Charles City school board candidates share their views

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

As part of the Press’ coverage of the upcoming city and school board elections, we asked the Charles City candidates to answer a questionnaire requesting biographical information and asking them to respond to a set of questions focused on each race.

In the election for The Charles City Community School District Board of Education there are six candidates. Only one of the current board members, Josh Mack, is seeking re-election, so there will be at least two new members selected for the board at the election coming up Nov. 2. Board members Scott Dight and Missy Freund are not seeking re-election.

The other school board candidates in addition to Mack are Kathryn Fox, Claire Jung, Lori Otto, David Schrodt and Staci Taylor. All the school board positions are at-large, so voters will get to vote for three candidates, and the three people who get the most votes will be elected.

Here are the answers from the candidates for Charles City Board of Education:

Kathryn Fox

Kathryn Fox is 34, married to husband Brian Fox, and has a daughter. She is employed as a background investigator, and previously served for four years as the high school counselor at Mount Vernon High School in Mount Vernon.

Why are you running for this position?

I’ve always found fulfillment in trying to help others reach their full potential. I chose school counseling as a career path and obtained a master’s degree in school counseling to equip me with the proper skills and knowledge to be more effective helping others. Three years ago I moved to Charles City, entered a new career, married my husband and recently started to raise a family.

I am at a point where I feel an obligation to share my time and talents with my community. I am committed to creating a school district we can be proud of. I believe in public education and I am eager to work with others who share the mission and goal of doing what is best for our school district.

What do you consider the top 3 challenges facing the school district, and how would you deal with each of them?

• Competitiveness – There have been a lot of conversations about how our statistics compare to neighboring districts. I will support our students, teachers, administrators and parents to find trusted, proven and creative ways to increase the academic rigor in our classrooms.

Our community recognizes the need to increase academic rigor and the expectations we have for our students. By raising the bar and increasing expectations we put on our students, we will see positive outcomes which will help our students find success in and outside our schools.

• Transparency – This is an incredibly common issue that I dealt with as a high school counselor in Mount Vernon and one that is not unique to our district. Our Charles City parents are smart and they want the best for their children. Their voices matter and they are critical to the development of their child academically and socially.

Parents should know what is happening in their child’s classroom and how their child is doing. Our community members deserve to know the decisions being made in their community district and know the district is managing finances.

• Student engagement – As a community, we can equip our students with the skills to be independent, forward thinkers. In addition, teaching leadership skills is a proven method to increasing student engagement because students learn accountability and competence. Creating an entrepreneurial spirit and future leaders will enhance the economic sustainability of Charles City.

Do you think school boards should have the ability to impose health requirements, such as a face mask requirement or vaccination requirement for staff and/or students?

School boards have a variety of responsibilities and accountability for the education, safety and well-being of our children. All decisions should be given careful thought and consideration based upon the resources that are available. Major decisions should be made by a board with full visibility to our public. Most recently, our district had to make a health decision and I applaud the discussions and research that went into the decision to implement our district’s Health Mitigation Plan.

If you received a $1 million grant that you could spend on the school district in any way you want, what would you do and why?

If possible, I’d like to save a portion of this for reserve and future needs. With the remaining amount, I would support the NIACC Regional Center at the Floyd County fairgrounds. By establishing career partnerships, students are more engaged which in turn increases academic outcomes. If we want to see Charles City become a competitive district, we need to recognize the diverse talents, interests and skills our students have and find creative outlets for them to thrive.

Why should voters pick you?

As a former educator I know the challenges our students face and what it takes for them to be successful after graduation. I have been attending our school board meetings and meeting with our administrators to better understand what is currently happening within our schools. These conversations have been very informative and have given me a tremendous appreciation for the work our staff are doing to make our district better.

I am not running to serve a personal agenda. The question I am asking is, “What is our agenda”? I am excited, eager and up to the challenge to see Charles City Community School District thrive and be a tradition of excellence for our community.

Claire Jung

Claire Jung is 36, married and has a son in middle school. She is employed at Zoetis as a supply chain and logistic-global quality specialist. Prior to employment at Zoetis, she worked in social services for the state of Iowa. She has helped coach many years of T-ball and youth baseball, assisted with PAWS volunteerism, 4th of July events and volunteered during the county fair.

Why are you running for this position? 

I am running for school board because I believe in investing in our youth, and a quality education is essential to their future success. I have a 14-year-old in the middle school and a nephew in elementary, so I have a vested interest in the academics and achievements of our schools. I want to ensure every child is given adequate and consistent curricula that equips them for life beyond the classroom walls.

