Hello Wolfetown Community! My name is Isaac (Ike) Long. I am the song of Isaac (Buttons) Long and Mary Long of the Wolfetown Community. I am a 1985 graduate of Cherokee High School. I am a Marine Corps veteran. I have two daughters who are also graduates of Cherokee High School, and I have a son who is currently in the 5th grade at Cherokee Elementary. I have bene employed by the Tribe for 10 years, and I’m an avid volunteer for the Cherokee Central Schools for the past 14-plus years.
If I am elected as the Wolfetown School Board member, I plan to help establish a vision for Cherokee Central Schools. I understand our people have a choice in terms of where they send their kids, but the Tribe only has one school, and I believe the Tribe, community, parents, and school system need to work together to make CCS the best option to educate our youth and make our communities better. As a board member, I will take my role very seriously as we make decisions about the direction of the school system.
I will help maintain and support the organizational structure so that the superintendent, principals, and directors can lead and manage, the teachers can teach, and most importantly, the students can learn. It will be my job to evaluate and adopt policies that affect all three schools and monitor the budget in order to provide the best possible environment for our students to be the best that they can ben. I understand that board members are asked to hear appeals for staff and student disciplinary actions and when conflicts go unresolved, and I will do so with a fair and open mind, ultimately basing my decision on the facts at hand.
I already have a good relationship with many of the teachers, coaches, staff, administrators, and other board members, which is crucial when all of us need to work together to help our students succeed.
As a board member, every decision I make will ALWAYS have students at the center, and I will promote the well-being of Cherokee Central Schools and the Tribe. I am a team player who understands board members should not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the school. I have the desire to do what I can as a board member to serve the needs of all students, regardless of their ability or background. I am very approachable and am both respectful and respectable. I am committed to the time and energy it takes for meetings, phone calls, conversations, training, special events, and games.
I support more hands-on learning and service projects. We want the students who graduate from Cherokee Central Schools to be independent thinkers, hard workers, and problem solvers. Hands-on learning helps in these areas. We also want out students – upon graduation – to help make their Tribe and community a better place. In order to do this, the school can arrange service opportunities on campus, in area facilities, and in the Tribal community as a whole. The more active students are through both hands-on learning and service opportunities, the less likely they are to make poor choices that lead to misbehaviors, including bullying.
I also support a community-wide effort to get students to school and keep them there. They must be present in order to learn. Poor attendance can lead to poor grades, not graduating on time, or dropping out altogether. Again, establishing a strong partnership between the school, Tribe, community, and parents, we can get students to improve their attendance.
Ultimately, I believe in the value of a Cherokee Central Schools education, and I am dedicated to serving and educating all students. I know my role and how it aligns with the best interest of the entire school community and not with a personal agenda.
I would love to speak with any of you regarding these issues, and I would very much appreciate your vote in the June primary.
“A Better School for a Better Tomorrow”
(828) 736-4577
