Bill Schilling Seeks School Board Post
William F. “Bill” Schilling announced that he will be running for the District 4 seat on the Jasper County Board of Education in the upcoming election.
“I believe the quality of our education is essential to the quality of our lives,” he said, “and I would like to work for our community to ensure that our schools meet the unique and diverse needs of Jasper County students and their families.”
Mr. Schilling has served on the Superintendent’s Parent/Community Advisory Board for the past five years, and has been actively involved in Jasper County schools’ transition to a Charter System. For more than a decade, he has been a member of School Councils and Parent Advisory Groups at Jasper County Primary School, Washington Park Elementary, and Jasper County Middle School. He is married to Elaine Penn Schilling and the father of three (Drew, ninth grade; Kate, fifth grade; Tom, fourth grade).
“I am a parent who cares fiercely about my children’s education, and I intend to bring my life-long commitment and dedication to education to our School Board,” he added.
A 1989 graduate of Vanderbilt University, Mr. Schilling earned his Master’s degree from the University of Memphis in 1992, and began his career as a long-term substitute teaching English in the Memphis & Shelby County, TN school systems, and later, as an adjunct instructor in Humanities at Walters State University in Morristown, TN.
“I understand and appreciate the challenges our students, parents, and teachers face in today’s ever-changing educational environment,” he said. “But under the new Charter System, I also see great opportunities to expand both our college and career-ready platforms, including Agriculture, Mechanical, Healthcare, and perhaps even Culinary Arts.”
Beyond his background in education, Schilling spent much of his career as a speechwriter and publicist, and was a Vice President & Managing Director at Weber Shandwick Worldwide, the world’s largest public relations firm. He has coached baseball, basketball, and soccer at the Jasper County Recreation Department for more than ten years. He is a member of Monticello Presbyterian Church, where he served as ruling elder for the past three years.
The District 4 seat is currently held by Vice Chairman Paul Kelly, who will not be seeking another term after sixteen years on the Board. “Paul has done a great job,” said Schilling, “and I appreciate his service to my family, District 4, and all of Jasper County. I pledge to work for our schools with the same dedication he gave us for all these years.”