I am a Charles City alumni with friends and families who own businesses in town. Their livelihood and success are dependent on people wanting to live in Charles City and invest in our community. I want Charles City Schools to “be the place to send your kids.” I feel there is no better way to try and see some of these things through than to get involved and be a positive influence.

What do you consider the top 3 challenges facing the school district, and how would you deal with each of them? 

I feel the top 3 challenges really kind of all tie together. First, the challenge of filling the workforce, thus bringing families to the community that are wanting to invest in our schools. I know personally from working at Zoetis it is not easy to recruit new people.

I know one of the things potential residents look at when determining to move here is the school and how we are rated compared to surrounding districts. Currently, our rating and our test scores are indicative of needing improvement. I believe we need to use the scores as key performance indicators and find ways to improve based on them.

I know in talking with some high school students they feel it would be very helpful if they had access to textbooks, particularly topics like math, which, based on current ISASP scores, is where we need to show proficiency. So I think it’s important we listen to the students and provide them with resources that foster different learning styles and topic retention.

I also know the administration is currently evaluating the scores and ways to improve test scores, so I am hopeful, if elected, that I would get to assist in that improvement plan. I believe increased test scores would equate to increased ratings, and thus help attract families to the community.

So to summarize, 1) making Charles City a destination school district; 2) improved test scores/district rating; and 3) adequate resources that foster all styles of learning and topic retention.

Do you think school boards should have the ability to impose health requirements, such as a face mask requirement or vaccination requirement for staff and/or students?

I do not feel that is the place of the board to impose health requirements or mandates for staff or students. I believe an individual’s health is their personal choice.

If you received a $1 million grant that you could spend on the school district in any way you want, what would you do and why? 

I would use it to supplement Project RISE and the Silver Cord program. I think these programs are incredible and instill community volunteerism while also providing life skills that will help the students development far beyond the classroom. The programs foster engagement with others and promote social skills and face-to-face interactions. Having adequate social skills and interpersonal experiences are important in being a well rounded individual for entering life after graduation.

Why should voters pick you? 

Voters should pick me because I have a passion for helping people. I truly want what is best for our schools, students, staff, and our community as a whole. I am dedicated to success and seeing things through.

If you asked any of my previous direct reports at Zoetis, I think they would concur when I say that I thrive on actively listening to people and finding solutions for improvement. I am willing and wanting to work with the other board members to positively influence our school district to provide the best possible education for our students and experience for our parents.

Josh Mack

Josh Mack is 44, married to wife, Rachel, and they have four children, a dog and four cats. He is the North Iowa Area Community College chief information officer, a job he started in July 2016 after moving to Charles City from the Twin Cities. Previous to NIACC he worked for the Minnesota Senate as the director of information technology and prior to that was the director of information technology at the ISU Vet School for 10 years.

He has been on the Charles City School Board for 4 years and been president for 2 years, and served on the Telecom committee for the city for two years until the end of 2019.

Why are you running for this position?

Education is important to our community. I’ve served most of my career in Higher education, and the K-12 system is the foundation for opportunities in the future. I have four children who live in the district, and their education is important to me.

What do you consider the top 3 challenges facing the school district, and how would you deal with each of them?

• Ensuring we engage all children where they are. This means that we provide education paths for all students. Students who need help, we are there to provide support for their success. Students who need additional ways to be challenged, we have opportunities for them. We want the rest of our students to know that the district is here to support them. These are the kids who work hard and want to do great things, and we want to show them we are ready to celebrate their successes.
• Continue to provide opportunities for CTE (career and technical education). We have a signed agreement with NIACC to create a career academy using NIACC bond funds (passed in March 2020). To complete this project we are awaiting a $1 million grant from the state of Iowa, which we hope to be awarded in January when they release new grant opportunities.
• Work to grow programs like the K-4 Leader In Me program. This program teaches kids life skills and how to work with other students on ways to make themselves and the school district better.

Do you think school boards should have the ability to impose health requirements, such as a face mask requirement or vaccination requirement for staff and/or students?

It is the responsibility of the school to provide safe and secure educational opportunities for all students. I believe it is responsibility of each school district to make decisions about face coverings. Local control is an important cornerstone of our state. Vaccine requirements are done at the state level, through the Iowa Department of Public Health (https://idph.iowa.gov/immtb/immunization/laws). Our mission of the regardless school says to parents, kids, and families we will work to provide educational opportunities to align with what your kids need to be successful.

If you received a $1 million grant that you could spend on the school district in any way you want, what would you do and why? 

