Who's on the ballot? Q&A with the Cheboygan Area Schools Board of Education candidates

CHEBOYGAN — Ahead of the Nov. 8 election, the Cheboygan Daily Tribune will be publishing profiles and candidate interviews for contested local school board elections.

Two positions on the Cheboygan Area Schools Board of Education are up for grabs this election cycle, with five names on the ballot.

Carmela Boyd, Marlin Lowery, Matthew Mlynarchek, Marianne Ridings and Timothy Tarjeft are in the running to fill the roles. Ridings is the only incumbent for the full term seat.

Amber Hansen, school board president, and Dennis Olsen, trustee, are both running uncontested for the partial terms they were appointed to the board to fill.

All candidates were sent the same questions and given the same deadline to respond. Tarjeft declined to participate in the questionnaire.

The Daily Tribune reserved the right to edit responses for length, clarity and adherence to Associated Press style guides.

More:Cheboygan, Vanderbilt school millage proposals on November ballot

Q: In a few short paragraphs, talk about your background (job experience, educational history, time in the area, etc.) and why it would make you a good fit for the school board.  

BOYD: I have lived in Cheboygan for 25 years. We raised our children here and now, four grandchildren. I have seen good things happening in Cheboygan from when I moved here until now — many changes bring growth and understanding. I worked as a waitress, home health care provider and served in Cheboygan Area Schools for 11 1/2 years as a teacher's aide with special needs students. I loved my job and working with staff and students in all challenges we had.

LOWERY: I became a Cheboygan school bus driver Dec. 10, 2018.

MLYNARCHEK: I have lived in the Cheboygan Area School District (CASD) for three years. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree in accounting from Hillsdale College, where I served as a two-time captain of the men’s basketball team and was a member of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. I currently work for GM Financial Services as an auditor in the commercial lending department. Prior to this position, I served as the chief deputy treasurer of Livingston County for 5.5 years and as a senior auditor for DaimlerChrysler Financial and Toyota Financial Services for 10 years. My wife and I are involved in coaching volleyball and basketball in the CASD, and we have two children in the CASD.

I would be a good fit for the school board because I will leverage my experience in governmental accounting and finance, along with my educational and auditing experience to identify areas of improvement that can be made at the CASD.

RIDINGS: My husband Jeremy and I have been blessed to live in Northern Michigan for the past 27 years and are grateful to have raised our children here. In 2006, after Jeremy's 20 plus year career in aviation maintenance and inspection, he and I opened and have continued to operate an automotive repair and restoration facility here in Cheboygan. Owning our own business has allowed me the opportunity to volunteer inside our school district as well as in the community at large.

Throughout the years, I have served in the following areas: Cheboygan Area Schools Board of Education, Superintendent Hiring Committee, Curriculum Committee, Districtwide Improvement Committee, Districtwide Behavioral Committee, Cheboygan High School's Academic Boosters, Cheboygan High School Sports Boosters, Cheboygan Middle School Parent Advisory Committee (PAC), Cheboygan Intermediate School PAC, Cheboygan Area Chamber of Commerce, Cheboygan Economic Development Group, Pulling Together Alliance, Northwest Youth Football Conference, Cheboygan Junior Chiefs, and being both a Girl and Boy Scout Leader. I value our community and want it to be the best place possible for the future of our youth.

Q: What concerns face Cheboygan Area Schools and what can be done to make the district better? 

BOYD: As I have attended board meetings, I do not see no community attend and be a part of being one. I would like to be a part of helping make that different. People want to be heard and know we are for the life, liberty and justice we all desire.

LOWERY: School employees have no member on the school board that is representing them, only administration and teachers. Employees' concerns are met with the Cheboygan school board shuffle sent back out the door and to file 13.

MLYNARCHEK: I believe the CASD needs to improve the culture and environment of the school system in order to engage students to achieve greater academic success and personal growth. When students are engaged, held to a higher standard and look forward to coming to school, our teachers will be able (to) accomplish more in the classroom. The best way to accomplish this is to improve student participation in extracurricular activities. If our children are involved in activities such as sports, band, theatre, STEAM, community volunteer service and other club activities, they will support and care more about themselves and each other, their individual and academic performance will improve and they will be better prepared to excel in their future workplace.

To begin this process, we need to review our current processes, staffing, facilities and equipment to determine if we have the necessary resources available and in place for our students to be successful. As parents, teachers, administrators, school board and community members it is our responsibility to provide the proper means to our students so they can thrive in their education and growth inside and outside of the classroom.

