Rome Board of Education Candidate: Karl Gyden

Karl Gyden is married and has three children. 

Wants to incentivize students by challenging parents or caregivers to read 8 hours a month to their children, with all participants receiving a reward at the end of the semester.

Proposed offering discounts or free items from local businesses for students who read a certain number of books over the school year.

- Wants to incentivize students by challenging parents or caregivers to read 8 hours a month to their children, with all participants receiving a reward at the end of the semester.
- Proposed offering discounts or free items from local businesses for students who read a certain number of books over the school year.

School Curriculum

Facebook

VIDEO Karl Gyden Runs for Rome City Schools Board of Education, Pledges to Focus on Literacy and Classroom Support

Plans to partner with local employers, nonprofits, and churches to create internships and scholarships for students.

Wants to ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively and believes more funding should be directed toward students and classroom teachers.

- Plans to partner with local employers, nonprofits, and churches to create internships and scholarships for students.
- Wants to ensure taxpayer dollars are used effectively and believes more funding should be directed toward students and classroom teachers.

School Facilities & Resources

Supports parent involvement and communication.

Wants to partner with local churches to hold reading competitions.

Wants to partner with local churches to hold reading competitions and host community ready days.

- Supports parent involvement and communication.
- Wants to partner with local churches to hold reading competitions and host community ready days.

Student Wellbeing

Supports providing teachers with resources to do their best work.

Supports providing teachers with resources to do "their best work."

- Supports providing teachers with resources to do "their best work."

Teachers

Supports equal access to advanced courses, tutoring, special education resources, and enrichment.

- Supports equal access to advanced courses, tutoring, special education resources, and enrichment.

Access to Education

Karl L. Gyden

Buket Urgen

Live Feed | Rome City Schools

Alvin Jackson is a lifelong Rome resident and a graduate of Main High School. 

Rome Board of Education Candidate: Alvin Jackson

Alvin is currently a member of the Rome City Board of Education. He has served on the board for the last 8 years. 

Supports the addition of literacy coaches and interventionists in every school.

- Supports the addition of literacy coaches and interventionists in every school.

As of September 3, 2025, Alvin Jackson Sr did not have a website or any information online.

Said, "Attendance is foundational to academic success. To rebuild engagement, we must create a culture where students and staff alike feel valued, supported, and motivated to show up every day."

Supports self-care and morale days for teachers and staff.

Supports incentives for student attendance and positive behavior.

- Said, "Attendance is foundational to academic success. To rebuild engagement, we must create a culture where students and staff alike feel valued, supported, and motivated to show up every day."
- Supports incentives for student attendance and positive behavior.

- Supports self-care and morale days for teachers and staff.

Alvin Jackson Sr

Alvin is currently a member of the Rome City Board of Education.

Linkedin

Brenda earned a bachelor's degree in early childhood education and teaching from Shorter University and a master's degree in school media from the University of West Georgia. 

Brenda is retired. She previously worked as a teacher and media specialist at Rome City Schools. 

Three more qualify to run in Rome city elections - NewsBreak

Brenda's campaign for Rome City Board of Education Member is her first entry into politics.

Candidate: Brenda Boyd

Supports the use of the "Core Knowledge Language Arts" (CKLA) reading program for at least five years.

- Supports the use of the "Core Knowledge Language Arts" (CKLA) reading program for at least five years.

Supports fully-funded libraries in each school with personnel to keep them open all day.

Supports restoring a second library media specialist to Rome High School.

- Supports fully-funded libraries in each school with personnel to keep them open all day.
- Supports restoring a second library media specialist to Rome High School.

Believes parents should be held accountable for their children's truancy.

- Believes parents should be held accountable for their children's truancy.

As of September 3, 2025, Brenda Boyd did not have a website or any information online.

Supports parental involvement in their children's education.

- Supports parental involvement in their children's education.

LinkedIn

Brenda Boyd

Board of Education | Rome City Schools

V3 Q5: Bill and Faith Collins - Read V3

Faith Collins is from Floyd County. She lives with her husband, Bill Collins, and their grandchildren in Rome. She attends Life of Jesus in Action Church.

