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Four Seek School Board Seats at Les Cheneaux
The district also seeks renewal of 18 mills for operation, a levy against non-homestead properties such as second homes, hunting camps, and commercial properties. The millage generates $2,154,907, or 62 percent of the district's $3.5 million operational revenue. The district plans $3.67 million in expenditures this year, and a similar budget next year. Money generated by the 18-mill levy is used only for general fund operational expenditures, including salaries, books, regular education programs, lunch, transportation, and utilities. John Causley Jr. Incumbent John Causley Jr., 57, lives in Hessel with his wife of 19 years, Patricia. He is a Cedarville High School graduate who has been involved with the school district for approximately 30 years. He worked for 14 years as the district's Indian Education Program coordinator, and has served eight years on the Board of Education.
Mr. Causley has lived in the district for 52 years, and as a parent, he said, "My goal was to make or encourage my children to graduate." Among his qualifications for the board, he lists his years of service on the board, 14 years in the school system, and 10 years as chair of the Title VII Indian Education Parent Committee, two years on the Board of Education's building committee, three years on the policy committee, and 10 years of strategic planning. The most important issue facing the district today is the budget deficit. "We need to really look at ways to make cuts that do not impact our children's education, and secure that the door will remain open for our school district," he said. Some of the district's strengths include teachers, administrators, and the Board of Education, he said.
One of the things he would like to help the district improve is its stance on school funding. The district needs to take "a tougher approach in making legislators in Lansing understand the impact they have on our smaller school districts," he said. "We need to have a greater influence on their decisions when it comes to school funding." The community also has to work with the school to bring economic development to the area, because "more jobs mean more families." Regarding preparation for life after graduation, Mr. Causley said the district is fortunate to have a guidance counselor and an area college that supports a workshop and training "to make sure our students are prepared for college or vocational training." David Murray Incumbent candidate David Murray, 57, lives in Cedarville with his wife of 29 years, Carol. Their son, Stephen, is a 1999 graduate of Cedarville High and 2003 graduate of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Their daughter, Sarah, is a 2005 graduate of Cedarville who now attends Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. Their two younger sons, Luke and Isaiah, attend Les Cheneaux Community Schools.
He works as the Community Corrections coordinator for Mackinac, Luce, and Chippewa counties, and is also the Michigan Prisoner Reentry Community Coordinator for the Upper Peninsula. He is a member of Our Lady of the Snows Catholic Church in Hessel, where he has served as a reader, musician, and religious education teacher. Mr. Murray believes his 12 years of experience as a Board of Education member and his teacher education make him a qualified candidate for the board. The teaching courses he took provide him another perspective on education. He has lived in Cedarville since 1988, and has been involved in many community activities over the years, including Frogfest, frog call monitoring, community theater, and editing the Les Cheneaux Historical Association newsletter. His experience with young people includes coaching baseball and football, assisting with high school theater, and announcing football and basketball games. He has also been a substitute teacher.
"Simply put, we are in crisis," he said of the budget. "Our student population is declining. The state's poor economy threatens the finances of all schools and the future of our young people. We must find new ways to manage our money, to spend our money wisely, to make our system efficient. We ought to be tapping the community not only for their support, but also for their insights, experience, and business perspectives." Mr. Murray suggests taking a broader picture of where the district is headed, or "how we impact the local economy and how the local economy impacts us." He suggested sharing the cost of more school services with other districts or with the Intermediate School District.
"Some say the state will not see an improved economy for two to three more years. Others say it may take a decade before the state's economy is healthy again," he said. "In the meantime, we have young people who rely on us for a quality education. We have people who need the jobs we provide. More the reason we need to engage the community to work with us." Regarding quality education, Mr. Murray said it is paramount not just to financial success, but also to life. "The world of work has changed. The simple job isn't there anymore. We must continue to explore ways to enhance the education we provide with the limited resources we have," he said. "Technology can provide access to information, but we must find ways to keep up to date on technology and maintain the technology we have. We must explore avenues of education that support local employment opportunities, such as retail, construction, tourism, and the medical field. We must instill an entrepreneurial spirit within our educational system, and within the classroom." Mr. Murray identified three strengths of the district, including the community, staff, and small school character. He cited a $21 million donation from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to Chicago Public Schools as an example of someone investing in efforts of public schools like Les Cheneaux. "The support of families and neighbors here is unparalleled," he said. "Their support and encouragement for the young people is great, and I believe they want to do even more." The Les Cheneaux Community Schools staff, he said, promotes excellence. "From music to sports, from wood shop to the arts, our staff works hard to develop excellence, and the results are clear," he said. One district improvement he suggested is better relations with the community, area businesses, and the region. "I would like to see us enhance the rural strength we have as 'good neighbors,'" he said. He thinks the board could also encourage more pride in school facility and grounds. "The school is the most used facility in the community," he said. "What can we do to make it more user friendly, more culturally attractive, more inviting to all? How can we create an atmosphere that exudes a sense of excellence, mission, and accomplishment?" The district also could improve its technology, he said. "Our computers are aging," he said, and he questioned how the district can update the technological tools that students will be using daily. He hopes the district considers how it can enhance the classroom and internal activities through improved technology and how to expand educational offerings and entrepreneurial opportunities. The board should explore funding opportunities for new and improved technology. Regarding preparation for postsecondary education, Mr. Murray said most of the district's students who go on to college succeed. "However, many of those also comment that they felt unprepared for the workload that college demands. I think we need to address that shortcoming by elevating and increasing the level of reading, research, and writing, especially in the senior year," he said. "While it is the end of their school experience here, for all our students, it is