Sources |
- [S99] Farrar Funeral Home, (http://www.farrarfuneralhome.com), 11 Oct 2003.
Colbert Curtis Strange obituary
- [S47] Sevier County, Tennessee and its Heritage, Sevier County Heritage Book Committee, (1994, Don Mills, Inc.), 343.
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 6 Sep 2010.
New board member a parent who saw a need
Mark Strange is sworn in by County Mayor Larry Waters as the newest member of the Sevier County School Board of Education. (Curt Habraken/The Mountain Press)
By ELLEN BROWN
Sevier County native Mark Strange’s role as an involved parent is what led him to run for the Sevier County School Board of Education.
“I felt like if my kids were having certain problems, your kids probably were, too,” said Strange, who was sworn in as a school board member Tuesday morning. “I plan to watch out for all of the kids in the school system, including the third district. Those people are very important to me; they put their trust in me to serve on the board.”
One of Strange’s main concerns for Sevier County Schools was their overcrowding and need for more space.
“I’m extremely excited over what’s happened in the past few months,” he said, referring to plans for the new Northview Academy. “It’s unreal. Who would have thought we would have received the $14.6 million loan from the Tennessee Bond Authority? I’m really looking forward to what’s ahead.”
He credits a couple of good friends who had experience in working on campaigns with his successful election, along with standing by his true beliefs.
“I didn’t tell people what they wanted to hear — I told them what was on my heart. The vote was very close (between him and incumbent Stanley Moore), and I’m just so humbled. I don’t take it for granted.”
Strange is self-employed, owning a landscaping business. He and his wife, Kellie, an assistant branch manager at Citizens National Bank in Kodak, have been married for 19 years. They have two children: Jordan, 14, a freshman at Sevier County High School; and Kaitlyn, 11, a sixth-grader at Northview Middle School. Strange is also a junior basketball coach and has coached softball and baseball as well.
“It’s not about us anymore,” he said of he and his wife. “Our children are so active — my daughter plays fast-pitch softball and my son plays golf.”
There are plenty of parents just like them, he added.
“The parents do a lot of work behind the scenes. We also have staff and teachers who love our kids — it’s not just a paycheck to them. They go the extra mile.”
He feels blessed to have the opportunity to serve in the county where he grew up, where he “loves the people — they’re good, genuine people.”
Of his new position on the school board, he said, “I know I’ve got a lot to learn — but I’m ready to work hard.”
ebrown@themountainpress.com
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