Here's what MCCSC, R-BB school board candidates say about buses, enrollment and more
This November, residents will choose who they want to shepherd Monroe County's K-12 education in its two school districts. Both the Monroe County Community School Corp. and the Richland-Bean Blossom Community School Corp. have seats on their school boards up for election.
The MCCSC and R-BB boards meet once a month to discuss and approve items that impact their respective education communities. While the superintendents and administration handle day-to-day management, school boards govern their districts at the broader level. The school board approves the corporation’s annual budget, selects the superintendent and authorizes maintenance or potential new construction of school buildings. School boards can also instigate direct change that impacts students and families, such as altering schools' start and end times, through new or updated policies. In addition to school board elections, residents also have the chance to weigh in on MCCSC's referendum.
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The Herald-Times contacted all of the school board candidates by email and phone with questions related to their platform; answers from candidates who responded follow. Responses have been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.
Erin Wyatt, running for MCCSC district 1
Why are you running for school board? What are the top issues that you would address if elected?
I am running for school board because I want to take a more active role in supporting public education in Monroe County. As a parent of three current MCCSC students and a clinical assistant professor of nursing, I am a stakeholder with a vested interest in the success of students in the Monroe County Community School Corporation. In addition, I previously worked for the Health Services department within the district and provided direct care for students who had complex health conditions and students who had unmet needs due to a variety of issues such as poverty, housing, and family dynamics. It was then that I realized that although MCCSC does a lot of things well, they are not meeting the recommendations from the state and professional organizations about school nurse-to-student ratios.
Current recommendations from the Indiana Code, the CDC, and U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services state that a ratio of 1 nurse to 750 students is appropriate, and the National Association of School Nurses adds that schools where students with higher acuity health needs are attending should have an even smaller ratio of nurse to student. A quick look at the Health Services website shows that MCCSC has an average ratio of one nurse to 1,100 students and each of the travel registered nurses are responsible for two to three schools. Although there would be a significant cost increase in hiring additional nurses, the students would receive the benefits of having a licensed professional present in the building at all times who can address social determinants of health, create educational programming for students and parents, and keep the students safe from medical emergencies. When students’ health needs are addressed, they are more ready to engage in learning and have better academic outcomes.
Additionally, I would work with the members of the board and the superintendent to meet the strategic goals and priorities of equity, communication, diversity and funding so that all students will receive a quality education that prepares them to function in society and be safe, healthy and cared for while in school.
What will you do if the referendum doesn't pass? What or where would you be prepared to make cuts?
I would be highly surprised if the referendum does not pass. Referendums were passed in 2010 and 2016 with overwhelming support. I believe that voters in Monroe County value education and know that without additional funding, teachers and staff will not be appropriately compensated and important programs would be eliminated. I think that due to the fact that 93% of the referendum dollars go directly toward teacher and staff wages, voters understand that their tax dollars are used in a responsible manner and spent on necessary things.
Driver staffing and bus efficiency have been an ongoing issue for MCCSC. From a school board member’s perspective, what else specifically needs to be done in order to curtail this problem?
Transportation problems are complex issues and certainly not unique to MCCSC. In some states, schools have had to cancel classes for the day due to a lack of bus drivers. A quick Google search tells me that schools all over Indiana are struggling with the same problem.
Last year, my family personally experienced late buses, or buses not coming at all. One of my children was assigned three different bus numbers in a very short time span due to several drivers quitting. My other children were often waiting for up to 30 minutes after dismissal to be picked up by the bus because the drivers were covering multiple routes and it was understandable why they were running late. This year, my family has experienced a 100% improvement with the morning and afternoon routes running on time. However, I have heard from other families that they are still experiencing some hiccups here and there, which is unfortunate. A concern that remains for me has to do with bus capacity and having more students than available seats, but until there are enough people who are willing to work as bus drivers, this issue cannot be adequately addressed. I do wish that there was a better performing, more reliable bus tracking app for families, although I am grateful that this technology exists because it was not something we had when my children were younger.
I do understand that there is a new transportation supervisor this year, and steps have been taken with adjusting start times to lessen the burden on drivers. I think we should allow adequate time to assess how having staff and new start times have had an effect on previous problems.
I am pleased to see that the district has increased driver pay and has also begun offering financial incentives to promote driver retention. Keeping the dedicated drivers we already have is one step toward having adequate staff. It will be important to be aware of how other school systems are managing the scarcity of drivers who are qualified and willing to do the job to see if we can learn from them.
