As the April 4 election approaches, candidates for the South Callaway R-2 Board of Education have turned their attention primarily to the school district's finances.
Four candidates - Penny Felkner, Janice Howard, Stephanie Laney and Brent Woods - are competing to fill three open seats on the school board.
"One of the biggest issues that's impacting South Callaway right now is the budget and the cuts from the states, plus the depreciation of the Callaway Nuclear Plant, which impacts the budget to South Callaway school district," Felkner said. "I hope to be able to find some ways that they can save money without cutting teachers, which is what they've been currently doing."
Felkner, who has lived in the district for 27 years, works in information technology at the University of Missouri and has an accounting degree.
"The county assessment has been on a downward trend, which is expected to continue. We have to tighten belts and be fiscally responsible with district's money," said Woods, incumbent vice president of the board. "We may potentially be able to fill positions left open by retirements. We have an awesome team of teachers and administrators from top to bottom, and we don't want to lose anyone. If we can't hire teachers, classroom sizes will grow. We currently have a great teacher-to-student ratio, and I would hate to see that go away."
Woods, a school board member since 2005, is a facility coordinator at Harmony Hills Youth Camp and also serves in the National Guard.
Laney agreed South Callaway's finances top the district's concerns, adding parental involvement to the list as well.
"Hearing the staff report attendance at parent-teacher meetings and seeing the number that don't come to school functions, it really has me concerned. As much as districts can do for students without parental support, it's hard for students to succeed without it," she said. "It's our job as parents and educators and administrators to provide kids what they need to succeed; otherwise we're just setting them up for failure."
A Fulton native, Laney is a staff assistant for Callaway Electric Cooperative and has a degree in accounting.
Howard echoed Laney's call for attention to quality education in the district.
"I'd like to see South Callaway schools provide the very best educational opportunity for all of the children that attend there," Howard said. "Your schooling is a vital part of your life and can start you out well, even if you proceed to college."
Howard, a 1979 South Callaway graduate, is an office manager at the Callaway 2 Water District.