Meet Bruce Wilhite
About Me
Hi, I’m Bruce Wilhite and I’m running for Place 3 of the Hartselle city school board to bring transparent leadership to our school system. I was born and raised here and feel so thankful to call Hartselle home.
My wife and I have three children at HHS and we are deeply committed to the success of our school system and community. I have spent the last 21 years serving as an Air Force officer, military pilot, and now commercial airline captain. We own a small business here and I have served our community as the Chairman of the Airport Advisory Board, the Vice Chairman of the Central Business District Design Board, and as a CASA volunteer.
I’d be honored to be YOUR voice on the school board.
Values
Why Choose Bruce
Bruce's focus is on lifting our educational community through principles that matter.
Transparency
We Represent You
I will be your voice on the Hartselle City School Board. Good leaders make decisions in the daylight, and they should represent the values of the community they are elected to serve. I'll advocate for:
Livestream meetings - It's 2025. Let's use all available technology to keep the public informed
No last-minute meetings - At least 3 meetings have been called this year with minimum notice, preventing public participation
Improved notification system - Parents get a text, phone call, and email every time school starts late or lets out early. Let's apply that same effort to our board meeting schedule
Better, more timely agendas - Provide more details on what's being discussed so people can participate
Communication
Foster Stronger Community Engagement
Hartselle City Schools is blessed to have the support of our amazing community. We should make every effort to foster engagement and seek their input. Improved communication includes:
Making parents feel included: current board has created an atmosphere where parents, teachers, and community members feel excluded in decisions. That needs to change
Provide dedicated public input time at meetings: As we learned in 2022, you have no right to speak at a school board meeting...your vote is your only voice
Regular updates to community on system needs and opportunities to support. We have a community that supports us, and we should give them every opportunity to participate
Leadership
A New Generation of Leadership
I am proud of Hartselle's tradition of excellence. My education has taken me around the world and shown me how a successful school system can make a difference
I'm a parent of three HHS teens. School board members should be in touch with the current generation. It's time for a new generation of leadership that is ready to provide modern solutions to today's challenges
Our system has big projects on the horizon. Our leaders should be well-versed in the challenges and opportunities they present. As a business owner and real estate investor, I have led many projects with big goals and limited resources.
People
Take care of our biggest asset
We must do everything we can to recruit, hire, and retain superior Educators
Leverage non-monetary compensation: explore fee waivers and help our teachers take advantage of child care programs more easily
Expand Aspiring Administrators Program: We must have a more clearly defined path to leadership
Professional Development expansion: expand local mentoring, not necessarily driving to Montgomery
Give time back to teachers: protect planning time and summers
Do more to eliminate out of pocket expenses: Expand community partnerships and streamline reimbursement