There are so many things to think about when developing a vision and philosophy for my approach to helping our Educational Community (EC) here in Houston County.

From my roots earning a BS in Music Education, I often use the simile of a four-voice choir when describing how the members of the EC harmonize. I envision a social framework in which each member works interdependently to create harmony in the educational process. In my dissertation, I describe five members of the EC, which I developed further in my two-minute-or-less elevator speech in preparation for this electoral run.

At the rudimentary level, teachers and parents working closely with school administrators lead their students through edifying lessons. I see School Board members providing vision and encouraging productive horizontal and vertical communications through the group, much like a choir director guides the four voices through the lyrics and melodies of a beautiful song.

The key to success is clear, concise, and consistent (C3) communications.

As I chat with people representative of the "EC five," I have received wide-ranging concerns discussing their challenges and needs to implement the educational process better. As I exchange ideas, I do my best to encourage positive problem-solving and emphasize the positive versus perpetuating the negative, which is often commonplace. I believe that people that identify and communicate their challenges to the School Board should also come prepared to present practical ideas that might lead to the solution to that dilemma. Board members must formulate resolution development through bi-directional (vertical and horizontal) C3 exchanges of those ideas through the EC, using their understanding of the available tools and resources.

As an additional challenge, School Board members must remember the critical role local stakeholders and merchants play in supporting tomorrow's future leaders coming out of the school system. In the musical theme, community supporters provide the unique cultural influences that create homogeneous connections as "color tones" as our students travel through their academic journeys.

In discovering more about our Board members' role in the academic community, I have found it extremely important to bounce my philosophies and ideas off experts in their fields of study. For example, I do so that I might understand the challenges teachers experience in accomplishing their assigned tasks. By so doing, we may understand the truths that affect our decisions better.

Bottom line: I want voters that back me to realize how much I care about the challenges—actual and potential—parents, students, teachers, principals, and Board members face here in Houston County. Most importantly, I want community members to see me as a leader with Covey's fifth habit of highly effective people: to seek to understand first and then to be understood. As such, empathetic listening is critical to encouraging harmony in our EC. I am hopeful others will notice that skill in my approach to helping our School Board.

Military instructors train USAF Air Battle Managers to synthesize data from external sensors, communications, and intelligence assets to create insight supporting contingency planning and operations. This discipline examines both micro-level and macro-level vision. That is, teaching decision-makers the importance of small-scale engagements and global considerations. At the micro-level, School Board members must develop and maintain their ability to interpret and then affect the effective one-on-one positive and productive academic interactions. They must also factor in interdependent coordination within that organization to support societal and systemic improvement. Those improvements then represent the more broad macro-level interactions within the coordination and communications between each component of the Educational Community (EC), for example. That process aims to develop students from controlled academic problem-solvers into unrestrained lifelong learners capable of critical thinking.

At my alma mater, Kansas State University, parents' weekend organizers used the traditional theme "From Roots to Wings." This theme helped to pay homage to the importance of the support parents provide their children in giving firm foundations (roots) in their formative years. Later at the collegiate level, high school graduates develop their unique knowledge, experience, and abilities (wings) through their educational process. In chapter 22, verse 6, the writer of Proverbs challenges us to "train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it." I believe School Board members should espouse that same mentality as they guide the members of the EC to produce K-12 graduates capable of being productive members of society.

An important task I accomplished to complete my doctoral journey was to develop a personal leadership statement. With a slight modification, I transformed my leadership statement to one focused on my role as an educator:

I aspire to become an educational leader that lives his life with purpose, bound by integrity and driven by an unyielding quest for the truth. My goal is to combine scholarly and leadership disciplines to become a trustworthy academic-practitioner empowered to make sensible decisions and judgments based on personal knowledge and experience.

I have attempted to provide sufficient information through this presentation to help voters make a clear decision regarding my candidacy for this position. I am hopeful and prayerful that my background, experiences, philosophies, and enthusiasm will make me a productive member of the Houston County School Board. Please use the button below to contact me for more information or relay thoughts.

May God bless each member of our academic community in Houston County. Also, may He continue to bless the United States of America.

