Challenger seeks seat on Cape Girardeau school board

This is the first in a series of profiles featuring persons seeking to serve on the Cape Girardeau Public School Board in the upcoming April 6 municipal election. Two seats are open for three-year terms. Five candidates are running.

Today: Ramona Bailey, a non-incumbent, operates her own business, Royal Treatment Commercial and Residential Cleaning Services. She is also the outreach and educational associate for S.N.A.P. (Stop Needless Acts of Violence Please).

• Why do you wish to serve on the school board?

I want to represent the underrepresented voices of students, parents, teachers and community.

• What are the continuing challenges posed by COVID facing CGPS, in your opinion?

Parents of honor roll students made the difficult decision to send their children to in-person learning (during) 2nd semester, because the Edgenuity program drastically impacted their student's success.

• The Cape Girardeau County Public Health Center trustees voted to end the face covering mandate, instead giving a "strong recommendation" for their continued use. What impact should the county's policy have on the Cape schools?

The CGPS should continue to follow the recommendations of the PHC.

• Even after the end of the pandemic, do you see remotely delivered (virtual) education continuing in some form and has the landscape for teaching permanently changed as a result of COVID-19?

If we continue with in-person learning, replacing the Edgenuity program will be essential to increase the students' success.

• Governor Parson withheld $123 million from Missouri K-12 education for the budget year that began July 1. State funding for education is down. In what ways can CGPS respond in an atmosphere of reduced state funding?

I would ask these questions: Where can the CGPS budget be trimmed? How can other resources be increased?

• Miscellaneous comments?

Often parents feel like the School Board is an unapproachable entity that simply puts out information about decisions already made without meaningful parent or community input. I want to change that stigma so parents can get involved with their child's education beyond the classroom.

Note: Edgenuity is the online learning platform used in the Tigers@Home program by Cape Girardeau's secondary students.