Six candidates have filed for five open school board posts in the March 13 election.
The following summaries were prepared for candidates in answer to questions posed by The New Era.
At Large
Name: Buck D. Childress
Age: 28
Address: 956 Long St.
Occupation: Librarian (Sweet Home Public Library)
Education: AAS Accounting Technology
Spouse: None
Children: Wyatt, 8
Organizations and Civic Involvement: None
Hobbies and Interests: Reading, writing and education
“I saw numerous issues passed, numerous more shot down by the School Board where there was no accountability to the public,” Childress said. “This prompted me to run in order to bring accountability back. Also, since a large portion of the public knows me, it will allow for a feeling of approachability.
“With the continued advent of new technology, education is constantly being challenged to keep up in order to provide a solid foundation for the future of our youth. I see our local district severely lacking in technological innovations, solid attendance and a willingness to pursue the future, both mentally and physically.
“In talking to various students, I have noticed a slight trend toward technological compatibility, which is mandatory in today’s society.
“It seems as though even with the slight movement (in technology), our district is still clinging to what was important yesteryear, sports and other extra-curricular activities, to the detriment of what the present and future mandate.
“I believe there can be a balance between what currently is and what is needed. The district needs, and I am including the School Board in this, to study at no cost to taxpayers a way to improve our technological education with drastically cutting back the extra-curricular activities that are already in place.
On the upcoming bond election, “I find the proposed measure to be an affront to our Bill of Rights. The way it is brought forward is that, if passed, people who reside outside of the city limits will be dictating how city tax dollars are spent. That’s outlawed in our Constitution when the Founding Fathers said there will be ‘no taxation without representation.’ Also by forcing us to approve a pool along with needed infrastructure repairs to the school (or vice versa, depending on how you look at it) feels as though someone is trying to blackmail the public to further a personal agenda.”
Childresses addressed ways to handle dwindling resources and alternate ways of spending.
“The simplest would be by laying down a substantial outlay of capital,” Childress said. “This sounds contrary to the question, but over time, less capital would be spent in yearly maintenance, fees, etc. We need to take the capital and invest in numerous computers and networking tools. In this way, our children can be globally educated. What better way to learn Spanish than by taking a class from Spain? Your math genius has a question, they can directly ask a professor at MIT. There are no educational limits if we provide global access to our children, and after our initial purchases, the yearly costs will be below what we are constantly budgeting for. You don’t need chalk for a computer.
Holley
Name: Don Hopkins
Age: Ageless
Address: 40560 McQueen Dr.
Occupation: Retired School Superintendent and rancher Education: Toledo High School, BS and MS, OSU Spouse: Glenda
Children: Kimberly Armstrong, Kathleen Cochran and Jennifer Maynard Organizations and civic involvement: President, Sweet Home Senior and Community Center; president, Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District; board member, Linn-Benton Community College Foundation; vice chairman of Linn-Benton-Lincoln Education Service District; Sweet Home Ambassadors; and Linn County junior first citizen selection committee. Hobbies and interests: Community service, golfing, hunting, fishing and traveling. Prior School District involvement: School Board vice chairman; School Board chairman, two years; chairman of the “Save our Schools” Committee; three times elected to Holley Local School Committee; chairman of Sweet Home Scholarship Comittee; worked on SAFE; member of he Sweet Home Youth Initiative; and vice chairman of Linn-Benton-Lincoln Education Service District. “Originally, I was recruited by a number of residents because I was vocal on a number of issues and was involved in the community,” Hopkins said of his interest in the School Board. “I won the election and served one year as the Board’s vice chairman and two years as chairman. I resigned at the end of my chairmanship and took the school district superintendency of an Eastern Oregon school district as their interim superintendent for a year. I returned to Sweet Home at the end of that year and was later selected by the Board to fill a vacancy created by a resignation. “I really enjoy students and seeing them progress. I think my background helps the School Board in making sound educational decisions for our children. “Individually, I don’t think board members achieve anything but personal satisfaction for their contribution. Collectively, we have achieved much. We have visited the individual schools to assess their needs for student