Doug Pritchett Announces Run for Board of Education

Doug Pritchett has announced his bid for the Board of Education Post 3 seat. Pritchett has served on the Board of Education since January 2019. In his announcement Pritchett stated “he would continue to be an advocate for all of our students in the Gilmer County School System. I will work with our Superintendent and the other members of the Gilmer County Board of Education to insure we provide the best possible education and learning environment for all of our students. We must work together and have a shared vision so our teachers can be effective in the classroom. We must always strive to improve the classroom experiences, programs and opportunities so students will be prepared to take the next step upon completion of their education in the Gilmer County School system.”

Pritchett is a retired banker with 38 years of experience mainly in Gilmer County. During his banking experience he has served as a President, Chief Financial Officer, Controller, Commercial and Retail Loan Officer and Branch Manager. He is married to Lynne Gheesling Pritchett, who taught Family and Consumer Science at Gilmer High School for 33 years. They have three sons: Kevin (Reagan) Pritchett, David Pritchett, Nick (Casey) Pritchett. Doug is a lifelong resident of Gilmer County. He is a graduate of Gilmer High School, Reinhardt College and the University of Georgia. He also has a banking degree from the Graduate School of Banking of the South at LSU.

Doug believes his banking experience particularly in the area of budgeting allows him to better evaluate and understand the complex financial matters the Board of Education must deal with on a regular basis. We must be good stewards of the taxpayers’ money while providing adequate funding for a quality education. It is our responsibility to work together as a governance team to represent our students as well as the community’s interest. Our actions must be within Board policies as well as state of Georgia and Federal laws and regulations.

The Gilmer County School system provides our students with a quality education, but we still have challenges and opportunities for improvement. My pledge is to continue to work to move our system forward for all of our students’ success. I would appreciate your vote and support on May 19.