Four candidates are seeking a pair of available seats on the Fox C-6 Board of Education in the April 5 election.
The two incumbents in the race, Steve Holloway and Dan Kroupa, both are seeking second three-year terms. They are challenged by Michael Booker and Carole Yount.
HOLLOWAY, 44, lives at 2118 Seven Trails Drive, Arnold. He and his wife, Jill, a second-grade teacher at AntoniaElementary School in the district, have two children. He works as a team leader at Edward Jones. He holds two bachelor’s degrees in computer science and management science from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
KROUPA, 65, lives at 2092 Kroupa Drive, Arnold. He and his wife of 45 years, Susan, have two children and two grandchildren, with an additional two grandchildren on the way. He is an account and vice president of finance for the JEDMED Instrument Co. in St. Louis and has served as Arnold’s city treasurer since 2010. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He is Arnold’s representative on the Jefferson County Economic Development Corp. board and is a member of the Arnold Economic Development Committee. He also has been a member of the advisory board of MidwestBankCenter since 2010.
BOOKER, 54, lives at 6641 Creekstone Drive, Barnhart. He and his wife, Anne, have two children, one of whom is the librarian at LoneDellElementary School in the district. He is a division chair of communication and fine arts at JeffersonCollege. He retired after 21 years of service with the Tennessee Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve. He has a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Mankato (Minn.) StateUniversity and master’s and doctorate degrees in philosophy from the University of Tennessee. He is a member of the Institutional Ethics Committee at Mercy Hospital Jefferson, has been a volunteer with Junior Achievement and in Cub Scouting and is active at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Eureka.
YOUNT, 74, lives at 1417 Yount Drive, Arnold. She and her husband, Randy, have two children and two grandchildren. A daughter, LuAnn Domek, is the principal at LoneDellElementary School in the district. Yount retired in 2010 after working for the Fox C-6 School District, most recently as administrative assistant to the assistant superintendent of human resources. She also worked as an aide and a building secretary. She also has been a real estate appraiser and also worked at United Missouri Bank and for her family’s business. She is a high school graduate who took one year of college classes and holds various certifications pertaining to real estate appraising, banking and secretarial duties. She is a member of the Kiwanis, has volunteered as a youth softball coach and in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. She worked with Cape Girardeau Riverfest Committee for five years as the director of the Miss Riverfest Pageant and has worked on the Fox Follies scholarship program for 15 years in addition to programs to assist veterans and hospital-bound people.
What are the biggest problems facing the district and how would you address them?
Holloway: 1. State funding continues to drop. We need to identify alternative sources of income to offset that.
2. We need to improve our focus on students who are struggling in disadvantaged situations either at school or home. We can help more of these students succeed.
3. More money should be directed to the classroom for students and teachers to repair the neglect of the past several years.
Kroupa: Funding. With state budget cuts and changes in the state distribution formula, the district must constantly monitor its resources while providing competitive wages. Safety also is a top priority, especially given recent events in other states. Keeping up to date with advancing technology also is a must so that our children are prepared to enter the workforce with the qualifications that employers require. These issues are currently being addressed, (we just purchased 1,400 Chromebooks for students) and policies are being revised and updated that will help accomplish the goal of giving our children the best education possible.
Booker: The greatest problem is the public’s well-grounded loss of trust in leadership. It will take many more years before residents can regain confidence that the district is operating with integrity and with a proper focus on its students. I am also concerned about the morale of teachers and staff throughout the system.
Yount: Morale and money. Budgeting is a major undertaking and I would need more information from current administration and board members for help in solving some of these problems. Morale is a major issue and we need to really work on this through communication with staff and community. We need to listen to our employees and work with them and community leaders to bring back pride to our district.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Holloway: 1. I will continue to support (Superintendent Jim) Wipke and his staff with the improvement of the district by focusing on the budget, positive morale, putting people first and a willingness to listen to teachers and staff.
2. I will work with leaders to provide a consistent curriculum and increase the number of students who enter college and technical schools.
3. I will fight to improve our campuses and facilities.
4. I will continue to support our teachers and staff as the most valuable asset of our district.
Kroupa: My education and experience offer voters qualifications that no other candidate possesses. I have been vice president of finance of a successful medical equipment company for the 31 years and Arnold city treasurer for six years. I have dealt with budgets, loans, debt service, bond issues, human resources, insurance, FDA, OSHA, tax audits and property purchases. The district needs people who understand these responsibilities, since it is one of the largest in state with a budget of more than $120 million and one of the two largest employers in JeffersonCounty. If re-elected, I would work to keep the district and its students and employees at a level equal to or surpassing the best districts in St. LouisCounty.
Booker: All of the candidates are high-quality people who care deeply about the children in this district. I offer a professional life devoted to education. I have taught at the college level since 1991, and I have taught at JeffersonCollege since 1999. I know what it takes to succeed in higher education. My years in the military also have given me a window on what employers expect from those just out of high school. I would make college and workforce readiness a top priority during my time on the board.
Yount: My overall goal is to continue on the path of improvement and to work with staff to improve morale. Our employees have a lot of responsibility for the future of our kids and we need to make sure they are recognized for the efforts in educating our kids not only in the classroom, but in everyday living goals.
There has been a big turnover in the district's administration over the past year or so. What is your opinion of the direction the district has taken since then?
Holloway: The district has made a 180-degree turn since the new administration has been in place. The budget has been balanced, we are hiring the most qualified candidates and the new administration is listening to teachers and staff. Trust is being restored and morale has improved greatly. Money is being redirected to classrooms and facilities are being improved. We are on the path to becoming a great district again.
Kroupa: I am pleased with the direction of the district in the past 18 months. Since I was elected in 2013, the district has seen six new school board members, a new superintendent, chief financial officer, three new assistant superintendents, a new transportation director, food services director, head nurse, a reduction of an assistant superintendent and the retirement of more than 200 teachers and support staff. We have lost much experience, but have gained an invigorating enthusiasm. Curriculum has been updated, roofs have been fixed or replaced, floors have been waxed, computers have been purchased, but there is still much to do. Teachers and administrators are working hard to give students the best education possible with the resources available.
Booker: The changes in leadership in the past few years have been important steps forward. I think that Dr. Wipke has a strong vision for the district and that critical changes are being made in the areas of finance and policy. I am optimistic about the district’s future.
Yount: We appear to be making a lot of changes in the daily activities of the school district. I’m not aware of all the changes that have been made – some I agree with, some I don’t. Our superintendent is on the right track and we need to be sure we are all working together for the betterment of the district and not for personal reasons.