only the beginning of the rest of their lives. We need to send them off strongly prepared." Students must also be adequately prepared for life, he said, because not all students will go to college. The district must ensure students get a rigorous preparation for the work world, especially because of the poor labor market and the kind of jobs available in the area. "By integrating a business and entrepreneurial aspect within the classroom, we provide skills that students can use anywhere," he said. "By developing a business class, we give some students the impetus to possibly start their own business and stay within the area." Melinda "Mindi" Chisholm Mrs. Chisholm lives in Cedarville with her husband, Joe, and daughter, Jordan, 11, a sixth grade student at Les Cheneaux Community Schools. She is 36 years old, and is a Cedarville High School graduate. She attended three years of college. She works as a media clerk at Les Cheneaux Community Library in Cedarville. Her community involvement has included assisting with her daughter's athletic teams and events. Mrs. Chisholm believes she is a good candidate for the Board of Education because she is a parent, and "I am committed, I have an interest in education, I am willing to speak up, and I have an open mind." The most important issue to the district now is funding, she said. She believes the district's strengths are its teachers, and that the school needs to improve funding "so we can keep our teachers." "There are always strengths and weaknesses to everything, she said, "but we can't improve everything at once." When asked if the district is doing a good job of preparing students for college, she said, "I believe that the better question is 'Are we preparing our students for the future?'" Not all students graduated from high school will go to college, she explained. "So we need to make sure that we look at making improvements that will benefit both types of students," Mrs. Chisholm said. "I believe that we have changed things for the better, but we need to continue." Ronda McGreevy Ronda McGreevy, 47, is the owner and operator of Great Turtle Cake Company and branch manager of Les Cheneaux Community Library in Cedarville. She also teaches piano and voice at Sault Theater Arts Resource Studios in Sault Ste. Marie. She earned a bachelor's degree in music from Western Michigan University, and a master's degree in library science from Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant. She is also a Michigan certified music and library media specialist for kindergarten through 12th grades. She and her husband, Ed, and their son, Ian, live in Cedarville, where Ian is an eighth grade student at Les Cheneaux Community Schools. She co-chairs the Clark Township Bike Path Committee, is on the Les Cheneaux Community Foundation board, is a private tutor and music instructor, and is co-facilitator of the Cedarville Middle School Honors Book Club. She has also been a substitute teacher at Les Cheneaux Community Schools. Among her qualifications for school board, she names extensive training and experience in the school improvement process. She was previously a member of the Traverse City Central Senior High School Improvement Team, and was a facilitator of the Mackinac Island School Improvement Team. She has taken two levels of school improvement training courses, and was able to implement her education on those teams. "I am passionate about learning, and believe that a focus on academic achievement must come first," she said. "As a teacher, I have a thorough understanding of the complex factors that influence the school community and believe that comprehensive strategic planning is a vital component of an effective school." Decreased funding and dwindling population are the toughest issues the district faces, she said. beyond what is typically provided. Additionally, the teachers work very well together. They communicate well and share their educational resources." The St. Ignace Area schools does well preparing students for college, she added. Mrs. Campbell cited the school's curriculum, which she said ensures that students take courses necessary for college. "The kids are counseled early on and assisted in making the correct course choices based on their future educational plans," she said. Sean Arthur Sean Arthur, 36, is a 1988 graduate of Mackinac Island Public School. Originally from Detroit, she spent time on Mackinac Island as a child, where her great-aunt and uncle, Stubby and Mary Bloomfield, owned Mary's Pantry, later named the French Outpost and now called The Gate House. She moved to St. Ignace in 1992, where she lives with her husband, Paul, and their three children, Matthew, 15, Mackenzie, 9, and Joshua, 6. Having children in elementary and high school has enabled Mrs. Arthur to get to know the district's volunteers, teachers, and administrators, which she said will help her make wise board decisions. "I try to spend as much time at school as possible," she added, and volunteers frequently at school events. Having children of various ages enrolled in the district has allowed her to learn school policies firsthand, such as disciplinary measures for young and older children, and details regarding school functions. Staying familiar with rules for students at all levels would be harder for people without children in school, she said. Mrs. Arthur has made a special project of attending kindergarten functions, such as Family Fun Night Tuesday, March 27. Keeping the school's budget balanced while maintaining strong programs is one of the district's most important issues, she said. Mrs. Arthur is particularly interested in the district's athletic and music programs, which she feels are important aspects of student development. All of her own children are involved in music and sports. One of the district's strengths is the addition of the PowerSchool program, she said. This enables students and parents to use the Internet to monitor grades throughout the year. Mrs. Arthur believes self-monitoring is helping students become more accountable for their efforts. Mrs. Arthur feels the district's main strength is its staff. "Having great teachers really helps," she told The St. Ignace News. She is particularly impressed that the district employs art and music teachers. This enables the district to focus on such disciplines, which she said helps mold children, while allowing classroom teachers to focus on academics. Citing research gleaned from LaSalle High School Band Director Jason Byma, she pointed out that students involved in music tend to do better on standardized tests. Athletic and sports programs keep kids busy in healthy ways, helping them stay out of trouble, she added. Sports provide a good way for students to learn discipline, and provide an incentive for high school students to maintain decent grades. If presented with potential budget cuts, Mrs. Arthur said she needs to gain experience on the board before she will know how much emphasis she will place on maintaining art, music, and sports programs. "Foremost, kids have to be educated," she said. "In a perfect world, I'd like [all district programs] to stay just as they are." New state requirements mandating more English and mathematics courses for graduation will help better prepare St. Ignace students for college, she added. Outgoing school board member Andy Brown said his service on the board has been a "very good experience," and he enjoyed working with others on the board. "Over the years, there have been times when we had to make tough decisions," he said. He is not leaving his position for any particular reason, but, "After eight years, I am ready to be done," he said, "and I'm sure the two new board members will do an excellent job." |
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