A major shift in the Carroll County School District has taken place since this past election cycle. Long standing Board President John Phillips chose not to run for reelection to the Board of Education. As a result, President Phillips’ term ended with his final Board of Education meeting on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 12.. At said board meeting, many of the members and officials in attendance lamented at the prospect of saying goodbye to such a dedicated and caring board member.
"Mr. Phillips has dedicated himself to this community through his work teaching children and serving as a board member, representing the county and supporting its families. His commitment to striving for better opportunities for the children here has truly been his driving force. His absence will be deeply felt, and I am saddened to see him leave. It has been a privilege to work alongside him," CCSD’s Superintendent of Education, Joey Carpenter reported to The Conservative.
Phillips’ dedication to the community of CCSD began in 1979 when he started his long-lasting and impactful career as a mathematics teacher. As time progressed, Phillips’ moved on to coaching for the district, having a hand in an assortment of athletics from football to basketball and even track. Phillips’ retired from the school district in 2010, but his service did not stop there. In 2019 he was elected to his term for the Board of Education for the district, which he served with heartfelt commitment to the students and community.
His extensive resume of service to the community begs the question: why step down?
“Well, you get to a certain age, it’s my belief that younger folks are the ones that go to war and older folks are the ones that do the counseling - so [it’s] what I’ve decided to do since I am in my seventies,” Phillips spoke on the subject, adding that he hoped for the younger generations to begin to take over these guiding roles.
Phillips stated that while he was stepping down from the School Board, he would without a doubt still be heavily involved in the Carroll County community as he is active in the Leflore Carroll Montgomery Cemetery, the Men in Black and Blue Fighting Prostate Cancer, as well as within his church. Outside of his duties within the community, Phillips expects to spend as much time as possible with his grandchildren. He expressed his joyful anticipation for spending more time with them and watching them grow in the upcoming years.
When asked if there was anything he would like to leave with his fellow Board Members, Phillips stated, “You’re working for the public and one of the things you need to do is stay in touch with the public. Also, being on the School Board is about the policies that you make for your students [which] the teachers and the administration are supposed to follow. The School Board’s responsibility is to make sure those things happen.”
