BARTOW – Scott Jones, a store manager for Publix Super Markets, has filed papers to run for the District 3 seat on the Polk County School Board.

Jones’ announcement Thursday coincided with Hazel Sellers’ decision not to run for a fifth term on the School Board, representing District 3.

That leaves Jones, 35, of Mulberry, in a race with two other candidates in the Aug. 28 primary election: Kala Ivy Tedder, 18, a senior at George Jenkins High School’s academy of legal studies; and Sarah Fortney, a science teacher at Stambaugh Middle School.

Jones said he intends to be a champion of career education, helping formulate policy and making decisions that boost opportunities for students who want to jump-start careers right out of high school.

Jones and his wife, Erin, have three children, ages 9, 7 and 5. He said he does not have a college degree, which didn’t hamper his career goals.

“I’m very passionate about OJT (on the job training) and career education,” he said. “College isn’t for everybody. You can be successful, and I’m proof of that.”

Sellers, a retired teacher, said Thursday that she heartily endorses Jones, a personal friend, whose candidacy helped spur her decision to not seek re-election.

“He’s a great guy, and has passion for education,” she said. “He sees the big picture. He’s very intelligent and has a skill set for building relationships. I’m thrilled to endorse him.”

Jones grew up in Ocala and moved with his parents to Polk County 15 years ago. At the time he’d already been with Publix for four years. Three years ago he was promoted to store manager.

Among his priorities if elected is keying on the needs and concerns of front-line personnel and building relationships between the School Board, staff and supporting personnel.

“I’m not just talking about teachers,” he said, “but bus drivers and cafeteria workers.”

Jones said he’s been studying education issues and hopes to be a conduit between the public school system and lawmakers.

“I’ve been watching what’s going on,” he said. “Everywhere you look in politics it’s us versus them. It’s very tense. I’ve always tried to bring people together, listen to them, see what kind of common ground we can find.”

With children in the public school system, Jones said, the time is ripe for someone of his expertise and temperament to be represented on the School Board.

“It thought it was a good time to go ahead and jump in (the race),” he said. “There’s so much up in the air right now with the different sides of how we want to pursue education (policy).”

The Polk School Board has seven members who serve four-year terms and are paid $42,262 annually. They each have to live in the district they represent.

Three other School Board races will be held this summer.

The District 5 seat held by incumbent Kay Fields has attracted two challengers in this year’s primary, including Terry Clark, a small business owner and part-time pastor, and Jennifer Sabin, a former teacher and active education advocate in Polk. Fields has yet to announce publicly her intentions of seeking a fifth term.

So far no one is challenging incumbent Lynn Wilson for his School Board seat representing District 6, though he has filed papers to run for a second term.

School Board member Tim Harris will not seek another term for the District 7 seat, which has attracted two candidates: David Byrd, a retired Polk teacher and teacher resource specialist, and Lisa Miller, a former teacher and active exceptional education advocate.

 Eric Pera can be reached at eric.pera@theledger.com or 863-802-7528.