Why Broxie Pone Is Running for Cumberland County Board of Education

Broxie Pone says serving on the Cumberland County Board of Education has been a goal decades in the making.

A Fayetteville native, retired educator, and real estate agent, Pone spent 30 years teaching history at Hope Mills Middle School after beginning her career in banking and later earning her teaching certification from Methodist College. She also earned a master’s degree in educational leadership from Gardner-Webb University and has served as a curriculum developer, standardized test writer, school improvement team leader, and administrative intern.

Pone said she is running because she believes every child deserves a high-quality education that prepares them for success, whether they pursue college, technical training, military service, or the workforce. She said her priorities include strengthening academic achievement, supporting educators, and ensuring Board decisions are guided by integrity, transparency, accountability, and collaboration

What are the top two issues the Board of Education should focus on over the next four years? How would you approach them?

My top priority is improving student achievement by getting back to the basics—ensuring every student is proficient in reading, writing, and mathematics while developing the critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and life skills needed for success. Every budget decision, policy, and partnership should answer one question: Will this decision create a safe, supportive environment that expands opportunities and prepares our students for future success?

Achieving this goal requires strategically investing in financial, physical, technological, and community resources, while also investing in our greatest asset—our students. Recruiting, retaining, and supporting highly qualified educators, administrators, and staff through meaningful professional development is essential to improving student outcomes. I also support using data-driven instruction, targeted interventions, tutoring, and evidence-based teaching practices to help every student succeed. Strong schools are built through strong partnerships. Student success is a shared responsibility among students, families, educators, community organizations, businesses, higher education institutions, and faith-based partners. Parents are a child’s first teachers and deserve timely, honest, and transparent communication so they can actively support their child’s success.

As a Board member, I will promote collaboration, accountability, and fiscal responsibility by ensuring resources are allocated transparently and effectively, pursuing grant opportunities and community partnerships, and keeping students at the center of every decision. By working together, we can create safe, high-performing schools that prepare every student to become a productive citizen and future leader.

Cumberland County Schools has faced difficult decisions involving school closures, facility maintenance, and consolidation. What principles would guide your decision-making when evaluating future facility needs?

My guiding principle for every decision is simple: Will this decision provide our students with a safe, supportive learning environment that prepares them to become well-rounded, productive citizens, or will it compromise their safety, opportunities, or future success? Every decision should put students’ well-being, learning, and long-term success first.

When evaluating future facility needs, I believe all stakeholders must be proactive rather than reactive by regularly assessing enrollment trends, demographic projections, facility conditions, deferred maintenance, educational programming, and long-term financial sustainability. Comprehensive feasibility and sustainability studies should guide planning to ensure responsible stewardship of district resources while maintaining safe, high-quality learning environments for current and future generations.

School closures and consolidation are among the most difficult decisions a Board can make because schools represent far more than buildings. Schools are the heart of many neighborhoods and carry generations of history, tradition and community pride. Those emotional connections deserve respect and should be part of the decision-making process. However, they must be balanced with declining enrollment, aging facilities, operational costs, and our responsibility to provide equitable educational opportunities for all students.

Before considering closure, every reasonable alternative should be explored, including adjusting attendance boundaries, consolidating programs, sharing facilities with community partners, repurposing underutilized space, pursuing grants and public-private partnerships, or leasing portions of buildings to offset maintenance costs. Decisions of this magnitude should be guided by objective data, careful planning, and meaningful stakeholder engagement—not personal opinions or politics.

How can Cumberland County Schools best support students with disabilities and ensure families have confidence in the district’s special education services?

Every student deserves to feel valued, supported and safe, regardless of the services or accommodations they require. Cumberland County Schools can best support students with disabilities by recruiting and retaining highly qualified special education teachers and support staff while providing ongoing professional development in evidence-based instructional practices. This ensures students receive high-quality, individualized services that help them succeed academically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally.

Strong partnerships with families are equally essential. Parents and guardians should be respected as valued members of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team, with open communication, transparency, and meaningful involvement throughout the evaluation, planning, and implementation process. Building trust requires listening to families, addressing concerns promptly and ensuring they are informed every step of the way.

