Eight Candidates Seek Two Seats On Fayetteville School Board

Last updated Wednesday, September 10, 2008 7:30 PM CDT in News

By Rose Ann Pearce
THE MORNING NEWS

Voters will also be asked to maintain the current tax rate of 42.9 mills for 2009.

A runoff is likely for the Position 1 seat. With six candidates in the race, it is unlikely one will emerge with a majority of more than half of the votes cast in the election.

If so, the runoff will be Oct. 7.

The Washington County Clerk's office advises that polling places for the school election differ from polling places in the general election. Patrons are advised to check their polling places before heading out to vote.

Generally, candidates are discussing their views on a new high school at the current location or a new location, how much it will cost and the likelihood of voter approval of a millage increase that could be sought next year to pay for the high school and other capital projects.

Candidate information is below. Each candidate was asked three questions and asked to keep their answers to a maximum of 50 words. Answers were edited if the word limit was exceeded as denoted by ellipses or words in parentheses.

At-Large Position 2

Susan Heil, incumbent

Age: 46

Education: Attended Houston Baptist University, majoring in finance, and University of Arkansas; Harvard Business School for marketing training through IBM

Occupation: School board member/secretary and mother of three

Family: Married to Eric Heil, senior account manager, Symbol Technologies, Motorola; three children, including two in Fayetteville schools, Mary Grace, 9, who attends Vandergriff Elementary School, and Ben, 11, who attends McNair Middle School

Web site: www.susanheil.com

Q: Why do you want to serve on the Fayetteville School Board? Please list specific reasons.

A: I enjoy ... work on the Fayetteville School Board. With children in the school system I feel it is a way I can have an impact on their education (and) give my time to my community. My background in technology, marketing and finance gives me a perspective ... different from other members.

Q: Do you favor building a new high school at a new location; rebuilding a new high school at its current location; or doing nothing and why?

A: I don't support putting a lot of money in our current building, ... because it (is) money ... we will never ... recover. Our facility is inadequate in many ways. We need ... (to) rework ... spaces and (create) ... new ones. ... we need to ... review the (remaining) options ..., review, update our capacity plan and move forward.

Q: One of the issues new school board members will deal with is new attendance boundaries for elementary schools to alleviate crowding at some schools. What factors do you consider important for drawing new attendance boundaries for elementary schools?

A: I weigh keeping neighborhoods together, the ability to walk to school, distance to school, ability to notify families of change way in advance of implementation and adopting a plan with longevity all as important factors ... But with ... steady growth ... and population shifts we ... have to change boundaries from time to time.

Name: James McGinty

Age: 59

Education: Neosho High School; Crowder College, Neosho, Mo., University of Arkansas School of Architecture

Occupation: Self-employed contractor for 30 years, now retired; currently, project manager for pb2 Architecture & Engineering

Family: Married to Phyllis McGinty, a teacher at Fayetteville High School; two grown sons, both graduates of Fayetteville schools

Web site: www.ElectMcGinty.com

Q: Why do you want to serve on the Fayetteville School Board? Please list specific reasons.

A: I am running for the Fayetteville School Board for my granddaughter, to be sure she gets the same great education that my two sons received. I will bring business and construction experience to the board and hope to work with teachers, parents and the community to improve our children's education.

Q: Do you favor building a new high school at a new location; rebuilding a new high school at its current location; or doing nothing and why?

A: I believe we should build a new high school on the existing school site and with innovative design and careful planning, incorporate special and unique features of the existing high school and use LEED guidelines and commissioning to make a green 21st century school.

Q: One of the issues new school board members will deal with is new attendance boundaries for elementary schools to alleviate crowding at some schools. What factors do you consider important for drawing new attendance boundaries for elementary schools?

A: I believe in working with parents and the community to establish neighborhood schools. Children should be given the chance to walk or ride their bikes to school. Factors to consider are school size, equity across all schools and the establishment of logical boundaries and natural borders using good common sense.

At-Large Position 1

Conrad T. Odom, incumbent

Age: 42

Education: Fayetteville High School, 1984 graduate; Hendrix College, 1988 graduate; University of Arkansas School of Law, 1991 graduate

Occupation: Attorney

Family: Married to Laura M. Odom; three children, Thomas, 16, a junior at Fayetteville High School; Grace Anne, 11, McNair Middle School sixth-grader; Isaac Tate, 3, who attends First School two days a week

Q: Why do you want to serve on the Fayetteville School Board? Please list specific reasons.

