Eagle Scout, long time volunteer in church and Boy Scouts of America, own and operate my own business.
What do you believe is the role of a school board member?
To create the culture of excellence, lead by example, set policy that encourages and rewards effort for both students and staff, and be fiscally responsible with funds.
What do you believe are the most pressing challenges facing our district and public education?
Gravette needs growth - especially in the lower grades. K-2 class sizes have shrunk in recent years. We need young families to move to Gravette. We need to create a welcoming environment that includes affordable housing, employment opportunities, safe and successful schools, and a community culture that invites them in.
Public education has taken some major hits in recent years. We have so many state mandated requirements that tie our hands and restrict us from making many important changes. We need more books rather than screens to learn from. In the last 10 years we have seen test scores drop all the while we continue to give more and more screen time assignments to our children. Pencil and paper education worked for hundreds of years and I see no solid evidence that tells me we should abandon it. Screens have their place but I don't believe they have every place. I also want to see the curriculum cleaned up, take out the trash and filth that has been so heavily waded through in recent years. No child needs to read or watch graphic encounters of violence or rude conduct, certainly not in school. I believe the curriculum should inspire and uplift. I'm not so naive as to believe our past was all roses and warm summer days, nor do I believe covering it up to be a benefit, but I draw the line on the conservative side of how, and what, we present to our children. I strongly believe that families need to be preserved and strengthened. I believe everything the school does should be in support of and a facilitator of strengthening the individual, the family, and the community.
How would you work to engage our families, staff and the community and ensure all voices are heard?
I'm open to anyone who wants to have a meaningful conversation with the assumption that a good faith effort will be taken on both of our parts to identify the specifics of an issue or opportunity and then counsel together to find the best answer. This goes for parents, staff, students, and interested 3rd parties alike. Should I be elected I'll post my contact info on the school website so first outreach can be put in writing and a paper trail can be followed from beginning to end. Of course I'm also happy to have any conversation out in the community whenever needed - but all decisions are done at the board meetings in the official and proper order of the board.
How should our funding be allocated to best serve the needs of our students and educators?
The best way I can logically allocate funds is to create a priority list from what is required and what is wanted. Sometimes the best way to allocate funds is by the number of participants, sometimes its project based, and other times statute determines how funds are spent. I want every good pursuit adequately supported.
Board Member Tracy Moorman- Running for reelection (Position 3)
Why are you interested in serving the Gravette School District as a school board member?
My interest in running for school board is to be a servant leader and give back to my community and make sure that the children that walk thru the doors of Gravette Public Schools get the best education they possibly can, while at the same time have the best possible school experience they can. Whether that be being involved in extra activity groups such as HOSA, FBLA, Theater or FFA and many others or competing as a wrestler or golfer or any of the other sports offered at Gravette, I want our students to have access to the best experience and facilities they possibly can.
What skills or qualifications do you have that make you an ideal candidate to serve as a school board member?
I think that my track record of being on the board for the past 12 years would qualify me to be re-elected. I have always been very keen on the financial side of things and feel I can be an asset to remain on the board during these unusual times that public schools are currently facing.
What do you believe is the role of a school board member?
The role of a school board member in my opinion is to make sure that we are giving the children in our district every opportunity to receive the highest level of education possible. As a board member it is my responsibility to make sure we have the best individual in the superintendent role as we can get and relay to him or her any information that any of the parents within the district that have concerns or comments of appreciation on how well we are educating their children. It’s not my job to hire staff, it’s the role of the administration to do that, they are the ones working day to day with these folks and they are held responsible for their buildings so they should be the ones picking their employees. Making policies and making sure that we have the right curriculum for the kids is also a role. Financial decisions are a major factor when being on the board, you need to know how the financial side works, there are many different ways the school is funded. Making sure that we are diligent to apply for all the ways and means we can get funding and spending those funds in a beneficial way.
What do you believe are the most pressing challenges facing our district and public education?