• Ensuring that students’ educational tools match their dominant learning styles

• Boosting morale in the teaching corps while maintaining focused learning environments

• Promoting Conservative values within the learning community

• Emphasizing American Civics in addition to teaching accurate American History

• Fostering clear, concise, and correct communications throughout the Educational Community,
  particularly between teachers and parents

Dr. Timothy E. "T-Baggs" Baggerly, EdD, Major (retired) USAF, was born in Olathe, KS, in May 1964 to Mr. Lyle and Mrs. Marilyn Baggerly.

In August of 1982, Tim moved to Manhattan, KS, to study Music Education and Secondary Education at Kansas State University. In 1986, he entered the AFROTC program, completing his experience as the squadron's Cadet Wing Commander as Cadet Colonel in his final semester of Graduate School. In addition to completing his Master's degree, he received his Air Force commission on May 18, 1990.

On May 3, 1991, Tim reported to Undergraduate Weapons Controller School at Tyndall AFB. In June of that same year, he burst on the scene at the 74th Air Control Squadron, Langley AFB, VA.

Returning to his collegiate educational roots, Tim reported to the 325th Training Squadron, Tyndall AFB, FL as a Basic Instructor in July 1994. As an MCE system expert, he combined his instructional skills with COMACC's requirement to stand up a new Air Battle Manager training pipeline. In helping the team, Tim received numerous accolades from his students for his outstanding platform and positional instruction skills.

In August 1999, Tim and his new bride Sherry moved to Warner Robins, GA, settling into the JSTARS family. His initial duties included blending with external units assisting the 93rd Training Squadron with external USAF flying agencies for dynamic live Training Mission Development.

Another assignment change came in June 2002, which landed him back at the 330th Training Squadron to employ his instructional expertise and real-world combat experience.

Shortly afterward, Tim and Sherry embarked on an extraordinary journey in July 2003 for a two-year assignment supporting NATO and Greece as Senior Duty Controller responsible for Surveillance, Fighter Control, and digital Recognized Air Picture for the Aegean Theater. Two major highlights from this tour included the accession of two former Soviet Union nations, Bulgaria and Romania, into NATO and providing flawless air surveillance and contingency response for the 2004 Olympic Games.

In July 2005, Tim returned to Warner Robins, requalifying as an E-8C JSTARS Senior Director assigned to the 16th Airborne Command and Control Squadron.

Finally, the pinnacle of his 16th ACCS MCC experience would be leading his crew in twelve fully integrated Red Flag Exercise sorties from Nellis AFB, NV, between Feb and Mar 2011.

Tim has been married to the former Sherry R. Schmidt of Johnstown, PA, for over 23 years. Their daughter Carrie Smith instructs dancers and coaches formal ballroom dance instructors in Charlotte, NC.

May 1988: Bachelor of Science in Music Education, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

May 1990: Master of Science in Secondary Education with an emphasis on Educational Technology,
Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

May 1994: Basic Instructor Qualification from the United States Air Force, Maxwell AFB, Alabama

June 1994: Teacher’s Certificate through the Community College of the Air Force

June 1996: Military Education: Squadron Officer’s School, in-Residence, Maxwell AFB, Alabama

May 1998: Master Instructor Qualification at Tyndall AFB, FL

July 2002: Advanced Military Education: Air Command and Staff College, Seminar, Warner Robins, GA

April 2019: Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership with an emphasis on Educational Technology,
University of Phoenix (online & residency)

Link to Dr. Baggerly's Dissertation, Empowering Reading Literacy Fusing Learning Styles and Electronic Readers: A mixed methods study

Tim remains active in his local community sharing his musical talents as principal trumpet for the Central Baptist Church, Warner Robins, GA Orchestra. He also plays accompanied solo trumpet for preludes and offertories. In October 2013, he ventured back to his Music Education roots taking on teaching private trumpet lessons.

Among his most cherished activities, Tim volunteers as a member of Bugles Across America. This group of patriotic trumpeters provides live Taps to pay homage to the veterans of all branches of military service at no cost to the family of the departed member.

In March of 2014, he returned to full-time education as a student online through the University of Phoenix, completing a challenging curriculum of studies charting a doctoral journey in Educational Leadership. Tim successfully defended his dissertation titled: Empowering Reading Literacy Fusing Electronic Readers and Learning Styles: A Mixed-methods Study on April 13, 2019. In March of 2022, Tim joined the Wellston Winds, Middle Georgia’s premier Concert Band, to further develop his trumpet playing abilities and musical integration with fellow musicians. He and his wife have enjoyed his retirement years traveling and spending precious time with family and friends.