Five candidates are running for the South Harrison Board of Education in next Tuesdayâs election. The Republican-Clipper asked each candidate to answer questions about school issues. Their responses follow:
Why did you choose to run for a position on the South Harrison R-II School Board?
Dick SmithâI spent my professional career working at schools, 35 years were spent at South Harrison. I want to give back to the district by serving on the Board of Education so I can stay connected to the school that has given me so many opportunities. Iâm a kid guy, staying involved with young people keeps you young. All decisions made at school are supposed to benefit students in their education and development. I want South Harrison to stay great. Whether itâs a ballgame, an academic meet or music competition, when our bus pulls up to an opposing school I want the students from that school to look out the window and say, âOh crap, South Harrison is here!â
Kalsey McCallâ I will tell you sincerely that I love our school district. I want nothing more than to see our students, teachers, and administration succeed. The school is the pinnacle of this community, and when we raise the bar at South Harrison, the community follows. Above all, I have a passion for students, and I want to ensure they come first when it comes to running our school district. As a district, everything we do should be examined through the lens of âhow does this benefit our students?â We must meet students where they are, challenge them to rise to a higher level, make them feel safe and respected, and show them that as a district, we believe in and value their potential.
The way we do this, I believe, is to make SH a school that staff and students feel proud to call their own. As a district, our focus should also be on hiring and retaining high-caliber teachers, and striving to remain competitive with other districts when it comes to pay scale and improvements to our facilities. Our staff should feel as if they are heard and understood, while also being challenged to become better each and every day. Excellence is a mindset, and accountability is key.
Mark PlymellâI have always felt that if there is a problem we need to know about it. There seems to be an attitude in the community that we canât say anything because it will make it worse on our child. That is the wrong attitude. Communicating is the only way to take care of a problem. I assure you anything I am told it goes up the chain of command, and I follow up to make sure that it is looked into.
Keri BarclayâAs a nurse, I have had the opportunity to develop quality improvement programs and know the value of teamwork on projects, which I believe would be helpful in serving this community. I have decided to run for the school board because I believe I can continue to build on the strength of our school and draw on my personal and professional experiences to strengthen academics, hands-on learning opportunities and cultivate community collaboration.
Patrick MillerâSouth Harrison has been a major part of my life. My mother taught and retired from South Harrison, my wife and I both graduated from South Harrison, and our son is currently in the middle school here. I chose to run because I wanted to help continue the legacy of South Harrison and help to insure the future students will look back with the good memories that I have.
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