Six hopefuls crowd race for two seats
Voters in the Fox C-6 School District will have plenty of choices when it comes to picking two members of the Board of Education in the April 2 election.
Six candidates have lined up to fill the pair of three-year terms: The two incumbents, Ruth Ann Newman, who is seeking her fourth full term, and Pete Nicholas, who is seeking his fifth term, along with challengers Mark S. Jones, Anthony W. Thebeau, Steve P. Holloway and Dan Kroupa.
School board members are not paid.
Newman, 69, lives at 404 Persimmon Ridge, Arnold. She has two daughters and four grandchildren.
She retired after teaching for 35 years in the district.
A 1961 graduate of Fox, she received a bachelor's degree from Southeast Missouri State and a master's degree in education from Webster University, plus 15 additional credit hours.
In addition to her tenure on the school board, she has been a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader and is a troop representative to round table meetings. She is a volunteer organist at New Hope United Methodist Church, where she also teaches Sunday school. She is a member of the Arnold Arts Council and a charter member of Delta Kappa Gamma. She has been secretary of the Mastodon Art-Science Fair and volunteers in various capacities at Meramec Heights Elementary School.
Her two daughters are elementary teachers in the district, as is a son-in-law, her nephew's wife and her son-in-law's sister.
Nicholas, 63, lives at 4218 Missouri Pacific Road, Arnold. He and his wife, Mary Ann, have three children and eight grandchildren.
He is a retired union electrician.
He has a teachers certificate from the University of Missouri-Columbia.
In addition to his service on the school board, he has been on the Rock Community Fire Protection District's board and its pension board since 2007 and is on the Veterans Tribute Park committee, the Eagle Scout Board of Review and the St. David's Fall Festival committee. He also was on the Vietnam Traveling Wall committee in 2010.
His wife, Mary Ann, a food service worker, and his daughter-in-law, Amy Nicholas, a physical therapist, both work for the district.
Jones, 46, lives at 401 Winter Lake Circle in the Fenton area. He and his wife, Cherie, have two sons.
He is a senior consultant with Intervolve Inc.
A 1985 Fox graduate, he has attended Southeast Missouri State University, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, St. Louis Community College at Meramec, American Sentinel University and the New Horizons Computer Learning Center. He has an associate degree in biblical studies from Christ to the World in St. Louis and earned chancellor's certificates in web design and web development at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. He has certification in computer networking.
He volunteers in various roles with the Twin Rivers Worship Center.
Thebeau, 27, lives at 3501 Catalina Drive, Arnold. He and his wife, Stacy, have a daughter.
He is a school counselor.
He has an associate degree from Jefferson College and a bachelor's degree and dual master's degrees in school and licensure counseling from Missouri Baptist University.
Holloway, 41, lives at 2118 Seven Trails Drive in Arnold. He and his wife, Jill, have two children.
He is a technical architect in the information technology division of Edward Jones.
A 1990 Fox graduate, he graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis with bachelor's degrees in computer science and management science with a minor in math.
He volunteers for various fundraising activities at Antonia Elementary School, including the trivia night and fall festival.
His wife, Jill, teaches third grade at Antonia Elementary.
Kroupa, 62, lives at 2092 Kroupa Drive in Arnold. He and his wife, Susan, have two children and a grandchild.
He is an accountant and vice president of finance for the JEDMED Instrument Co.
He has a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
He has been Arnold's city treasurer since 2010, and is chairman of the city's finance committee and a member of the city's economic development committee. He also represents the city to the Jefferson County Economic Development Corporation. Kroupa also is a member of the Midwest Bank Center's advisory board.
One of his daughters teaches at Fox Elementary School.
What are the biggest problems facing the district and how would you address them?
Newman: Our biggest concern is always "What can we do to help our children do their best and prepare them for their future?" To do this, we always worry about our funding from federal and state money. We notify our senators and representatives. We also attend legislative summits offered by the Missouri School Boards Association.
Recently, a great concern has been what we can do to keep our children safe. We held a safety summit to get ideas from the community and the staff and students. As a former teacher and a grandmother of four in the district, this is very much a concern. We have planned more meetings and some of the ideas are already being put in place.
Nicholas: The budget from the state to fund education is one of the biggest issues facing school districts. The foundation formula hasn't been funded for the last few years, which means that our school district is not getting the money from the state. We are proud that we have not had to cut any positions. There also are new requirements for MSIP5. With the current budget not funded, some resource standards will be difficult to meet. Finally, there are challenges to have all students take state tests via computer. I'm grateful the bond issue passed and we are purchasing millions of dollars of technology, but this is still a very challenging task to accomplish.