A: I am running for school board because I want to be a part of making sure Fayetteville students receive the highest quality education to prepare them for college and/or the work force. I have the experience in community service and school issues to contribute to the school board.

Q: Do you favor building a new high school at a new location; rebuilding a new high school at its current location; or doing nothing and why?

A: The students of the Fayetteville School District need a new 21st century high school. Period. The school board must decide whether those needs can be met with fiscal responsibility on the current site or at a new site. The time is now to make that decision and to move forward.

Q: One of the issues new school board members will deal with is new attendance boundaries for elementary schools to alleviate crowding at some schools. What factors do you consider important for drawing new attendance boundaries for elementary schools?

A: I believe the school board should make sure that neighborhood schools are utilized to the fullest and students that are bussed should spend the least amount of time possible on a bus. Re-drawing attendance zones should only be done as a last resort.

Stacy Furlow

Age: Not available

Education: Attended Fayetteville schools; Fayetteville High School, 1989 graduate; University of Arkansas, 1993 graduate with bachelor's degree in microbiology; University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 1997 graduate with medical degree; Arkansas Children's Hospital, pediatric residency, 1997-2000

Occupation: Pediatrician and partner at Northwest Arkansas Pediatric Clinic

Family: Married to John Furlow, internal medicine physician and partner at Fayetteville Diagnostic Clinic; four children, Mary Larkin, 9, and Emily, 7, who both attend Root Elementary School, Will, 4, and Luke, 2

Web site: www.stacyfurlow.com

Q: Why do you want to serve on the Fayetteville School Board? Please list specific reasons.

A: ... education is the cornerstone of our society's future; our children deserve the best ... available. ... I am an expert on the health, development of children, adolescents. Serving on the school board would allow me to take my knowledge, experience one step further, making a lasting impact on the children of our community.

Q: Do you favor building a new high school at a new location; rebuilding a new high school at its current location; or doing nothing and why?

A: FHS has been in need of replacement for ... years; it is time to proceed ... . I am absolutely committed to a new building that incorporates 21st century skills into the facility, curriculum. I will support the location that is most fiscally responsible whether it is the current site or a new location.

Q: One of the issues new school board members will deal with is new attendance boundaries for elementary schools to alleviate crowding at some schools. What factors do you consider important for drawing new attendance boundaries for elementary schools?

A: The decisions must be made on objective data and not driven by emotion. Walkability should remain intact. Neighborhoods should remain together. Current elementary school space must be maximized prior to building new elementary schools. We should have a goal.

Jim Halsell

Age: 59

Education: University of Arkansas, 1993 graduate with bachelor's degree in business and 1995 graduate with master's degree in communication; Cambridge University, Oxford, England, visiting scholar program, 1994

Occupation: Mortgage broker, Arkansas Mortgage Company

Family: Married to Michele Halsell, director, Applied Sustainability Center, University of Arkansas; Three children, two who attend Fayetteville schools, Taylor Whitmore, 17, a senior at Fayetteville High School, and Henry Halsell, 9, a fourth-grader at Washington Elementary School

Web site: www.jimhalsell.com

Q: Why do you want to serve on the Fayetteville School Board? Please list specific reasons.

A: I want to help select a new superintendent who possesses a collaborative leadership style. I want to help create openness and transparency within the school board. I want to ensure that there will be a 21st century high school on the current site. I want all stakeholders at the table.

Q: Do you favor building a new high school at a new location; rebuilding a new high school at its current location; or doing nothing and why?

A: I favor a new high school on the current site. We need a new performing arts center, we need to update the current building to meet 21st century skill standards, we need to take advantage of the proximity we have to a world class research institution.

Q: One of the issues new school board members will deal with is new attendance boundaries for elementary schools to alleviate crowding at some schools. What factors do you consider important for drawing new attendance boundaries for elementary schools?

A: Maintain walkable, neighborhood schools where possible. Craft a recommendation based on input from parents and other stakeholders.

