In the April 7 Pettis County Municipal election, voters will be asked to vote for three of four candidates for Smithton R-VI Board of Education.
Incumbent Devin Gaspard, newcomer Adam Gerke, newcomer Jamey Kroeger and incumbent Dennis Steele are running in the race.
Answers were limited to 150 words and have only been edited for grammar, clarity and punctuation.
Why are you running?
Gaspard: I am running for the Smithton Board of Education because I want to be a voice for our students and our families. With two young children in our school and a wife who works on staff, I see exactly what’s happening in our classrooms every day. My goal is simple: I want to make sure my children, and yours, get a solid education in a positive environment. I want to help our school continue the daily successes that make Smithton a special place to live.
Gerke: My interest in this position really is attributed to my connections to the district. I have close ties to the school being a 2010 Alumni, a spouse who teaches at Smithton and family who attends the school. Smithton has always had a strong reputation as a quality school, and I would be grateful to have the chance to work to keep that reputation for the district and contribute in any way possible. I have spent a lot of time in the education system as a whole extending beyond K-12 and would hope to bring new ideas and perspectives to continue to contribute to excellence in the district. I believe that excellence in education is an invaluable asset to communities and is one of the most important pieces to set people up for success after K-12 education, no matter their path.
Kroeger: I have deep ties to the Smithton community as a long-time resident and business owner. I, along with our three children, graduated from Smithton School, and we now have grandchildren living in the district. I am running to serve the community and to do what I can to ensure the school is successful.
Steele: To continue to serve and improve the district for our students, faculty, administration and community.
What are your qualifications?
Gaspard: I’m a 2001 Smithton graduate, and my family has always been deep-rooted in this district. My mother served our community as both a teacher and a board member, and one of my three younger brothers are proud alumni as well. For over 20 years, I’ve worked in the sales industry. That career has taught me how to handle budgets and marketing, but more importantly, it taught me how to listen to people and build relationships. Between my professional background and my time spent volunteering, I want to help protect the reputation of our small-town school. If elected, I will work hard to ensure our graduates leave Smithton ready to succeed and give back to society.
Gerke: My qualifications for this position really lie within my experience in leadership and time spent on other boards. I am currently serving or have served on multiple other boards and committees and have an understanding of working as a team to be able to achieve what is best for the situation at hand. I prefer to accumulate details and information to be able to make well rounded and informed decisions. I value taking information from multiple sources to see all perspectives. I have worked and still work in leadership settings in life and at work that have given me skills in regards to communication, responsible finances, and information management. These will be important in helping the board make impactful decisions while being able to listen to all parties involved and be able to work towards the best solution that ultimately affects learning of the students.
Kroeger: My wife and I have owned and operated a successful local business for more than 36 years. I understand how to manage budgets and make decisions based on evolving data and information. I am also mechanically inclined and believe I can be an asset in the area of facility management decisions. I have spent the last several months serving on the long-range facility plan committee and am the only candidate who participated in all of the campus walk through meetings, so I am very familiar with the plan as well as issues that need to be addressed.
Steele: I have been a Smithton Board of Education member since 2017. I have learned a lot in that time about how a BOE works, governs, adopts policies. I have many years of experience working with the public and with employees, managing projects, and working on budgets. I have been the board treasurer for the past 3 years.
What would be your top priorities in office?
Gaspard: I currently serve on the Smithton Alumni Committee, the Smithton Youth Sports Program, and the Smithton Fair Board. These roles give me the chance to sit down with parents, teachers, and neighbors to talk plainly about our school's future. Our community is full of hardworking people who care, and there are great things happening in our halls every day. To keep our school moving in the right direction, we need to focus on supporting our teachers. We need to keep our good staff here and make sure they have the tools they need to do their jobs well. Taking care of our school; we must keep our buildings and facilities in good shape for our students. Getting kids involved; I want to encourage students to take part in sports and clubs. It builds character and keeps our community strong.
Gerke: One of the biggest things that I would want to provide in the position is to be a resource and listening ear for the students, staff, teachers, and community. Open, constructive communication is important to growth and I want all of the above to be able to bring concerns and feedback to allow impact to be made. I prioritize making thoughtful decisions that all keep the best interest of students in mind while realizing that the district serves a wide variety of students. The district has many great programs in place and I want to see students successful in these at all levels. Overall, I want to be an advocate for the district, the students, the teachers and staff so that every decision can have as positive of an impact as possible.
Kroeger: Education has to be our number one priority. Extra-curriculars are great, and I am supportive of those as well, but students need a strong academic foundation to succeed long-term. I would also like to see the school offer more exposure to trade skills to prepare students who might do well in the trade industry.
Steele: Safety of our students and all staff. Wages. Campus Improvements indoors and outdoors. Building on our teaching strategies to improve test scores and prepare our students for their future after Smithton R-VI.
What goals do you have for office if you are elected?
Gaspard: Looking forward, if re-elected to the board I will stay focused on open communication and a positive culture for our district. ‘Once a Tiger, always a Tiger’ isn’t just a saying to me; it’s a promise to help our school grow and stay strong for the next generation.
Gerke: As was one of my priorities, communication would be an important goal to me. As with many things, how entities function can sometimes feel unclear and confusing. I would like to be an asset to try to bridge that gap with the community and all involved. I think continuing to collaborate and educate with all involved would really be beneficial. I don’t enter situations with the assumption that I know best or have all the answers. My main goal in this position would be to contribute in a way that leaves a positive change for students for years and years from now. In the education system some decisions can have effects for long periods, and I take that seriously.
Kroeger: I would like to do a budget analysis to determine if there are any areas that the school could be more efficient, as I understand the need to be good stewards of our community’s tax dollars. I would like to explore more grant opportunities to find ways to make improvements without raising taxes. I also hope to bring ideas and suggestions from the community, as I am out working in the area and speaking with a variety of people daily.
Steele: My goals, if elected, are to accomplish what I have said in my list of priorities. I don't have any other agendas.
Why vote for me?
Gaspard: I am asking for your vote because I care about our school’s history and its future. You can tell there’s a real sense of pride continuing to grow in our hallways, and it shows in the work our kids and teachers are doing. It means a lot to me that my kids are growing up in the same school I did, and I enjoy hearing their stories about what they learned and the teachers who help them every day. I am ready to continue working hard for our teachers, our students, and our families. Let’s keep putting in the work to build a bright future for our town together.
Gerke: As mentioned, I think this level of education is so important for growth and development that benefits communities. I value honest, open communication and utilize this to gather information to make educated and informed decisions from multiple avenues and perspectives. I approach anything new that I tackle as an opportunity to learn and grow myself, while also doing my best to make a positive impact through any skills that I have to offer. I would be honored to serve in this position to help our students learn, grow and excel and to maintain the excellence that the Smithton School District is known for.
Kroeger: The school board should be made up of a variety of different backgrounds and ideas that represent the community as a whole. I can offer a new perspective that would be beneficial as decisions are being made. I will be fully committed to the responsibilities that come along with serving on the board and will do my best to research issues as they arise so that I am making the most informed decisions possible.
Steele: I want to continue to be a part of Smithton R-VI. I will do my best to make good decisions on the board that are in the district's best interest as well as everyone here.
Compiled by Chris Howell.
