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USD 375 Circle school board, District 5

Candidates for Circle school board
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  • Cal Ammons

    Teacher
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  • Roxann Cool

    Housewife
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Cal Ammons
Roxann Cool
  1. Biographical Information
  2. The Legislature may cut millions in education funding in the next two years to address state budget shortfalls. How should your school district scale back spending?
  3. Under the federal No Child Left Behind Act, all students are expected to meet proficiency standards by 2014. How would you ensure student achievement in your district?
  4. If elected to the board of education, what would be your top priority?
Cal Ammons: Examine every portion of current and future budgets. Recognize that academic excellence is the primary mission and focus. Evaluate every dollar spent for direct educational impact on students and reduce or eliminate spending that has weak or questionable application to student growth.

Once budget priorities are in sharp focus, we must treat every dollar spent as if we must reach in our neighbors pocket to get it. We must justify to them the impact that their dollar has.
Cal Ammons: Teachers have the most direct impact on student achievement and learning. Financial incentive for excellence in teaching currently do not exist in salary schedules. Outstanding instructors and instructional teams should be rewarded for that excellence. Their innovation and instructional methods should be emulated by others seeking to impact students more effectively.

Under current contracts, all teachers recieve salary based only upon education/experience without regard to student impact.
Cal Ammons: Educational academic excellence must be the focus of our district. That must be our primary goal and mission. Circle district can and should be a place that is an example of successful public education, excellence in teaching and learning, innovational instruction techniques and community involvement.

These goals will only be realized if we examine all that we do through the lense of teaching/learning that is taking place in every classroom across the district.
Age: 51
Education/Degrees: BS: Friends University 1981 MA: Friends University 2007 Additional 40 hours in Education/Administration
Occupation: Teacher 1981-90 Contractor 1988-2003 Teacher 2003-present
Community Involvement: First Baptist Church Towanda Past involvement with Towanda Rustler 4-H, Fairview Township Trustee Past involvement with PTO/Site Councils: Oil Hill Elementary, Towanda Grade school, Circle High Director: Lucas J. Foundation (college scholorship for students facing and overcoming life challenges)
Children in school: Jessica: Senior at Oklahoma State Lucas: Sophomore at Butler County Community College Both Jessica and Lucas were students in Circle district from kindergarten through 12th grade.
Political experience: Fairview township Trustee
How long lived in district: 17 years
Campaign Phone: 316-737-3321
E-mail: cammons@pixius.net
Roxann Cool: USD 375 started scaling back a few years ago and continue to stay on top of our budgets on a monthly basis,so our personnel have some experience already in ways to cut back. The decisions on where to scale back will be made with staff, superindent, and the Board of Educaton. I could not even begin to speculate as to where we could scale back that will not affect our students learning. It will take all of the district together to make those important decisions.
Roxann Cool: I would hope to ensure the continued achievements by being able to give the teachers all of the textbooks, continued learning experiences, advanced technology, and support they will need to help these children succeed.
Roxann Cool: I don't believe I have a "top priority" as this school district keeps each student as their top priority, and I am not sure I want to do anything to change what is already good.
Age: 53
Education/Degrees: Graduated Ponca City High School Ponca City, OK, Attended Northern Oklahoma Jr. College Tonkawa, OK for 2 years-No degree
Community Involvement: Attend First Christian Church Lord's Diner Volunteer Circle Education Foundation-President,Volunteered Safehouse for 10+years
Children in school: None
Political experience: Have been a USD375 Board member for 8 years
How long lived in district: 15 years
Campaign Phone: 620-752-3133
E-mail: roxann_cool@hotmail.com

The Wichita Eagle invited candidates in some contested races in Sedgwick, Butler and Sumner counties to respond to questions about key issues. You can compare the candidates and their responses side by side, and create your own printable or e-mailable ballot. The responses are largely unedited and presented as the candidates sent them to us.