Jeanie Bartlett Hill

Age: 54

Occupation: Retired educator, homemaker, community volunteer

Education: Edison High School, Tulsa, Okla., graduate; University of Arkansas, 1975 graduate with degree in special education and elementary education

Family: Married to Mike Hill; three grown children, all graduates of Fayetteville High School

Q: Why do you want to serve on the Fayetteville School Board? Please list specific reasons.

A: I wish to use my experience and interest in education to assist the community in providing direction for the school district. My experience and qualifications include being a past educator in three states ... an active volunteer in this community and the public school system since moving to Fayetteville in 1994.

Q: Do you favor building a new high school at a new location; rebuilding a new high school at its current location; or doing nothing and why?

A: I feel it is imperative for Fayetteville to have a 21st Century campus. I have no predetermined preference of location; however, my concern is that we can build an affordable facility with the least millage increase.

Q: One of the issues new school board members will deal with is new attendance boundaries for elementary schools to alleviate crowding at some schools. What factors do you consider important for drawing new attendance boundaries for elementary schools?

A: I would like to see the board revisit the Enrollment Distribution Project ... completed a few years ago. There is a great deal of (beneficial) information included ... that was studied thoroughly ... Funding (at each) building varies which creates more opportunities for (some) buildings. Some schools have overcrowded classrooms, while others (don't).

Joe Lee

Age: 60

Education: Arkansas Tech University, bachelor's degree

Occupation: J.B. & Associates chief executive officer

Family: Married to Rita Lee; one daughter, Kathrine, 13, a student at Woodland Junior High School

Web site: www.leesforme.com

Q: Why do you want to serve on the Fayetteville School Board? Please list specific reasons.

A: Fayetteville is falling behind our area neighbors in our capability to accommodate our students. We have a real opportunity to build a state of the art high school ... and save taxpayer money ... We've lost two opportunities for a new building already; we need real leadership to move the project forward.

Q: Do you favor building a new high school at a new location; rebuilding a new high school at its current location; or doing nothing and why?

A: I favor creating a forward thinking plan that determines where Fayetteville's growth is heading, and building to accommodate that growth.

Q: One of the issues new school board members will deal with is new attendance boundaries for elementary schools to alleviate crowding at some schools. What factors do you consider important for drawing new attendance boundaries for elementary schools?

A: No rezoning needs to proceed until we have established a game plan for growth. It's important to work with city planning to determine growth patterns, (to) enable the school system to let residents know far in advance what they can expect boundaries to encompass. This is vital (to) determining property values.

Mike Malony

Age: 48

Education: Pasadena (Calif.) High School, 1977 graduate; University of Southern California, 1981 graduate; University of Michigan, 1986 graduate with master's of business administration

Occupation: Saatchi & Saatchi X, human resources director

Family: Married to Linda L. Malony, international president, Gamma Phi Beta collegiate sorority; three children, all graduates of Fayetteville High School

Web site: http://mikemalony.blogspot.com

Q: Why do you want to serve on the Fayetteville School Board? Please list specific reasons.

A: I want to serve ... so ... one former teacher is part of the deliberations on important issues. I'm passionate about education: As a parent, volunteer and especially when I took a five-year sabbatical from my 20-year business career to be an English teacher, co-department head, swim coach.

Q: Do you favor building a new high school at a new location; rebuilding a new high school at its current location; or doing nothing and why?

A: I favor a facility that accentuates our great teachers, our successful programs. If we can't find a $50 million-plus buyer for the current location, I favor a 10-12 rebuilt FHS at its current site. If we can find a buyer, I favor a 10-12 ... school at Morningside.

Q: One of the issues new school board members will deal with is new attendance boundaries for elementary schools to alleviate crowding at some schools. What factors do you consider important for drawing new attendance boundaries for elementary schools?

A: Keeping neighborhoods together, minimizing walking distances are priorities. Since we can't satisfy everybody, we need ... best possible process: start with ... open mind; encourage organized community input; deliberate based on principles and priorities; maintain a bias for action. We used this process on the recent high school committee, and it works.

Reader Comments (No comments posted.)

The following comments are provided by readers and are the sole responsibility of their authors. The Morning News does not review comments before their publication, nor do we guarantee their accuracy. By publishing a comment here you agree to abide by our comment policy. If you see a comment that violates our policy, please notify the web editor.