Candidates seek school board positions

Candidates for Sidney’s School Board election are incumbent Bill Ackley, Luann Cooley, incumbent Todd Hermanson and Tonya Garsjo.

Election day is May 6, but Sidney will hold a mail-in election this year. Two individuals will be elected to board seats.

The candidates answered the following questions from the Herald.

Personal history

Ackley: I have lived in the Sidney community for 15 years. Married with two daughters and one son.

Cooley: Married for 21 years to Rick and have two daughters, Ashley and Tenna. I love to hike and spend time at the lake with friends and family.

Garsjo: I am a 1995 graduate of Sidney High School. My husband of eight years, Don, and I have three children. Kyler is 8 years old, Hadley is 5 years old, and Zoey is 10 months old. I have lived in Sidney since 1993. Our family is involved in many different activities and organizations in Sidney. Since 2001, I have been a licensed EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) and still maintain that license. My husband has been actively involved in the Sidney Volunteer Fire Department for the past 15 years. Our children are involved in soccer, hockey, baseball, swim team and the gymnastics program.

Hermanson: Married and have five children.

Professional experience:

Ackley: Owner and operator of Footers restaurant for the past 11 years. B.S. degree in accounting from Moorhead State University. Have served on the Sidney School Board for the past seven years. Have served on the Sidney Community Education Foundation. Have served on the board for the Sidney Baseball Commission. Member of the Sidney Area Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture. Member of Richland Economic Development. Lifetime member and support of the VFW.

Cooley: I was born and raised in Sidney and graduated from Sidney High School. I furthered my education and graduated from Kinman Business College in Spokane, Wash., in 1986. After graduation, with an office management degree, I returned to Sidney where I was employed by Dr. Pierce. In 1993, I transferred to Dr. Williams’ office where I worked as office manager for eight years. I am currently employed at Sidney Health Center as an accounting assistant and am also responsible for the accounts payable process.

Garsjo: In 1999, I graduated from Dawson Community College with an applied associates degree in human services. From there I went on to work for Sidney Public Schools as a paraprofessional in the high school special education room. I worked there for seven years. During that time, I went back to school to get my bachelor’s degree in education with an endorsement to teach K-8 elementary ed and preschool-12 special education. I am currently the Title 1 teacher at Fairview Schools, and I also teach a variety of junior high language and applied English classes. I have been working toward becoming an RTI consultant for the Office of Public Instruction.

Hermanson: Owner and operator of a small business for the past 15 years.

Why have you decided to run for a school

board position?

Ackley: I believe a community derives its strength from what its members give back to it. This gives me an opportunity to contribute.

Cooley: Being a board trustee is an opportunity to be involved in the decision process that affect the students, community and the future of our school system.

Garsjo: I want be involved in my children’s school, and in their education. What better way than to be a member of the school board. I believe that if you want to see changes, then you need to become part of the solution rather than just complaining about the problem.

Hermanson: To give my part to community service.

What do you feel are

the biggest issues facing

your school district

at this time?

Ackley: The biggest issues facing our school districts at this time are school funding and declining enrollment. Under the present funding structure, these two items have been the toughest areas for the school board to address in the past several years and this will not change for the board unless there is a change in the present funding formula. Like most communities in eastern Montana, we have seen a decline in population and as a result, our enrollment has declined and so has our funding from the state. What this does not take into account is that a large portion of our district’s expenses do not decrease but will actually increase due to inflation such as utilities, insurance and building maintenance, just to name a few. We have three sources of funding for education - federal, state and local taxes. Each year a larger portion of the total funding is falling on the shoulders of the local taxpayer, yet all the mandates that we are required to follow are coming from the federal and state agencies with no funding sources to pay for them.

Cooley: I feel the biggest current issues facing the school district are the replacement of retiring teachers and parent/teacher involvement in the process of advancing elementary education for students entering the system.

Garsjo: Besides the budget cuts that most schools are facing and declining enrollment numbers, I am concerned about the rather large number of teacher turnover this year. The large number of teachers that have retired or have resigned will be difficult to recover from. I have talked to teachers that are worried they will have to not only continue to work at their own full-time positions, but also have added classes assigned to them from the positions that are not being filled. Others are not sure if the school will even employ them next year.

Hermanson: To get quality teachers to replace the increased number of retiring staff.

What changes do you feel your school district could make to be better prepared for the future?

Ackley: One of the greatest responsibilities a trustee will assume is to prepare the districts for the future. The school board is responsible for setting long-range goals and to set policy to see that they are met. They are also responsible for reviewing these goals and changing if needed.

Cooley: If I am elected to the school board, my involvement would allow the challenges that are arising and the direction that should be taken by the trustees to solicit proper input and involvement before making decisions.

Garsjo: I believe the Sidney School District should look at the present requirements mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act as it pertains to Annual Yearly Progress and seriously think about more emphasis on the core subjects (reading, math). It only makes sense to hire/rehire staff so the class sizes are smaller, instead of filling the classes to capacity or beyond. To make gains, we need to give the students more teacher time.

Hermanson: Along with fixing our buildings with oil and gas money, we must also look at trying to set aside some of our access money for times when we are less fortunate. Some fiscal responsibility now will benefit the community for years to come.

How do you feel your

community feels about the school districts? Is there anything the school board could do better as far as communicating with

the public?

Ackley: A direct reflection of our school districts is our students, and I would hope this community is as proud of them as I am. As to communicating with the public, there is always something that could be done to improve the process, and as a board we are always ready to listen to suggestions. Currently, we follow all requirements under the open meeting laws in Montana. Meetings are always posted, along with dates, times, locations and agendas. We try to get these schedules posted in the newspaper and other media. At any time the public may telephone or visit the administration office to obtain any information they may need.

