As part of our continuing effort to bring local news that’s impactful to our readers, we’ve proactively reached out to the candidates running for Fort Mill School Board.
We will not manipulate their answers in any way, we’ll simply provide to you, our readers. This will allow you to make an informed choice.
This week, we’ll introduce Lipi Pratt
I have always believed that education is about seeing the individual child in front of you and asking a simple question: What does this student need to be successful?
After more than 25 years as a classroom teacher in Fort Mill, that way of thinking has become part of who I am. It continues to shape how I approach my work on the school board. I look at every issue through the same lens I used with my students. There is rarely one solution that works for everyone. Different students need different strategies, and I believe our schools and our community deserve that same thoughtful approach.
My classroom experience informs every decision I make. I understand what a policy or budget decision can look like when it reaches a classroom. I know that staffing decisions affect teachers not just as employees, but as people who are trying to do their very best for children. I know that growth, curriculum, calendars, facilities, and funding are not simply numbers on a spreadsheet—they ultimately affect a child sitting at a desk and a teacher standing at the front of the room.
I am motivated by a genuine sense of service. Fort Mill and its schools have given so much to me and to my family. I was fortunate to teach here, raise my children here, and become part of a community that has supported me in countless ways. Serving on the school board is one way I can give something back. I want to help preserve what is special about Fort Mill Schools while also being willing to recognize where we can do better.
One word that has always resonated with me is meliorism—the belief that, through our choices and our efforts, we can make things better. I suppose I am still teaching, just in a different classroom. I am still listening, asking questions, considering different approaches, and looking for ways to help people succeed.
My priorities are straightforward: keep students at the center of our decisions, support and retain excellent teachers and staff, plan responsibly for our continued growth, be careful stewards of taxpayer dollars, and maintain the academic excellence that families expect from Fort Mill Schools.
I don’t believe good leadership means having all the answers. I believe it means listening carefully, learning continuously, being willing to change your mind when the facts warrant it, and making decisions with both courage and compassion.
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve Fort Mill, and I hope to continue doing so with the same commitment, humility, and sense of purpose that I brought to my classroom.
Campaign Website: https://tinyurl.com/Pratt4FMSD
Campaign Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrattFortMillSchools
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Associate Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
