Each Sunday through Oct. 28, the Suffolk News-Herald will introduce you to the candidates for local School Board offices. Today, we feature candidates for the Whaleyville borough. Incumbent Phyllis Byrum faces a challenge from Marion Flood. On Oct. 14, we will feature Nansemond borough candidates. Sleepy Hole borough candidates will be featured on Oct. 21.

Former teacher Marion Flood is seeking election to the School Board for the Whaleyville borough.

Flood, who moved with her husband to his native Whaleyville four years ago from Maryland, said she is running for the board primarily because the current board voted to close Robertson Elementary School, which is in the Whaleyville borough.

“Whaleyville is 8,865 residents strong,” she said. “They deserve a school. Having a school in Whaleyville will strengthen the community, unify the community and let others know the community is viable.”

Flood taught full-time and substituted for a total of about 10 years in Baltimore. She taught pre-kindergarten through third grades and substituted for all grades.

In addition, she has worked for the Girl Scouts and as a “community organizer.”

She said the loss of Robertson has affected the community in more ways than just longer bus rides for children.

“I am quite concerned about the real estate,” she said. “Property values have decreased. There’s nothing there to show young family home shoppers. They tend to look for a school in the area where they are looking to purchase property.”

Flood also said she is concerned about students’ performance on the Standards of Learning tests. Two high schools, Lakeland and King’s Fork, are accredited with warning after missing math benchmarks this year.

“I believe many of us would like to see improvement in that area,” she said. “The strategies they are coming up with, I believe, will be successful.”

Flood also has said she would like to see more funding for the schools.

Flood can be reached on her campaign’s Facebook page by searching “Vote Marion Flood.”