Faith is currently a member of the Rome City Schools Board of Education. She has served on the board since January 2002.

As of September 3, 2025, Faith Collins did not have a website or any information online.

Faith Collins

Walter Ley

Marquita Davis is the mother of three kids educated in the Rome School District. 

Contact | South Rome's Free Tutoring Center

Marquita is the founder and program director of the South Rome Community Association’s Free Tutoring Program. She also serves as the secretary for the South Rome Community Association and as an administrative assistant at Main Elementary. At Main Elementary, she co-founded the AIM at Main mentor program, which offers additional support and guidance to students. 

Marquita's bid for Rome City Board of Education is her entry into politics. 

Supports providing tailored academic resources and interventions to meet diverse student needs.

Plans to provide targeted support for all students, especially those who have experienced bullying, and those with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans.

- Supports providing tailored academic resources and interventions to meet diverse student needs.
- Plans to provide targeted support for all students, especially those who have experienced bullying, and those with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans.

Supports initiatives aimed at improving underperforming areas to ensure all students have access to necessary resources and support.

- Supports initiatives aimed at improving underperforming areas to ensure all students have access to necessary resources and support.

As of September 3, 2025, Marquita L. Davis’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Marquita L. Davis

Marquita's campaign for Rome City Schools Board of Education Member is her first entry into politics.

As of September 3, 2025, Marquita L. Davis did not have a website or any information online.

Pascha Burge: A Record of Results, A Vision for the Future ...

Pascha Burge is from Rome, Georgia. She attended Rome City Schools and graduated from Rome High School. She lives with her husband and their three children in Rome. 

Pascha is the owner of The UPS Store #8071 in West Rome. Before opening her store, she worked in corporate roles, including project manager, sales manager, and union assistant vice president.

Pascha is currently a member of the Rome City Schools Board of Education. She was elected in 2021 and is serving her first term.

Supports investing in a strong curriculum, instructional coaching, and accountability to improve student success.

- Supports investing in a strong curriculum, instructional coaching, and accountability to improve student success.

Plans to address funding disparities and the need for updated facilities.

- Plans to address funding disparities and the need for updated facilities.

As of September 3, 2025, Pascha N. Burge did not have a website or any information online.

Believes every child deserves access to a high-quality education, regardless of their background or circumstances.

- Believes every child deserves access to a high-quality education, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Pascha N. Burge

Pascha is from Rome, Georgia. She attended Rome City Schools and graduated from Rome High School. She lives with her husband and their three children in Rome. 

Ron Roach

Ron Roach (Rome City Schools school board, At-large, Georgia ...

Ron Roach's campaign for an at-large seat on the Rome City Schools school board is his first entry into politics. 

Supports increasing funding and personnel in K-3 instruction to improve literacy rates.

As of October 27, 2025, Ron Roach’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports additional funding for school counselors to increase outreach to students and parents.

As of October 27, 2025, Ron Roach did not have a website or any information online.

Toni Blanchard

Twitter

Instagram

Will Byington is from Rome, Georgia. He graduated from Rome High School. He lives with his wife and their two children in Rome.

RCS Superintendent Holland receives solid report card | Local ...

Will is currently vice chair of the Rome City Schools Board of Education. He joined the board in 2016 and has served two terms.

Rome Board of Education Candidate: Will Byington

Supports prioritizing literacy in schools.

- Supports prioritizing literacy in schools.

As of September 3, 2025, Will Byington’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Will Byington

Will is currently vice chair of the Rome City Schools Board of Education. He was first elected in September 2016 and has served two terms.

As of September 3, 2025, Will Byington did not have a website or any information online.

- The Board of Education runs the public school system, and it is entirely independent from the rest of the city government. 
- Board of Education members work together to make school policy, set the budget, and appoint the superintendent to run the schools day to day. 
- Some Board of Education members are elected by the entire city, while others represent specific districts. 
- Board of Education members are elected to four-year terms in nonpartisan elections.
