The Cole Camp R-1 School District has three candidates running for two open seats on their School Board. Each seat will be for a three-year term.
Incumbents Marty Doogs and Zach Lutjen have filed to run, as has newcomer Pamela Eckhoff.
Each school board candidate was asked about why they wished to run for office, what they see the role of the board as, and what their vision is for the school and Cole Camp community.
What motivates you to want to become a board member?
Marty Doogs: When my kids were young, I wanted to be more than just an involved parent in my children’s education. I decided to run for School Board to think bigger picture and so I could be a part of shaping the future of their education. As my kids have grown older and graduated, I have continued to enjoy helping guide our District in the pursuit of an excellent education for our students. I believe our school operates very well and I feel honored to have represented the patrons of the District for 18 years. It would be a privilege to remain sitting at the table and continuing to help the District excel.
Zach Lutjen: It has been shown that teachers make over 1,500 decisions in a day. As a former teacher, I know a lot of those decisions are made on the spot, in the moment. Being a voice for teachers, coming from someone who has spent over 13 years in a classroom is important for me. If our teachers are heard and feel understood and valued, then that will show in the classrooms. Students of course are our priority, but having teachers that feel safe, supported, and believed in, to me, is the biggest step, and first step, in the success of our students.
Pamela Eckhoff: I see a number of pediatric (school aged) children, teachers and administration in clinic and am very involved in this community. I also have children that attend the school and realize the importance that having a strong community and board behind its administration and teachers is to the success of our children.
What do you see as the board’s role and responsibilities?
Doogs: The basic role of the Board is to establish policies for the District and to hire the best Admin team possible to carry out these policies. With strong leadership present, the district will be in a position to hire, mentor, and develop quality staff. With that entire team in place, it enables us to maintain the top tier facility that Cole Camp has become. I believe the Board has the duty to be fiscally responsible to the taxpayers of the District and ensure our school is providing the best education possible within the budget constraints. The Board can also be the link between ideas originating from District patrons and changes in how the District operates.
Lutjen: A huge part of the board is there to help make tough decisions and assist with budgeting; however, we are also here for the little things too. We are the HR of the community to the school. We should be approachable members of the community, that are willing to listen and see all sides. We are the open lines of communication, and we are here to celebrate things
the school is doing that is great, and to check in on things that are concerning.
Eckhoff: I see the school boards roles and responsibilities in several different aspects. The board ultimately is responsible for insuring that district policies and procedures benefit and promote student education so that students are prepared academically to further their education after graduation or prepared to enter the work force as a productive member of society. Other responsibilities I see as the boards role are preparing for changes and setting goals in district academics for the district to achieve, advocating for teachers and leaders in the district, setting budgets for and strategically utilizing resources for successful district implementation of education and district activities, monitoring progress of the implementation of educational goals set for the children of the district. I also believe that members of the boards should be responsible for being forward thinking about the future of the district, having a vision and goals for the district, having and maintaining good relationships with people in the district and community.
How would you handle the requests, if approached, of an individual? (Example: Someone asks you to consider a gifted program to the curriculum.)
Doogs: The first step is to LISTEN to the individual to fully understand, respect, and appreciate the request. Discuss their request, then advise them of the appropriate chain of command to begin the process. Inform the Superintendent of the request so it can be relayed to the appropriate Administrator. This enables everyone to be aware so there are no surprises. It could be discussed at the Board level if it is something that is already under consideration and/or added to the agenda of our next strategic planning meeting to discuss further implementation. Noteworthy changes are not something that happen overnight. Starting new programs takes significant planning to ensure they are done correctly and can be a viable addition to the District.
Lutjen: Of course this would depend upon the circumstance of the request, however in most instances, I would recommend the individual use the appropriate guidelines and process for submitting a request to the board. As a member of the board, you have to appreciate the appropriate resources that need to be utilized prior to send an issue to the board. For example, if a parent were having an issue with a classroom teacher or process, I would encourage them to first reach out to the teacher to resolve the issue. If they need further assistance, I would encourage them to reach out to the principal or proper administrator to resolve the issue at the appropriate level. Of course, if there were ongoing issues or if the issue was policy driven that required a change to be considered, I would have them come to a board meeting or submit the proper request.
