NATCHEZ — Having been involved in education for 23 years, Brenda Marie Robinson said she sought the school board nomination to help the Natchez-Adams School District grow.

Robinson, who has a master’s in guidance counseling and doctorate in instructional leadership curriculum development, works for the Alcorn State University Extension Service as a 4-H youth educator, serving Adams, Amite, Franklin, Jefferson and Wilkinson counties.

Natchez aldermen named Robinson to  the school board this past week to replace Benny Wright, who resigned in September.

“Right now, we have a failing school system,” Robinson said. “I would like to think of ways and interventions in order for our kids to improve and be successful.

“I want to be able to help set policy and come up with interventions the school system could use to help in its mission.”

Education is key for people to set themselves apart from others in the job market, Robinson said.

Times have changed from when a person could walk into a business such as International Paper and get a job that pays well without a degree or certification, she said. Robinson said the NASD needs to prepare students for this world.

“I believe a person can have all the experience in the world, and go looking for a job with specific qualifications such as a degree, and if they do not have it, the person with the degree will get the job whether he or she has experience or not,” she said. “Education is your lifeline. The more education you get, the more it will improve your chances to be successful in the future.”

Robinson graduated from Natchez public schools, her three daughters came through the district and now she has grandchildren in the Natchez schools.

“I know just how productive the school system can be,” she said. “The system may have issues, but that is what we need to work on.

“When I say we, I am not just talking about the school board, administration and teachers, it is inclusive of everyone. Parents too have to be involved in the educational process of their children.”

Robinson, who as part of her job works with districts to combat bullying, said discipline is one issue she wants to help tackle. Robinson said as she goes into the district, one common complaint from teachers is a lack of discipline amongst students.

“When a school has a lot of disciplinary problems, then the teachers can’t provide the instruction they need to for the students who are there to learn,” Robinson said. “We have to make sure discipline and respect are demonstrated by all of the students.”

Robinson said she is looking forward to serving the district.

“We have to ensure every child in NASD gets an education,” she said. “We have to prepare them for the future, if they want to advance on to university or college, or if they just want to learn a trade, they have to be prepared to get there.

“That will be our job, to make sure they get the preparation needed to be successful.”