Whitko School Board Candidates Explain Their Visions At Forum
October 18, 2018 at 4:57 p.m.
Whitko School Board Candidates Explain Their Visions At Forum
By Teresa Carrano-
Two board seats are up for re-election and six candidates are on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Bill Patrick of Sydney and Jason Thomas of Pierceton are running for the District 4 office. For District 5, candidates are Annette Arnold, Tony Starkey and Jorell?Tucker, all of South Whitley, and Scott Werstler of Larwill.
The District 4 board member represents Kosciusko County’s Jackson, Monroe and Washington townships, while the District 5 board member represents Whitley County’s Cleveland and Richland townships.
Whitko Classroom Teachers Association representative Kathy Wright served as the event moderator.
Each candidate had three minutes to introduce themselves to the 100 people who attended the event.
Each candidate had received two prepared questions prior to the forum and had five minutes to address both topics: What is your vision for Whitko School Corporation and what do you see as your role in moving this vision along?
Werstler said his vision was to have niche programs that attract students because of the need for technical and vocational trade programs.
He said 54 percent of jobs don’t require a college degree. “There is a need for a curriculum with an emphasis on training for future careers in manufacturing, agriculture and agribusiness, filling a need for workers in the county, area and region,” he said. ”Students who gain local employment will choose to stay in the area.”
He pointed out that northeast Indiana workers lead the nation in manufacturing and are farm production leaders.
“We truly are the engine that moves and the kitchen that feeds the nation,” he said.
Werstler owns Red Star Manufacturing in Larwill. A 1989 Whitko graduate, he and wife Rita have four children. Two have graduated from Whitko High School and two are still in school.
Starkey’s vision is to have the schools seen as a welcoming place, with a safe environment where students grow to their fullest potential and work toward a common goal that leads to progress.
“My role,” he said, “would be assisting, as needed, with analysis and planning for the current financial needs of our teachers and staff. Our teachers haven’t gotten a raise in a long time.”
He recommended building strategic plans with a focus on curriculum drawing from a network of business and academic leaders. He suggested the current board hadn’t reached out to those who want to help.
“We don’t include the community, and Whitko has to be a community school,” he said. “I see my role on the board as advising the public about non-confidential items. And I’d like to help whether or not I’m on the board.”
Starkey is president of Fox Products. He graduated from WHS, as did his wife, Lori. Both of Starkey’s children are Whitko graduates.
Board incumbent Tucker believes “a vision isn’t something one member can come up with on their own,” he said. “All five members contribute to the vision. This has been lacking in prior years but is the major focus of the current board.”
He said strategic planning must happen, along with improving academic study and developing unique programs to draw people to Whitko, not try to be everything to everyone.
The district’s reduced enrollment is the No. 1 issue facing Whitko right now, he said.
Tucker is director of the Whitley?County Solid Waste Management District. He and his wife, Sarah, live in South Whitley, where his children attend Whitko schools. He has been on the board two terms.
Thomas said the next generation of students will expect a mobile work environment, and the school board should explore what this looks like and how to prepare for it.
“We need to do what we do better, find those things, and teach better than anyone else. Not offer everything, but differentiate ourselves and get students excited about coming to Whitko,” he said.
He said the district can send out graduates with the skills necessary to enter the environment of their choice. The focus should be on business, FFA and the arts.
“My role is to seek solutions,” he said. “It takes everyone, with the communities actively involved with committees of people who want Whitko to excel.”
Thomas, of Pierceton, is a 1993 Whitko graduate. He and his wife, Danielle, live in Pierceton and their four children attend Whitko schools. He works at Zimmer in Warsaw.
Arnold, also a 1993 WHS graduate, said her vision is to “ultimately have a district where we all come together as one, face troubles and rejoice in triumphs as a community.”
Her vision has five main points: student retention and growth, retaining excellent teachers and compensating them for their work, a fair tax rate for growth, financial responsibility and developing a long-range plan.
She noted that the district has spent $47 million in the last 10 years while continuing to lose students.
“A new school board reconfiguration is what (the) corporation needs for the school’s longevity; transparency on the part of the board and administration with no more secrets,” she said. “Facts and figures should be made available to the public. All choices should be made using sound judgment for what is best for Whitko.”
Arnold and husband Jason have two children who attend WHS. She is the Country Heritage Farm Market manager in LaOtto.
Patrick was unable to attend the forum because of a preplanned family commitment. He responded in writing to the questions.
He said his vision is fiscal responsibly to the taxpayers, providing the highest quality of education.
“Facilities and buildings are important, but pale in comparison to quality teachers,” he said. “We must do everything we can to attract and retain quality teachers with a competitive salary. I’ll listen and learn, study the funding formula, communicate with people, be transparent and support the administration.”
A graduate of Sydney High School, Patrick is a former Whitko teacher and basketball coach. He retired from coaching at Tippecanoe Valley High School. He and his wife, Nancy, have four children who are Whitko graduates.
