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Shipley and Chadbourne seek CP school board seat Autumn Chadbourne , left, C.J. Shipley, Jolee Wallace Sunday May 7, 2017 at 12:01 AM Buffy Pollock for the Mail Tribune The race for Position 1 on the Central Point School Board features two candidates who support the district's special programs and small-schools approach at the high school. C.J. Shipley, 39, a commercial insurance broker, will face off against Autumn Chadbourne, 37, a provider relations specialist for Jackson Care Connect. Position 1 incumbent Tracy Jackson did not seek re-election. Jolee Wallace, owner of Del Rio Vineyards, is running unopposed for another four-year term in Position 4. Chadbourne said her primary focus is to ensure students feel safe and welcome at schools free of bullying and harassment — via support of school-based wellness centers — and to encourage schools to adopt a concept dubbed "trauma informed care." "As a family in the district, we have just participated in so many great programs and had so many wonderful experiences, so I'm running because I want to help support a lot of those great programs," Chadbourne said. "I know the board can help at the policy as well as financial levels, and I have a very collaborative nature from the line of work I've been in, and I feel like I could be an asset to the school board." While District 6 boasts "a pretty decent high school graduation rate," Chadbourne said the district could reduce dropout rates more. "I feel like we're set up with a structure where we can be successful in a lot of areas, and I'd really like to work with teachers and administrators, and see teachers working in teams, to identify students who are at risk." Shipley said she'd like to see the district's older, ailing facilities revamped. She pointed to her experience on several nonprofit boards over the years and said her perspective as a parent of atypical students would give her unique perspective and the ability to lobby for positive change for students at all levels. "As a parent, I have two unique types of students. My son lives with autism, and I have a daughter who is one of those overachievers who have a tendency to disappear in a classroom. That, combined with my experience serving on boards, would give me a unique perspective," Shipley said. "Some things that are bigger-ticket items for me, and maybe a little controversial, are that I feel some of our facilities in Central Point are beyond the point of improvement. Many of our buildings have aged so much." "One of our schools, I found out, has gone without water for weeks at a time, and another recently had no air conditioning," Shipley said. "I think improving our properties and looking toward some support from the community should be discussed." — Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. Email her at [email protected].