Cooley: I feel there is a disconnect between the school board and the students/parents. The community’s effort to establish a PTA organization is an indicator that there is a need for improving communications and creating a liaison between the students, parents and school system.

Garsjo: After talking with some community members, I think there are a lot of mixed feelings about the school district. For the most part, I think many parents feel that their children are getting a good education. I am aware that not everyone thinks or feels this way. The schools need to continue to work toward giving the students they serve the very best. The school board needs to continue to be open to the communities concerns and questions. It needs to address all problems in a positive way and look for the best solution; basing their decisions on what is best for the students not only educationally, but to help them grow to be responsible citizens also. The school board also needs to continue to communicate everything to the public and to work on better communication between each other. If board members are not communicating amongst themselves, then people question their ability to communicate with the public.

Hermanson: Sidney Public Schools is a system our community should be very proud of. Any time there is a decision making process, mistakes will be made whether it be at the school board level, administrative level or the community level. We must move forward with positive debate and make our school system a better place.

What are your feelings

regarding the current

activity eligibility policy?

Ackley: The current eligibility policy has been in effect for over 10 years with only minor changes. It is comparable to many other school districts throughout Montana. I do not believe it is a perfect policy and changes to the procedure should and will be made in the coming months. As for the policy itself, I stand behind it. As a school district, I do not believe our responsibilities should start and stop at the classroom door. The present policy manual, along with the student handbook, is over two inches thick and deals with hundreds of policies on a day-to-day basis. Each year the school board reviews sections of these policies to update them and keep the policies of the district current. As a trustee, it is important to understand that setting policy and not attempting to operate the school on a daily basis, while difficult to balance, is a crucial characteristic of being an effective school board member.

Cooley: The current activity eligibility policy needs to be updated with more concise language regarding the consequences of breaking the policy. It is important that a minor student have parent representation when being questioned or counseled by administration because ultimately, the parent is responsible for disciplining their child outside of the school.

Garsjo: I am not against the policy. I know for a fact that this policy has made very positive impacts on students. I am not in favor of the grade reduction, and I question if the person or persons enforcing the discipline are following the handbook, and not skipping some of the steps in the discipline process. It was the administration, students and board that put these policies in place; we need to make sure they are being followed step by step according to the student handbooks.

Hermanson: The people that drafted the current policy did a good job of drafting the policy. We just need to take a look at how we administer the policy. All parties are coming closer together on a compromise.

Because of budget concerns,

do you feel the school board should consider not replacing retiring teachers or eliminating programs?

Ackley: The school board is no different than any other business or individual for that matter. When you go to the grocery store or shopping for clothing you know what you can spend, which means you generally walk out with less than what you want. Replacing a teaching position that is vacant or eliminating a school program are just two of the many options that a trustee will have to consider when dealing with school budgets. When over 70 percent of our general fund budget deals with wages, salaries and benefits, the options become very limited. Over the past seven years serving as a trustee, I would be hard pressed to remember a budget meeting where the word “elimination” did not come up in the conversation. As a school board, all that you can do is look at your options, review all the information and make a decision that you hope will have the least impact on the school district.

Cooley: The decision to not replace teachers or to eliminate programs needs to be addressed on a case-by-case basis. It is wrong to assume that existing teachers can fill the position of a retiring teacher. Qualifications and availability need to be taken into account. The board has to look at the programs to see how vital they are to a child’s education. The budget process is a difficult balance between fiscal responsibility and what is right for the students in our community. The board needs to make the best decision possible for the students with the funding that is available.

Garsjo: I am not in favor of this practice. By not replacing teachers, the schools are putting more work and responsibility on the teachers that are already stretched to their limits. By adding more and more to our teachers, we are taking the risk of lowering the quality of education our children are getting. Not that I feel the teachers in this district would not do everything they could to make sure our children get the very best education. We have some great teachers. The same goes for eliminating programs in our school. If it is going to affect the quality of education or if it is going to eliminate opportunities for our struggling children to be better learners, then absolutely do not take these programs away. I know the budget is always a huge concern, but the students and what is best for them should always come first and foremost.

Hermanson: As long as programs can be operated without loss to the students, the board should always keep such options open. Each situation is different, but with input from the community, administration and staff, we can come to agreements that will benefit Sidney Public Schools.

What is the best quality you would bring or

have brought to your school board?

Ackley: The best qualities that I would bring to the school board are my seven years of experience as a trustee, and the fact that I have a clear understanding of the complexity of the position. Two of the most important responsibilities of a trustee are to establish policy and manage the finances of the districts. School board trustees deal with many issues on an annual basis, and it is important for trustees to remember the policy making role of the school board. Additionally, in my seven years as a trustee my understanding of the complexity of school finance laws and managing them in the best interests of my districts and taxpayers has improved. I believe my strength in these areas makes me an excellent candidate for the position.

Cooley: I would bring the quality of commitment to the school board. I commit to ensuring that the students, teachers and administrative interests are fairly represented when making vital decisions for our children’s education.

Garsjo: I am walking into this school board race as a parent and as an educator. I have the ability and the advantage to look at the issues from both sides of the spectrum. I may teach outside of this school district, but my own children attend Sidney Schools, and I want to help ensure that they and all the students in Sidney Schools are getting the best education. I am committed to the fact that the school board continues making decisions based on the students and what is best for the students in our schools.

Hermanson: Sidney Public Schools has achieved remarkable success not only in educating their students but also in extracurricular activities. This has been achieved by hard work from teachers, administrators, staff and community. I believe we at Sidney Public Schools have picked all the apples out of the tree that we can reach. The remaining apples are achievable, but that may require shaking the tree.