Jones: Nepotism cheats our district out of the best and brightest and robs current employees of opportunity. Central administrative costs are rising, taking money away from student programs. We should not be behind St. Louis city schools in the number of seniors taking the ACT. There has been an atmosphere of intimidation perpetrated from the administration towards our employees, instead of a true willingness to listen to their concerns and ideas on how the district can improve, and even having them exercise their freedom of speech at board meetings. The superintendent has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on attorneys' fees, trying to suppress public comment on online forums and trying to avoid compliance with ADA regulations as it relates to children with deadly food allergies.
Thebeau: Some of the biggest problems facing the district are the negative reports in the news about the downside of Fox regarding its hiring policies, accountability in special education, construction fumes and spending, but there is not enough talking about what Fox does well. I believe involving the community more in the school system will be a big factor in making the community more on board with the district and thus making it a better place to strive for excellence.
Holloway: 1. Public perception of district actions: I will be honest, trustworthy and fair as a member of the school board. I will hold true to my principles regardless of the challenges that come my way. I will encourage other board members to do the same so that our community can be proud of the actions of the school board.
2. Hiring qualified individuals: The current hiring policy should be modified to include specific wording for a defined set of individuals to be part of an interview team. Principals, teachers, cooks, nurses and board members should be part of the team based on the position being applied for. This hiring team should have the authority to hire the most highly qualified candidate for the position.
Kroupa: The biggest problem is funding. With the state budget cuts and changes in distribution formulas, the district must constantly monitor its resources to provide the best education while providing competitive wages for its teachers, nurses, maintenance workers, bus drivers and nutritional services staff. Safety is also a top priority, especially given recent events in other states. Keeping up to date with advancing technology is also a must so that our children are prepared to enter the workforce with the qualifications that employers require. I would address these issues by communicating with the administration and reviewing and implementing board policies that would help accomplish the goal of giving our children the best education possible.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals if elected.
Newman: The experience I have had being a teacher for 35 years in our district helps me to make educated decisions; I have been there. Things have gotten so much better, but we still have so much more to do. Because of the support of the community in our "no tax increase" bond issue, we are now able to do things that have needed to be done. I am honest and work hard on the board. I am a good listener and I care about the kids.
My goals: Maintaining a good working environment for staff and students, remaining fiscally sound, hiring from our community for services and improving safety.
Nicholas: I have served as a member of the school board for the past 15 years with a master certification by the Missouri School Boards Association. I served in the Vietnam War and serve on various committees throughout northern Jefferson County. I'm an Eagle Scout and member of the Eagle Scout Board of Review. I worked as a vocational education teacher and am retired from the IBEW.
My priorities: 1. To provide security for our most precious resource, our children.
2. Increase technology in the classrooms.
3. Land was purchased to build a much-needed Antonia Middle School. This land has the capability to encompass a new elementary and high school to ensure space for all students.
Jones: I plan to push for:
1. An anti-nepotism hiring policy similar to other districts in the region.
2. To have board meetings recorded on video and posted on the district website.
3. To have complete board packets posted prior to board meetings and more complete minutes posted after board meetings on a timelier basis.
4. Change the atmosphere of intimidation, creating an open, friendly dialogue among teachers, staff and the board.
5. Redirect funds currently devoured by attorneys' fees and central administrative salaries to programs for students, books, supplies and other student and teacher needs.
6. Pay for each student to take the ACT once, providing opportunity and a path to higher education that otherwise might not be realized.
7. Pursue improvements in all areas.
Thebeau: Voters should elect me to the school board if they want someone who is a resident who wants the best for their child who is in the school system, wants to spend money wisely as a concerned taxpayer and who has worked in school systems that can bring inside experience to the board.
Holloway: I have a unique set of skills that will enable me to implement policy changes and innovative ideas for the betterment of our students, teachers and staff. I have worked in the information technology industry at a financial services firm for 17 years, managing multimillion-dollar projects and hiring highly talented, qualified team members.
I have also had the opportunity to gain specific knowledge from the perspective of a teacher by learning from my father, who taught 33 years, and my wife, who has been teaching 17 years. The knowledge and understanding from this vantage point gives me insight needed to ensure that the teachers of the district have the best resources and solutions to guarantee student success.
Kroupa: My education and experience offer the voters qualifications that no other current board member or candidate possesses. I have been VP of finance of a successful medical equipment company for 28 years, and the treasurer of Arnold for three years. I have dealt with budgets, loans, debt service, bond issues, human resources, insurance, FDA, OSHA and tax audits, property purchases, etc. The district needs people who understand these responsibilities, since it is one of the largest in the state.
My goal, if elected, is to keep the district and its students and employees at a level equal to or surpassing the best school districts in St. Louis County, and proud to say that they work at or have graduated from the district.
What is your opinion of proposals to eliminate tenure for teachers and to tie assessment of teacher performance to student test grades?