RIDINGS: Current concerns facing our district include curriculum alignment, statewide staff shortages and increasing student behaviors. Less than six years ago our district was in deficit and had entered into a debt reduction plan with the State of Michigan. The board and the staff worked diligently to right our finances on our own without a state manager being assigned to us. The board set a goal of increasing our fund balance each year until we reached a certain amount. We have not only achieved that, but have also surpassed that amount. We are now in a financially secure position to begin the much needed work on curriculum alignment throughout the district.  Regarding staff shortages, the heart of our community and our staff plus our location in Northern Michigan are truly assets for us as a district. It's important for the district to showcase those assets to attract more families and new staff members. The root of student behaviors are complex and multi-faceted. Having training to help understand the roots of those behaviors and how to appropriately handle them are important. In addition, increasing the number of staff members is important to lower the student/staff ratio.

Q: Many school districts are facing questions regarding reading materials and what should be available to students and at what grade level. What are your thoughts on book challenges? 

BOYD: I have not personally went into the schools and reviewed all that is being taught. I do believe that the truth needs to be taught. If I am elected, I do intend to look at all areas of teaching, listen to our community and help to make changes that bring unity.

LOWERY: Education not indoctrination. Meetings belong in front of the public, not in a closed room at choir practice in church. If Critical Race Theory or woke is on the move at this school, the existing Cheboygan school board wouldn’t tell parents or the public.

MLYNARCHEK: The decision on which books are appropriate for a student to read should be determined by their parents. At the beginning of each marking period, each teacher should provide a syllabus of books and literature that will be read in class to the student’s parents. School libraries should have a digital catalog of all books in their possession that are available for parents to review at their discretion. The issue of reading material for students is best resolved when teachers, parents and administrators are all on the same page and work together to foster the growth of our students.

RIDINGS: While I'm a firm believer in the freedoms that we've been gifted with in our great country, I also recognize that there are reading materials that would not necessarily be appropriate for minors. School districts across the country are in a difficult position to navigate those boundaries, each family having their own value system and each child within each family potentially having different comprehension or emotional/maturity levels. It's important for districts to find that middle ground, encourage parents and guardians to be mindful of what their children are reading and to allow families to rely on our community public library for any additional materials that they are comfortable allowing their own children to read.

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Q: The Cheboygan school district is in the process of finding a new superintendent to start in July of 2023.  What types of qualities should the board be looking for when hiring? Do you think the current superintendent should assist with the search?  

BOYD: A person of honor, integrity, honesty. For life, liberty and justice for all. Has wisdom in the educational system and financial wisdom that leads to bring the changes needed for the good of all of us as a community, not just some. I heard a leader say they would like to bring trust back into the community with our board of education and community. I would love to be a part of bringing that trust.

LOWERY: It's time for honesty back into running the Cheboygan schools (it’s not a one roomer). On the ballot, the school is asking for an 18+ millage that circumvents the Headlee Act and does not mention the windfall property value increase the last three years, to allow the public to really take a look/judgement to vote. Last but not least, in February 2022, our judge testified that employees' two-year contract did not allow the wage freeze that stole employees' Christmas. To date our school board hasn't ponied up and Christmas is coming. Cheboygan schools refuses to pay male employees' unemployment insurance.

MLYNARCHEK: The current board should have the job posting for superintendent open, however they should wait until the school board election is held and new board members are sworn in before they select any candidates to interview.

The new superintendent should possess a clear strategy on how to improve the CASD’s academic results, prepare our students to be successful men and women and how to improve the ethos of the student body.

The current superintendent should be involved in the search to the extent of providing insight on specific challenges the job entails and a resource for the board to use should there be questions about the superintendent job functions. However, he should not be directly involved in the selection of candidates to interview or hire.

RIDINGS: Qualities needed in our next superintendent include a strong knowledge and experience with school finance, a strong background in curriculum and strong communication skills with staff, families and community members. I value our current superintendent's input in regards to the qualities needed in our next superintendent.  He is currently the one living the life day to day. His long-term career has been primarily here in Cheboygan, and he knows our community and how to best serve it educationally. Once those desired qualities are clearly defined, I believe it will be best for the vetting process of applicants to be completed by board and staff members.

— Contact education reporter Karly Graham at kgraham@petoskeynews.com or on Twitter at @KarlyGrahamJRN.

This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Q&A with Cheboygan Board of Education candidates