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Oct 13, 2001 By Aspen C. Emmett Three seats on the Re-1 school board will be vacated in November. Vacating their seats are Sue Baacke, District D; Peggy Blackmer, District F; and Tina Galyon, District B. Four candidates are running in District B; one in District D; and two in District F. Mail ballots will be mailed to voters in the next few days. Candidates in District B are:
MARCI SCHUSTER As the mother of three Re-1 school children, Marci Schuster has a vested interest in Montezuma-Cortez schools and hopes to bring a fresh perspective to the school board if elected in November. Schuster is one of four candidates running for a seat on the board in District B. She and her family moved to the Cortez area in 1991 and have two children attending Kemper Elementary and one at Cortez Middle School. Schuster said she has had a positive experience with Re-1 schools, particularly with the special-needs program and small classroom sizes, but believes there is always room for improvement. "I have a daughter in special education who is hearing-impaired and I really feel strongly about issues in that area," Schuster said. Paying better wages for interpreters is just one of many issues Schuster would like to bring before the board. "The amount that they get paid for their certifications and qualifications is just really low." Schuster had not initially intended to run for the board until she heard that there was little interest in the election. "My children’s teachers convinced me that I needed to do something," she said. "I’m in it because I have three kids of my own in the schools. I’d like to see some improvements and other things to continue on."
LEON MURDOCK For 38 years, Murdock has been an active member of the Cortez community. Now that he has retired from a job with the state, he has decided to dedicate his time to education, whether by serving on the school board or volunteering in the classroom. Murdock has three grandchildren in Re-1, spanning from the elementary level to high school. Like Schuster, he is interested in issues that affect special-needs children. "I was really surprised to hear that there 104 special-need children in our school district," Murdock said. "That would be my priority, to make sure they’re getting quality education. Because of a handicap they shouldn’t be deprived of education." Murdock is a strong advocate for enforcing attendance policies and also is interested in pushing for a dress code. The early lack of interest for candidates in the election also prompted Murdock to run for a seat on the board. "I kept hearing that they needed people to run but I thought, in years past, there’s better people out there than I," he said. "But then I thought, well, I better get off the bench and step up to the plate."
KIP KAUTZ Kautz grew up in the Cortez schools and, now that he has a son of his own in the first grade at Kemper, he has decided to take an active role in the district by running for a seat on the school board. Kautz said inspirational teachers made his experience in the local schools a good one and hopes he can help preserve necessary measures to support caring and experienced faculty. Kautz said if he were elected, he would promote responsible and effective use of education funds. "I want to make sure that we can get the best for our children for what we can afford."
REMIGIO CANDELARIA Candelaria, an employee at Southwest Memorial Hospital, is running as a write-in candidate. He was out of town and unavailable for an interview. |
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Copyright © 2001 the Cortez Journal.
All rights reserved. |
