Scott County R-4 ‘Kelly’ school board candidate Q&A: Six vying for three spots on Kelly’s school board

SIKESTON — Voters in the Scott County R-4 “Kelly” School District will choose three of six candidates to fill the three positions available on the school board when they step up to the polls during the Tuesday, April 4 municipal election.

To help voters get to know the candidates, the Standard Democrat has compiled information in a question-and-answer format with them. These positions are for three-year terms. Running are incumbent David Brashear, Sandy Ruff, incumbent Todd Hall, John-Erik Jenkins, Robby Lemonds and write-in candidate Dustin Schwartz. Kellie Bridges is the third current board member who opted not to seek re-election.

The following responses by Hall, Jenkins, Lemonds and Schwartz are in their entirety. Brashear and Ruff opted not to participate in the Q&A.

Background:

Hall: “I am a resident in Sikeston-Scott County along with my wife, Lacey, and our three children who are students at Thomas W. Kelly. I am a 1992 graduate of Charleston High School. I attended Columbia College and Southeast Missouri State University from 1992-1997. I am the president and CFO of Freight Transportation Service Inc. My daily duties include handling financials, accounting, personnel matters, insurance negotiations, purchasing and any daily issues that may arise. I currently serve on the Scott County R-4 Board of Education completing a one-year term.”

Jenkins: “My wife and I have three beautiful children that keep us busy in the Kelly school sports, clubs and activities in which they belong. Our family enjoys spending time camping, fishing, playing music and games together. My career in education started as a paraprofessional with the special education department at Kelly schools. This past fall I was offered a position as K-8 music teacher in Kelso. As a lifelong member of the Kelly community, alumni K-12, parent volunteer and recently having worked within the district, I have a comprehensive view of the district in multiple roles: bus driver, custodian, paraprofessional for the special education department, assistant band director, band booster member, PTO member and committee chair, parent volunteer for band, Beta and drama. I worked through the pandemic driving a bus and delivering meals daily to district families. I want to see our district continue to improve and grow! I have seen what Kelly has been able to do for students in the past and want to continue to work toward expanding opportunities for our students in the future.”

Lemonds: “I graduated from Delta High School, class of 2000. My wife, Jennifer, and I moved into the district almost 18 years ago. Our son, Rylan, graduated in 2021 and our daughter, Mallory, is a junior this year. We were looking for a district that our kids could not only attend, but a place to set them up for their future. We feel like we have found this place within the Kelly School District. I have coached many youth league teams in Benton including baseball, softball, boys and girls basketball over the years. We ran the Junior Hawks Basketball league for four years. We have donated countless hours to the community helping with fields, scorekeeping, working concessions and providing supplies to teachers that were in need of additional supplies over all of the years. Currently, I work at P&G and am the owner of Semo Bin Blasters.”

Schwartz: “I am a lifelong resident of Benton. I am a graduate of Kelly, class of 2013. I received my bachelor’s degree in political science from Southeast Missouri State University in 2018. After Southeast, I was accepted into Southern Illinois University School of Law. I graduated with my Juris Doctorate in May of 2021 and passed the Missouri Bar Exam that July. After passing the bar, I accepted a job working in private practice in the Scott County area. My wife, Allison Schwartz, and I make our home in Benton. Allie and I have been together since 2013 and we were married in October of 2020. Allie is a registered nurse. She works in the emergency room at Southeast Hospital. The Kelly school district and this community is very important to my wife and myself.”

What are the current challenges facing the Scott County R-4 “Kelly” School District and how should the district address them?

Hall: “The Kelly School District, like all school districts, face many challenges. Some of the most common challenges in schools are technology, curriculum, behaviors, student health, parental involvement and funding. It is important to have goals and direction as a district; we do that well at Thomas W. Kelly. Our teachers and administration are working hard to achieve the district’s goals. They have adopted new teaching and learning curriculums that target the individual needs of students, which give the students options and choices. This is showing to be productive as our testing scores and rankings are improving year to year. The district is working toward a balance of hands-on learning and technology-based learning. The district is also working hard to ensure a safe and productive environment for our students. These are some examples of challenges and how the district is addressing them. I believe a proactive board of education along with an administration that prepares for the future will be able to handle any challenges facing the district.”

Jenkins: “I understand that there is a high turnover right now and that it is happening for several different reasons. I would like to know if there is a pattern to the reasoning, and, if so, what are some of your suggestions on how to correct/improve it? There are, for me — as a parent in the district — some questions about district spending that are concerning. Kelly is first and foremost a SCHOOL Academics/education comes first, then clubs/extracurriculars. We should be more concerned about the students and teachers having the resources they need to do so. On the other side of that coin, the building cannot fall down around them. Everyone needs a safe and stable environment to learn and teach. As an educator and previous employee of the district, I know that one problem can have multiple solutions. Just because I have one, does not mean that it is the best one. I want everyone to share with me. Let me be your advocate and let’s work together! Let’s have some discussions where the board actually sits and listens to what you have to say before we make a decision.”