As a board member, I would work with my fellow members, the superintendent, and employees of the transportation department to assess issues, evaluate whether or not our interventions have been effective, and brainstorm new and innovative solutions to a long standing, widespread problem that is happening all over the state and country.
Tabetha Crouch, running for MCCSC district 1
Why are you running for school board? What are the top issues that you would address if elected?
In my career as a communication specialist, I have experience developing and communicating policies and procedures to different audiences. Being in this role during a global pandemic has allowed me to experience creating policies in a constantly changing environment. I understand the value of transparency and parent and community involvement. My priorities as a board member would be student and faculty safety and promoting academic excellence.
Student and faculty safety
As a board, we should be taking every step available to ensure a safe environment for students and staff. This includes a robust SRO program that is integrated into and supported by the local police department allowing our SROs to have all the training and tools necessary to do their jobs. SROs should be carefully selected and placed where they can build rapport with both students and faculty.
Promote Academic Excellence
The goal of public education is to provide children with the skills they need to be self-sustaining, productive members of the community. They should graduate with the academic ability to pursue a higher degree in the career field of their choice, go to a trade school, or be able to enter the workforce and have the life skills to live independently. I would like MCCSC to be the district parents want to send their children to.
What will you do if the referendum doesn't pass? What or where would you be prepared to make cuts?
This is hard to speculate on without being a current member of the board. The referendum outlines where the funds would be allocated, and these are all important areas.
Driver staffing and bus efficiency have been an ongoing issue for MCCSC. From a school board member’s perspective, what else specifically needs to be done in order to curtail this problem?
I openly spoke out against the new four-tier system when it was proposed and at the July board meeting. Recently in my personal experience and the experience of some parents I have spoken to, the bus issues seem to be fading. I do think we need to re-evaluate once we are six months in to see if we still have issues to address and what other options we have. I also think we need to speak with parents and staff to evaluate the impact of the new start times and if we need to adjust for the next school year.
Byron Turner, running for MCCSC district 1
Why are you running for school board? What are the top issues that you would address if elected?
I have a vision of a school system that provides safety, achievement and educational equity for all students and their families. I believe in our teachers and administrators, and their commitment to empowering our children and community. It is my mission to help support and lead MCCSC to its greatest heights.
What will you do if the referendum doesn't pass? What or where would you be prepared to make cuts?
The critical need for the referendum cannot be overstated. If the referendum does not pass, it would be imperative that MCCSC facilitate community conversation bringing parents, teachers, community partners and education advocates together to figure out the least harmful way forward. I believe special attention should be made to ensure that any cuts are equitable across student and family populations, with special consideration given to students and programs that support those lower on the socio-economic scale.
Driver staffing and bus efficiency have been an ongoing issue for MCCSC. From a school board member’s perspective, what else specifically needs to be done in order to curtail this problem?
We should all support the referendum as this will give MCCSC additional resources to support our drivers.
Ashley Pirani, running for MCCSC district 3
Why are you running for school board? What are the top issues that you would address if elected?
I am running for school board because I believe in preserving public education. I have two kids in the district, one who has an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP). This gives me a unique perspective that I can bring to the board. I have a deep commitment to our community, which is evidenced by my other board and committee work in our community over the last decade.
As a school board member, I plan to support and speak up for policies that are important to our community. Some of those topics include preserving trust in teachers to teach, more consistent care for our BIPOC students, LGBTQ+ students, and students with disabilities, as well as continuing to assess interrupted learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What will you do if the referendum doesn't pass? What or where would you be prepared to make cuts?
I have full confidence this great community will support the referendum as it always has. Our community understands the importance of public education, so I know they will do what’s needed.
Driver staffing and bus efficiency have been an ongoing issue for MCCSC. From a school board member’s perspective, what else specifically needs to be done in order to curtail this problem?
At this moment, we have a new plan in place, and we need to see how it carries us throughout the year. Then, in the spring, we can assess where things went well and where they didn’t, including gathering community feedback, to see what kinds of adjustments are required.
Daniel O'Neill, running for MCCSC district 3
Why are you running for school board? What are the top issues that you would address if elected?
I am running for school board because I want to see the promise of a quality public education made available to all students in MCCSC regardless of identity or background. Public schools, properly supported, are the greatest engine of social justice and upward mobility that exist. A quality education provides people with the ability to fully function as citizens in a participatory democracy, to acquire the skills to earn a productive living, and to become lifelong learners through reading, culture, and the arts.
