THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 3, 1995 TAG: 9512020157
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SERIES: WHO WILL LEAD OUR SCHOOLS?
SOURCE: PROFILES BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
Faith in God has always been the guiding force of Ted Nance's life.
It got him through a debilitating knee injury in 1990, when he slipped and fell beneath a moving railroad car. It helped him survive the death of his only son, 20-year-old Bryan, in a car accident in 1993.
Now he expects his faith to see him through a challenging race for School Board.
``I want to get involved in children's lives,'' Nance said. ``I feel like with the things that I've been through in my life, I have a lot I can tell them and show them.''
Nance has wanted to be on the School Board for about five years now. But because board members in the past were appointed by City Council, on which his brother serves as vice mayor, he felt it would be inappropriate to seek appointment.
When the date was set for the city's first School Board elections, he seized the opportunity to compete for a seat.
``It's actually the only board I've ever wanted to be on,'' he said.
Besides, he said, residents in the South Norfolk section of town encouraged him to run because they're anxious to have a representative from their neighborhood on the board. Only one other candidate, Jeffrey A. ``Jeff'' Rowland, is from the South Norfolk area.
``Being retired, I've got 24 hours a day to devote to the children of Chesapeake,'' Nance said.
His knee injury forced him to retire from his career as a brakeman and conductor on the Norfolk & Western railroad, a job he had dreamed about since growing up in South Norfolk, listening to the trains clatter by.
Nance said if elected to the board, he would concentrate on getting to know students and finding out what they like and dislike about school. He would spend time especially with middle school students, whom he says are in special need of role models.
``I think today we're all so busy, we don't get out to see people anymore,'' he said. ``I'd like to think I have the time to get out and talk to people, especially students.
``My heart is with the students.''
Nance also would push to get video cameras, which now monitor the hallways in high schools, also installed in middle schools.
``I think no student should have to go to school in fear,'' he said.
He also would try to build consensus on the School Board.
``I know with the first School Board that's elected, there are going to be people on there who haven't worked together before,'' he said. ``I look for the best in people.''
Theodore G. ``Ted'' Nance
Age: 44
Occupation: Retired railroad brakeman and conductor
Born: Norfolk
Years in Chesapeake: 42
Residence: South Norfolk
Family: Wife, Patricia; daughter, Amanda, 12; son, Bryan, deceased
Education: Oscar F. Smith High School graduate, 1969
Community Service: Superintendent's Planning Council; Spiritual and character leader for the Oscar F. Smith Middle School PTA; active PTA member; official scorekeeper, girls' and boys' basketball, Oscar F. Smith Middle School; Sunday school teacher, deacon, property committee member and choir member, South Norfolk Baptist Church; winner, Virginia PTA Life Member Award, 1992; winner, Virginia Congress of Parents and Teachers Award for Distinguished Service, 1987
Official endorsements: State Sen. Mark L. Earley, R-Chesapeake; state Del. J. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake; state Sen. Frederick M. Quayle, R-Chesapeake; Chesapeake Commonwealth's Attorney David L. Williams; and Chesapeake Vice Mayor Robert T. Nance Jr., Theodore Nance's brother
How to reach: 543-7177; digital pager, 446-3926
Major campaign issues: School safety, eliminating the use of portable classrooms and promoting unity on the School Board ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MORT FRYMAN
Ted Nance has survived a bad knee injury and the death of his son.
KEYWORDS: CHESAPEAKE SCHOOL BOARD ELECTION CANDIDATES CHESAPEAKE SCHOOLS
PROFILE by CNB