TWO SQUARE OFF IN CAPE SCHOOL RACE

Open the lines of communication between school officials, parents and the community, say two candidates for the Cape Girardeau Board of Education.

Kathy Swan and Jeff Daniel are seeking a one-year term on the board. Seeking three-year terms are incumbents Ed Thompson and Lyle Davis. They are unopposed.

Voters will decide Tuesday.

Swan, president of Johnson Communications Co., said: "The thing I think is a priority right now and very crucial is an increased need for communication. If we cannot communicate with one another, how can we have an effective school system?

"How can the school board and administration provide the kind of education our community wants? And how can the community and parents understand decisions that are made?"

Daniel works as a consultant for Ken Swinford Insurance in Jackson. He helps develop group health insurance and specialized programs for industry.

He was the head athletic trainer at Southeast Missouri State University for five years, starting in 1984.

"I think probably the most important thing is communication and being informed," Daniel said. "This is a real important issue, particularly in view of the budget cuts and the legislature and how the public perceives schools.

"It's real important that the public gets the information to make decisions and understand."

Swan suggested development of newsletters from principals, administrators or the school board to parents and others as a way of communication.

"I would also like to see open forums a couple of times a year," she said. "Parents, community members, faculty and students could ask questions. A lot have a lot of really good ideas. There is always more than one way of doing a job.

"I think that a lot of things are decided by school board members based on many factors that are out of their control: economic factors and legal ramifications. People do not know those reasons.

"People sometimes hesitate to call or write a letter about what they feel is important," she said.

"I know the school board has voiced a desire to get more community input," she said. "With the budget cuts, there are a lot of concerns on the part of the community and parents. The only way to work through these problems is the communication process."

Swan said: "The growth of our community and the quality of our schools go hand in hand. There needs to be a working relationship with the city council, city business and the school board. We must have attractive, high-quality schools to attract new business."

Swan said the school system has a responsibility to educate students about social problems, including substance abuse and AIDS.

"Some people say substance abuse and AIDS are society's problem," she said. "Yes, this is a social problem, but it infringes upon a child's learning ability. Therefore, we have a responsibility as a school system to help prevent these problems and educate students on these problems. Parents need help."

Swan said serving on the school board is one way she can give back to the community.

"Being a lifelong member of this community and a member of the business community, I have received a lot from Cape Girardeau," she said. "Everyone has an obligation to give something back. It's necessary to make a community work. This is my way of giving back."

Daniel said the recent budget cuts have prompted a lot of interest and attention.

"There seems to be a lot of interest out there," he said. "People are starting to become more involved and they want more information. Now is the time to take that negative and turn it into a positive.

"When people get stirred up real good, then it's time to bring them together. Now it's time to sit down and really talk."

Daniel said when people understand the facts of an issue the decisions are often easier to understand and accept.

Daniel said his background in athletics has given him some skills that would prove useful on the school board. "When you have problems in athletics, you sit down and work it out. I think that applies to any situation.

"One of the things that used to really bother me was when I saw college-age athletes with a tremendous desire to succeed but they didn't have the background to stand on. We need to provide students with a basic education in reading, writing and arithmetic."

Daniel said community and parental involvement is also a key element in successful schools.

"I don't want people in the schools telling teachers how to teach or administrators how to do their job or coaches how to coach.

"But it's important for students to see successful people. And parents can get involved in many different ways.

Daniel said the school system must address issues like drug and alcohol use, teen pregnancy and AIDs. "We need to get all the factions together: the different agencies, the school system and the parents to discuss these problems"

Daniel said it is also important for students to know that teachers, administrators, school board members and parents care about them.

"We do care about them and we want to have programs that will help them in the future."

Swan and her husband, Reg, own Johnson Communications in Cape Girardeau. The company was started by Swan's father in 1959. She also works part time as an infection control nurse at St. Francis Medical Center.

Swan, 1302 Kenwood, has one son, a freshman at Southeast, and one daughter, who is in ninth grade at Central Junior High School.

She is a graduate of Southeast Missouri State University with a bachelor's degree in nursing.

Swan is a member of the Cape Girardeau Chamber of Commerce, Friends of St. Francis, Southeast Hospital Association, Cape Area Personnel Association, Beta Sigma Phi, Sigma Theta Tau International Honorary Society of Nursing, the Copper Dome Society, Southeast Missouri State University Boosters Club, Zonta Club, and St. Vincent de Paul Church Choir. She is past president of the Central High Band Boosters.

Daniel, 1902 Sherwood, earned a bachelor's degree in sports medicine and a master's degree in health administration from Eastern Kentucky University.

He spent 15 years at the university level working as athletic trainer at Southeast, Eastern Kentucky and Austin Peay universities. He came to Cape Girardeau in 1984.

He is a coach with the Cape Youth Tackle Football League, a member of the First Baptist Church, and he helped with the Cape Swim League for a number of years.

"Now I spend most of my time with my family," he said. "Josh, my son, is at the age he needs me, and my other son, Michael Heath, needs me also."

His son, Josh is a seventh-grader at L.J. Schultz Middle School; Michael Heath is 1. His wife, Carol, is the employee health nurse at St. Francis Medical Center.

He has held national, state and local offices with the National Athletic Trainers Association and was president of the Kiwanis Club in Clarksville, Tenn.