Eckhoff: I would ask for as much information regarding the request, and encourage the community member to gather that information and bring it to the next board meeting, obviously it is something I would bring up as well, but hearing from the community member who has the desire, it will be best hearing it from them, and having a board would open up more knowledge, feedback and also give the opportunity to see if the request is a feasible one that will be beneficial to the majority of our students.
What is your vision for education in this community?
Doogs: To provide the best, overall, well-rounded education possible. To assist our students in the development of academic physical, intellectual and social skills to effectively navigate live. These skills build a solid foundation for them to be successful in whatever they choose to do after graduation, whether that be college, trade school, military or the work force. We cannot be solely focus on any specific area of the education world (sports, fine arts, college bound students, etc.). We must consider all facets available to develop well-versed individuals to lead our community into the future. The Board must operate and make all decisions based on the question, “Is this what is best for the student of our District and is this necessary to provide a quality, well-rounded education?” I believe curriculum and policies should be a local decision and not dictated by what is happening in larger metropolitan areas outside our District or state. Governing decisions should be made by the District, for the District.
Lutjen: Growing up in a rivalry community, Cole Camp was always considered Elite, academically, athletically. All the way around. Students were involved, and community spirit always appeared very high. My vision is for CC to be in the top 3 school districts academically. For our athletes to perform with dignity, and a high level of sportsmanship, to have a student section that is involved and proud, and to foster that school pride throughout the community.
Eckhoff: My goal for the education of this community is to provide resources and support for educators to have the tools to teach our children the necessary education to be successful throughout their lifetime after they graduate.
Do board members/the board have a role in the day-to-day operation of the district? Can you/should you support a board decision that you are not in favor of?
Doogs: The Board is responsible for setting the policies and framework that are used to operate on a daily basis, but should not be actively involved in the day-to-day activities. It is the Board’s responsibility to put the best possible Admin team in place who will then hire the most qualified staff available. The Admin team and staff are the experts in educating our students and this should be respected by the Board. It must always be remembered, that unless authorized to act on behalf of the Board as a whole, board members do not have any individual authority to act as a school official. Their authority is only present when operating as a Board. The time and place for disagreement or discussion is at the Board table. Once a vote is taken and the decision is made, the Board, as a whole, needs to support that decision moving forward. If a vote passes or fails 7-0 or 4-3 or somewhere in between, once the vote is completed, the decision has been made, and the Board needs to support that as a unified group. If new information is presented, the issue can be reconsidered with the potential of another vote occurring. Openly arguing for or against an issue after the vote has been recorded will only bring division to the Board and ultimately to the District.
Lutjen: Board members should not have a role in the day-to-day operation, we have hired the correct administration for that. We are there to help if they need it.
Eckhoff: I believe that the administration, teachers, and staff of the school have the biggest influence on the day-to-day operation of the school. However, the school board should support them by providing guidelines/policies and structure to maximize their effectiveness.
What do you see as the current challenges facing our district? How should those challenges be addressed?
Doogs: Today, one of the biggest challenges in all business sectors is finding the best qualified candidates and being competitive with salaries and benefits that will bring them to the team. Once we find the best candidates, we want to retain them. Both the Board and Admin should be willing to think outside the box when filling positions and be flexible, to the extent possible. As a District, the salary schedules and benefits need to be routinely monitored and adjusted when able, to make sure we are playing competitive with area districts to retain quality staff. I also believe we should regularly evaluate the educational and extracurricular offerings we have in our district to make sure we are providing current and applicable information to our students while serving the greatest number of student possible. Everything stated in this answer is depend on adequate funding being available, which is the underlying challenge to all actions a school district takes in the pursuit of providing a quality education.
Lutjen: Our current challenges are state and federal funding. Our job is to make sure that our funding is being utilized in the best way possible, and at the same time giving our student’s new opportunities that they have not had in the past (more hands-on classes).
Eckhoff: I think, as I have encountered many instances of this in my practice, is the ability to support and guide the children of the district with limited knowledge of some of the children’s backgrounds and home environment, as well as limited resources for the district to utilize.
