Brunswick County Board of Education, District 3
Paige Morgan, Republican candidate
Brunswick County Board of Education, District 3
Career: Former teacher, current tutor business owner, wife and mom
Education: Associates in science, Brunswick Community College; teaching in K-12 mathematics and 6-9 science, UNCW
Q: What qualifies you to serve on the Brunswick County Board of Education?
A: I bring a perspective that is unique because I have experienced Brunswick County Schools as a student, a teacher, and now a parent. I spent 10 years in the classroom, so I understand firsthand both the challenges our educators face and the incredible work they do every day.
I am also a fourth-generation Brunswick County native. This community is home to me, and I care deeply about the students, families, teachers, and staff who live here. As a teacher, I learned that good decisions begin with listening. As a parent, I understand how important it is for families to feel heard and confident in their schools. If elected, I will bring those perspectives together. I want to be accessible, visible in our schools, willing to ask difficult questions, and open to learning from others.
Most importantly, I will keep students at the center of every decision I make.
Q: Name one top policy change you want to see and how you will get that passed.
A: One area I would like the board to examine is Policy 3120 regarding lesson-planning. I absolutely believe teachers should be prepared, accountable, and able to demonstrate what they are teaching. However, I also believe we should make sure our policies are helping teachers teach rather than creating unnecessary administrative work.
Having spent 10 years in the classroom, I know that effective teaching is flexible. A lesson may need to change from one class period to the next based on student understanding. Detailed paperwork does not necessarily tell us whether meaningful learning is taking place.
I would not come onto the board and immediately eliminate a policy. I would first talk with teachers, principals, and district leadership about how the current requirement is being implemented and whether it is improving student outcomes. I would then work collaboratively with fellow board members to consider reasonable changes.
My goal is simple: maintain high expectations and accountability while giving effective teachers the professional flexibility to focus their time and energy on students.
Q: Per the most recent state report cards, Brunswick County Schools reduced its "low-performing schools" from five to two in the 2025-2026 school year. What do you think is working to reduce the schools with this designation and what do you think the district should be doing to address the schools that are still low-performing?
A: Reducing the number of low-performing schools from five to two is something our students, teachers, staff, and administrators should be proud of. That kind of improvement does not happen by accident.
I believe several things contribute to student growth: strong classroom instruction, teachers who know their content, effective school leadership, family involvement, intervention when students begin struggling, and regularly using student data to determine what is and is not working.
For the schools that remain designated as low-performing, I would want us to look beyond the letter grade and examine the data carefully. Where are students struggling? Are there staffing or attendance issues? Do teachers have the resources and support they need? What strategies are working in similar Brunswick County schools that could be replicated?
The answer should not simply be adding another program or requirement. We need to identify the specific needs of each school, provide targeted support, measure whether it is working, and make adjustments when it isn't.
Q: Earlier this year, the school district and county commissioners signed off on setting aside 12 acres of a 98-acre Supply parcel to become a teacher housing complex. Do you support this initiative; why or why not? Do you think the district should explore other opportunities like this?
A: I support exploring creative solutions such as teacher housing because affordable housing has become a real challenge in Brunswick County. However, I view teacher housing as one tool — not the complete solution to teacher recruitment and retention.
Our teachers need to be able to build lives in the communities where they work. While teacher salaries are largely determined at the state level, our local leaders can still look for ways to make Brunswick County a place where excellent educators want to come and stay.
I support evaluating this project based on results: Is it affordable for teachers? Is there demand for it? Does it actually help us recruit and retain educators? If it does, then we should absolutely consider similar partnerships and opportunities. At the same time, we should continue advocating for competitive compensation, strong local support, manageable workloads, and a school culture where teachers feel valued. Housing can help, but retaining great teachers requires us to look at the whole picture.
Q: Is there a capital need that you would have liked to see make it onto the school bond? How would you work to fund that project in the future?
A: One area I want us to continue prioritizing is the renovation and modernization of our older school campuses. Growth requires new schools, but we cannot allow the schools already serving students to fall behind.
Before identifying a specific project, I would want to review the district's facility assessments and capital improvement plan and understand which needs are most urgent — whether that involves roofs, HVAC systems, safety improvements, technology infrastructure, classrooms, or other major repairs. Funding those projects requires long-term planning rather than waiting until something becomes an emergency. I would work with district staff, fellow board members, and county commissioners to prioritize projects based on need, develop realistic timelines, and identify available local, state, and other funding sources. We have a responsibility to plan for tomorrow's growth while also taking good care of the schools taxpayers have already invested in.
