Perry County School Board race sees crowded field

Four candidates, including two incumbents and two challengers, are vying for two posts on the Perry County School Board.

Incumbents Kevin Bachmann and Mark Gremaud are facing challenges from newcomers Mary Bauwens and Lara Green during the April 7 election.

Bachmann, a Perry County farmer, has served four terms on the school board.

Bachmann decided to run for school board when three of his four children were attending the school district, he said. They all have since graduated, but he hopes to continue serving the district.

When asked what the board has accomplished during his terms, Bachmann said members have seen less turnover in staff and have carefully handled the district's funds during the economic downturn.

Lara Green

With a tighter budget, the district has cut back on building maintenance, he said, and another challenge that remains is crowding in classrooms.

"Overcrowding has been an issue for nearly the whole time I've been on the board," he said. "It's becoming a bigger issue as time goes on."

This also is the first school year the district has operated its own fleet of buses instead of having a contract with Meyer Bus Lines Inc. Bachmann said work still needs to be done by the board to ensure transportation is operating smoothly.

Gremaud, owner of Gremaud Farms, is completing his first term on the board.

Gremaud said he enjoys serving, and "I am also someone who is not afraid to speak up and voice my opinion and the opinion of those who have elected me."

Kevin Bachmann

The biggest challenge facing the district, he said, is the lack of space with a growing student population.

"We need to get our classroom sizes smaller," he said, adding that some classes have more than 25 students.

Some of the board's accomplishments during his term, he said, include technology improvements, resurfacing the track and adding air conditioning to the gymnasium.

"As a school board member representing my community, I try not to make decisions without investigating all options and speaking with parties involved," he said. "I try to make decisions based on what is best for the students of District 32."

Bauwens, director of the Perryville Higher Education Center, worked for the school district for 17 years. It is her first time running for school board.

With 29 years of experience in education, Bauwens said she is well qualified to serve as a board member.

"My experience as an administrator, professional development trainer, technology coordinator, college adviser, adjunct professor and classroom teacher gives me a firm foundation to be a part of planning the education of our children," she said.

She also said the district outgrowing its facilities is a top concern.

"Our enrollment is at an all-time high," she said. "I know it would take a lot of community support to do something. It's an issue that really needs to be looked it."

Bauwens said she would take a lot of time weighing options before making major decisions on the board.

"I know how important the decisions are that are made by the local school board and how they immediately affect the lives of our students, as well as our parents and the community," she said.

Lara Green, who has done volunteer work for the school and worked as an aid for one year at the elementary, also is running for school board for the first time.

Green said she was encouraged by friends and family, and if elected, she would do the best job she could for students.

Green also said the schools need expansion and repairs.

"Besides that, I would just like to see a little bit more positive reinforcement with teachers," she said. "I'd also like to see more parent participation in the school. I think that's very important and would make a big difference, not just for parents but the students themselves."

Green has an eighth-grader, a seventh-grader and a third-grader attending the district.

"I'm an advocate for our school," she said. "I'm very passionate about their education, and I think every child should get the best education that they can."

klamb@semissourian.com

388-3639

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