and employee safety and health and maintenance. We have approved grants for additional dollars for the District. We have addressed citizen concerns as well as student. We have developed policies relating to districtwide improvements.” Challenges facing education now include “school finances, keeping students in school, meeting state standards, maintenance of school facilities and providing curriculum that challenges and educates students to be employable and responsible citizens. “We are looking at a $600,000-plus shortfall in the 2001-02 school year. Our enrollment has dropped these past years. We need more businesses in Sweet Home to attract families and keep the ones we have employed. Passing a bond issue to correct safety and health issues at all our schools will be a challenge but a real necessity. “Our recent ‘report cards’ from the state showed significant growth at all the schools. I think this shows the devotion and dedication of our certified, classified and administrative teams working together. Parents are more active at the elementary level than before. The involvement of our community in the Youth Initiative has been beneficial. “From my perspective, I see too many students as dropouts in our community. Perhaps more vocational programs would help keep those students less academically inclined in our schools. I do know some areas in Oregon have developed ‘regional vocational schools,’ and this has helped with their student attendance. More parental involvement at the junior high and high school would help students. “Health and safety of our need to be a priority. We need to make certain we have access to an adequate dupply of competent educators. New ways to increase involvement on the part of parents and grandparents in their children’s schooling needs to be explored.” On the bond, “it’s a lot of money. However, the board members spent several days going through the individual buildings to assess the needs. Some of the buildings are over 50 years old. They look great from the outside, but the inside is where the problems lie. Some schools need drastic improvements made for the safety of our students and staff. These areas include such things as electrical systems and asbestos abatement. Heating systems are outdated and inefficient. Good schools attract families and businesses. A recent poll by a group of citizens and business leaders called ‘Committee for Our Kids, Our Community,’ found a great deal of support for doing the needed districtwide improvements to our schools. We still need to create an awareness to the public on the needs of the district. When you’re dealing with heating and electrical systems over 50 years of age, you need to fix them right and not use a Band-Aid approach. Doing it right, doing it now, will save us all thousands of dollars in the future and provide a safe and healthy environment for our children and grandchildren.”
At Large
Name: Bob Keller
Age: 57
Address: 27536 Fern Ridge Road
Occupation: I am a retired Sweet Home teacher with about 28 years of experience at Liberty, Hawthorne and Foster. I taught in California and Cave Junction, OR and was drafted in 1969 while attempting to get a MA Degree from OCE. I also raise cherries commercially on a farm near Independence.
Education: I have a BA from San Francisco State and more than sixty units from Oregon Colleges.
Spouse: Judy Keller. She taught at Holley Elementary School for 10 years.
Children: Heather, 17, Holly Vietor, 27, and Heide Nichol, 30.
Organizations and Civic Involvement: I attend Community Chapel
Hobbies and Interests: Reading, Travel, Farming and Grandchildren: Sydney, 2, and Hayden, 10 months. I also substitute occasionally because I enjoy the challenge and the kids. The School Board will also become an interest. My goal is to keep the board informed about elementary school needs.
“My involvement with the School Board and other school district committees include presentations to the board and many curriculum committees,” Keller said. “I was asked to run for the School Board by the presidents, Shari Green and Joyce Baugus, of the Sweet Home Education Association. I’d commented how the elementary schools were always last to be served and first to have cuts when I was teaching so I thought, ‘Here’s my chance to make a difference.’
“The key challenges facing education in Oregon include dealing with the pressure of school report cards, helping students meet bench marks, keeping students in school and garnering community support of schools. Another challenge is how do we give a complete, well-rounded education to our students when so much energy is expended toward doing well on the state tests.
“In addition to those challenges facing school districts in the state, School District 55 has to answer the question, ‘How do we give a complete education to our students when so much energy is expended toward doing well on the state tests?’ Elementary teachers are swamped with paper work and trying to figure out constantly changing state mandates. When do they prepare for art, PE, health and music? Everyone isn’t going to College. Everyone needs interests to enrich their lives.
