Wright: I believe in this community. Changes need to be made to the configuration of our front doors and their proximity to our front offices but these doors remain locked at all times during the school day, and we have an ID system that all visitors must use; visitors must be buzzed into the school. I recognize that it comes at a cost of $2 million, however, I believe after many discussions with people that hold their doctorate degree in education this is the best way to serve ALL children. (Background here. I have worked in education in NC, VA, MO and NYC. Do you believe sex education should be taught in school, including various types of birth-control methods? Hassler: I voted yes on Prop R because the district was struggling financially and there were cuts of over $4 million being made with the possibility of another $4 million Our per-pupil expenditure was the second lowest in the area, yet our academic achievement was in the middle of the pack, demonstrating that our district was giving an excellent education for the money being spent, but left you to wonder what could be done with more resources. Huegerich: The district needs to maintain a data-centric approach to vetting academic programs. What do you see as major issues facing the school district and public education? I am up to date on current bills in the Missouri legislature and will continue to review all bills related to education. Hassler: No enrollment is actually down in our two current high schools so there is no current need for a third school., Kenner: I am not familiar enough with district numbers to answer with confidence., Pretto: No, our enrollment is in constant flux and that is a huge investment., Wolman: The expense of building a third high school is a massive undertaking that would take multiple years to complete. He and his wife, Elizabeth, have a daughter and son who attend Hagemann Elementary. Do you believe creationism should be taught in school? Upon information and belief, the District intends for summer school classes to be subject to the Trigger Mandate. We have the opportunity to address these facility needs with a zero-tax-increase ballot measure which is possible due to prudent financial management resulting in paying off debt early., Kenner: Yes in 2020-2021. If we had to use bonds for these capital repairs, we would have to pay interest, thus wasting tax money. View Amanda's full profile . I believe these goals are the right focus areas for our school district to be successful so I do believe the district should continue to follow the strategic plan. Prop R provided much needed financial capital to help the district thrive in a number of necessary areas from providing innovative resources for students, support for teachers and continued financial stability for the district to continue to improve., Wolman: I voted to approve the Prop R/Restore measure in the November 2015 election. The best part of the strategic plan is that it was created with feedback from students, staff, parents and community members. Should the board rely on the advice and recommendations of the financial professionals of the districts Finance Committee to make major financial decisions, including whether to approve salary increases and budgets? Important for our children to understand and be able to use technology. The district is continuing to review the plans in place and prioritize with the input of professionals, students, staff, parents and the community. How is the district doing in following the plan? For example, keeping track of nationwide curriculum programs to determine if those programs can help improve student achievement. For the future, the district should continue to follow the strategic plan, though a new one for the upcoming 20222027 school years is in the initial planning stages.. Mehlville residents showed historic levels of support for the district in Prop R. What will you do as a board member to maintain that goodwill between the district and the community? Hassler: We continue to look at programs, professional development and data to drill down on how we believe daily curriculum, student success and state test scores can improve. Skip to Main Content Turn High Contrast Mode On. Hassler: The board should consult with the Finance Committee on major financial decisions. Droney: When I decided to run for school board, I started attending Finance Committee meetings on a regular basis, so over the last few months Ive gained a lot of insight into the issues our district faces in terms of funding and revenue. Huegerich: In general, I am pleased with the leadership of Dr. Gaines. The candidates gave the following responses to The Calls candidate questionnaire: Huegerich: As a graduate of Mehlville High School and lifelong resident of South County I care deeply about the district and the students it serves. She said she is running for re-election to ensure the district is effectively using district resources for continuous improvement and delivering a top-level education while maintaining fiscal discipline that allows our tax rates to be one of the lowest in the St. Louis area.. The Mehlville School District, officially the Mehlville R-9 School District or Mehlville R-IX School District, is a public school district based in south St. Louis County, Missouri.It serves the unincorporated, census-designated communities of Mehlville, Oakville, Concord, and Lemay.It's offices are presently located on Mehlville High School's campus, with plans to eventually move into the . As to the future, we are currently working with the community to get input to see how they want the district to proceed and will build the next strategic plan based on this collaborative information., Kenner: Yes, I support Mehlville strategic plan. Wright: The board focus should be on the operation and mission of the district, and not outside interests, so that the board can make effective decisions. I would make sure I was never any part of breaking the law from an ethical and moral standpoint., Kenner: Yes, it should be adhered to because we work for the community. Hassler: I will follow the plan as written and make sure that the superintendent is reaching the goals promised by Prop R. These promises can be found on the districts website under the Prop R tab. It should be funded according to need with district guidelines., Pretto: Not clear about the question. What would you do as a board member to ensure the boards compliance with this law? Ive lived in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York City. Busing is supposed to be 75-percent subsidized by state funding. Find out what works well at Mehlville School District from the people who know best. What will you do to maintain that goodwill? This includes maintaining and enhancing all the Student Choice Programs the district is currently offering. The Mehlville school district is separated into two Locations, Mehlville and Oakville, Mehlville is more outdate and less popular, the streets aren't update and the schools are outdated and not accommodate for the larger amount of students. The district is doing well with the current strategic plan, as it has enhanced student preparation, increased teacher support and worked to make the school district function both effectively and efficiently. Hassler: I believe block scheduling is beneficial to the kids in high school. If so, please list them. They are not accountable to their community, like a public school and a public school BOE is. Huegerich: I would first consider ways to meet these needs without asking taxpayers for a tax increase. Hassler: No I dont believe the current system is causing financial distress to the district and it does not place any unfunded mandates on the district. The current performance areas at Oakville are not sufficient spaces for performing. Reducing busing and/or charging for it would not be something that would be easy to support, as it appears strongly as a disservice to the students.. First of all, it could be a citation of an accusation or a real estate consideration that, if exposed, could harm the districts ability to make a good transaction. Our meetings are livestreamed, available on YouTube and as a board member, I can say that every request for information under the Sunshine Law would be fulfilled. Droney: I believe basic sex education as defined by Missouri State standards can be taught in the school. Although deficit spending is part of the natural cycle of school finance, because it allows school districts to delay making significant budget reductions or asking their community to approve a tax levy increase, it is not a permanent solution. It will do nothing more than increase a social divide between students of different financial backgrounds, as well as taking away already limited public school resources into private schools. Do you support the Voluntary Interdistrict Choice Corp., or VICC, voluntary transfer program? How is the district doing in following the plan? On the other hand, some classes are better served on the traditional schedule time of about 50 minutes and some students benefit from seeing their teachers on more consecutive days for shorter periods of time. As a board member, it is important to do your homework and educate yourself on the finances, but it is still good to have a support committee for financial advice., Kenner: Yes. Hassler: I do not believe that board members should always follow OR go against the recommendations of the administration. Wright is a senior project manager at Great Rivers Greenwayand is a member of the Engineers Club of St. Louis. During the Prop R campaign, (the district) charged the Finance Committee with overseeing the funds, and they have set expected budgets against which to measure spending that is consistent with the promises communicated during the Prop R campaign. For example, if social workers were reduced, I would compensate by creating an agreement with universities to have social workers complete their practicums with the Mehlville School District to compensate for reduction in social workers., Pretto: Non-essentials would go first. Continuing to evaluate where funds are being spent and how the community can help is a major part in accomplishing that. How is the district better because you were elected? Proposition E on Tuesday's ballot would raise property taxes by 31 cents. Mehlville High School. However, this is not happening. Huegerich: I believe the district did a good job ensuring we were able to maintain in person learning throughout a good portion of the pandemic. Droney: I support all middle schools and all high schools having the same course offerings. Our kids deserved it! He has a strong nationwide network of people that he continues to learn from, and he brings new and, trending ideas to our district so we can be visionary leaders in the academic arena. If we truly need the revenue, first we must look at all of the expenditures and budgets and see if there is any way we can make cuts without any adverse effects on academic achievement, or figure ways to squeeze the funds from the money we already have without robbing Peter to pay Paul. However, because they are declared closed, no outside party should have access to them under any circumstances., Kenner: A difficult question to answer since I have not been privy to a closed meeting. And, no more pay freezes!, Vagen: Keeping quality teachers is one of the most important things the district can do to provide a stable environment for our students to succeed in. And even more satisfied with the continual improvement of the same. What issue do you consider the single most important issue in this race and why? Together we should identify the issues that each party wants to discuss and how we can improve the contract, and then come together and reach agreeable terms that will make the contract a win win for both parties., Kenner: I am not familiar enough with the issue to speak with confidence., Pretto: We should do whatever it takes to reach a mutual agreement., Vagen: The district should always be evaluating the best practices to ensure that we can retain the highest caliber teachers possible., Wolman: Interest-based bargaining for negotiation may be a better manner used for negotiations, as it may help both sides start with a closer point of agreement when both sides interests are available. Dr. Shannon Pike Executive Director- Human Resources 3120 Lemay Ferry Road St. Louis, MO 63125 314-467-5102 Mehlville School District is an Equal Opportunity Employer Mehlville R-9 School District Address Louis, OK USA Industry Healthcare Other Helpful Pages Related To Substitute School Nurse All Jobs Substitute School Nurse Jobs I believe that parents and taxpayers in our district have lost their voice in the education process. This match sounds high but we need to keep in mind that teachers and the district do not pay Social Security tax (6.2 percent apiece) and teachers will not draw from the Social Security system when they retire. Its important for our children to have experiences with other children who are different for purposes of personal and social growth. Are you satisfied with the leadership of Superintendent Chris Gaines? Should the school year be extended? Do you support the districts decision to offer 1:1 technology/laptops? It is heartbreaking that in recent survey results from the fall of 2021, only 45 percent of grade 6-12 students reported that they felt a sense of belonging. Continue to check back to callnewspapers.com for more. It helps struggling kids because they can get intervention during ANP and TAP time and for some classes it is very worthwhile to have 90-minute blocks for labs, metals and wood working classes, computer lab classes, chemistry, biology, et cetera. The district should fund MOSAIC the same way as any other school in the district.. The Finance Committee audits the district books once a year to guarantee transparency and confirm funds are being spent as promised., Kenner: I think the board has a good plan for tracking, spending and communicating to the public how the money is being used. Hassler: Mehlville NEA, South County Labor, Kenner: All candidates were endorsed by NEA., Wolman: All five candidates for the Mehlville School board have Missouri NEA endorsements.. Security must remain in the forefront of everyones mind and we must never let our guard down and become too lax when it comes to the enhancing safety and security of our kids and staff., Kenner: I think the district can make changes to the building entrances that can improve student/staff safety., Pretto: Yes! How do you feel about the voucher system being promoted as an alternative to the current system? 3200 Lemay Ferry Road, St. Louis, MO 63125. Wright: Mehlvilles Board of Education and the district adhered to health and safety standards set by the St. Louis County Board of Health and the CDC. During that time, the district was struggling to keep up with skyrocking enrollments and severe . Huegerich: I was not able to vote in April 2021. We all know technology is only going to continue to grow. Under Title IX federal law schools are required to treat transgender students according to their gender identity, including by making sure that transgender students have access to restrooms and locker rooms that match their gender identity., Pretto: I realize this may seem old fashioned, but until a transgender individual has completed gender reassignment surgery I believe they should go with the gender they were born with., Vagen: Students any students should use the facilities associated with the gender they identify with or a neutral facility if they are more comfortable with that option., Wolman: Currently, the school district is serving the needs of the students in an acceptable way in regard to this issue.. The election will be held on Tuesday, June 2. Therefore, early childhood education is very important. Hassler: I voted yes on Prop A because it was a no-tax-rate-increase tax transfer and the district has/had many AC and roofing problems, along with other facility issues that need (needed) to be repaired and replaced. I moved to the district to escape a failing district and I did not (do not) want to see Mehlville fail., Kenner: I cant remember if I voted. How would you measure it? (Background here. There is also not a teacher 401(k) plan or 401(k) matching funds. Should the district end its participation in this program? 251 likes. The school manages this new way to teach while adhering to state standards set by DESE (Department of Elementary and Secondary Education). A program like VICC has the potential for multiple generational changes when kids educate themselves and gives them a better opportunity to be successful upon graduation and beyond. Director at Mehlville School District St Louis, Missouri, United States. Our community showed that we value public education when overwhelming support was demonstrated during Prop S. I will continue to be a good steward of taxpayer goodwill and dollars by being transparent of district needs and finances. Droney: The strategic plan and Proposition S update has a solid plan to improve security in the district, which demonstrates that they place student and staff security as a priority. The Mehlville School District has approximately 12,000 students currently enrolled. Huegerich: Board members should always make their decisions based on what they believe will provide the best outcomes for the students in the district. Libraries should have information on everything known to man., Vagen: Yes. The board is currently reviewing the issue. Introducing an easier way to access all of your TalentEd products. APPLICATION DEADLINE . Since Prop A is a pay-as-you-go process, the district is able to spend all of the money on capital improvements. When the friend of a victim brought concerns to a Mehlville School District counselor on Monday, Sept. 12, district administrators immediately filed a report with the Division of Children's . On the flip side, the problem I have with the program is that the district the kids are coming from are paying much needed money from their struggling district to our suburban district so the question comes down to are we hurting the other kids at the struggling districts by taking their funding away from them to educate the transfer students. Phone 314-467-6000 | Fax 314-467-6099. We should look at how schools and districts across the country have enacted that policy and how it can work for our district. Mehlville School District R9 had a per-pupil revenue of $11,354 per pupil in the 2016-17 school year. Wright: I do support the districts decision to offer 1:1 technology/laptops. Helping students with any mental health issues will have an impact that is felt far beyond those individuals. The final decision needs to rest with the board because it is the elected body that is given this responsibility, but I am happy that someone with a financial background is there for guidance and advice as I would not want these decisions to rest solely on board members that might not have a financial background. Newcomers Ben Droney, Scott Huegerich and Sarah Grace Wright are seeking office for the first time on the board. Working to follow up the success of Prop R with another similar property tax increase would help to keep the district competitive with other school districts.. The recently approved plan to replace and improve the monitoring cameras across district buildings is certainly a good step forward to increase security efforts.. They are privately owned and are for profit. I would have no issue with the situation either way., Hassler: Charter schools are a bad idea because they take away funds from the schools in their district yet they are not monitored by any entity in terms of academics, fiduciary responsibility, et cetera. Kenner: No family members employed by the board.. Kenner: Student achievement continue to monitor and review student achievement to determine areas for improvement. The district had a record number of teachers leave five years ago for other jobs and districts. Droney: Initial decisions regarding COVID responses were enacted with little background research or history but with student and staff safety in mind. Mehlville R-IX School District 3120 Lemay Ferry Rd St Louis, MO 63125 -4416 ( District boundaries shown in map) Rating : 6/ 10 Top 50% Tel: (314) 467-5000 Visit School District Website Top Rankings Mehlville R-IX School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in Missouri for: Category Attribute Graduation Rate I want to guarantee that we continue to effectively govern so that we are not putting out fires for problems that develop, but rather finding ways to prevent them which inevitably will result in student success., Kenner: I dont believe there is a single most important issue. We need to compare our performance to peer and aspiration districts. The next step would be to review options for additional community enrichment programs and summer school expansion, which has continued to improve and provide funds to the district. The enrollment in this program has been dwindling, so the revenue loss would be minimal., Wolman: The VICC program is a program that I would support since it does bring additional revenue into the district as well as help with issues with racial integration in the St Louis area. Simply, I supported Prop R because I was tired of being the underdog and wanted more for our children and our community. Asked why he is running, Wolman said, I wish to add my technology background into the school boards leadership for the future.. Why or why not? April 2023 ; March 2023 ; . I believe the district needs to have a carefully considered strategic plan developed to support specific stated goals. In order to set the policy and govern the district, I will focus on data, process, the Strategic Plan and the board goals., Kenner: Not identifying my party affiliation and only making decisions based on needs of children, parents and staff., Pretto: The decisions we make as board members will always be determined by one thing: Is this the best thing for our students?, Vagen: Decisions should be made based around what is best for the students and if you start with that, politics should not enter the conversation., Wolman: Any decision-making process must be done only with fiscal responsibility review as its focus, as the board is a nonpartisan entity that is not part of the political process at the local or state level., Should the Board of Education record its closed sessions?
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