Newman: With tenure, if a teacher is not doing his or her job, a district can still dismiss them. Problems must be documented, the teacher is helped with problems and given a chance to do better. Problems should not be left until it is too late. The people evaluating teachers should be thorough and fair. There is nothing wrong with tenure if it is used properly. I once asked my principal, "Why do you give me some of these kids with so many problems?" The principal said, "Because you have so much patience!" Should a teacher be penalized for working with these students? Test grades could be a part of an evaluation, but they should never be the only tool used.
Nicholas: Teachers are one of the greatest resources we have in our district. All of the students' learning occurs in that classroom. It is that daily contact and teaching that provides our students their framework for success. I am not for eliminating tenure for teachers. The district has measures in place to get rid of teachers who are not fulfilling their duties. Teachers should not be solely assessed on how their students perform. They should be accountable for their students' learning but not by tying it to test scores.
Jones: Any changes need to address fairness and career opportunity for teachers while ensuring that those who underperform are identified, mentored and they either improve or are replaced with competent staff. We can't sacrifice the futures of our students for the complacency of a few. Accountability is appreciated by those who pursue excellence, and feared by those who simply collect a paycheck. Their attitude and failure to educate is abusive toward our children.
Thebeau: Performance on test grades does not make a student better than another student. Not all students are going to be equal as other students within the district, state and country and that's OK. There is no feasible way to actually have an accurate assessment of teacher performance with test grades because each student is different. I know tests seem to be the trend our government wants us headed, but we do a better service to our country and ourselves if we make good students versus students who test well but cannot work in the real world. I can tell you first hand it doesn't take a good test taker to graduate college; it takes the love of learning and motivation.
Holloway: Eliminating tenure would prevent the creation of new ideas that benefit students because teachers would not have the confidence to think outside the box without fear of retribution. Tenure allows teachers to be confident in their ability to fight for students' rights that may not always be in agreement with administrators. Tenure also prevents districts from removing higher-salaried teachers in favor of newer teachers with lower starting salaries.
Tying teacher performance to test grades ignores the reality that not all students test well and that standardized tests are not always fair to students. Over time, teachers are pressed to teach to the tests, preventing students from learning the breadth of knowledge necessary to succeed after high school.
Kroupa: I have researched the tenure issue, and see no good reason to eliminate it. Many people think that tenure guarantees a teacher a job regardless of what they may do, but this is not true. Poor teachers can be dismissed, whether tenured or not. Tying teacher assessment to student test scores is ridiculous. Teachers do not get to pick students; they teach all students as assigned. To judge one teacher's ability against another, based on the students' test scores, is not fair or productive.
Should the district change its hiring policy concerning nepotism? If so, how should it be changed?
Newman: A few years ago, we did have a policy about this. There were people whom the district wanted to hire but couldn't, so the policy was changed. If this policy were in place when I was ready to start teaching, I may not have been able to teach in the district that I love. My mother, Mildred Painter, already taught here. My daughters are both excellent teachers in the building where they went to elementary school and where I taught and where their grandmother taught. How special is that? We are trying to find a way to make this better, but should we as a district, not be able to hire our own? We need to hire the best person for the job.
Nicholas: The district has a fair and strong hiring process. Many of the candidates go through extensive screening and interviews to earn a position. These interviews consist of committees of three to eight participants. If a person is selected by the committee and supported by the administration, the best person gets the position. Fox has always hired the best-quality candidates and it shows in the recognitions we have received from the state for the last 12 years.
Jones: Absolutely. I like the policies of other districts in the region that prohibit the hiring of employees by the district if they are related to school board members. If a spouse of a non-tenured teacher is elected to the board, either the board member resigns, or the employee's contract is not renewed. I would extend that prohibition to administrators. Our district's organizational chart should not look like a family tree.
Thebeau: There was obviously some outcry over what happened last year of the hiring of a relative of a school board member who may or may not have been as qualified as other applicants for the position. I do not know all the details; however, I do know that the residents seemed clearly upset and want change regarding Fox's nepotism hiring policy. I want to make sure that the most qualified person is hired for the position, because that is what matters most.
Holloway: The district should change its hiring policy concerning nepotism by approving new regulations that restrict immediate family members of board members from being hired while the member is serving on the board. This regulation should not affect immediate family members who already are employed by the district when a member is elected. This regulation should not restrict individuals who wish to be employed by the district after their immediate family member is no longer a board member. Examples of immediate family members include spouses, parents, grandparents, siblings, children, aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Kroupa: Yes, it needs to be changed. A board member should serve to help the district, not himself or herself or family. I would propose a policy that would preclude any family member of a board member from being hired, with the penalty for breaking the rule being loss of the board seat. I realize that this is a severe rule, but it is important that the board hold itself to the highest ethical standards of professional conduct.