R-5 school board candidates line up

Last week, the Nevada R-5 Community Teacher's Associ-ation hosted a "meet and greet" forum for the nine persons seeking election to the district's board of education on April 8.

The nine candidates are Mark Comensky, Steve Cubbage, Sam Craig DeLaney, Larry Forkner, Catherine Hissink, Richard Holder, Jodee Turner Mashek, Nora Quitno and Jessica Sloniker.

Each candidate was introduced and gave a three-minute presentation to the group.

Comensky, a professional counselor and a resident of Nevada since 1984, says he doesn't have all the answers but believes there are some issues that need to be addressed.

As an example, he related his own experience with an issue about foreign exchange students. Comensky said that he had hosted foreign students several times with great success in the Nevada school district, but since the 2003-'04 school year, the students he has hosted have gone to Bronaugh or Sheldon schools, and that this year the students attended Sheldon schools with no waiver from R-5 that would have enabled Sheldon schools to receive funding for educating these students.

Comensky believes there are many such issues with parents that could be resolved amicably, noting that parents need to feel they're being listened to, saying, "Every patron should be treated equally and be heard."

Comensky also noted that there are programs that do not make the district money but are still beneficial that were cut due to budget constraints, saying, "Surely some money could be found for some of these."

Steve Cubbage, who currently serves on the board, said he "takes seriously the responsibility. The future of the children are in our hands."

Cubbage said that ultimately, education boils down to students and teachers and that it's the board's job to try to give the teachers the tools they need to prepare students for the future. He said he'd like to see a teacher council formed that would meet with the school board at least twice a year, as well as a board comprised of past students that could tell them what helped them and what was missed in preparing them for jobs or higher education.

Also, he said, "we need to create an environment where they can come to us and feel comfortable doing so."

DeLaney has spent 30 years working for the interests of children. She holds a Master of Special Education degree and has spent 22 years in education. She currently holds an administrative position in Lamar.

DeLaney said she loves and believes in education, noting that "it's a critical time" for the Nevada R-5 district, since the board is seeking a new superintendent and faces other issues.

The DeLaneys' four children are all graduates of Nevada schools, and believes the teachers and staff must be very dedicated to have provided consistently strong education over the years. Delaney wants to help the district continue that tradition.

Forkner has served on the R-5 board for 12 years, and agrees that with the task ahead of finding a new superintendent, it's a critical time for the district. Forkner said that other issues are coming as well, such as the possibility of seeking voter approval for maintaining improvements to the district's facilities.

Forkner said he also has classroom experience, having taught at the university level, and spoke of the moment when "the light goes on" and a student grasps a concept, saying it's "the responsibility of the board to make sure teachers have the tools to make sure those lights come on."

Hissink and her husband Tom, who is a local financial advisor, have two daughters. Hissink is self-employed and is a licensed psychologist who teaches parenting through the 28th Circuit Court. Many years ago her father served on the school board, so she's aware of the time and energy one commits to serving.

Hissink said she's impressed with the professionalism of the staff and the quality of education the district provides, and believes her leadership experience and involvement with the Nevada Neptunes swim team, the Children's Center, PEO sisterhood and others will be of service to the board.

Hissink believes the early elementary grades are particularly important to the development of a child's future, saying that if creativity, interest, intellect and talent can be sparked at that time, the student has a bright future.

Hissink said she is "willing to listen, willing to learn and to be a partner in making decisions in the best interest of the kids, the staff and the buildings."

Holder has earned a bachelor's degree from Washington University and an MBA from the University of Missouri, and has worked for the Social Security Administration for 29 years, 17 of them in Nevada. He has also been active in Band Boosters and has been attending board meetings to learn first-hand how the board works.

"I have no laundry list of issues or agendas," but he's impressed with the district's year-after-year accomplishment of being accredited "with distinction." and wants to offer his services as a manager and his background in administration to the people through service on the board of education, where he believes his experience working with government, budgets, staffing in an environment in which rules constantly change would be put to good use.

Mashek is a 1983 graduate of Nevada High School with a 3-year-old son who will soon be enrolled in the district. She's interested in several aspects of the school experience, from the agricultural experience to extracurricular activities of all sorts, such as sports and fine arts activities. Mashek has been active and has served as a mentor for other students at the University of Oklahoma, prior to moving back to the area.

Mashek wants to be involved in the community, and believes service on the school board one of the best ways to do so.

Nora Quitno believes "the number one priority is to make sure every student realizes his or her potential regardless of their abilities."

Quitno says her perspective is unique. She and husband Neal have four children -- one who's in the gifted program, one who's in special education, one who's interested in sports and another who's interested in fine arts.

Quitno said she's also aware of the level of nursing care the students sometimes need, having been a member of the student health advisory committee.

Quitno, who practiced law in Kansas City prior to moving to Nevada 15 years ago, said she's committed to the community and to the children of the community, and believes her legal and parental expertise would be assets to the school board.

Jessica Sloniker, a 1999 graduate of Nevada High School, was born and reared in Nevada. She holds an associate's degree in business administration. After a short time in North Kansas City, she moved back to Nevada where she now works at Daylight Donuts.

Sloniker said her aim is to better the community, and that as a past student and future parent, she has a stake in the future of the schools. She also hopes to learn about issues and decisions, and to educate other parents on what's going on in the district.