Lemonds: “We have to find balance and restore stability and security within our staff. Recent events have led to an upcoming vacancy that will be hard to fill. We need to take our time and find the right candidate to fill the high school principal position. We need to create an environment that not only retains the best teachers, but also hires the areas best.”

Schwartz: “The school is facing a number of issues. Kelly has an extremely high turnover rate of teachers, coaches, administrators and staff. There is also disconnect with the administration and the public. These issues must be resolved. We must mend the disconnect that currently exists between the district, superintendent and the board of education. We need to talk to teachers, understand their opinions and thoughts on matters that affect our school. These are the people who work with the students every day. Teachers, coaches and administrators’ involvement in board meetings is a great place to start in fixing the disconnect.”

Over the last five years, what has the district done well, how has the district fallen short and how would you address those issues?

Hall: “I believe our district has done well in many areas. The district has created a plan targeting our student’s education, safety, educational training for the staff, along with variety of activities that help to provide an educational environment that produces some of the top students in the state in many different areas. I don’t believe the district has fallen short. I believe the district over the last few years has created great, long-term goals and implemented plans for our students and faculty that will continue to produce educated and productive graduates.”

Jenkins: “As to how well they have done over the past several years, we can still talk about the pandemic and the campus improvements. The pandemic was difficult for all involved: students, teachers, parents, support staff, administrators and the general public. I believe that the district operated the best way they knew how with the information and resources that they had. Not saying it was A+ but definitely passing grade. Also, the district was able to communicate with the public the need for the latest bond issue and was able to get it passed. That will demolish some old dilapidated structures and build some new facilities. Things that the district needs to improve upon are pay, morale, and retention. According to the National Education Association, Missouri teachers are among the lowest paid in the country, just above Washington, D.C. Kelly is one of the lowest paid districts in our area. This is insanity. Morale is at rock bottom. I have had educators share with me some of their hardships as well as witnessed them myself. There are positions in the district that were left open and instead of finding a replacement, they take those duties and piecemeal it out to those just trying to keep the ship afloat. Everyone in the Kelly district has felt these pressures, including myself for a time, and I believe that it has reached its boiling point. Retention is terrible. We have educators and staff leaving in droves! The middle school only had four teachers return from last year. Some transferred to different buildings, some quit, some left education altogether. I fear that the high school will be the same soon, and if not careful, the elementary will be sure to follow. We will have a school full of brand new educators with no idea of how to navigate themselves because there will be no veterans for them to learn from. Then, what would we expect our children’s education to look like? Imagine a ship of inexperienced sailors. Will that be a successful voyage?”

Lemonds: “COVID was handled well considering there was no practice for that. Administration, teachers and staff were adapting to ever-changing circumstances and conditions. Decisions had to be made, guidelines had to be followed, e-learning had to be created, and everyone raised to the occasion. I feel like we have to find out ways to get all of our staff raises. Everyone will agree there are a few professions that are underpaid. Teaching is at the top of the list. We have to, as a district, prioritize finding ways to make this happen. I don’t want to be similar in pay with other districts; I want to set the bar. This isn’t an easy challenge, but searching for ways to make this happen is key.”

Schwartz: “Within the past five years, our school district was forced to deal with a worldwide pandemic. I believe the district handled it well, ensuring the safety of our district while continuing to provide education to the students. The district worked hard to get students back in the classroom to resume in-person lessons while maintaining safety protocols. I think the disconnect and turnover are the two biggest areas that the district has fallen short.”

What do you see as the primary work of the Board of Education, and is there any particular issue that’s motivating you to serve on the board?

Hall: “The primary work of the board of education is to work with administration to set direction and structure for the school district. A board of education member should be financially educated about the school’s income, expenses and long-term financial stability. A board member should provide support to the district and at the same time ensure accountability. Last, a board member should be a leader that advocates for the students, the school district and the community. The motivation for me to serve on the board of education is to keep our district moving in a positive direction and to be an advocate for our teachers, students and the community.”

Jenkins: “The school board is the elected voice of the public which allows the public to play an active role in the education of the children in their community. The board of education’s responsibilities include: policymaking, overseeing of administrators, approving budgets and curriculums, maintaining the school calendar and all circumstances regarding it, and above all, community advocacy! The last of which includes the educators, students, and all support staff within the school. There is not one thing that has particularly driven me to run for this position, but I will say that the sitting board has gone unchecked by the public and not operated in the role of community leadership as it was designed. The buck stops with the school’s board of education, and if the Kelly School District is to return to its former status as a leading educational institution, then changes will need to be made.”

Lemonds: “To establish a working relationship with the staff and community. We are a small school so being able to engage and listen to everyone is key for open communication. As a board, we have to make decisions that are best for our community. My motivation to serve on the board is to simply help make decisions with a common-sense approach. A board member is put in place by the peers of the community and their voice should be heard. I have no agenda other than to bring my outlook and help to make the best decisions for the students and staff at our school.”

Schwartz: “The primary job of the board is to best serve the students, school employees and the families of this district. I believe that goal has been lost in recent years and has been mixed with personal opinions and motivations. I was motivated to run when I continued to hear from parents, families and members of the Kelly school faculty about the issues they are currently facing, and the feelings of abandonment and no outlet for their voices.”

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.