“The School Board has done well to raise the wages of the Administrators of our schools to a parity with like size districts. Raising wages builds moral and those who commute to Sweet Home to not look elsewhere for a job. Perhaps it’s time to do the same for our teachers and ancillary staff. We consistently lose the young teachers we have trained to richer districts. I’m not sure of the figures but it seems the turnover of teachers would be of extreme concern if the same percentage of students dropped out of the high school.
“Teachers have figured out what the state wants students to know on the state tests and have shared that knowledge with other teachers in the district. Our students are doing well on the state tests because of the abilities of their teachers.
“The School District, as a result of dwindling resources, has lost much of what was once a good educational program. At the elementary level we don’t have all the counselors we need. We no longer have vocal music teachers. We don’t have swimming for fourth through sixth grades, no full time TAG teacher. We no longer have an interschool sports program for fifth- and sixth-grade students and no certified librarians (media specialists). Those are options we once had. We have never had PE specialists or art specialists and we don’t teach foreign languages at the elementary level, which research validates is the best time for children to learn a foreign language. Other school districts have these things. It is obvious the fat has been cut and we’re into the bone. I am not saying all these options should be reinstated. I hope I’m demonstrating that a prudent person would see the elementary schools, (Foster, Oak Heights, Hawthorne, Crawfordsville, and Holly) have taken numerous cuts that affect education while students are young and those cuts continue to effect them right up through high school. Students who don’t develop interests and skills in the early grades drop out of school.
“What could the School District do to improve local education in the elementary schools? The following wish list would bring us up to the level most other school districts:
1. An improved talented and gifted program beyond testing and identification
2. A music program
3. A PE specialist to take classes while teachers keep the district and state paper work caught up.
4. At least 3 elementary school librarians (media specialists)
5. Complete computer labs in all the elementary schools. Several of the schools only have enough computers for half of a class at a time.
“The bond measure is a challenge to the people of Sweet Home. It’s our turn to build something for the future. I imagine it was hard to get people to vote for a bond to build the junior high in the 1960s or the newest elementary school, Hawthorne, in the 1950s, but they did. There is no free lunch, somebody pays. Sweet Home is a place where people can be expected to volunteer their time and money. Think of the Jamboree, Jim Riggs Center, Cody Hutchins, Elks scholarships and many more examples. It’s time to think beyond ourselves.”
At Large
Name: Milt Moran
Age: 47
Address: 41735 Shadow Lane
Occupation: Director, sales and logging operations, Cascade Timber Consulting, Inc., 28 years
Education: Lebanon High School, Central Oregon Community College, associate of science in forest technology
Spouse: Jane, 25 years
Children: Sara Windom, Stephanie Taylor, Leslie Armstrong and Clint Moran
Organizations and civic involvement: Lebanon Community Hospital Board, District 55 School Board chairman, St. Helen’s Catholic Church and Sweet Home Business-Education Compact
Hobbies and Interests: Outdoors, hunting and travel
Prior involvement in school district: Current District 55 School Board chairman, high school committees, Sweet Home High School site council and mentor
Moran became involved in the School District to “help to continue Sweet Home schools to be best in the state.” He said he enjoys helping children and wants to be involved with his children’s education.
During his term as a board member, the School Board has achieved “improved communication” and “moved forward with policy making and future planning.”
The key challenge facing education today is a lack of adequate funds, Moran said. Locally, “our facilities are old and in much need of replacement and renovation.”
In recent years, the local School District has done well “in all areas of academics,” Moran said. “Our test scores continue to improve. All staff are doing an excellent job of focusing on this goal.
“Any student that really wants to learn will be afforded a tremendous education. I am concerned about the amount of effort put forth to those who do not wish to be in school, those that are not respectful of fellow students and teachers, those that are disruptive and take away from those who need the extra help, that want extra help.”
To improve local education, the School District should “empower the community to encourage education,” Moran said. “Parents and families are a huge part of educating our youngsters. Without that involvement, it makes it difficult for a student to do well.”
Students should be encouraged to put school work before putting students to work for money.
