SELMA — James Terry Jr. has announced he’ll seek the District 2 seat for the Selma School Board in the Oct. 27 election.

District 2 is made up of Wards 4 and 5.

Terry, 68, served on the school board from 1993 until 2008. He earned masters school board level certification.

During his tenure as a school board member, Selma City Schools began the Selma High School Early College program, turned C.H.A.T. Academy and the School of Discovery Genesis Center into magnet schools and renovated the School of Discovery’s gymnasium and Clark Elementary’s Jane Curry Learning Center and constructed the Selma City Schools Central Office.

“Serving on the school board is an awesome responsibility,” Terry said. “Board members have to be skilled decision makers.”

Terry said he plans to work cooperatively with his colleagues and the superintendent in setting district policy, planning student services, adopting curriculum, establishing budgets and engaging parents.

Terry said he’d like to introduce innovative academic models to the school system with the creation of a transitional summer enrichment program for students promoted from the eighth grade to the ninth grade.

Terry said a high school enrichment program would help reduce the dropout rate for students between the ninth and 10th grades.

Terry said he plans to seek corporate sponsors to provide financial incentives for students who attend high school tutoring classes.

“My ultimate goal for serving on the school board is to provide the entire Selma community with a good educational system,” said Terry.

Terry’s children are products of the Selma City School System.

Terry is a Vietnam veteran. He earned his bachelor’s in business administration from Alabama State University. He is retired from the Alabama State Employment Services.