With the April 7 election less than three weeks away, four challengers and an incumbent are vying for two open seats on the Jefferson City Board of Education.
One News Tribune reader, Garten Pollard, recently asked candidates what they believe needs to be addressed or changed with the current board and what policies they would introduce to address those issues, if elected.
Candidates are listed in the order they will appear on the ballot.
Pam Murray said the board needs to exercise more oversight of all district activities. She pointed to outgoing Superintendent Brian Mitchell, who will be replaced by Larry Linthacum on July 1, as someone who received positive evaluations and large annual raises, while "we had a high school principal (who also had positive evaluations) resign in the wake of teacher lawsuits claiming harassment."
Former Jefferson City High School Principal Jeff Dodson resigned in September, citing ongoing complaints that made him "a lightning rod for unrest."
"The board acknowledges poor teacher morale throughout the district but seemingly does not see the connection between their choosing to support administrators over teachers and the annual exodus of experienced teachers," Murray said.
She also questioned the priorities of the current school board, saying several years ago the board approved a $1.1 million expense to renovate board offices, while district facilities face a shortage of space.
To address those issues, Murray said she would introduce policies to have all meeting agendas posted on the district website at least one business day ahead of the meeting, "make meeting minutes more descriptive" and allow the public to address the board on any issue regardless of whether it is on the set agenda.
"Part of restoring trust in the school board is building transparency into everyday operations," Murray said. "When trust is restored and the public sees tangible changes, perhaps then they will be ready to move forward with much-needed facilities. However, until then, the public is not likely to entrust the board with additional tax revenues."
Joy Sweeney said the board must continue "to promote quality education for all students, amid increasing cultural diversity, with the understanding of the importance of fiscal responsibility to the community."
Sweeney said she would encourage continuous improvement and communication with all stakeholders and emphasize "collaboration, cooperation and harmony among the entire district." She said she would look for resource collaboration through equipment standardization and universal maintenance plans "to obtain economies of scale wherever possible."
"The emphasis of our educational system must be to strive for excellence at all levels within the organization providing fiscal responsibility, accountability and transparency," Sweeney said.
Michael Couty said the board needs to "revisit their purpose," keep in mind they were elected by the community and hold themselves accountable.
He said the issues of overcrowding, discipline and capital needs require board members to possess tact, patience and a commitment to all in the district. Couty said he would stress the board needs to re-establish trust, accountability and transparency.
"I think there need to be high levels of collaboration and effective communication of common goals across all areas to rebuild community relations," Couty said. "The community's input must be listened to and respected."
Couty said the board must set the vision for education in the community, establish student performance standards and provide the tools, resources and support needed in classrooms.
Dan Renfrow said the board needs to have more direct input from principals and teachers on the effectiveness of the current policies or procedures. He said many problems facing the district have already been identified, and he would hope to help address those by developing a more comprehensive process.
"My reason for running for school board is not to introduce a specific policy or procedure," Renfrow said. "My hope is that I can help the district develop a process to more effectively develop, implement and evaluate the effectiveness of the policies and procedures."
Adrian Hendricks II said he is concerned with systemic issues and barriers students face while advancing their education. He said a dysfunctional school system has an impact on the local economy and community, and he would seek to address any issue brought up by a community member.
"There is a need and a desire for our community to be more receptive and inclusive on issues that will impact our city as a whole," Hendricks said. "Working with parents and youth around the state has provided firsthand experience on the layers of difficulty surrounding today's students and families while also providing insight into innovative solutions."