Moran said he fully supports the upcoming bond measure, which will be used to fund reconstruction of portions of the high school, additions to Hawthorne and a new swimming pool.
“Ninety percent of our buildings are 40 to 50 years old, many far outliving their intended life span,” Moran said. “Buildings look good, and because our district has done an excellent job of maintaining these buildings, they don’t look bad. However, hearing, electrical and plumbing are worn out. We need to step forward and provide safe secure and adequate structures for our children to ensure a quality education. Our schools are our community centers. They are ours to preserve, protect and utilize.”
On funding issues and alternatives, “with the current state laws, rules and guidelines, we are required to meet the standards,” Moran said. “If we decided to waiver from these standards, we probably could save some money, however we would be cut off from state school support money. Most all of our spending budget is for salaries and benefits for all our staff. These salaries and benefits are protected according to their appropriate employment contracts.
“We are at or close to average with these salaries. I do not want us to lose these valued employees just to save money. We have caring professional staff in all levels of our district that are working very hard and proving that. Our district is very lucky to employ these people. I do not know what the answer is, however, do petition the Legislature and state government to provide ample funding so we may properly educate our future.”
Liberty
Name: Barbara Snow
Age: 38
Address: 38910 Mountain Home Dr.
Occupation: Math teacher (middle school) Education: BS developmental biology, OSU 1984; Oregon teacher certification, advanced math/biology, OSU 1985 Spouse: Billy Snow
Children: Megan, 14; Erika, 12; Jessica 8; and Dakota, 7 Organizations and civic involvement: National Council Teachers of Mathematics, Oregon Council Teachers of Mathematics, member St. Helen’s Catholic Church Hobbies and interests: Running, camping, reading, “anything my children are involved with” and “taxi service for my children” Prior School District involvement: School Board member, 1997 to present; School Board secretary, 2000-01; local school advisory board, Oak Heights, 1993-2000 “After experiencing frustration after a board meeting, I decided I couldn’t continue to complain without getting involved and doing something about it,” Snow said. “Also, my four children encouraged me to get involved. “I believe I bring a different view to the board because of my profession. I have been able to provide some insight into some issues that others may not have understood and still am able to see the other side of the story, so to speak. “The School Board has come together, as a whole group, to work together for the benefit of the School District. I feel good about the unanimous support for the bond from the board. We all represent different groups within the community and are able to discuss issues, agree or disagree, and still come to a resolution that is acceptable to everyone involved.”
Key challenges facing education today include “meeting the challenges and needs of individual children,” a “shortage of qualified teachers and administrators” and “unfunded mandates,” Snow said. Local challenges include the following:
– Providing for the needs of students and meeting the ever-increasing requirements from the state on a very limited budget. n Maintaining very old buildings, boilers, equipment, etc., on a very slim budget. n Recruiting and keeping qualified, quality staff.
The district has done well in recent years with programs that have been developed “to help those students not meeting the benchmarks,” Snow said. “The Community Learning grant has helped us a great deal here. Staff has worked very hard to provide students multiple opportunities to achieve goals.” On the down side, “classes for advanced students have slowly disappeared as we are required to remediate to get all students to the standards of the ‘test.’ Our TAG program is not what it should be. Elective programs have been eliminated as the state has mandated requirements in order that students pass the test, classes such as music and (elementary) PE, home ec, tech ed, etc., at the higher levels.” To improve local education, the School District should “continue to encourage parents and the community to be involved in educating our young people,” Snow said. “Education doesn’t stop at the exit door of the school. Learning happens 24 hours a day.” On the proposed bond measure, “our buildings and facilities are in need of updating. The issues being faced are not just regular maintenance problems that can be fixed within the regular budget,” Snow said. “Federal and state mandates are costs which are outside of the boundaries of our budget. “Our proposal will allow for updates to our buildings which will allow them to continue to be used long term. These are not ‘Band-Aid fixes” but rather upgrades that will allow our students to move right into the 21st century. “Improvements will save money in the long term by saving energy costs and labor costs (to continually fix old equipment), and allow us to continue to use our buildings for a long time to come