Readiness, respect and responsiveness are some of the things Dewayne Eubanks thinks about concerning the Barnwell 45 school district.

Eubanks, 46, is running for the Barnwell 45 school board. Other contestants for the two open seats this time include Renee Geter, Rhett Richardson and incumbent Chad Perry.

Student readiness and parental responsiveness are two reasons Eubanks is running.

"I want student readiness and preparation to increase and increase parental involvement with school faculty," he said. "We have probably got to find a better way to communicate with parents. We really need to get parents involved in PTO meetings."

More parental involvement will help the teachers and the district in the long run, Eubanks said.

"If parents play a role at home -- read with their child and study with their child -- it makes it easier on them in the classroom and for the teacher," he said.

Eubanks is no stranger to helping children.

Eubanks is a member of the Barnwell County First Steps board and one of the original Big Seven Association members. He also previously served on the Barnwell County United Way board and the S.C. Regional Educational board.

First Steps is the statewide education readiness program for children ages 0 to 5 years old. The Big Seven Association is a Barnwell County philanthropic group organized by Eubanks and several other gentlemen. The group awards college scholarships each year.

Eubanks also was the Barnwell 45 bus transportation director from 1984 to 1987. At the time, the state allowed student bus drivers, he said.

Eubanks also worked for a spell at a funeral home, having studied mortuary sciences. His most recent job has been as the sales manager at B&B Ford dealership, a job he held for 16 years, he said.

Eubanks is married to Stephanie Eubanks. They have two daughters and a son. He has not held an elected position before, although he has run for the school board before and twice for county coroner in the past.

Respect is another thing that needs to be fostered more in the district, he said.

"Get parents involved and they realize it's their responsibility first to teach their children respect. It starts at home," Eubanks said. "When you lose respect for yourself, then you don't have it for others."

Conversely, people who respect themselves want to better themselves, he said.

If elected, Eubanks would like to see morale in the district lifted.

"It seems like the morale is low," he said. "A way to boost morale is a faculty suggestion box."

The box would allow anonymous suggestions on improvement suggestions and concerns, Eubanks said.

"I don't know if they have a process like that in place or not," he said.