Three Twin Rivers school district residents are vying for positions on the Board of Education in Tuesday's election.
Two chairs are up for election, which are currently held by Donna Sue Ashcraft-Fincher and Board President Lee Lewis.
The incumbents are challenged by Keith Parker.
The two elected will each serve a three-year term.
Each candidate was asked the same series of questions and their profiles appear in the order in which they are listed on the ballot.
DONNA SUE
ASHCRAFT-FINCHER
Helping provide for students and people of the district is what pushes board member Donna Sue Ashcraft-Fincher to run for re-election on Twin Rivers R-X Board of Education.
"I have always been a very community involved person," she said. "I always want what is best for the kids and the people in the community."
If elected to a fifth term on the board, Ashcraft-Fincher said she would like to see more opportunities available for the students.
"Technology is a big thing," Ashcraft-Fincher said. "I think our children need to be kept up-to-date with technology and we need to stay on top of the needs for our staff."
In addition to technology, she would like to see opportunities for students by offering more elective classes by inviting outside resources to come to the school.
"We all love our children and want the best for them," Ashcraft-Fincher said. "I want them to have the very best education and a safe school environment."
With improvements completed throughout the district last summer, Ashcraft-Fincher said millions have been spent to keep the schools in good condition and she does not want to see that money wasted.
In respect to Proposition K.I.D.S., Ashcraft-Fincher said the district is financially able to pay for the recent improvements without affecting the taxpayers.
"I want our district to be financially stable and not pay for something that is a want and not a need," she said. "Do we need this? That is my question."
Realizing there are a lot of unanswered questions as when constructing anything, Ashcraft-Fincher also added she does not want to see a burden placed on the taxpayers.
This includes business owners, the elderly who are on a fixed income as well as employees of the district, she said.
"I don't want to put a hardship on the staff," Ashcraft-Fincher said. "I want everyone to work together."
If Proposition K.I.D.S. passes, Ashcraft-Fincher said she will work "110 percent" to make sure the money is used wisely.
"I will be there to give my viewpoints on how to utilize the money properly for our taxpayers and district," she said.
LEE LEWIS
Continuing to improve the Twin Rivers R-X School District is and has been a top goal of current Board of Education President Lee Lewis.
During his two terms on the board, one of Lewis' first goals when elected was to clean up the original Broseley school foundation.
That was accomplished with the help of his father, Matt and Larry Boyles, and the Hester and Baxter families, by cleaning up the previous ag building, community center and Quonset Hut in the back of the high school.
"This was all at no cost to the district," Lewis said. "It has always been a goal of mine to improve the overall appearance of the schools. I want the children and staff to be proud of our school and appearance is a big part of that."
When looking at buildings around the campus in general, Lewis said he is proud of the work that has been put in from school safety and technology in the classrooms to the improvements completed last summer.
Living in the district his entire life, Lewis said the school has been a big part of his family's life.
"The school interests us and I want to be involved in it," he said.
One of the biggest challenges Lewis thinks the district has always faced is logistics.
"We are spread in three towns," Lewis said. "Communication between those campuses and basically everything day to day is effected by the way we are set up."
Whether or not the tax levy passes for the purpose of building a new high school, Lewis said the logistics issues will still be present in the district.
He went on to say everything the school does if affected by the way the district is set up, from communication between staff, bussing, to running extra cafeterias and more. While not always a bad thing, Lewis added the logistics are a fact and just the way it is.
If re-elected, Lewis said his goal is to continue to make the school better each year, which he believes has been done, whether Proposition K.I.D.S. passes or not.
"If it does not pass, then we need to focus on what we have and making it the best we can," Lewis said. "If it does pass, then our goal would be to make a smooth transition and utilize the Fisk and Qulin campuses possibly with a preschool on both ends."
Lewis described the tax levy as "complicated" and added he sees both sides, with each having great points.
"My opinion is to put it on the ballot and let the people decide," he said. "Whatever the people decide is what I will take and try to do the best we can with it."
As the Twin Rivers board president, Lewis said he represents everyone in the district and has tried to understand all views.
"At the end of the day, I want what is best for the district and the kids," he said.
KEITH PARKER
When thinking of all the students in the Twin Rivers R-X School District, including his own children, Keith Parker wants to ensure the same opportunities are available as in larger schools.
If elected to the board, Parker has a goal of all students being prepared for life after graduation.
Parker sees those opportunities possibly coming from advances in technology or different learning environments.
"I want to make sure the kids are ready for the real world," Parker said. "Whether we add more trade classes to get students ready for the workforce or educational wise to get them ready for college."
With three children who attend school in the Twin Rivers district, Parker said being elected to the board would allow him to be better involved in their education, as well as the entire school process.
"It would be a way for me to contribute and give back to the school," he said if elected.
One challenge Parker sees facing the district is the large size, which can cause financial burdens from transportation to food service.
In relation to the proposed tax levy, Parker said with the number of schools within the district, there is always something that could be improved upon. At this time, he sees those issues including the overcrowding at Fisk Elementary to the building issues in Qulin.
"Personally, I like the idea of a centralized school or at least do more at Broseley if it's financially feasible," he said. "I don't think the solution is all money for everything and assuming that will fix it."
He added there are several advantages to having a large number of students at one location, including reduction of transportation costs and cafeteria expenses.
"There are both advantages and disadvantages and I think that is going to be the way with anything," Parker said in reference to Proposition K.I.D.S.
Including himself in a group of citizens who do not want to pay more in taxes, Parker also believes the project is inevitable for the district.
Since the project was looked at several years ago, Parker said the cost has increased and he fears what the cost may rise to in five to 10 years, when the district is forced to complete the project.
"As much as I don't want to pay any more in taxes, this is probably a good move at this time for the district," Parker said.