Superior School will be holding a mail ballot election for school board of trustee positions on May 2, 2017. Ballot were mailed out last week for two open positions. Current board member, Kate DiGiando, is stepping down and Michelle Parkin, who is the current board chair, is running for re-election.

There are five candidates vying for the open seats: Michelle Parkin, Nicholas Taryn Ververis, Micki Tourtelotte, Dan Hazlett, and Gilbert Wilson, Sr.

The candidates were asked several questions regarding the position. They were asked to provide a brief introduction of themselves, along with: Why do you want to be a Trustee? What do you see as the strengths of Superior Schools? What do you see as the challenges faced by Superior Schools? What could the school board do to get the community more involved with school activities? What criteria will you use when making decisions as a Trustee? What areas or issues are you especially interested in working on as a Trustee? Below are their responses.

Dan Hazlett

My wife Susan and I have lived in Superior for 39 years. All 3 of our children were born and raised in Superior and graduated from Superior High school. I came here as a school teacher and taught junior high math for 27 years. After retiring in 2005 I have been self- employed, in the floor covering business up to the present.

Question 2: Why do you want to be a Trustee? The people in this community and county have treated my family & me well. I feel that I might be able to give something back to the community in this voluntary position.

Question 3: What do you see as the strengths of Superior Schools? I hope the instruction of the students by their teachers is still top priority. Superior students for the most part have been given the tools to pursue a future of their choosing.

Question 4: What do you see as the challenges faced by Superior Schools? The break- down of the family makes it more challenging to educate children. The job market is changing at a rapid pace and we need to keep up with the knowledge and technology to accommodate our students for this challenge.

Question 5: What could the school board do to get the community more involved with school activities? I am not sure at the present time. I need to learn more about this position and the role it has in the community.

Question 6: What criteria will you use when making decisions as a Trustee? What is right for the overall welfare of our students.

Question 7: What areas or issues are you especially interested in working on as a Trustee? The instruction going on in the classrooms and support of the entire staff.

Michelle Parkin

I have lived and worked in Superior most of my life, graduated from Superior High School. I have been involved with the school in some way for many years. My eight children have all gone to and continue to attend school here. I’m very active in the community and in anything that my kids might be involved in.

Question 2: Why do you want to be a Trustee? I have been on the Board for eight years and the Chair for six of those. I would like to continue on the Board as there are things we have started that I would like to see to fruition. I feel the Board has made some great changes and done a great job fiscally the last few years.

Question 3: What do you see as the strengths of Superior Schools? Our main strength is our teachers and the compassion, empathy and love they have for their jobs. They continue to educate our children with less and less every year. Also our sports co-op with Alberton has opened up other avenues of discussion that I hope will continue.

Question 4: What do you see as the challenges faced by Superior Schools? Our biggest challenges right now are our dilapidated junior high building and lack of funding.

Question 5: What could the school board do to get the community more involved with school activities? This is a struggle and one I hope we can turn around. I would like to see the school calling on the knowledge of our community members in helping our students get some job experience or knowledge.

Question 6: What criteria will you use when making decisions as a Trustee? As I have been on the Board for many years and have based my decisions on what is going to be the best for our kids. It’s a struggle with how Government funding is and not being able to use your funds for what you want and need. It’s a struggle to make good decisions for our students and still be fiscally responsible.

Question 7: What areas or issues are you especially interested in working on as a Trustee? I would really like to see something done with our Junior High.

Micki Tourtelotte

My name is Micki Tourtelotte, but I’m known as ‘Grandma Micki’ to the elementary school students and their parents. Although I have lived in the area since marrying my husband, Gary, in 1999, I continued to work for the U.S. Forest Service in Missoula until my retirement in 2008. Following retirement, I began volunteering with the Mineral County Relay for Life, as well as working with the most open-minded students in the school, the preschoolers. After seven years of volunteering in the preschool, this year I graduated to kindergarten. Between my husband and myself, we have four children and eight grandchildren.

Question 2: Why do you want to be a Trustee? I believe providing our children the best education possible is the most important investment we can make for their future, as well as for ours. I would like to be involved in that investment. Growing up, I had two powerful role models when it came to advocating for quality education – my mom and dad. They were actively involved, even 53 years ago, in ensuring quality public education for all. It is through their example that I have learned the importance of social and civic responsibility.

