Early voting by personal appearance begins Monday morning, for the May 4 school and municipal elections. Voters within Como-Pickton Consolidated Independent School District will have plenty of candidates to choose from when casting ballots in the school board election. Seven candidates have filed, seeking candidacy for one of four full-term at-large seats on the school board; they include D.J. Carr, JJ Cummings, James R. “Jim” Murray, Lee Skidmore, Brittney Smith, Felecia Smith and Shane Wilton. Shiloh Childress is unchallenged in his bid for the unexpired term seat. Shiloh Childress was appointed to fill the seat following trustee Greg Anglin’s resignation in December, to become the commissioner for Precinct 2 starting Jan. 1; Childress has filed to serve out the remained of that term. Ballots in the CPCISD Board of Trustees Election may be cast in person from 8 a.m. To 4 pm. April 22-April 30 and Como-Pickton Administration Office. Voting hours will be extended to 8 p.m. April 22 April 25. Election Day voting will be conducted from 7 a.m. To 7 p.m. Saturday, May 4, in Room 114 at Como-Pickton School (in front of building where general election was held). To help voters learn a little more about the people seeking office, each school board candidate was asked to provide information about themselves and their candidacy, including their reasons for seeking a seat on the school board. Those responses are shared here, in no particular order, in two separate posts. D.J. CARR D.J. Carr, incumbent candidate for a full-term seat on Como-Pickton CISD Board of Trustees. Family: Wife Katy, former Como-Pickton teacher, stay at home job; two sons, Mason and Jacob, a 6-year-old kindergarten student at CP and a 2-year-oldOccupation, job description: self-employed cattleman How many years have you lived in the district? 34 Education, training or special skills: Como-Pickton CISD 2003 Graduate, University of Texas Arlington 2007 Bachelor of Business Administration Why are you seeking this office? Re-Election to represent our communities by serving in a leadership role for the district Experience/qualifications: served 4 years on the Board.What do you consider the most significant area(s) of interest or concern in the office you are seeking, and your plan(s) to address the concern(s)? Our students are my top priority. One of the top factors in supporting those students is finding an keeping the quality teachers and staff that help them reach their goals. Each year it is harder and harder to fill the open positions in our most needed areas. I Plan to continue supporting Administrators in implementing pro-active recruiting methods and compensations plans for our staff. All of which will positively impact our students and make CPCISD the best district to work for in our area.What you feel is most important for the public to know about you and your candidacy? No matter the level of decisions that are made for our district, my candidacy will give you the confidence that those decisions are informed, unbiased, and in the best interest of our students and staff. BRITTNEY SMITH Brittney Smith, candidate for a full-term seat on Como-Pickton CISD Board of Trustees. Family: Husband of 12 years, Anthony Smith, a graduate of CPCISD; two daughters, 10-year-old Saylor and 7-year-old Mercy, students at CPCISDOccupation, job description: I am a Medical Assistant/Phlebotomist at Texas A&M University-Commerce and owner/operator of a poultry farm with my husband, Anthony Smith.How many years have you lived in the district? 27 yearsEducation, training or special skills: I graduated from Como-Pickton CISD in 2004 and attended college at Tyler Jr. College and Northeast Texas Community College where I received my Associates Degree. I am a Medical Assistant and Phlebotomist at the Student Health Services Department at...