School Board write-in candidate has multiple connections to education

Sean C. Morgan

With no candidate filed for the position, Benjamin Emmert has thrown his hat into the ring as a write-in candidate for the Liberty position on the Sweet Home School District Board of Directors.

The board has six seats up for election on May 16.

Five candidates have filed.

They are: Jim Gourley for Zone 8, at large; Jason Van Eck, Zone 5, at large; Debra Brown, Zone 4, Cascadia; Jason Redick, Zone 7, Sweet Home; and Chanz Keeney, Zone 1 Holley. All are incumbents except for Gourley, who is the former Sweet Home mayor and left the City Council on Dec. 31. Gourley filed for the position after incumbent Michael E. Adams withdrew from the election.

Jenny Daniels is not seeking re-election for the Liberty position.

Emmert is a presale forester at Cascade Timber Consulting, where Daniels and Board Chairman Mike Reynolds work. The two talked him into running a write-in campaign for the position.

“I walked into his (Reynolds’) office one day – Jenny was there too,” Emmert said. “He said, ‘You live on Liberty. You care about our school system. You should run.”

After conferring with his wife, Amanda, a third-year medical student at the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Northwest, Emmert agreed to do it.

“It’s a good step for personal growth and just giving back to the community,” he said.

Emmert, 31, is the son of Arlen and Cathy Emmert of Sweet Home. He grew up in Sweet Home and graduated from East Linn Christian Academy in 2004. He graduated from Oregon State University in 2008 with a bachelor’s degree in forestry. The Emmerts do not have children yet – “just a chocolate Lab.”

Amanda Emmert teaches a kitchen class at the Boys and Girls Club, Benjamin Emmert said. “She’s involved in everything. She pushes me to push myself.”

Ben Emmert’s mother is a principal in Jefferson. Prior to taking a job at CTC seven years ago, Emmert worked as a classified substitute and had just completed the paperwork to begin subbing in Sweet Home as well.

“I’ve been raised around (education),” he said. “I’m definitely a people person as well. I’m not afraid to get involved. I’m an active listener.”

Coming late into the election without plans and without filing, Emmert said he’s on a steep learning curve. Without addressing specific policies and issues, he generally wants to pursue higher test scores and graduation rates, keep expenses down and make sure that educators are passionate about teaching children.

“I’ve heard about the test scores,” Emmert said, referring to test scores that have fallen below statewide averages since 2014. “Obviously, everybody wants to see test scores and graduation rates higher.”

“I think the four-day school week may play a part in that,” Emmert said. He supports the board’s decision, earlier this year, to switch back to a five-day school week.

“I think the five is probably more realistic in a true-life atmosphere. Most of our jobs play into a five-day week.”

He doesn’t know the answers yet, though, he said. He needs more information to form opinions.

“I just want to educate myself on these test scores and the dropout rate,” Emmert said.

Generally speaking, he wants to see a passion for students to succeed, he said. “You need to have opportunities, options, people that push you when you’re having a tough time.”

He is concerned about class sizes, Emmert said, and “faculty and staff having a passion for kids, people that are willing to push the envelope and working hard to make sure the kids are getting their education. If I’m struggling, I want somebody that can teach me one way or the other.”

Emmert said he supports the district’s proposed bond measure. If approved, it would provide $4 million, and the district would receive an additional $4 million in state funds to improve and rebuild portions of the junior high as well as more minor improvements at schools across the district.

District officials do not expect it to raise tax rates, and it would be paid off at about the same time the district’s 2001 bond was originally scheduled to be paid off. Through refinancing, the district was able to reduce the amount of time needed to pay off the debt.

He understands that the bond is important for those schools, including repairs and security improvements, he said.

“I don’t like spending money you don’t have,” but with the matching funds and tax neutrality, Emmert said he thinks the bond is worth it.

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