Voters in the Hillsboro R-3 School District will go to the polls April 4 to choose a new member of the Board of Education.
The departure of Lisa Welker, who resigned in the middle of her second three-year term, leaves a one-year seat to be filled, and Gloria L. Link and Stephanie Cage have filed to succeed her.
There are also three full terms on the ballot, but the three incumbents all are running unopposed: Angie Oshia will be sworn into her third three-year term after she was elected in 2016 to fill a vacancy, Beth Petry will start her fourth term and Erick Stephenson his second.
School board members are unpaid.
LINK, 53, of Festus, works for the Missouri Department of Corrections. Cage earned a bachelor’s degree in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
CAGE, 44, of Hillsboro, is the director of the Jefferson College Early Childhood Center. She and her husband, Scott, have two children. She also is an adjunct educator for the college’s Early Childhood Center. A 1996 graduate of St. Pius X High School, she earned an associate degree from Jefferson College in 1999, a bachelor’s degree in child development from Missouri Baptist University in 2002 and a master’s degree in education from the University of Missouri in Columbia in 2008.
What experience do you have (elected office, civic organizations, volunteer work, etc.) that might serve you well in this position?
Link: As an American citizen, it’s my duty to participate in government.
Cage: My background in education will be my biggest asset. I have worked at Jefferson College’s Early Childhood Center for 26 years, the last six as director. I have volunteered and participated in Boy Scouting events. I am a member of the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce for Jefferson College and serve in the children’s ministry at Gracelife Chapel in Pevely.
What are the biggest problems facing the district and how would you address them?
Link: The biggest problem facing schools everywhere is the liberal agenda. There’s an ongoing effort to “fundamentally change America” that is being accomplished (partially) through public schools. A few generations have been taught America is bad because of “systemic racism.” I do not know the biggest problems Hillsboro R-3 is facing, but all boards should be watched hawkishly. If we don’t, the trend towards socialism will continue. If elected, I’ll dig in to the problems Hillsboro R-3 faces.
Cage: Finding and retaining quality bus drivers who care about children. The driver is the first person a child sees at the beginning of their school day and the last one they will see at the end and can set the tone for a child’s day. This is not an issue that can be resolved by simply giving pay increases or hiring more people, but training needs to be given on how to interact with children. Each person in the district plays an important role in the lives of the students.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Link: People who care about America and want to preserve our heritage should be asking the people to elect them to various boards. Our republic only works if the governed give their consent, but unfortunately in this April election there’ll be less than 20 percent of the electorate who will take time out of their busy schedule to vote. This dereliction of civic duty gives way to nefarious actors seizing control of positions of power. My goals are to be determined.
Cage: My background and experience in education makes me the better candidate. All students deserve a safe, inclusive and nurturing environment in which they can learn and grow. Each student comes with his or her own special needs. It is our responsibility to meet those needs and provide them strategies for success. The district should collaborate with community child care centers to make a smooth transition as children enter the district and foster a connection between the school and before- and after-school programs that they attend. When all caregivers work together, we create a positive foundation for learning.
What should local school boards do in response to state officials’ actions to oversee school curriculum?
Link: Boards should resist the efforts of state officials to oversee curriculum, including the Department of Education. The reason is what if the wrong person is in charge? Consolidated government power and oversight is tempting because someone else can be responsible. Residents lose their ability to object to controversial subjects. Fundamental learning in public schools is the priority – reading, writing and arithmetic. When children graduate from high school, parents expect them to be able to read, write and do high school-level mathematics.
Cage: It is the responsibility of the local school board to ensure that teachers continue to have a voice in any conversations or decisions regarding school curriculum. Teachers are in the classroom with the students every day. They have the knowledge and understanding of what is developmentally appropriate for their grade level. It is important to keep those working in the field a part of curriculum decisions.