The forum was broadcast live on Whitko’s Facebook page and can be viewed in its entirety there.
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Two board seats are up for re-election and six candidates are on the Nov. 6 ballot.
Bill Patrick of Sydney and Jason Thomas of Pierceton are running for the District 4 office. For District 5, candidates are Annette Arnold, Tony Starkey and Jorell?Tucker, all of South Whitley, and Scott Werstler of Larwill.
The District 4 board member represents Kosciusko County’s Jackson, Monroe and Washington townships, while the District 5 board member represents Whitley County’s Cleveland and Richland townships.
Whitko Classroom Teachers Association representative Kathy Wright served as the event moderator.
Each candidate had three minutes to introduce themselves to the 100 people who attended the event.
Each candidate had received two prepared questions prior to the forum and had five minutes to address both topics: What is your vision for Whitko School Corporation and what do you see as your role in moving this vision along?
Werstler said his vision was to have niche programs that attract students because of the need for technical and vocational trade programs.
He said 54 percent of jobs don’t require a college degree. “There is a need for a curriculum with an emphasis on training for future careers in manufacturing, agriculture and agribusiness, filling a need for workers in the county, area and region,” he said. ”Students who gain local employment will choose to stay in the area.”
He pointed out that northeast Indiana workers lead the nation in manufacturing and are farm production leaders.
“We truly are the engine that moves and the kitchen that feeds the nation,” he said.
Werstler owns Red Star Manufacturing in Larwill. A 1989 Whitko graduate, he and wife Rita have four children. Two have graduated from Whitko High School and two are still in school.
Starkey’s vision is to have the schools seen as a welcoming place, with a safe environment where students grow to their fullest potential and work toward a common goal that leads to progress.
“My role,” he said, “would be assisting, as needed, with analysis and planning for the current financial needs of our teachers and staff. Our teachers haven’t gotten a raise in a long time.”
He recommended building strategic plans with a focus on curriculum drawing from a network of business and academic leaders. He suggested the current board hadn’t reached out to those who want to help.
“We don’t include the community, and Whitko has to be a community school,” he said. “I see my role on the board as advising the public about non-confidential items. And I’d like to help whether or not I’m on the board.”
Starkey is president of Fox Products. He graduated from WHS, as did his wife, Lori. Both of Starkey’s children are Whitko graduates.
Board incumbent Tucker believes “a vision isn’t something one member can come up with on their own,” he said. “All five members contribute to the vision. This has been lacking in prior years but is the major focus of the current board.”
He said strategic planning must happen, along with improving academic study and developing unique programs to draw people to Whitko, not try to be everything to everyone.
The district’s reduced enrollment is the No. 1 issue facing Whitko right now, he said.
Tucker is director of the Whitley?County Solid Waste Management District. He and his wife, Sarah, live in South Whitley, where his children attend Whitko schools. He has been on the board two terms.
Thomas said the next generation of students will expect a mobile work environment, and the school board should explore what this looks like and how to prepare for it.
“We need to do what we do better, find those things, and teach better than anyone else. Not offer everything, but differentiate ourselves and get students excited about coming to Whitko,” he said.
He said the district can send out graduates with the skills necessary to enter the environment of their choice. The focus should be on business, FFA and the arts.
“My role is to seek solutions,” he said. “It takes everyone, with the communities actively involved with committees of people who want Whitko to excel.”
Thomas, of Pierceton, is a 1993 Whitko graduate. He and his wife, Danielle, live in Pierceton and their four children attend Whitko schools. He works at Zimmer in Warsaw.
Arnold, also a 1993 WHS graduate, said her vision is to “ultimately have a district where we all come together as one, face troubles and rejoice in triumphs as a community.”
Her vision has five main points: student retention and growth, retaining excellent teachers and compensating them for their work, a fair tax rate for growth, financial responsibility and developing a long-range plan.
She noted that the district has spent $47 million in the last 10 years while continuing to lose students.
“A new school board reconfiguration is what (the) corporation needs for the school’s longevity; transparency on the part of the board and administration with no more secrets,” she said. “Facts and figures should be made available to the public. All choices should be made using sound judgment for what is best for Whitko.”
Arnold and husband Jason have two children who attend WHS. She is the Country Heritage Farm Market manager in LaOtto.
Patrick was unable to attend the forum because of a preplanned family commitment. He responded in writing to the questions.
He said his vision is fiscal responsibly to the taxpayers, providing the highest quality of education.
“Facilities and buildings are important, but pale in comparison to quality teachers,” he said. “We must do everything we can to attract and retain quality teachers with a competitive salary. I’ll listen and learn, study the funding formula, communicate with people, be transparent and support the administration.”
A graduate of Sydney High School, Patrick is a former Whitko teacher and basketball coach. He retired from coaching at Tippecanoe Valley High School. He and his wife, Nancy, have four children who are Whitko graduates.
The forum was broadcast live on Whitko’s Facebook page and can be viewed in its entirety there.
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