The district should also strengthen partnerships with healthcare providers, mental health agencies, colleges, workforce partners, and other community organizations to expand support for students and their families. By investing in qualified staff, fostering family engagement, and building strong community partnerships, Cumberland County Schools can create an inclusive environment where every student has the opportunity to reach their fullest potential and every family has confidence that their child is valued, supported, and empowered to succeed.

Student enrollment has declined in recent years. What role, if any, do you believe the Board of Education should play in attracting and retaining students and families in Cumberland County Schools?

Cumberland County Schools are suffering from a $5 million dollar deficit. Schools cannot effectively or efficiently operate in the red. Although school boards do not directly manage the day-to-day operations of schools, they need to know the raw data and workings of the schools to attract new students and retain current students. Research and district experience suggest that families are more likely to remain in or choose a school district when they are confident that a quality of education is being taught. Feeling welcomed, informed, safe, and supported is important. Schools identified with high student achievement, core curriculum, exceptional educators and support staff, diverse programs, and extracurricular activities attract more students and parents/guardians.

Schools with open and clear communication, parent involvement, timely response, and continuous feedback attract more families. Boards and schools that are being wise in their stewardship of funds, maintaining quality facilities, technological services, and educational resources attract more students and parents/guardians. Boards and schools that collaborate with local businesses, colleges, healthcare providers, and nonprofit organizations to expand opportunities for students retain and attract more families.

Even though the superintendent and district faculty and staff implement these initiatives, the Board of Education sets the vision, establishes policies, oversees the budget, evaluates the superintendent, and monitors progress toward district goals. Educational excellence, transparency, accountability, and community engagement help create the atmosphere that encourages families to enroll and remain with their local public schools.

What steps can the Board of Education take to recruit, support, and retain high-quality teachers and staff?

The best way to understand educators’ challenges and needs is to ask the right questions, listen attentively and respond appropriately. Building those relationships creates realistic strategies for recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers. I also believe the district should learn from successful public, private, and charter schools across Cumberland County and North Carolina.

Great schools begin with great teachers. The Board can support them by advocating for competitive local supplements, improving working conditions, reducing unnecessary paperwork, ensuring safe and orderly classrooms, expanding mentoring and professional development opportunities, and recognizing educators’ contributions throughout the year. Building partnerships with colleges and educator preparation programs can also strengthen the teacher pipeline.

Research consistently shows teachers are more likely to remain where they feel respected, supported, and valued. By fostering a culture of collaboration, investing in educators and selecting district leadership that shares those priorities, we can make Cumberland County Schools a destination where talented teachers choose to begin and build their careers.

What are your views on year-round schools? What factors would you consider when making decisions about expanding or maintaining year-round calendars?

I believe year-round schools can be an effective option when they improve student achievement and meet the needs of students, families, and educators. The goal should be to maximize learning, reduce learning loss, and provide timely opportunities for enrichment and intervention—not simply extend the school calendar.

When considering whether to expand or maintain year-round calendars, I would evaluate student outcomes, attendance, teacher and family feedback, operational and transportation costs, childcare expenses, availability of extracurricular activities, and the overall impact on the community. Decisions should be guided by data, fiscal responsibility and meaningful input from all stakeholders.

If a year-round calendar demonstrates positive academic outcomes and serves the needs of students and families, I will support it as one of several strategies to strengthen Cumberland County Schools.

Cumberland County Schools currently has several schools identified by the state as low-performing. What role should the Board of Education play in improving student outcomes at those schools? What strategies would you prioritize?

The Board of Education plays a vital role in improving low-performing schools by setting clear expectations, strategically allocating resources, and holding district leadership accountable for measurable results. While the Board does not manage daily operations, it must ensure the policies, support, and resources are in place for student success.

Improvement begins by identifying the root causes through data, including student achievement, academic growth, attendance, graduation rates, teacher retention, and school climate. Because every school has unique challenges, solutions should be tailored to each school’s needs.

My priorities would include recruiting and retaining highly qualified teachers and school leaders, expanding professional development, strengthening early intervention and academic support programs and using data-driven instruction to close learning gaps. Equally important is building strong partnerships with families, community organizations and higher education institutions to provide additional opportunities for students.

By combining accountability, strategic investment, safe and supportive learning environments, and strong community collaboration, Cumberland County Schools can improve student outcomes and ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed.