Seven candidates will vie for three vacant seats on the Holden R-3 Board of Education during the 2005 election April 5.

They are incumbents Jeff Miller and Dale Jarman and newcomers David Loveall, Sheila Christopher, Neal Zentz, Rodger McConville and Renita Dougherty. Incumbent Darrin Anderson is not seeking re-election.

Dale Jarman: Jarman, who has completed three terms on the Holden R-3 Board of Education, lives in rural Holden with his wife, Georgia, where he runs a farming operation. Jarman holds a degree in education, and his wife is currently the principal at Lone Jack Elementary School.

Jarman said his motivations for running for school board are many. “I believe that quality education is critical to the success of our youth,” Jarman said. “We are transitioning to a new superintendent, and we need a stable board that is committed to find creative solutions to the issues we may face.” Jarman said he feels he offers an understanding of the past and knowledge of current issues that can help the district to move forward, including a working knowledge of school finance. He also noted he has a strong commitment to the district that both he and his two sons graduated from.

Jarman said, if elected, he would like to see the district not only continue to progress in academic achievement, but also maintain and improve facilities, keep a strong technology program and sustain financial stability in the district.

When asked about school overcrowding in the Holden district, Jarman said he feels a constant problem with overcrowding can be expected as long as the district continues to grow. “The high school is the most overcrowded at this time,” Jarman noted. “We need to add a cafeteria and additional classrooms in addition to some basic renovation. The middle school is also short on space, and we musts address these needs in the near future.”

Jarman said he feels the biggest issue facing the students in the district is the need to be prepared to face challenges they will meet beyond high school as they compete for college scholarships and jobs. “Today’s job market is so competitive, and higher education is becoming more and more expensive,” Jarman said. “Our students need the best preparation that we can offer to them.”

A strength of the Holden School District, according to Jarman, is a good student population both in size and quality. “We have supportive parents and good community support,” he added. “Our staff and administration are committed to our students, and the achievement of the goals of our district.” Jarman noted that he feels the district’s geographic size is a weakness since it causes transportation issues and hinders a strong sense of community.

“It has been a rewarding experience to be involved in the success of this district over the past few years,” Jarman commented. “We have worked hard to improve academics, finances and facilities. We have a board that is committed to continuing our progress. I am excited about our new superintendent, Scott Slava, and would like to have the opportunity to work with him.”

Renita Dougherty: Dougherty, a stay-at-home mother of two Holden students, relocated to the Holden area from Chicago, Illinois with her husband, Ray, in 1998.

Dougherty said although she has never served on a school board she has an interest in her children’s education and, if elected, hopes to have a voice in providing the best education for all students in the Holden R-3 District. She has been an active volunteer at the elementary level for the past three years and has served as an officer of the PTO for the past two years. “I understand how the decisions made by the school board directly affect the quality of education our children receive,” she said.

Dougherty describes herself as an open-minded person who listens to all sides of an issue before making an independent decision.

When questioned about overcrowding issues in the district, Dougherty said she feels it is important to ensure district resources are being used wisely and all avenues are explored before putting the burden on taxpayers.

According to Dougherty, the issue of providing students will the necessary tools to graduate is the most pressing for district students. “While college is important, there are almost no opportunities for someone without a high school diploma,” she added.

Dougherty said she feels the level of commitment displayed by teachers and administrators is a definite strength of this district. “They seem to really care about the students and the quality of education they provide,” Dougherty noted.

Sheila Christopher: Christopher, a graduate of Holden High School, has lived in the Holden area most of her life. She works as a document controller in the engineering department of R&D Tool and Engineering in Lee’s Summit. She and her husband, Tom, have three children, two of whom have graduated from Holden High School. Christopher’s youngest child is a freshman at Holden High School.

Christopher has not served on the school board before, but was appointed to the Citizens’ Advisory Committee in 1998, on which she served three years. “I feel it is necessary to keep our children’s education a high priority and to be involved as a parent in our community,” Christopher said. “I would like to see continued improvement in our reading, math and English skills, and with fine arts, also.”

Christopher said she would like to see long-term plans to expand the high school in a way that is fiscally feasible for the school district, as well as attempt to attract and keep good, qualified teachers.

According to Christopher, the most pressing issue facing Holden’s students is college preparation by establishing curriculum that can best meet that need. She said she feels a strength of the district is the teaching staff, and she sees supplying them with appropriate teaching materials as an important issue.

“My role as a parent of children in this school district since 1989 has given me a strong insight in how the district has been run and changed throughout the years,” Christopher said. “I feel it is very important to stay involved since they are what we make of them... I would like to have the opportunity to do what I can to help make a better school for all our children and the community.”

Rodger McConville: McConville, a 1974 graduate of Kingsville High School and owner of a local custom cabinet making business, lives in the Holden area with his wife, Tammy. McConville has four children, two of whom graduated from Kingsville High School. The remaining two McConville children attended Holden High School. McConville said he is very involved in his church, Forward Community Church. He has also coached little league baseball and basketball as well as serving as a volunteer at the schools and in the community.

Although McConville has not served on the school board before, he said he feels he could help make a difference for the students in the Holden School District. “I want to continue to see the district strive for the betterment of our children,” McConville said.

According to McConville, strengths of the Holden R-3 School District include quality of education, technology and retention of quality teachers, support personnel and administrators. He said he feels it is important for the district to continue moving in the right direction to provide the best education possible for Holden’s children.

“I feel that being self-employed and having worked with kids and parents, I can see both sides of issues,” McConville said. “Working with builders in construction, I feel I could help the district get the best quality product for the best value.” In addition, McConville said he feels it is important that school board members exhibit good communication skills, including support and open-mindedness.

“The children are our future,” McConville said. “We, as a district, need to work together with the community to provide the best quality of education possible.”

Jeff Miller: Miller, a resident of Holden for 32 years and 1980 graduate of Holden High School, is employed as a production supervisor with EnerSys, Inc. in Warrensburg. He and his wife, Ann, are the parents of a son who attends Holden High School. Miller describes himself as honest, respectful, trustworthy and open-minded, characteristics he feels make a good school board member.

Miller has served two three-year terms on the Holden R-3 School Board and currently serves as the board’s president. “I feel it’s important to be involved in your community,” Miller commented. “As a patron, we must continue to provide the best education and environment possible for each student so they can make a positive impact in any community they reside in.”

If re-elected, Miller said he hopes to play a part in continuing to offer every student the ability to achieve a quality education and allow them to further their education or have marketable skills to be successful in their community. In addition, Miller said he feels it is of importance to retain “highly qualified staff” currently in place at Holden. “We must always spend the taxpayers’ dollars wisely whether it be on building and grounds, staff recruitment and retention and most important- student achievement,” Miller noted.

When asked about overcrowding in the district, Miller said he feels the issue will need to be addressed in the next year or two with some type of increased revenue. “We must continue to spend our capitol projects money wisely to maintain current facilities,” Miller added.

A pressing issue for students in the district, according to Miller, is meeting the challenges of the growing number of students each year and still offering the quality education and adequate facilities needed. “We must always seek input from the patrons in the district and act upon what is best for student achievement,” Miller explained.

In addition, Miller said he feels it is a strength of the district that it offers a quality education for each student. “To do this, I feel we have hired and retained the best teachers, administrators, staff and support staff,” Miller said. He continued by saying he feels a weakness of the district is building and grounds conditions, which he hopes will be improved upon in the coming years.

“As a parent, you always want the best for your child,” Miller commented. “I feel, as a school board member, you want the best for each student.”

Neil Zentz: Zentz, a 51-year-old union paper hanger and painter for the past 30 years, resides in the Holden area with his wife, Karen. Zentz has two children, one of whom is a student at Holden Middle School. Zentz is active as a youth sports coach in the community and has served on the School Advisory Committee.

Zentz has not served on the school board before, but said he feels he possesses common sense, a solid work ethic and an understanding of finance and construction of schools that is necessary in order to be a successful board member.

Zentz said his motivation for running for school board is to “open the eyes of the patrons of this district to the fact that we need to upgrade and renovate our facilities.” If elected, Zentz said he intends to take an active interest in expansion and upgrade of the high school and athletic facilities.

When questioned about school overcrowding, Zentz said he would suggest enlargement of the high school, and said he felt a levy increase or passage of a bond issue would assist to solve these problems.

According to Zentz, the most pressing issues for students in the district is improvement of facilities, diversifying curriculum and maintaining academic standards. In addition, Zentz said he feels a strength of the Holden R-3 School District is providing a family “hometown” atmosphere, while indifference of district patrons tends to serve as a weakness. Zentz described the indifference as a “this school was good enough when I went there, so why do we need to change anything” attitude.

In summation, Zentz expressed specific concerns in regards to the district’s choice to retain current superintendent Dr. Lindell Harrison as a consultant for the district. “Couldn’t this salary be used effectively elsewhere?” Zentz questioned. “The new superintendent should be qualified enough in Missouri law that he shouldn’t need a consultant.” Zentz added that he feels if the district’s new superintendent spent time “familiarizing himself” with Missouri school regulations without a consultant, the district could save the added salary of a consultant.

David Loveall: Loveall, a 1978 graduate of Holden High School, lives in the rural Holden area with his wife of 13 and-one-half years, Julie, and his two young sons, who attend Holden schools. He is employed by S&T Enterprises in Blue Springs as a heavy equipment operator and mechanic.

