Joseph Carlson, 34, is a native of Hampton, Ark., and a graduate of Waxahachie, Texas, High School. He joined the U.S. Navy after high school graduation, and later joined the Army National Guard then served two tours in Iraq. He is a disabled veteran from injuries sustained when a rocket exploded near him. He recently graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in American history. He has worked as a security guard. He said he hopes to earn his doctorate and teach American history at a university. Carlson is the chairman of the Pea Ridge Parks Commission. He and his wife, Crystal, have three children: Alexis, 14, a freshman at Pea Ridge High School; Michael, 10, a fifth-grade student at Pea Ridge Intermediate School; and Julia, 8, a third-grade student at the Intermediate School.
Jeff Cato, 44, is a native of Pine Bluff and graduated from Sheridan High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Arkansas in 2011. He is currently the senior manager material handling expert, a position he's held for about four months. He has worked for Walmart fo three years and in the engineering field since 1992. The Catos moved to Pea Ridge in 1994. He and his wife, Ann, have four children: Chattin, a 2014 graduate of PRHS and a freshman at UofA; Curry, 17, a senior at PRHS; Harrison, 12, an eighth-grade student at Pea Ridge Middle School; and Heather, 11, a sixth-grade student at the Middle School. Ann Cato is president of the Pea Ridge School Board.
School election
Tuesday, Sept. 16
John Dye, 37, a native of Seligman, Mo., graduated from Southwest High School in Washburn and then Southwest Baptist University in Boliver with a bachelor's in accounting. He is a certified public accountant with Coffman and Company and owner of Dye Hard's Gym in Pea Ridge. He and his wife, Bobbie Jo, have three children: Kamree, 10, a fifth-grade student in the Intermediate School; Jace, 7, a second-grade student at Pea Ridge Primary School; and Gannon, 3.
Have you ever attended a School Board meeting?
Carlson: No, but I never attended a Parks Commission meeting before being chairman.
Cato: Yes, four; there have been several I've had interest in -- the direction they were moving toward in cheer coach and the technical academy.
Dye: No
Why are you running for School Board?
Carlson: Because education is starting to take a fundamental turn in the world today with Common Core, electronic media being used ... I want us to be able to provide the best education possible with the funds we have. I want to maintain the drive and influence Pea Ridge schools have always had. Pea Ridge is ranked number six; that's a great thing. I want to make sure we're on the continuing path. Most of my leadership comes from the military. That's invaluable experience.
Cato: I have a big interest in the development of the technical academy and want to be sure it gets the proper kickoff. As a school district, there are a lot of things going on right now. One of those being parental engagement and communication from the schools. Some things are not publicized to their fullest. I want to make sure, too, that we're cultivating an environment in the school where the parents feel as welcome in the classrooms as they do in the gyms, stadiums and concession stands.
Dye: I want to serve my community and to bring my financial knowledge and skill set to the Board and to help with our quality of education in our school system. I think it's good and continuing to get better. I want to make sure we continue to be cutting edge and advancing a we have been with the new business academy.
How do you envision the role of a School Board member?
Carlson: The superintendent reports to them. They are to make decisions for the benefit of the school.
Cato: It's the voice of the voters, so those voters want to be represented to their superintendent who is directly accountable to the School Board who is holding that superintendent accountable for all things financial, academic, all things that happen and reflect on that school -- security, athletics, how the school interacts with the city, the county ... and how the school district is viewed.
Dye: I think it's hard to know if you haven't done it before, but I've been on other boards and non-profit organizations. I've served on Open Avenues in Rogers for six plus years, I'm their treasurer and financial counsel. You have to be involved, to ask, to be inquisitive enough to know you don't know everything. I want to bring my skill set to help assist.
Do you have a personal agenda?
Carlson: I don't. Anybody should at least come with new ideas to be brought out there. Not every one person can think of everything on their own.
Cato: I really don't. What I'm going to push is growth in what we do -- growth not only in adding stuff, but improving everything we do. I'd like to see a three- to five-year vision.
Dye: No
What do you see as the biggest issue facing the Pea Ridge School District now?
Carlson: Common Core is the biggest issue. Many people I've talked to don't like it and don't want to have anything to do with it. A lot of people are worried that if you take away Common Core, then the school would lose money. I like that they're adding all the new institutions ... but want to make sure they're developing and moving forward, not spreading too thin or neglecting any.
Cato: How we are going to deal with the growth now that school choice is a viable option. I do think we're doing pretty good. We don't need to assume that the solution is to build a new campus. Buying land is a consideration.... getting this tech academy off the ground and getting it where we're getting work-ready citizens when they walk out the door while at the same time not sacrificing the kids who aren't in the academy. I'd like to reach out to the Army and get ROTC here ... and 4H ... the number of kids who show animals ... it's wrong not to have a chapter of 4H. Another point is to make sure we remain a school of the community. We should consider having meetings in Gateway.
Dye: Managing the growth that we've had and will continue to have. We have increased our footprint while continuing to be competitive with our pay, compensation, with our teachers and being able to manage that kind of growth. My mother was a teacher for 35 years and I am very conscious that the backbone of the school is the administration and teachers.
General News on 08/06/2014