Q: If the bond passes with a new elementary school and high school, the district would have to look at redistricting for these schools in the future. If you had to redistrict as a board member, how would you go about that process?
A: Redistricting will never be easy because families become deeply connected to their schools. If we have to redraw attendance boundaries, I believe the process needs to be transparent, data-driven, and respectful of the families affected. I would consider enrollment projections, school capacity, transportation and travel times, neighborhood continuity, future residential growth, and the effect changes would have on students and families. I would also want the public involved early in the process rather than after decisions have essentially already been made.
There may not be a solution that makes everyone happy, but families deserve to understand why decisions are being considered and what information the board is using.
As a board member, I would listen carefully, ask questions, consider multiple options, and try to minimize unnecessary disruption while making decisions that are sustainable as Brunswick County continues to grow.
Q: Since Brunswick County is the fastest growing in the state and one of the fastest in the nation, how do you view your role in coordinating the management of that growth with the county commissioners?
A: Managing Brunswick County's rapid growth will require a strong working relationship between the Board of Education and county commissioners. Neither board can address this issue effectively in isolation.
My experience is primarily in education, and I will never pretend to know something I don't. But I am willing to learn, ask questions, study the data, and work with people who have expertise in areas where I am still growing.
I would like to see regular communication about enrollment projections, residential development, school capacity, infrastructure, land needs, and long-term capital planning. We should be anticipating where students will be five or ten years from now rather than constantly reacting after schools become overcrowded.
My role would be to bring the educational perspective to those conversations while building a respectful, productive relationship with commissioners. Our two boards may not always agree, but we share a responsibility to the families and taxpayers of Brunswick County.
Q: Do you think the schools are adequately funded, and if not, where do you think there should be improvements? How will you advocate for these improvements?
A: Before saying simply that our schools are either adequately funded or underfunded, I want to understand exactly where our money is going and where the greatest needs exist.
As a classroom teacher, I generally had the materials I needed to teach effectively. But adequate funding is about much more than classroom supplies. It includes competitive compensation, support staff, transportation, school safety, technology, facilities, exceptional children's services, and the demands created by rapid enrollment growth.
As a board member, one of my responsibilities would be to study the budget carefully and ask whether our spending reflects our priorities. Before asking taxpayers for additional money, we should be able to explain clearly what we need, why we need it, and how it will improve outcomes for students.
When additional local funding is necessary, I will advocate for it with evidence, transparency, and a clear plan, while also looking for opportunities to use existing resources more efficiently.
Q: Brunswick County teacher attrition has been creeping up over the last school years, from 9% in 2022-2023 to 10.7% in fiscal year 2024-2025. What do you attribute this increase to and how would you address it?
A: Teacher attrition is something I take personally because I have been in the classroom and understand the demands of the profession. Compensation certainly matters, especially as Brunswick County becomes more expensive, but I don't believe salary is the only reason teachers leave.
Teachers also want to feel respected, supported, and trusted as professionals. They need time to teach, plan, work with students, and communicate with families without being overwhelmed by unnecessary responsibilities and paperwork.
Before assuming we know why teachers are leaving, I would want the district to carefully examine retention data and listen to both current teachers and those who choose to leave. Then we need to act on what we learn. That could mean reducing unnecessary administrative burdens, strengthening support for new teachers, addressing working conditions, recognizing excellent educators, or advocating for better compensation.
Recruiting teachers is important, but keeping the excellent teachers we already have should be one of our highest priorities.
Q: What is your view of the current board's leadership? What are they succeeding at and what needs to be improved?
A: I respect the people currently serving on our board of education and recognize that they are making difficult decisions during a period of tremendous growth and change. The recent improvement in school performance is something the entire district — including its leadership — should be proud of.
At the same time, I believe there is always room to improve how leadership connects with the people inside our schools. I would like to see even more communication with teachers, staff, students, and families before major decisions are made.
If elected, I am not coming onto the board believing I have all the answers. I am coming prepared to listen, learn, ask questions, and contribute my experience as a former Brunswick County student, teacher, and current parent.
I also want to be visible. I don't want my understanding of our schools to come only from reports and board meetings. I want to visit classrooms, talk with educators and students, and see firsthand what is working and where we can improve.
Good leadership listens first, learns continuously, and then makes decisions with students at the center.