Although Loveall has not served on the school board in the past, he is active as a board member of the Holden Sports Association. In addition, he is a member of the Holden Baptist Temple and Holden Masonic Lodge. He is also active in community sports and coaches his son’s baseball team.

“My reason for running for the Holden R-3 School Board is to help provide the best possible education for the students with the least impact on the tax payers of this school district by using common sense on all issues,” Loveall said. “I personally feel you should lead by example- by showing good leadership and voting for what is in the best interest of the students and taxpayers of the Holden R-3 School District.”

Loveall said he feels he can offer respect and open-mindedness as well as common sense as a member of the board, if elected. “I know I will not always agree with the other board members or administrators,” Loveall said,” but, I will respect their opinions, and my vote will always be in the student and taxpayer’s best interest.”

If elected, Loveall said he would like to take an active role in improving the schools’ discipline policy and eliminating wasteful spending. When questioned about overcrowding in the schools, Loveall suggested ensuring the district is using all available space to its best potential and making common sense decisions that look at all consequences before voting on issues.

According to Loveall, no matter what issues the district may have, education should always be top priority. He said he feels this can be accomplished by working to keep quality teachers and keeping up with current curriculum.

“We currently have good facilities, curriculum, good teachers and employees,” Loveall said of the district’s strengths. A weakness of the district, according to Loveall, is the district’s discipline policy. “ I feel we need to work on our discipline policy,” Loveall said,” especially on the school buses, where I have experience.” In addition, Loveall said another weakness of the district is “making too many fast decisions when it comes to selling property.”

In summation, Loveall said if elected, he would do his best to vote in the best interest of the children and the taxpayers of the district. “I will give this my all,” Loveall said. “I will attend all meetings to become a valuable board member that you (the voters) will be proud you voted for.”

By Christi Stowe
News Editor

Four candidates have filed for election to the Kingsville R-1 Board of Education. They are incumbents Wesley Rutherford and Julie Stout, John Ferguson and Robert Ward.

Wesley Rutherford: Rutherford has resided in the Kingsville area with his wife, Kim, since 1986. Rutherford has three children, two of whom graduated from Kingsville High School. He is retired after 30 years as an engineer for Allied Signal Federal Manufacturing and Technologies. In addition, he served as a Lieutenant in the Army Corp of Engineers from 1965 until 1967.

Rutherford holds a Master of Science in electrical engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics. He has served on the Kingsville School Board since 1993, where he has served as chairman of the long range planning committee. He has also served on the ad hoc committee assigned to develop academic performance standards for the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for the State of Missouri. He is the director of the Missouri Association of Rural Education, a past director of the HOPE Coalition and a member of the maintenance committee for the H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation.

“I am seeking a school board seat to help provide an education for all students so that each of them can have the knowledge to reach their full potential and be successful throughout their lifetime,” Rutherford said of his motivation to run for school board.

Rutherford said he feels he possesses a number of characteristics that would assist him to be a good board member, including knowledge gained by serving four terms on the board thus far, the insight of knowledge required to be successful in industry, the insight gained by tutoring students during and after school and the experience of working on other boards and committees.

If elected, Rutherford said he hopes to see an improvement in the academic accomplishments of all students and suggested continuous review and revision of long-term plans for district facilities and resources would help the district best meet the needs of the students in the future. In addition, Rutherford said he feels it is important the district work with local, state and federal advocacy groups to make sure appropriate and adequate funding is provided for Kingsville’s students.

According to Rutherford, low expectations are the most pressing issue facing the students in the Kingsville School District. Rutherford suggested requiring students to perform more near their level of potential by emphasizing what their efforts will do for them later in life would help alleviate this problem. Another issue Rutherford said he feels is a problem for students is an unwillingness of students to take responsibility for their actions. He suggested more emphasis be placed on students’ positive accomplishments, but said the district should exercise consistent and uniform consequences for negative or bad behavior in students.

A strength of the Kingsville R-1 School District, according to Rutherford, is the support the district receives from its patrons. “When asked, they have supported operating levy increases and bond issues to support building new facilities,” Rutherford said. “Another strength is the number of computers that have access to the internet. I think that the board of education, administrators, teachers and other staff and patrons have to continue to look for innovative techniques to improve the academic performance of all students.”

Julie Stout: Stout, a current member of the Kingsville R-1 Board of Education, has lived in the Kingsville area with her husband, David, since 1984. Stout has three sons. She is a member of the First United Methodist Church, where she has served as the church’s full-time organist for the past 25 years. She has been employed by Holden Embroidery since 1990.

Stout said she feels her experiences as a parent will help her be a good school board member, if elected. “I’m a parent, and I care about the education of our kids whether it’s my child or someone else’s,” Stout explained. “As a board member, you must make the best decision for all the kids.”

