Our town’s schools are excellent. This is product of our hard working teachers and administration. It is also directly linked to the efforts of the dedicated members of our school board. With the current school board election already in process, we sought out the four candidates and asked them questions we feel the voters would care about. Here are their responses:
Why are you running for school board?
Kelly Rutledge: I’m a current member of the board. I want to keep doing what’s best for the kids. Whatever is best for the kids is what’s best for the school.
Heather Pleninger: I feel like I work well with the community and school staff. I have a decent financial background. Most importantly, I hold the children that we support as my top priority above all else. It’s honestly an opportunity to share my business and life experience to benefit my community.
Brad Moore: I am a believer that if you want to have a positive influence on any group or organization, one has to get involved instead of sitting on the sidelines. With my long-time experience in public education, I bring a set of skills and knowledge that few people possess. I know what it is like to be a teacher, a school administrator, and a parent of a school age child. Due to my experience, I can be that invaluable resource to help Big Sandy Schools be the very best school they can be.
Anna Bold: As a member of the school board, I will advocate for all the children in our community. I want our kids to have the best experiences possible so they can reach their potential academically and be given the opportunity to express their talents and interests. My four children are benefitting from the education and extra-curricular activities Big Sandy Schools provide. Being a member of the school board is a way for me to help and support our students and staff excel.
What do you hope to accomplish as a member of the school board?
Kelly Rutledge: Get good quality teachers. Education is first.
Heather Pleninger: I would like to refer to a strategy planning meeting that I attended when I was first on the board. The information was good, and I earmarked it as grounds to which I need to stand for when I am serving our youth and the community. It is the Core Values of the Big Sandy Public School.
P. R. I. D. E.
PURPOSEFUL. As a district we are committed to do what is best for our youth and for the community that we serve.
RESPECTFUL. Our district in our community values showing one another respect at all times and being respectful in everything we do.
INSPIRING. We value being role models for our students and inspiring them to reach their full potential.
DETERMINED. As a district and a community, we are strong-willed and will preserve through challenging times and celebrate our successes.
ENCOURAGING. We are a positive encouraging community that believes our youth are the keys to our future success.
Nothing above represents a specific area that I would like to accomplish, but rather the set of values that I will use to accomplish whatever is set forth before me. I am not running for the board with a specific agenda that I want to accomplish, but would rather make all areas the best that they could be based on these core values.
Brad Moore: As a school board member, I would like to be that transparent bridge between the school and the taxpayers. With my background and experience with school finance, I can address the questions or concerns of all taxpayers at it relates to school finance. With the changes due to the current legislative session and federal dollars coming into the school, I would be a resource that can articulate the effect all school finances are having on the taxpayers currently and in the future. All taxpayers want to know where their money is going, and I can help the entire board be able to provide that information to their taxpayers in a consistent and accurate manner. Having a school board member who understands and can explain school finances to their constituents has no downside and is only a benefit to the school and its taxpayers.
Anna Bold: We trust that when we send our kids to school, they are receiving a quality, balanced education with opportunity for individual growth. I want to make ensure this happens. Policies need to be set, followed, and enforced with consistency by staff and administration. I want to be available to listen to questions and concerns, of parents, staff, students, and the community. I will respond to those concerns and follow through when action in necessary. In addition, I would like to increase the transparency and communication between our school and community. Using our local paper and social media, folks can be made aware of the activities and accomplishments achieved by our staff and students, and decisions made by the school board
What strengths, skills, and/or experience will you bring to the board?
Kelly Rutledge: I’m currently on the school board. I used to be on the Montana Farmers Union Board. I’m a board member of the Big Sandy Soil Conservation & Choteau County Fair Board. I’m a 4-H leader. Volunteer experience there’s a bunch, but those are the basics.
Heather Pleninger: I am very transparent, and I am willing to be held accountable for all of my decisions.
Brad Moore: As someone who has been employed in public education for 28 years and has worked directly for school boards for 16 of those years, I bring extensive knowledge to the table in school finance, school board policy and a solid understanding of the role of a school board member. I would be a resource to the school and other board members due to my experience and knowledge of schools. My greatest strength is my knowledge of school finance, and I can be that transparent bridge between the school and taxpayers and can effectively articulate a complicated finance system to the community. The district will be receiving around $700,000 as part of the Elementary and Secondary Emergency Education Relief (ESSER) in the next few weeks to deal with the effects of COVID-19. My knowledge of this funding stream and proper uses of the funds would be a benefit to the school district and the taxpayers.
Anna Bold: I am an assertive person who will ask tough questions to get the answers needed to make a sound decision. I will spend time in the schools and attend extra-curricular events so that I am accessible to parents, staff, and students. I am willing to collaborate with others and approach situations with an open mind.
I graduated from MSU-Bozeman, worked for the USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service, and currently help manage and budget for our family farm/ranch. I currently serve on the Big Sandy Medical Board of Directors and as the Booster Club Vice-President. I have been active with Big Sandy Schools for 13 years, planning class craft projects, organizing Halloween carnivals, coordinating Box Top collections, and creating monthly bulletin boards in the grade school. Last year, working with school administration and local service groups, I prepared the proposal for building new basketball courts at the grade school and wrote grants that funded a large portion of that project.
What areas do you think our local schools could improve? Where do they excel?
Kelly Rutledge: In education, we’re losing Mrs. Brumwell. She’s going to be a hard one to replace. Right now we excel in math. We’re great at math. Students are doing great in school. There’s always areas for academic improvement. Our sports programs… football is doing great. Basketball, wrestling, and track are doing good and are improving. There’s always room for improvement. If anyone has questions or concerns, my number is in the book. Call me up and we can talk.
Brad Moore: All rural schools, including Big Sandy, need to be progressive and think outside the box when it comes to recruiting new teachers. COVID-19 has placed a great deal of stress on the teacher pool, and its total effect will not be seen for 3 or 4 more years. The district has to adjust to deal with an increasing teacher shortage that has no end in sight. It is imperative that rural schools implement the TEACH Act of HB143 signed into law this legislative session to address starting teacher salary as a tool in the teacher recruitment plan as they form a long-range plan for the future. Great teachers make great schools and Big Sandy must be committed to do whatever it can to recruit and retain teachers.
Big Sandy has a lot of great teachers. Additionally for a Class C school district of this size to have a full time Art, Music, and Ag program is a rarity and a plus for all students. Having many electives available plus the availability of dual credit courses are just a couple of examples of many things Big Sandy Schools does well. The current technology at the school is unmatched by few districts and was an absolute plus during the COVID closure of the 2019-20 school year. The district’s commitment to keeping current with the latest technology is a benefit to both the staff and the students.
Heather Pleninger: We excel in the technology that we have for the kids. We are retaining quality teachers longer, our communication methods with parents has come a long way, we adapted to a secondary way of teaching quickly thanks to the previous qualities. Things that I see on a daily basis that needs improvement is our lack of bus drivers.
Anna Bold: Areas of Improvement- Being able to choose class electives is a tool to personalizing an education. Junior High and High School students have very few elective options, instead, to get class diversity, the school is dependent on supplementing or replacing in-class learning with on-line classes. Students also need to be taught an approved curriculum and meet class benchmarks so that areas needing improvement can be recognized, and timely corrective measures implemented.
Our school excels- The teachers and staff have worked diligently to provide a safe and structured learning environment despite the limitations of the pandemic. Our athletic department encourages sportsmanship and academic proficiency from our athletes. The staff is continually building the confidence and competence of Big Sandy Schools students, preparing them for a future full of amazing opportunities.