Question 3: What do you see as the strengths of Superior Schools? I believe the Superior School District teachers and administrators are some of the most committed and experienced people in the field of education. Their dedication to students goes beyond basic education as they provide opportunities, encouragement, and support to students to stretch their horizons, strengthen their skills and abilities, and surpass their own expectations.

Question 4: What do you see as the challenges faced by Superior Schools? Now, more than ever, I believe the Superior School District, as well as most public schools, is going to be faced with severe financial challenges. Public education is taking a very large hit from both the Federal and State budgeting process and legislative decisions. Although the full extent of the impacts are not currently known, I believe these will be challenging times with difficult decisions needing to be made. With that said, I have confidence that the Board of Trustees, administrators, and teachers will continue to prioritize the needs of the students first.

Question 5: What could the school board do to get the community more involved with school activities? As with anything, I believe there is room for improvement, but I do believe there is a concerted effort on the part of teachers, administrators and school board members to reach out to the community (e.g., Superior School District website/app; reader board at Castle’s; Facebook; word-of-mouth, etc.). Because not everyone is computer savvy or personally connected to someone within the school system, I believe a ‘School Corner’ column in the Mineral Independent would be beneficial to inform the public of upcoming school activities/events and encourage attendance/participation.

Question 6: What criteria will you use when making decisions as a Trustee? As a Trustee, I believe the most important criteria in making decisions should be whether the decision furthers the best interests of the students.

Question 7: What areas or issues are you especially interested in working on as a Trustee? My area of interest lies in the early learning years, including preschool and elementary grades. As a volunteer in the Superior preschool and kindergarten, I have observed the benefit of early education and the solid foundation it establishes for a more successful learning experience for students throughout their educational journey.

Gilbert Wilson

My name is Gilbert Wilson. I graduated high school in 1965 from Hartshorne, Oklahoma. I later attended a trade school in Durant, Oklahoma where I became a certified machinist. I then started my career, in the pipeline construction industry, where I spent most of my working life except for brief stints in the livestock transportation industry and the Montana D.O.T. I retired in 2014 and now spend my time relaxing and enjoying my few hobbies as well as trying to keep up with my nine year old granddaughter. I have been a resident of Superior, Montana for 16 years. My wife Carol and I raised seven children. All the children except Russell, who graduated from Superior High School in 2009, graduated earlier from schools in Oklahoma and Illinois where we resided before moving to Superior. We now have guardianship of a granddaughter, Danica, who is attending Superior Elementary and will be in the fourth grade when school resumes in the fall.

Question 2: Why do you want to be a Trustee? My main objective, if I am elected to be a Trustee, is to work with the other Board Members, as well as the Superintendent, to see that our children are provided the right tools and guidance that will allow them to receive the best education possible. I want to make sure that when our children graduate they will be afforded the opportunity to pursue and excel in whatever interests in higher education and/or the workplace they desire.

Question 3: What do you see as the strengths of Superior Schools? Since we are a small school we have strength in the fact that the teachers have more time to spend with each student. Our teachers are closer with the parents, in our community, which makes more personable parent/teacher conferences. This closeness allows for a much better relationship between faculty, parents and students.

Question 4: What do you see as the challenges faced by Superior Schools? Being a small school also has its challenges. There are new laws we will have to contend with in the coming school year. I feel these laws will definitely add to these challenges by affecting the budget. Being a small school does not allow us the same exposure as larger schools. Helping our children to excel in scholastics and sports can accomplish this.

Question 5: What could the school board do to get the community more involved with school activities? I hope to persuade many of the citizens of Superior and the surrounding area to attend as many board meetings as they can, especially if they have children who attend school. School Boards need input from the community whether it is of a positive or negative nature.

Question 6: What criteria will you use when making decisions as a Trustee? While making decisions, as a Trustee, I will rely on my skills obtained from many years of pipeline construction accounting and personnel reviews. My honesty and high ethical standards will be utilized in all aspects of the School Board’s actions.

