BEARDSTOWN — The Beardstown School Board has four seats up being challenged on the ballot Tuesday.
Two unexpired two-year term seats are being sought after by three candidates — one incumbent and two newcomers.
Two four-year term seats are also up for grabs with four candidates vying for the position.
Newcomers Amy Sommers and Abby Pherigo are hoping to win a seat against incumbent Barbara Hobrock.
Sommers said if elected, remote learning options are something she would like to explore.
“Post pandemic we need to look at what worked and what didn’t,” Sommers said. “We need to get a contingency plan in place for future needs that would give teachers more direction on required formats for remote learning. Families with multiple children were forced to adapt to the remote learning style of individual teachers instead of a consistent format directed and supported by the school.”
Sommers said she will bring experience with budgeting and finance to the board.
She is the mother to three children.
Pherigo said technology, staffing and resources would be some of her main focuses if elected.
“Our school district is extremely unique to our area and it comes with big city problems — on a small town budget,” Pherigo said. “We are in desperate need for qualified teachers and staff, plus we have to find a way to keep the great educators we already employ…I feel like I bring a clear-eyed perspective that isn’t clouded by personal desires. I believe I would be able to work well with our administration, educators, and parents to find the best solutions possible for our kids.”
She and her husband, Randy, have three children.
Hobrock was originally elected to the board in May 2017 and currently serves as the vice president of the board.
Community engagement and budgeting are some of her main focuses and will continue to be if re-elected.
“A big goal of mine has always been to engage the parents and community more,” Hobrock said. “It truly takes a village to raise a child and we need to be partners with parents in educating their children. Another goal of mine would be to streamline communications. We need to effectively communicate to get better.”
She is the mom of two children.
Four are vying for two, four-year terms — Katherine Vitale, Jimmy Hymes, Wells Petersen and Kim Watson.
Vitale said in-person education and the curriculum would be some of her primary focuses should she be elected.
“We need to concentrate on getting our kids back to school full time — five days a week,” Vitale said. “We also need to strengthen our curriculum. There needs to be recruitment tools in place to bring quality teachers to our area to live, teach, and raise their families. I am hoping to have a recruitment system in place to bring young quality educators to our area to teach, coach, and live.”
She is the mother to two children.
Petersen has served on the board for two years.
Petersen said safety, transparency, and curriculum and education of the students is his primary focus.
“I think first and foremost we need to be doing our best in the coming years to make sure our kids do not fall behind in learning,” Petersen said. “With the future, in my opinion, still hanging in the balance we will need to continue to be diligent, thoughtful and precise in the decisions we make moving forward in educating our kids through the COVID-19 pandemic. We will have to make the best decisions for the kids all the while being mindful of their safety and the safety of the staff.”
Petersen and his wife, Katie, have four children between them.
Kim Watson and Jimmy Hymes did not respond to a survey requests.
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