In addition, Stout said she feels her experiences on the board thus far will help her perform well for another term. “I have served on the board for three years and feel like I can continue to help the school district move in the right direction,” Stout explained. “My goal as a school board member is to keep an open mind and work as a team with the other members and administration for the betterment of our children.”

Stout said she feels the most pressing issue facing Kingsville’s students is preparing for the future of their lives. “We, as a school district, must be able to provide them with the tools they will need in the future, whether it be better preparation for college or helping them prepare for life in the workforce,” Stout said.

A desirable student to teacher ratio is a strength of the Kingsville School District, according to Stout. “Kingsville has an advantage over larger schools as it can maintain smaller classes,” Stout said. “We’ve been able to acquire and retain quality teachers and administrators. The teacher/student relationship is more personal and with lower turnover rate, these relationships only become stronger.”

In summation, Stout said, if elected, she intends to draw from her past school board experiences to become an even stronger member than before. “In the past three years while serving on the board, I have learned a lot about how the school functions and that one person can’t be the board,” Stout said. “The board must work as a team and do what is best for the children. By running for re-election, I feel I can continue being active not only in my sons’ education, but also the education of other children.”

Editor’s Note: Information from Robert Ward and John Ferguson was not yet available as of press time Tuesday.

By Christi Stowe
News Editor

As the weather turns warmer, the Holden PTO is readying itself for another annual PTO Carnival to raise proceeds for projects to benefit students in the Holden R-3 School District.

This year, the carnival’s theme will be “Fun In the Sun,” and has been scheduled for April 9 from 2-5p.m. The carnival will include new games and a new prize booth. A prize will be given away every 20 minutes, and 10 winners will be chosen each time.

In addition to the limbo, a hula toss, moonwalk and golf game, students may purchase Hawaiian leis, which will be color-coded for prize-winning. Students may purchase as many leis as they want for as many as possible chances to win.

In addition, a silent auction will be held in which a basket from each classroom will be sold. The baskets include a number of valuable items, including a full-body massage, 3-D ultrasound and chocolate-themed books and games. Everyone in the community is invited to bid.

A raffle will also be held to raise funds. Included in the products being raffled are a 4-piece luggage set, a gift certificate to the Village West Hampton Inn and four water park passes to Great Wolfe Lodge. Raffle tickets will be $1 each or $5 for six tickets.

Tickets for the raffle are available now by sending money to the school in an envelope marked “PTO Raffle” or by attending the PTO aluminum can drop-off at Pittsville PDQ on Saturday, April 2 anytime from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. A receipt will be sent to those sending money to the school.

“We are less than $3,000 away from reaching our goal (fundraising for playground equipment) after a donation of $500 from Wal-Mart and the kindergarten class raising over $1,000 in January,” PTO president Bevy Fletchall said. “Thanks to everyone for their support of our efforts this year. Come to the carnival for great family fun!”

By Christi Stowe
News Editor

A Kingsville woman received minor injuries in an accident on T Highway last Friday.

According to highway patrol reports, the accident occurred as a southbound vehicle driven by Jason T. Foose, 30, of Holden overtook and struck the rear of a southbound vehicle driven by Letha A. Quigley, 59, of Kingsville.

Foose was uninjured in the accident, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Quigley was taken to Western Missouri Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries.
Foose was issued a summons for following too closely.

By Christi Stowe
News Editor

A Holden High School senior died last Friday as a result of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident in Henry County.

According to Missouri State Highway Patrol reports, the accident occurred on B Highway near NW 1100 Road as a 1991 Oldsmobile driven southbound by Talesha E. Burns, 18, of Holden crossed the center line into the path of an oncoming northbound 1999 Ford driven by Oren R. Spruell, 77, of Roach, MO. Burns’ vehicle then slid off the right side of the roadway and came to rest in a ditch.

Burns was ejected from the vehicle and died as a result of her injuries. Logan Hensley, 18, of Holden, was a passenger in Burns’ vehicle and received minor injuries. He was transported to Golden Valley Hospital in Clinton for treatment.

Spruell received injuries described as serious and was transported to Golden Valley Hospital for treatment. Linda Spruell, 60, a passenger in Spruell’s vehicle, was transported to Golden Valley Hospital for treatment, as well.

Burns was the daughter of Michell and Jeff Taylor and Thomas Ballew, all of Holden. She would have graduated from Holden High School this May and had recently enrolled to begin classes at College of the Ozarks this fall. Burns was active in choir, lettering in the activity as well as academics while attending Holden High School. Most recently, Burns had worked as a nurse’s aide at Pleasant Hill Health Care and Rehabilitation.

By Christi Stowe
News Editor