Question 7: What areas or issues are you especially interested in working on as a Trustee? My first act, as a Trustee, will be to familiarize myself with my fellow members and Superintendent as well as the past actions of the Board. In this way I will be able to ascertain the issues that I feel would benefit from my input.

Nicholas Taryn Ververis

I am 18 and I have lived in Superior for all 18 years of my life. I am a senior and will be graduating May 28th as the salutatorian of the Class of 2017. Superior school has been a place for me to grow and thrive for the past 12 years. I will continue to be involved after graduation and for the rest of my life because the education of the students of School District 3 is of utmost importance to me because I have been blessed enough to get proper preparation for adulthood.

Question 2: Why do you want to be a Trustee? Becoming a trustee for the school in my hometown is something of a dream, well a portion of a dream. To be able to serve my friends, family, and community members has been something I have always wanted to do, and continue to do, for the rest of my life. School boards are the smallest form of public office and I think that it is arguably the most important office a citizen can hold. I am at the beginning of my career as an adult, and I believe that my recent experience at the school puts me in a unique position to address and solve issues that come before the school board. Politics and the matter of education have particularly interested me and in the recent climate, I find that there is a need for people who care for education. I think I am one of those people. I want to bring the concerns of the community members and the issues educators face together to help Superior Schools thrive in the way it deserves.

Question 3: What do you see as the strengths of Superior Schools? The greatest strength of the school is in the faculty and staff. Through the years, I found that the most effective way of creating a safe and prosperous learning environment. Administration and teachers coordinate to make sure the needs of students are met to the best of their ability. Another strength of Superior Schools is the alumni living both in and outside of the community. The support of past graduates has created scholarship opportunities as well as employment opportunities to newly graduated seniors. The fact that Superior’s community members are involved in the process of “raising” the youth is a special part of what this school is.

Question 4: What do you see as the challenges faced by Superior Schools? The challenges that I notice are two major things: facility and funding. I am a member of the facilities committee that is in the process of planning a community involved levy to build a safe and student-first learning environment that is affordable and makes sense for the community. Seeing this election going on ballot in the fall, and passing, is highly important and is the first thing on my agenda. The second challenge is funding. This age old problem is something that kills local taxpayers, ends educational programs, and makes accommodating to special needs students a hurdle that is becoming harder and harder to overcome. If I am honored by the community members to serve, this will be a huge undertaking that I believe is something that trustees must take on. Helena is taking the shears to education and placing a larger burden on Mineral County residents to make up for it. I think that there is a need for someone to be holding the Capitol accountable and ensuring that legislation is made to meet the needs of youth so that they may take hold in the economy and build this community back. I am highly comfortable to be the one to go and testify to our representatives on behalf of taxpayers as well as students.

Question 5: What could the school board do to get the community more involved with school activities? To be blunt, I don’t believe that there is anything more that the board can do. The inclination to be involved is welcomed by all school members. All involvement is encouraged and I think students and staff are high grateful for the hours volunteers and spectators put into the successes of students. With open houses and sporting events being well advertised I think the only other thing to do is more frequent open houses or reinstating the annual tech night that has technologically engaging activities for students, parents, and other community members.

Question 6: What criteria will you use when making decisions as a Trustee? The criteria I would use for making decisions, as a Trustee, is the fact that students come first. Every action should take in account the implications it can have on either compromising or benefiting the learning environment. While that would be the crucial criteria there is also the fiscal responsibility. Therefore the all decisions should and must be educationally driven with an economically responsible accountability.

Question 7: What areas or issues are you especially interested in working on as a Trustee? I am especially interested in the Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs of study. Superior is not only an academically invigorating educational institution, it also give students opportunities to gain experience in technical fields like wielding, woodwork, or even business. I think that expanding these programs will make a diploma from Superior High School far more valuable to employers as well as to students. The in depth co-curricular activities not only give students a chance to learn important life skills, but also a place to be where their classmates and staff can be there for support in personal life. Through my personal experience, the co-curricular groups such as Business Professionals of America have brought me closer to other students in the school and made me more interested in other fields of study that the school curriculum otherwise lacks. Expanding and adding these programs are vital to a rewarding education and they create a competitive pool of graduates for the work world.