I am currently the Department Chair of Anatomy and Physiology at Ivy Tech-Bloomington; I have served as a teacher in multiple roles for over two decades (you can see my resume in detail at www.oneill4ed.com/experience.html) including earning a master’s degree in education. I’ve won multiple major teaching awards at both IU and Ivy Tech. I have also been involved in local politics for most of my life and understand the importance of providing clear explanations of my principles and positions, listening to other points of view, and compromising to move forward. I bring personal experience and knowledge of Monroe County as well as skills I have built over my career as an educator to the board.
MCCSC faces the same major challenges as every other K-12 system right now. We need to keep pace with the increasing educational requirements for knowledge-based work in order to stay economically competitive, and we need to ensure that we serve the diverse needs of high ability, average and remedial students equally effectively. We need to integrate better with the Ivy Tech system which provides high quality vocational education as well as a cost-effective transfer pathway to bachelors’ programs. We need to do a more thorough job of identifying and serving high ability students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
What will you do if the referendum doesn't pass? What or where would you be prepared to make cuts?
I served as the campaign manager of the 2016 referendum that is now expiring. I put in over 30 hours a week from late August through Election Day running the headquarters, recruiting, training and coordinating volunteers and raising money for the campaign. The referenda have become utterly essential if we hope to have the resources to tackle the challenges I identified above. Should the referendum fail, we will be in the awful position of deciding what we must sacrifice rather than what we can do to deliver a more effective education for every student.
I am not prepared at this time to say where cuts will have to come as that will require very careful consideration and study and will produce only choices between horrible and awful. The unfortunate reality is that we likely have to gut sports and extracurriculars which is in no way desirable as these activities serve vital roles. But we will have to cut things to the bare bones if the referendum fails. Public financing for education in Indiana has become utterly dependent on passing referenda in communities that care about and support education; this is an ill advised set up designed to allow public education to wither and die in communities that do not pass referenda. Given that, we simply must pass this referendum.
Driver staffing and bus efficiency have been an ongoing issue for MCCSC. From a school board member’s perspective, what else specifically needs to be done in order to curtail this problem?
This has become a significant barrier to the delivery of education in MCCSC and it is time that we evaluate and consider otherwise drastic solutions with an eye for creating a sustainable model for the future that reflects the current and anticipated realities. Our transportation scheme remains built around the circumstances of the 20th century. We need to consider solutions including full district ownership of the entire bus fleet, salaried bus drivers with higher pay and creating our own training program to employ and pay people as they earn suitable commercial transportation licenses. I honestly don’t know which of these ideas, if any, will work but we must think outside the box to address the persistent shortage of qualified drivers.
We also must commit further to the local neighborhood school model for primary grades in order to maximize the efficiency of transportation routes. When we build new schools, we need to do so with an eye toward transportation efficiency, and we should pursue drawing cleaner tighter district lines with transportation as the primary focus. Placing transportation in such a position of primacy runs counter to the grain of our community, but we have to accept the reality that it has become a major limiting factor in our ability to serve the students of MCCSC. We also have equity issues with the socioeconomic distribution of elementary students but these can and must be addressed with proactive delivery of services into the neighborhoods rather than with plans to further bus students away from their home neighborhoods given our limited capacity to move students.
Jon Hays, running for MCCSC district 3
Why are you running for school board? What are the top issues that you would address if elected?
To bring board accountability, safety of students and faculty members (teachers, staff) and visitors to the school, parent involvement.
Top issues include arming the SROs; transportation issues; staffing, making sure the right people are in the right positions; and making sure every student has every opportunity to go on to college, trade school or has success after high school.
What will you do if the referendum doesn't pass? What or where would you be prepared to make cuts?
If the referendum doesn't pass then the board will have to make cuts starting at the top, not at the bottom. See what other areas the MCCSC can do with/without.
Driver staffing and bus efficiency have been an ongoing issue for MCCSC. From a school board member’s perspective, what else specifically needs to be done in order to curtail this problem?
As a former school bus driver, some people on this current school board decided on getting rid of the contract routes and trying an outside company, which backfired with the company not showing up. To combat the driver shortage start paying more on the hour and more hours during the day. Pay the drivers for inclement weather, or some insurance offered. And bus drivers should not have to wait for what seems like forever as a driver, for students at a bus stop. And make the parents make a decision at the beginning of the year whether their kid/kids are going to ride the bus or not for the year. Not wait until it gets cold outside and the transportation department has to re-route the bus route because it's too cold for the parents to get out and take them to school like they had been before.