Continue to grow our partnership with NIACC and build our regional center at the Floyd County Fairgrounds.

Why should voters pick you?

My success in the school district continues to show I understand what it takes to continue to lead our district. Our growth in enrollment over the last 3 years shows that people want to come to Charles City. This growth has a significant economic impact for Charles City.

As we look back at last year, during one of the hardest years of teaching and learning, our test scores grew.

One of my strengths is my ability to listen to parents and get community feedback on decisions for the school. I continue to work to be as transparent as possible for our parents and community members. I would appreciate your vote on November 2nd.

Lori Otto

Lori Otto is 53, married to husband Jeff Otto, and they have a daughter a junior at Charles City High School. The Ottos are owners of Otto’s Oasis. She has been a church board member, Charles City Chamber director, volunteer for local events, as well as church events, school sports events and drama productions

Why are you running for this position? 

After living in Charles City since 1995, moving away for a few years, and then returning in 2007 when buying our business, I decided to run for the school board because I want to give back to our community that has been so generous with us. I believe a good way for me to do that is contributing to our education system by being a board member.

Having a daughter who has been in our school system since kindergarten and is now a junior in high school, I am a mom who can relate to other parents who sometimes may question the what’s and why’s of decisions made by the school district.

On a more personal level, I want to be a role model for my daughter. I want to pursue something that is important and makes a difference in children’s lives even when the process is out of my comfort zone.

What do you consider the top 3 challenges facing the school district, and how would you deal with each of them?

1) The Pandemic. Thankfully, at this point, we are in a better place with understanding the pandemic than the last 2 school years, but we still have issues and concerns from parents that I believe should always be taken into consideration. The school district has done its best to work with the laws, mandates and recommendations they have been given. I think that the mitigation plan we currently have in place can work, and Superintendent Fisher did the research needed for what he proposed.

I believe that if a team has a factual discussion, they should decide on the best policy for the majority of children. If elected, I may or may not agree with the final outcome, but if my voice is heard as a board member representing parents and students concerns, I am confident that the system is working as it should.

2) Curriculum. While I will learn more about lessons taught in all of our classrooms if elected, currently there is much discussion regarding Critical Race Theory specifically. From what I have researched, there seems to be many interpretations of this in our community and nation. I do not believe that Charles City schools are teaching this as it is described, but I would invest time into finding out the details of what is being taught and make decisions and opinions based on the facts and not feelings.

3) Test Scores/Rankings. While this is and has been a concern for parents, the state assessment scores have shown growth in many areas and grade levels. I would continue monitoring this and promoting more MAP testing that began in the fall of 2020 at the middle school level. The school board should be responsible for opening doors and making these processes as easy as possible on a larger scale.

Do you think school boards should have the ability to impose health requirements, such as a face mask requirement or vaccination requirement for staff and/or students?

Immunizations have long been standard for students attending school. Having said that, I understand that parents are concerned with the COVID vaccinations for various reasons. Currently, I haven’t heard any discussion for requiring this of our staff or students. I think it is a bad idea to be making a judgement or giving an opinion on this hypothetically without knowing the situation surrounding it if it becomes a need for the school board to decide. As far as mask requirements go, I think the current mask mitigation plan is the best compromise for parents and students who have strong concerns for either side of the debate.

If you received a $1 million grant that you could spend on the school district in any way you want, what would you do and why?

After-school programs and staff to facilitate. These programs would be focused on tutoring and mentoring. I think an additional resource for students, that is free of charge, would be an asset for those who need assistance on class subjects they may not understand.

Beyond the basic subjects, it could also include fine arts such as acting, vocal and instrumental lessons. A mentoring program would be beneficial for kids who may need some extra attention, encouragement or love that they may not feel at home or during their day at school. Having someone they could just spend time with out of their normal routine and have as a role model could make all the difference.

Why should voters pick you?

I am optimistic for the future of our school district and I believe that continued success will come by working together as a school board with parents, teachers and administration. We should always do what is best for our students even when the outcome may not be my particular opinion.

I will be the first to tell you I do not have all of the answers and I still have much to learn about a school board and how it functions, but I believe I can make important contributions by listening, evaluating and researching issues presented. I want quality education for our children as well as building additional opportunities for our outstanding fine arts and sports programs.

Lastly, but just as important to me, I am a mom and I have a vested interest in the experiences my child and other students have on a daily basis.

David Schrodt

David V. Schrodt, MD, is 63, married to Christine M. Schrodt for 41 years, and they have 10 children and 10 grandchildren. He is a physician at the Floyd County Medical Center. He is also a member of the Knights of Columbus and has served on various committees at FCMC.