The most pressing issue will be funding, but it has multiple parts that are causing the issue. More parents are homeschooling or going to virtual learning, which is another issue that is a problem. But as the district declines in enrollment and the assessment values go up, we lose state funding, which puts more of a burden on our budget to pay everything out of local dollars, so that means as the state lowers the money per pupil, we will have to raise the millage rate to make up for it. I’m not a fan of higher taxes but there isn’t any other way to do it but raise the tax base to make sure the school stays whole. We must be very diligent to cut waste yet not jeopardize the quality of education we give children.
How would you work to engage our families, staff and the community and ensure all voices are heard?
Over the years I have had many conversations with many parents within the district, and I encourage them to contact me any time they have questions. I want people to know that I basically have an open-door policy, you can come to me with anything. I will listen to every concern you have and make notes to make sure your concerns are addressed. We need more parents engaged at school; parents need to know that our teachers and administration want their children to succeed in life and become adults that not just contribute to society but become leaders in communities. Those successes become the legacies of the people that helped make you who you are, and I know that all the staff at Gravette want to see those victories and feel good to know that they had a part in that journey.
How should our funding be allocated to best serve the needs of our students and educators?
There are a couple answers to this question, and they are all very important and I don’t feel one is more important than the other, they are all at the top. We have very nice buildings and have taken good care of them in the past, can’t teach school without the classroom, so our facilities, making sure we spend the money to maintain those structures is very important. Curriculum and teachers; we must make sure our teachers have what they need to educate our students. We also need to make sure that we are compensating our teachers at the best we can so that we don’t lose them to bigger districts that are close and might have more revenue to pay more than we can. We want to make sure we keep the best teachers we can.
Candidate Melanie Nichols (Position 3)
Why are you interested in serving the Gravette School District as a school board member?
Gravette is home. My kids have grown up here, and I care deeply about kids, families, educators and this community. I also believe good schools don’t happen by accident. They’re built through intentional decisions, strong relationships, and a shared commitment to what is best for kids. I’m running because I want to help protect what’s working, strengthen what needs attention, and make thoughtful choices that support students, educators, and families both now and in the years ahead.
What skills or qualifications do you have that make you an ideal candidate to serve as a school board member?
I bring hands-on leadership experience and a realistic understanding of how schools operate day to day. As a preschool director, I manage staff, build and balance budgets, and make decisions with limited resources while keeping kids at the center. I’ve also spent years volunteering in the community with PTOs, booster clubs, and groups like Kiwanis and the wrestling club. Through that service, I’ve built strong relationships and learned the value of trust and follow-through. I ask good questions, value teamwork, and stay focused on solutions.
What do you believe is the role of a school board member?
The role of a school board member is to provide vision, direction, and support. Board members help set policies, shape priorities, approve budgets, and hire and support strong leadership. Just as important, the board helps set the tone and culture of the district. How decisions are made and how people are treated matters. A strong board leads with kindness, respect, and open-mindedness - even when conversations are difficult - while always keeping students at the center of every decision.
What do you believe are the most pressing challenges facing our district and public education?
One major challenge for Gravette right now is planning in the midst of uncertainty. Growth in our area doesn’t follow predictable patterns, and changes in school choice policies add complexity to decisions on staffing, facilities, and budgeting. Schools are also facing concerns like bullying and increased student behavior needs. Another challenge is preparing students for life after high school in a rapidly changing world, including advances in technology we can’t yet imagine. Supporting students and educators requires clear expectations, strong relationships, consistent follow-through, and partnership with families and the community.
How would you work to engage our families, staff and the community and ensure all voices are heard?
Engagement starts with relationships, and relationships are built by being present, accessible, and willing to listen. That means showing up in schools and around the community—whether that’s in the concession stand, at the football stadium, or walking down Main Street. Not everyone is comfortable speaking at a board meeting, so it’s important to offer multiple ways for people to share feedback. I want families, staff, and community members to know I’m available and listening. When people feel heard, trust grows, and strong schools are built on that trust.
How should our funding be allocated to best serve the needs of our students and educators?
Funding decisions should reflect the values and priorities of our district and community. Students come first, which means supporting learning, student services, and safe, well-functioning schools. It also means recognizing and supporting the teachers and support staff who show up for kids every day. With limited resources, choices have to be thoughtful and realistic. I believe in clear priorities, transparency, and budgeting decisions that meet today’s needs while also being responsible and sustainable for the future of our schools.