Karl Boehm, running for R-BB Richland District
Why are you running for school board? What are the top issues that you would address if elected?
I have four kids, so I have more skin in the game than anybody. I’m a single dad to children ages 7, 12, 15 and 18. I also was a substitute during COVID, which gave me insight into how our schools are run.
I think Edgewood schools are pretty good, but I believe we need someone on the school board who has kids in the schools. I'm semi-retired but I owned a business in Ellettsville for 12 years.
I feel like now is the time for me to give back with skills I have acquired. It’s in my best interest that my kids get the best education I can give them. I talked to a lot of parents and the way COVID was handled — nobody was happy about that.
R-BB was recently found to likely see steady growth in enrollment over the coming years, requiring new buildings to be built as seen in the recently constructed Edgewood Early Childhood Center. As a member of the school board, how would you balance construction proposals with the school’s budget?
The way you balance any budget. You have to use your money properly, not waste it. With inflation, that’s going to be a very difficult task. Running any type of business or organization is going to be difficult over the coming years. That’s where my experience running businesses will be very helpful.
What’s missing from this school district? What programs would you like to see R-BB add or how would you advocate for the student experience at R-BB?
There’s some athletics that could be addressed. They don’t have a gymnastics program and I know a lot of parents who are very interested. The Chromebooks are an issue. The younger children retain nothing from learning on a Chromebook that I’ve seen. Another major complaint from parents is the lack of understanding of working parents. Late starts, early dismissals, two-hour delays for a half-inch of snow on the ground. These are issues we can work out.
Dana Kerr, running for R-BB, Richland District
Why are you running for re-election? What are the top issues that you would address if elected?
RBBCSC has made excellent progress while I have been on the school board. The school district is on firm financial ground; we have the most amazing teachers and staff; our facilities are well maintained and expanding; and, most importantly, our students are receiving the highest quality education. I am seeking re-election because I believe strongly that we can continue to grow and raise the bar even higher.
RBBCSC has had its challenges along the way and I believe my presence on the board helped us get through them and my experience would be instrumental in working with the other school board members and administration to guide the future of RBBCSC. Currently, one of the top issues facing RBBCSC is the compensation of our teachers and staff. In order to attract and retain the best teachers and staff we must be competitive. We are evaluating various options to increase pay and maintain a healthy budget. Another critical issue is preschool. An addition to the Edgewood Primary School was constructed for our preschool program, the Edgewood Early Childhood Center. When registration was opened, the preschool enrollment was filled in 20 minutes. There is currently a preschool waiting list of around 120 children. Our community needs more opportunities for preschool and RBBCSC can help fulfill this need.
R-BB was recently found to likely see steady growth in enrollment over the coming years, requiring new buildings to be built as seen in the recently constructed Edgewood Early Childhood Center. As a member of the school board, how would you balance construction proposals with the school’s budget?
There is an expectation of steady growth in RBBCSC enrollment. I believe that the enrollment numbers will be even higher than those projected in a recent study. There is a significant number of new housing starts, both single-family and multi-family, in the RBB community along with an increased desirability of our community. RBBCSC has recently conducted a facilities study to look at our current and future needs. There are opportunities for bonding that will allow RBBCSC to grow with the demands of the community and, at the same time, maintain a level tax rate. There is a great deal of complexity in the budgetary and bonding processes and I believe my experience will help guide RBBCSC through this time of opportunity while keeping the needs of the students and community well balanced.
What’s missing from this school district? What programs would you like to see R-BB add or how would you advocate for the student experience at R-BB?
RBBCSC has some amazing initiatives already in place and these programs need to be cultivated and nourished to reach their full potential. Our Ready Schools initiative is a process that prepares our students for whatever their post graduation plans may be. Whether a student is seeking to further their education or begin a career or if they have other goals, the student needs a guide to help them along their way. The Ready Schools initiative uses a variety of tools which include project-based learning, social/emotional learning, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics), a graduate profile and student portfolio, and community engagement that offers career awareness and exploration. So, I do not believe RBBCSC is in need of new programs, I believe in the programs that we are implementing. I believe in RBBCSC and I hope to have the opportunity to continue to help our students grow and flourish.
Brandon Shurr, running for MCCSC, district 7
Shurr is running uncontested and declined to comment for this story, stating his desire for readers to pay attention to the races with multiple candidates.
Angela Jacobs, running for R-BB Bean Blossom District
No response.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Who is running for school board in Monroe County, Indiana
