Meet Kay Williams, ACS Board Chairman

Kay Morgan Williams is a native of Jonesboro, Arkansas. Her family relocated to Bartlett Tennessee and Kay graduated from Bartlett High School. Kay attended The University of Memphis, where she graduated with a degree in Elementary Education, subsequently earning a Masters degree in Guidance and Counseling. Kay also holds a Post-Masters in Education Administration.

Starting her education career in the Parochial System in Memphis, she later transferred to the Shelby County School System, where she remained for 31 years. Her first teaching assignment with Shelby County was at Arlington Elementary School, where she developed a lifelong love for this community. After spending seven years in Arlington, Kay was hired as a Guidance Counselor and was subsequently promoted by Shelby County Schools to Assistant Principal and Principal positions. She served SCS as a Principal for 24 years. Her last assignment was at Bon Lin Elementary in Bartlett and she retired after the 2010 school year.

Along the way, Kay was voted Shelby County Schools Administrator of the Year in 1996, won the James Anderson Award for Distinguished Administration in 2006, and was twice elected by her colleagues as President of the Shelby County Educational Association, which represents the interests of classroom teachers to the system Superintendent.

Kay served for five years as Chairman of the Elementary and Middle School Principal's Association. She was also selected by the University of Memphis as a site mentor for the Leadership Fellows Program. In this capacity, Kay served as a mentor for aspiring principals in Shelby County Schools. She was given a National PTA Life Membership in 2001.

Kay's wish to be part of the Arlington community never wavered. In preparation for her retirement, Kay and her husband moved to Arlington in 2006. She was elected to the Arlington Community School Board in 2012 and again in 2013. Prior to her election, she served on the Arlington Municipal Schools Planning Committee.

Besides her work as a school board member, Kay also served as an Adjunct Professor in the Education Department at Christian Brothers University.

Kay is married and has one son.

Meet Scott Benjamin, ACS Board Member

Scott Benjamin holds a B.S. degree in Marketing from Mississippi State University. After 20 years of working in the public sector, he now serves as Teaching Pastor at the Refuge Church. He feels that a school board should have a diversegroup of people serving the needs and planning the direction of our schools and district. Scott believes that his family’s 12 years of having four children in the public school system (with approximately 6 more years to go) has given him a unique and comprehensive view into a wide range of school curriculum, activities, and teaching styles.

As a pastor in a local church and an active volunteer in the community, Scott intentionally interacts with Arlington residents on a regular basis. He feels that these experiences give him numerous opportunities to hear from and listen to people about the things they like, dislike, and celebrate as well as the concerns they have in our town as it relates to our schools.

Meet Dr. Dale Viox, ACS Board Member

I am a pediatric anesthetist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. I am married to Dana Viox and have two amazing stepchildren Zac and Taylor, who attend AHS. My son Jackson attends AES and is in kindergarten. I am a devoted family man and cherish the time I spend with my family. I believe in civic pride, volunteering, and charity. I love my family, I love my community, and I love our schools.

I grew up in a small Missouri town of about 25,000 people that was identical to Arlington. I am honored to say that I attended public school. I mention this because I believe it is important to have an understanding of issues that public schools face and at the same time believe that the public school system can be all that students need to succeed. I am proud of my public school heritage and value the opportunities provided to me within the public school system.

I believe that our wonderful community is infinitely more capable of understanding the needs of our children. Our community is the only entity that has a vested interest in our children and the promotion of our values. This all begins at home and is manifested within the school system. It is our duty to provide this legacy for our children. This will not work without the parents, the PTA and most importantly without our teachers. The teachers will make or break our system, which will not happen without the special principals, who all depend on having a supportive and effective superintendent.

The amazing thing is that in Arlington we have all of the components to build a world-class school district.

Meet Lyle Conley, ACS Board Vice-Chair

A life-long resident of Arlington, Lyle Conley is blessed and proud to say that she and her husband raised their family in Arlington and had them attend Arlington schools. Lyle's son is an Arlington firefighter, and her daughter works in the ER at LeBonheur Children's Hospital and is also in Paramedic school. Lyle's husband, Bryan, has worked for the Town of Arlington for 20 years and currently serves as a Construction Inspector.

Lyle earned a BA in Special Education/Elementary Education at the University of Tennessee Knoxville and a Masters of Education in Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Memphis. Beginning at Arlington Elementary School,  Lyle served 32 and a half years as a teacher and administrator with Shelby County Schools and Memphis City Schools, retiring as Principal of Kate Bond Elementary.

Lyle is involved in civic activities to serve our community. She was an EMT IV with Arlington Fire Department, the past President and member of the APTA (Association of the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities), and is a member of the Christmas on the Square committee.

As an active member of her church, Advent Arlington Presbyterian, she has helped with the Relay for Life walk, served as a director of Vacation Bible School, and is a leader in one of the church's women's ministries, the DIVAs.

"I appreciate the opportunity to serve on my community school board," Lyle said. "As a member of the school board, I will be committed to facilitating a positive learning environment that integrates hands-on experiences with today's technology to provide meaningful learning experiences for all students."

Meet Hugh Lamar, ACS Board Member

Hugh Lamar is originally from Tupelo, Mississippi where he graduated from Tupelo High School in 1955. He attended Mississippi State College before joining the United States Air Force in 1959. After serving in the Air Force for four years, he attended Memphis State College and graduated in 1965 with a BBA degree in Industrial Management and Accounting. After working as a Cost Account for several years he entered the computer field in 1967. In 1972, he graduated from Memphis State College with a Masters’ degree in Business Education and Accounting.

In 1970, he began teaching Computer Programming and Accounting at the State Technical Institute at Memphis. In 1977, he was the Computer Manager for Richards Manufacturing Company in Memphis. In 1980, he returned to State Tech where he was a Department Chairman of the Computer Science Department, Dean of Computer Technologies and Director of off-campus sites. He retired from Southwest Tennessee Community College in 2001, but still teaches as an adjunct faculty member, and in 2017, he will complete 47 years of teaching at the college level.

He moved to Arlington, Tennessee in 1997. He has been active in Arlington by serving as an Alderman for 11 years, President of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, starting the Veterans’ Day Program, Director of the Memorial Day Service, Captain of Arlington’s West Tennessee Veterans Home fundraiser, and serving on the Planning Commission and Finance Committee when he was an Alderman.

In 1994, he completed 38 years of military service in the United States Air Force, but still has a military connection in Arlington as a member of the American Legion and Treasurer of the Air Force Association, Cook Chapter.

He has been married to his wife Patricia for 56 years and they have three grown daughters. He has been an usher at Central Church for 35 years.

He believes that “service to humanity is the best work of life.” Hugh has a passion for students to learn and for the Arlington citizens to be proud of their school system.