There will be at least one new face – and perhaps two – on the Dunklin R-5 School District’s Board of Education after the April 5 election.
Jim Kasten, a former teacher and coach in the district, decided against seeking a sixth consecutive three-year term this year, leaving an open seat.
The other incumbent, John A. Maddox IV, is seeking his second full term after he was appointed in May 2018 to fill a vacancy. He then won a full term in April 2019.
Joining Maddox on the ballot are Marissa C. Newman, Jarred Engelbach and Jackie Cody James Petero.
Petero did not return a Leader candidate questionnaire.
NEWMAN, 44, lives in Herculaneum. She and her husband, John, have four children and one daughter-in-law. She is an office manager at Nationwide Drywall and Painting Inc. She attended Jefferson College, Southwest Missouri State University (now Missouri State University) and the University of Texas-San Antonio.
MADDOX, 48, lives in Pevely. He and his wife, Sonya, have three children. He is a senior software engineer in the banking industry. He received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics with a minor in computer science in 1996.
ENGELBACH, 33, lives in Pevely. He and his wife, Heather, have one son. A lineman at Ameren, he is a 2007 graduate of Windsor High School and has a certificate in electrical distribution systems from Linn Tech.
His wife, Heather Engelbach, is an elementary school nurse for the district.
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Newman: I am a parent of district students. I have volunteered for numerous school activities through the years to help support programs. I was on the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce board for 10 years. I have volunteered at the Hillsboro Homecoming and Festival for 12 years.
Maddox: In my occupation, I have learned to understand cultural differences to have the team work as a team. I have learned to listen to all sides before forming a decision. I found this translates well to being a board member, to look at all sides before forming an opinion on an item in front of the board. While on the board, I have learned the procedures and protocols to be an effective member.
Engelbach: I have served on the Local 1439 executive board, where I helped make decisions for the union and managed the budget.
What are the biggest problems facing the district and how would you address them?
Newman: Communication with parents. I would like to have communication relayed in a more timely manner when possible. I would also like to make a plan for the parents to be able to communicate their thoughts and ideas.
Maddox: We need to put the best staff as possible in front of students by making competitive salary structures, good benefits and an inviting atmosphere. We need to have many opportunities for students within and outside the classroom. This can range from more science, technology, English and math classes, increase focus on technical training and adding activities like Future Teachers of America and e-sports. The pandemic has taken a toll on community unity. We need to work together to bring back a sense of common ground and unity.
Engelbach: Separation of parents and the school. I want to get parents involved in the schools and to be able to interact with their children and their peers. The kids need to be doing fun things to keep good spirits. Another issue I see are health mandates, such as quarantining healthy kids. These decisions should be up to parents and students. How dare someone tell my child they need to wear a mask to stay healthy or to keep their friends safe? It is time for a change.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Newman: I will be a voice for them. I will listen to their concerns and ideas and present them to the board as needed. I also will support the teachers and staff. I want to help build up trust and relationships with the community again. Finally, I want to help balance priorities in the district.
Maddox: As a board member, I enjoy working for the students, staff, and families of the district to help make our district the best it can be. I listen and respect all sides of the issues and I work at trying to make an informed opinion on all topics. If re-elected, I would like to focus on returning to being more involved at school functions, work toward bringing in more businesses and try to bring the community back together after some division due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Engelbach: To get the view of a younger-generation parent for topics that need to be decided. My goal is to listen to the community, parents and students. Their voices need to be heard. I would also strive to make financially sound decisions to keep the budget plentiful for years to come. A large goal would be to ignore political input as much as possible. Education and school climate should be about the students; this should not be affected by political views.
What letter grade would you give your school board on its policies regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and why?
Newman: B. Navigating the COVID-19 pandemic had many challenges. I feel we did well keeping schools open five days a week. Other areas were poorly handled and the board removed parents from making decisions. Various protocols that were in place at different times caused additional stress that could have potentially been avoided and handled better had the board been willing to listen to the community and be more open-minded.
Maddox: B-. When the pandemic started in 2020, the goal was to keep the students in the classroom as much as possible. The required “Safe to Return Plan” focused on this goal. During this time, the board tried to keep it transparent by discussing it at each meeting and reapproved it with adjustments. We had to be agile enough to change as the variables changed; at times we didn’t adjust quick enough. Another lesson learned is we should have monitored our district numbers over the numbers of the county.
Engelbach: D. The district did stay open for the majority of the time after the original shutdown in March 2020. However, the board blatantly refused to listen to the community on the mask mandates when it could make them optional. All but one other district in Jefferson County made masks optional. Dunklin R-5 decided to make it a battle with students and parents.