Candidate Q&As: Logan school board position 5

Position 5 (four-year term)

Thomas S. Humble (incumbent)

• What's one thing the district can do to save taxpayers money without compromising student education?

I'll be honest, Logan is doing a wonderful job at managing their budget. The school has not been operating out of emergency funds for at least two years. Instead they have been operating in the black thanks to great management by the administration. You want to be careful in areas that you cut so the students don't suffer. The board will never sacrifice education to save a dollar. Some areas of cost savings include looking into efficient bus routes.

• What is one area in which you'd like to see the district improve and how you would pay for it?

I'd like to increase vocational opportunities, not every graduate wants to go to college or join military. There are a lot of trade skills fields which can be added to our curriculum, giving graduates an advantage going into the work field.. We would have to prioritize to make sure the funding is available and not just step out and try to implement a program before we can. We need to be cautious and responsible in our decisions.

• How should the district evaluate its teachers?

I don't have a problem with evaluating teachers. A good teacher wants to be evaluated and improve themselves. I feel we have some of the best teachers across the state. Though at times teachers can get complacent and evaluations can help prevent that, even the best teachers can just start going through the paces. This is not the case with the teachers in Logan. Logan is one of the pilot schools for the states teachers evaluations program and our teachers view the evaluation as a way to improve themselves. We need a standard criteria so evaluations are fair.

• Could you support school staff carrying weapons on campus? Why or why not?

I believe in a citizen's right to carry firearms. Though, when it comes to carrying a gun on school, before Columbine it was beyond my imagination that anything like that would happen. Nowadays it seems like tragedies like that are happening all the time. I would support any responsible presence of firearms on school property in order to protect the children. It would have to be a very thought out and responsible program before I would support such a policy. It's one of those situations where you want to be prepared but never have to resort to using it.

• Name one thing the district could do to encourage parent participation in educating children?

The true challenge for schools districts is to get them involved in the education. They are normally involved in sports and other programs. Though it's hard to get them involved in the governing and academic area of the students education. The district is working on a parenting group to engage the parents to be involved outside of meeting, and sporting events. Continue to communicate and let them know they can be involved not just with votes but with a presence in the school.

Larry H. Webb

• What's one thing the district can do to save taxpayers money without compromising student education?

I think one thing we can do it take a hard look at the investments we make and see if they will have a long term effect. Try not and look towards immediate results but gradual and constant improvement over time.

• What is one area in which you'd like to see the district improve and how you would pay for it:

I'd like to see our test scores through all grades go up. We have the staff on board to accomplish that we just need to set goal and take care of the little things that make differences.

• How should the district evaluate its teachers?

I don't think teachers can be evaluated short term it takes several years to see improvement. We need to have a base line set for their improvements and if they are weak in an area provided them with the tools needed to improve that area.

• Could you support school staff carrying weapons on campus? Why or why not?

No. There are ways we can protect students without teachers and staffs carrying weapons. Though if it comes to that down the road I am not against some type of security on campus

• Name one thing the district could do to encourage parent participation in educating children?

I think parents need to become more involved, they need to be on the same team with the teachers and staff in regards to their children's education. We need to have goals set for where we want our students developments and need the parents involvement in that process. Logan is the type of community that has always shown support for the school and students.