Teresa Ward, candidate for the District 5 seat on the Andalusia City School Board, said she decided to run for school board because she is a passionate mother.

“I strongly believe that it is critical that we provide a quality education for our children,” she said. “I know the only way out of poverty is through education, so to improve our society, we must help our children.”

Ward, who has been a certified public accountant for 25 years, said finances are the most important issue facing ACS.

“This is a difficult time with the economy in such a downturn,” she said. “I think it is critical that each expenditure is analyzed to determine if it is the wisest use of funds.”

Ward said she believes her accounting and banking background would be helpful in overseeing the system’s finances. Ward said the board also needs to promote the best possible collaboration between the schools and the community.

“We have terrific teachers in our school system, and I think we need to tap into their knowledge and expertise in solving our education problems,” she said. “I think the school board needs to be proactive, not reactive in planning for the future.”

Ward said she believes the board needs to fight to keep strong core classes and expand the technical classes at the high school.

Ward is married to Dr. Jon Ward and they have two children, Tara, a 19-year-old sophomore at the University of Alabama, and Alex, 15, a sophomore at AHS.

She is a 1980 graduate of Enterprise High School and graduated summa cum laude from the University of Alabama, with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.

Ward is currently a manager for Charles Dixon & Co. LLC and has 18 years of public and private experience in accounting and nine years of banking experience.

She is a member of the First Baptist Church, where she teaches a high school girls class; is treasurer for Norma’s Nest, a traditional home for women leaving prison; and sits on the Andalusia Housing Authority board.