Why are you running for this position?

I’d like to be involved in making CCCSD ranking considerably higher by the Iowa BOE and competitive with all the surrounding school districts, and I want every graduate to be able to trust that they have a solid education.

What do you consider the top 3 challenges facing the school district, and how would you deal with each of them?

• The most important issue is improving educational instruction and proving it by rising test scores. The first goal would be instituting a strong and stable curriculum. The second goal is supporting excellent teachers.
• The second important issue is to do the work necessary to help students from unfortunate circumstances understand the role of initiative and learning to improve their lives. Some students when they arrive at CCCSD are not on par with other students. Part of our strong curriculum needs to be able to get these students caught up.
• The last issue is the ongoing discussion about high school renovations. I believe this issue is one that can wait for proven improvement in our educational product. Once we are ready to consider this, being frugal is essential.

Do you think school boards should have the ability to impose health requirements, such as a face mask requirement or vaccination requirement for staff and/or students?

No.

If you received a $1 million grant that you could spend on the school district in any way you want, what would you do and why?

I would use this money to help get in place a strong curriculum, which apparently are expensive. The leftover, if any, would go to support teachers.

Why should voters pick you?

Clear goals as my platform states:

1) A school that complements the parents.

2) A school with a strong and stable curriculum.

3) A school that works to improve student achievement.

4) A school that honors its fiduciary duty.

Staci Taylor 

Staci A. Taylor is 57 and has three children and four grandchildren. In 2006 she had triplets as a surrogate for a good friend who had uterine cancer. She entered nursing school at age 40 and has been a pediatric, delivery and postpartum nurse, worked in the NICU, cared for the elderly in long term care, done hospice care and other nursing.

She is an active member of the Community Improvement Association, a member of the Elks, volunteered at her children’s schools, volunteered in church as well as other volunteer opportunities with her children.

Why are you running for this position?

I am running for school board because I feel driven to do so. I desire to be an advocate for our children, parents and teachers. New members on the school board will allow others to participate, offering fresh ideas and good decisions that directly influence the success of our children. If someone was to ask me what my attributes were, I would have to say that I am ambitious, honest, genuine, kind and have good common sense. I want to participate in the decision-making process for the best interest of our students and their future successes. I want them to be proud of the school and community they came from.

What do you consider the top 3 challenges facing the school district, and how would you deal with each of them?

• Eradicate any potential radical principles that may exist within the school system or within the future of our school. School is a place of learning and education. Children must be able to embrace their education without distractions which can lead to confusion. A child can learn their own values and principles within their own family unit.
• Not every student is college bound. We need young adults that have interests in the direction of EMT’s, mechanics, farming, firefighters, postal workers and many other careers that do not require a college degree. Through building a strong partnership with NIACC for example, we could establish an “adulting curriculum” where we could have apprenticeships locally where they can learn skills that could empower them for a lifelong career.

Our high school could provide “academy approach” classes to bridge our young adult from high school to technical school, providing them with the tools needed to become successful. Our students are ambitious and they need the guidance and support from teachers, parents and school board to help them acquire their “best”life’s work.

• Agile minds is a new educational curriculum that has been introduced to the students recently and it has created some concerns from parents and students. Each child is unique and one may learn from being shown, verses reading or hands-on methods. This new curriculum was implemented so that students can use it on an IPad at home without needing a book or paper. I would like to explore this new type of education and see what works and does not work in order to help each child adapt or understand this way of education for their individual success. We do not wish for any child to fall behind. Our goal is for the successful education of our students.

Do you think school boards should have the ability to impose health requirements, such as a face mask requirement or vaccination requirement for staff and/or students?

I do not believe that a school board has the choice to impose health requirements such as mask use or vaccinating on its staff or students. It is up to the individual, as we live in a country that allows us that freedom to choose.

If you received a $1 million grant that you could spend on the school district in any way you want, what would you do and why?

I would put that money toward our students in a “bridge program” to transition students from middle school to high school, and high school to college or tech school. This program would provide a testing format that would help guide each student in the direction that would best suite them through their interests and abilities into a career path. By providing this program to our students, it would help prepare them for their future and give them the confidence they need to succeed.

Why should voters pick you?

The principles that I embrace are first and foremost the love I have for God, my family and my country. I am blessed to be a part of the Charles City community and I wish to invest my time wisely. My investment is in the future of our country which is our children. Allow me the opportunity to serve your children and I hope that I have your vote this November 2nd.