JACKSON BOARD HOPEFULS VIEW CLASS SIZES

JACKSON -- Reduced elementary school class sizes, a hands-off attitude toward the legislature, and an emphasis on teaching the basics were among the goals outlined Monday by the nine candidates running for the Jackson school board.

The candidates, running for three open seats, aired their views in a candidate forum at the R.O. Hawkins Junior High School library. About 40 people attended the forum sponsored by the American Business Women's Association and moderated by Pearla Murphy.

The candidates include two incumbents, Darrell Hanschen and Dr. T. Wayne Lewis; and Mark Martin, Kelle A. Lane, David L. Seabaugh, Vicky McDowell, Wendy Hayes, Robert E. Francis and Charles Englehart.

Lewis, who has served two terms on the school board, expressed a concern for the students in the system above all else.

"The whole process is for the kids," Lewis said. "It is our responsibility to provide a program to use the talents of each student and provide a medium for them to learn living skills."

Lewis also emphasized the importance of communication between the community and legislators especially when education methods and funding are involved.

"Please do understand that everything you say to your legislators is important," Lewis said. "Every one of us can make a difference."

Hanschen, who has three children in the Jackson school system, advocated a sharing of ideas, information and sentiments between parents, teachers, the school board and local legislators.

"I believe that we are providing the best education possible for our students with the money we have," Hanschen said. "But there exists that need to get our legislators as involved as possible with the system."

Hanschen also believes strongly that class sizes in grades K-3 should be lowered to provide a more better learning environment for the students.

"With proper direction in the lower grades, we can eliminate many of the problems we see occur down the road," Hanschen said.

Martin delineated three basic ingredients for a quality education: dedicated teachers, actively involved parents, and a proper environment for learning. "The controlling factor is money," he said.

Martin said the state must address the future funding of education if the system is to move ahead, but also believes that the state should stay out of social issues facing the schools.

"Legislators should not tell us what to teach or how to teach it," Martin said. "But the government does need to come up with funding to accommodate the entire system."

Lane stuck to the principle of the APPLE plan Active Parents Produce Limitless Educators. If elected, she wants to implement the program on a strictly volunteer basis "to start the basics of education in the home."

"The end result of this kind of program would be a productive community," Lane said. "Parents who parent allow educators to educate."

Lane believes the everyday preparedness of students rests on the shoulders of the parents.

Seabaugh pressed the issue of seeing Jackson maintain a level tax base while allowing for the best education possible for its students.

"It is the General Assembly that should be looking for funds to improve all the schools in Missouri," Seabaugh said. "But the education the curriculum is part of the school's infrastructure and should be left to the discretion of the school board."

McDowell advocated increasing teachers' salaries if at all possible.

"I've talked to several teachers over the past few weeks," she said. "All of them have addressed curriculum, class size and new buildings; not one of them raised the issue of salaries.

"These are some wonderful, dedicated, talented people we have working in this system," she continued. "I don't think we should make it tempting for them to leave because we can't afford to pay them."

Hayes believes strongly in the educational welfare of every student within the system.

"I believe being a member of the school board is the highest form of community service anyone can perform," Hayes said. "It would be my commitment to work with the parents and the students to keep every door open for our children and to gear the students for the challenges of the future."

Francis said that his foremost goal is improving education in the classroom and through extracurricular activities.

"I would like to see the math and science programs within the schools strengthened," Francis said. "Those are the core classes in which students must perform well to gain admittance to colleges and universities; it's what makes them marketable."

Englehart feels the duties of a school board member are not only to hire capable and qualified teachers and administrators, but to oversee the practical implementation of special programs and policies set by the board.

"I am interested in local control," he said. "I don't want our policies being set by people in Jefferson City who know nothing about our areas, our schools."

All the candidates agreed that the proposed middle school is a must and encouraged all voters to pass the bond issue April 6.