CANDIDATES FOR PEA RIDGE SCHOOL BOARD

PEA RIDGE — What expertise or skills will you bring to the board? What are your qualifications for this position?

Cato: With my experience as an attorney, accountant, prior service on an educational related non-profit board (American Indian College Fund) and other non-profit boards and an officer of the world’s largest retailer, including the first Chief Ethics Officer, I have the necessary skills and expertise to be a strategic asset to the Pea Ridge School Board. I bring a diverse set of skills, expertise and thought to the school board.

I am a taxpayer in the district with a child on every campus.

Keller: Honestly, I may not be the most qualified for the position. I don’t have a law degree like my opponent, and I haven’t been actively involved in the past due to the many demands on my time and resources. What I am is a parent, just like many who will be reading my responses here in the paper. I want to ensure that my children, and the children of my friends and neighbors in Pea Ridge, continue to receive the best education we can offer them, in a safe atmosphere that encourages learning and prepares them for life outside of the Pea Ridge school district. I have spent 25 years working in corporate America, learning to accomplish many things through the collaborative work of the team, rather than furthering the agenda of a single person or entity. We need to engage parents and students in a dialog to determine what works, what doesn’t work, and how we can work together to ensure our children are set up for success beyond the four walls of the school they attend.

What do you believe the issues are in this year’s School Board race?

Cato: The issues in this year’s School Board race are the same as those that I have already mentioned in answers to the other questions. I am excited to see that there are two female candidates running for school board. I applaud any parent for wanting to be involved with their children’s education, including participation in the School Board race.

Keller: The issues should always be the education of our children and providing them opportunities to be all they can be.

In a small district like Pea Ridge, we have a real opportunity to get to know all of our kids on a personal level. We can utilize their strengths and develop them in areas of weakness, preparing them to go on to higher education and successful careers. We have to start this process early, with their first experiences in school, with positive reinforcement and accountability for their actions so they look forward to learning. As well, we have to look forward to the growth of the school district. We continue to see new families move into Pea Ridge, and engaging these new students and their parents in the learning process will ensure we continue to grow in reputation and ability.

A parent approached me recently about my views on using the schools’ athletic facilities for pee wee/little league practices and games. Having used some of the facilities in the past, I wasn’t aware that there was a conflict, however this parent indicated they had requested use of one of the school gymnasiums only to be told they weren’t able to because they didn’t take care of it. We need to work through these issues by building partnerships with our parents, allowing them access but holding them accountable for leaving the facilities in the same condition they find them. These are our kids, the students who represent Pea Ridge in these pee wee leagues around northwest Arkansas, and providing them access to practice facilities only helps to enhance our reputation as one that appreciates and encourages our kids to take part andtake pride in their school district.

What are your views on equality of funding and facilities for various athletic programs - i.e. football, basketball, volleyball, cheer, golf, track, cross country?

Cato: I am a firm believer in equality of funding and equality of opportunity for all students’ activities, even those outside of athletics.

Keller: In all honesty, I’m not entirely clear on this question or the issues surrounding it. If we are considering the equality of funding between the different athletic programs Pea Ridge supports, I believe that we have to consider the interests of our students along with the support each sport receives from the community. Should we limit funding on one sport simply because it doesn’tbring in as much money as another? My opinion is no, because the requirements upon athletes to perform at certain skill levels in some sports, accompanied by the availability of the program to all who wish to participate, may necessitate a more selective process for determining who plays andwho doesn’t. At the same time, a sport that doesn’t garner the same attention or support as football, for example, may produce an athlete who excels to a level that attracts the attention and respect typically reserved for the more visible program. Our facilities should be open to all athletes, regardless of the sport, and we should look for ways to incorporate more than a single sport into the design and development of new venues.

What do you see as the biggest challenges to the school district in the next five years? How can you help the board meet these challenges?

Cato: The first big challenge is facing the economic challenges of doing more with less. A second big challenge is keeping up with ever increasing federal and state demands and requirements. A third big challenge is serving the diverse population growth in northwest Arkansas, that expands to Pea Ridge schools. A fourth challenge is the development of a strategic plan to replace the final outdated Pea Ridge campus.

With my previous experience of as an attorney, accountant and an officer of the world’s largest retailer, I am not only familiar with all of these issues but I have also developed strategic plans to address these types of issues. For example, I’ve developed strategic plans and successfully implemented those plans in challenging economic times on relatively small budgets while at the same time ensuring compliance with state and federal laws.

Keller: Our challenges will be to keep up with the growth of our district, retaining the best and most qualified teachers, and the demands being placed on students to become more technologically savvy.

School districts are installing computer labs and implementing classes that prepare students to enter the workforce more technologically advanced than my generation ever imagined. Social networking, smart phone technology, computers and softwaredevelopment are the fastest growing industries in the world, and identifying kids with an aptitude for technology, and providing them with access to advanced learning opportunities in these fields, will set our district up for incremental growth and success going forward. Building a reputation for a district with an eye to the future will enable us to continue to attract and retain motivated educators who desire the opportunity to instruct students in these highly visible and demanding industries.

As well, we have an obligation to ensure that we are providing the incentive to remain in the district long term through competitive pay, continuing education and other programs that enrich the teaching experience to our entire staff.

---

The Pea Ridge School Board seat is a five-year term. The School Board meets on the second Monday of the month. The election is Sept. 21.