Voters in the Northwest R-1 School District will choose two school board candidates in the April 3 election from among three candidates.
Chris Shelton is seeking his fourth three-year term on the board. The other incumbent, Sherry Ziegler, chose not to run for a second term.
Nelson O. Weber, who served four terms on the board from 2004 through 2017, is seeking to return.
They face challenges from Terri Green, a retired district administrative assistant.
WEBER, 79, lives at 1970 Hillsboro Valley Park Road, High Ridge. He and his wife, Carol, have three children and four grandchildren. He is retired after working 36 years for Boeing Aircraft, then worked as engineering consultant out of his home for 12 years. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla and basic, advanced and masters certifications from the Missouri School Boards Association. He is on the board of directors for the Ferguson Roofing Co. and is a member of Science and Citizens Organized for Purpose and Exploration, the Hwy. W-MM Citizens Task Force, the High Ridge Facts and Figures Committee and the Memories Car Club.
SHELTON, 49, lives at 4987 Devon Drive, House Springs. He and his wife, Kerri, have three children and three grandchildren. He owns Shelton Collision in High Ridge. A graduate of Northwest High School, he is active in school and youth sports activities.
His wife, brother-in-law, two sisters-in-law, niece, nephew and a daughter all work for the district.
GREEN, 58, lives at 6509 Ashwell Lane, Cedar Hill. She and her husband, Mark Green, have two sons and four grandchildren. She retired in 2017 after working for 24 years as an administrative assistant for the Northwest R-1 district and now works in the human resources department for Sunnyhill Inc. A 1977 graduate of Northwest High School, she is a youth leader and camp coordinator for St. Martin’s United Church of Christ in Dittmer, a volunteer at Spirit Strides and Sunnyhill camp in Dittmer and a board member of the Northwest Alumni Association.
Her daughter, Elizabeth Green, is an English teacher at NorthwestHigh School, and two nieces also work for the district: Grace Green, executive director of elementary education, and Kristy Wingenbach, an administrative assistant at ValleyMiddle School.
What are the biggest problems facing the school district and how would you address them?
Weber: Our district is “economically depressed.” Student achievement and financial shortfalls are our challenges.
■ Our people can't afford tax increases. Enrollment has dropped continuously over the past 21 years, going from 7,876 students in 1996 to 6,194 now, an average decline of 80 per year.
■ Our American College Test scores have been below the state average for several years.
■ Our Annual Performance Report (APR) is low. Of the 11 school districts in JeffersonCounty, Northwest has come in ninth for the last two years, third from the bottom.
My solution: Raise the accountability bar.
Shelton: Lack of revenue is and always will be a huge hurdle. Our transportation budget is $4.8 million and the state keeps cutting funding. We always look at new ways to engage kids in their education, whether it be new classes or new strategies. We all would like to see test scores rise but test scores are not the only way to gauge if our kids are learning. There are many obstacles to overcome in education nowadays and as long as I am on our board I will never quit fighting for our students’ success.
Green: Due to the tragic violence in schools across the U.S., we have to focus on school safety. The district has made improvements every year to keep students safe. Test scores are always a big issue. I have attended recent meetings and the district is working on ways to get scores up, but we need to continue to address this. We need to look at other districts and see how they test and evaluate. There is always room for improvement. I don't claim to have any earth-shattering solutions, but I will work diligently to research issues and work toward solutions.
Why should voters elect you to this position? List your goals, if elected.
Weber: I am experienced: I served on the board from 2004-2017.
I am qualified: I’ve earned all three board member certification degrees (basic, advanced and masters) from the Missouri School Boards Association.
I am dedicated: Being retired gives me time to be a dedicated board member.
My goal is for Northwest to be the No. 1 school district in Missouri. Our parents, teachers, students, administrators and board members are as good as, or better, than any other district in Missouri. There is no reason Northwest R-1 can’t be No. 1.
Shelton: My only goal is the success of each child. That may be very different for each child and that is where the challenge comes in. I have been someone whom teachers, students, staff, parents and administrators can come to for an open conversation on education or any other topics. Just the other day, while I was at the high school for a basketball game, a teacher took time to take me on a classroom visit to show me some great things our students are doing.
Green: My foremost promise is to always do what is best for the students. Sometimes what is best is not always what is popular. I want to be at school events and see what students are doing. By being visible, that would encourage parents to tell me their concerns as well as what they’re pleased with. Because of my (former) position, I’ve had the opportunity to see not only where this district has been, but where it is going. I care about the future of the students, faculty and community.
The district has placed a $14.5 million bond issue on the April 3 ballot for improvements to buildings. How will you vote on that measure and why?
Weber: The bond issue won't raise your taxes. Bond issues borrow money that gets paid back over years from school funds, similar to a home mortgage. Some bond money will be used for school security and safety. (Don’t let the shooters get in). Some money gets used for maintenance (for example, the high school lecture hall has a leaky roof). Old, inefficient HVAC units will be replaced with new, efficient ones. Some windows will be replaced, and some buildings will get improvements. Just like your house, there are maintenance and upgrade costs.
Shelton: I will absolutely vote yes and encourage every voter to do the same. It is simply a refinance that will extend our current debt four more years. You will see new gymnasiums at three schools, new roofs, new heating and cooling, some window replacement, new safer entryways and some new surveillance cameras and several more projects all for the price of $0 to taxpayers. We must maintain and continue to upgrade our facilities to make a safer and better district.
Green: I will vote yes. School districts do not have the extra money needed to make repairs and upgrades. The bond issue will generate the money needed to make these improvements without increasing taxes. We can’t afford to let facilities be in disrepair. Right now, the roof is leaking in the lecture hall at NorthwestHigh School. After 20 years, it needs to be repaired. Windows in older buildings are costing us money in heating and cooling costs. The bond issue will address safety issues like building entrances and walkways to keep students indoors.