Six candidates seek spots on Gilman School Board
Six candidates are seeking three seats on the Gilman School Board. All candidates were sent a questionnaire asking them why they were running and questions about the future of the district.
Here are their responses in alphabetical order:
Stephanie Clabots
Please tell us about yourself. What is your background?
Hello! I am Stephanie Clabots and I am currently a Middle School teacher for the Rural Virtual Academy through the Medford School District. I am currently in my 9th year teaching and spent my first 6 years as a teacher for the Gilman School District. In addition to being a teacher, I am a coach for Gilman School District and also am a wife and parent of 3 children. I have knowledge of the funding, curriculums and expectations within schools and also bring experience with a virtual school to make informed decisions in regards to Gilman’s eSucceed.
Why do you want to serve on the school board?
Through my years of teaching and living in Gilman, I have seen many changes. I strongly believe that the students in our small village deserve the same opportunities as all other larger schools. There is a need for change in our district, there is a high turnover rate of teachers, and many parents are choosing to open enroll their children in other schools, myself included. I want to have a school that parents are proud to send their children to because they have an abundance of opportunities and success. I want teachers to feel supported by the administration and feel that the community is behind them. I feel that I can help with these issues with my knowledge and experiences in education. I have a solid understanding of educational requirements and the needs of students in the Gilman district. I want to be the change parents wish to see.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the school district and what will you do as a board member to overcome that challenge?
I think that the biggest challenge facing our district is declining enrollment. Every student that resides in our district is important and parents need to WANT to send their child to Gilman. As a board member, I hope to enact the changes that parents wish to see that will allow them to feel confident in their choice of Gilman School District.
However, declining enrollment will still continue to a certain extent, due to less students overall. This is why we need to be utilizing grants and also being mindful that every penny spent in our district goes to further the training of teachers and in turn provide the most valuable educational experience for our students. I want every decision brought to the board to be viewed through the question of, “How does this impact and help our students?”.
What can the school district do within budgetary limitations to attract and retain quality educators and staff?
Teaching in a small school district is very challenging. Since there are less teachers in the district, they are in turn having to teach multiple different classes and also take on many different extracurricular activities/clubs/events. This means more classes to plan for but the same amount of time that other districts would offer for a teacher teaching 6 classes of the same subject/grade. Since it is a bit harder being in the small district, Gilman needs to have something that sets them apart and above the other schools. The biggest piece being the ability to feel a part of the school and community and the overall morale of the faculty. The teachers need to feel valued and appreciated by the administration.
In addition, the school needs to present a better model of providing mentors to new hires. Pairing the “seasoned” teachers and those who have been a part of the district longer, with the new hires will provide the new hires the insight necessary to be successful. This also means that time needs to be purposefully set aside for this to occur.
In addition, we need to make sure that all individuals are given equal opportunities for growth and development, whether that be supporting various professional development or allowing time to be in other teachers’ classrooms for hands-on learning.
How do you feel the school district can be more responsive to the needs of the community?
Gilman is an extremely tight knit community, however; not many people know what is happening in the local school district. I would like to see the school district being more transparent to the community about their choices. In turn, I think that transparency would allow the district to get more feedback and truly know if they are missing a major need or not. Rarely is input asked from the parents or taxpayers of the Gilman School District and that needs to change. Public education is a “service” and every “service” should be taking the “customers’” concerns into consideration. “How can we do better for our students?” is a question that should be repeatedly asked to individuals with concerns. Then, the concerns need to be addressed.
Derrick Romig
My name is Derrick Romig.
I am lifelong member of the Gilman community, a journeyman plumber for Romigs Hardware, training officer for the Gilman Fire Department, a committee member of the village of Gilman tree board, and a member of the safety team committee at the school.
I want to serve for you on the school board because there are things happening at the school that I feel need to be addressed. Some of the things I feel that need to be addressed are why we cannot retain young teachers for more than a few years, and why great teachers that live locally and that have taught in the school district have left the district to teach in other school districts.
The biggest challenge facing the district I feel is declining enrollment. What I would do as a board member to address the situation is to try to get all the district students to attend the Gilman school district.
What the school district can do to attract and retain quality educators and staff is trying to help the educators and staff find affordable housing in the area. I feel the school district can be more responsive to the needs of the community by asking parents and community members how some of the things going on at the school can be addressed.
Gina Timm
Gina Timm did not respond to the questionnaire.
Cheryl Ustianowski
Please tell me about yourself. What is your background?
My husband, Jody and I own a farm in Lublin and raise Black Angus beef cattle. I am currently completing my first term on Gilman Board of Education, currently as the board president. Prior to moving to Lublin, I was a member of the Suring Board of Education for 14 years (7 as clerk). I am also an insurance agent for Rural Mutual Insurance and a Supervisor for the Town of Roosevelt.
Why do you want to serve on the school board?
It would be a privilege to continue to serve the Gilman School District and community. I have the experience, passion, dedication, focus and the understanding of the roles and responsibilities as well as the limitations of authority of a board member. In addition, to continue to ensure that our school board is being fiscally responsible and transparent with school funds. And continue to promote a culture of excellence that supports student’s efforts and allows for successful outcomes and maximum opportunities.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the school district and what will you do as a board member to overcome that challenge?
Declining enrollment. Declining enrollment affects our state aid and revenue limits.
As a board member, you need to understand your proper responsibilities, function as a team, and put politics aside to focus on improving educational opportunities for all students. It is the board’s responsibility to govern, individual board members have no authority by themselves.
What can the school district do within budgetary limitations to attract and retain quality educators and staff?
Continue to promote an atmosphere that allows for staff retention and support and makes the Gilman School District a place that everyone would love to work for.
How do you feel the school district can be more responsive to the needs of the community?
We need to hear from the community members. In building relationships, it takes a collective effort with teamwork, communication, and dedication.
Tammy Weir
My name is Tammy Weir and I am running for the Gilman School Board. I am directly affiliated with the school district in a couple of ways. I have two daughters in the Gilman School and I have been coaching the Gilman girls’ basketball team for the last six years, two years as the Junior Varsity coach and I am currently in my fourth year as the Varsity coach.
I am going on 22 years with Sierra Pacific Windows in Medford. I work closely with our sales and dealer base located all across the country.
I like to be involved in everything I do to the fullest extent, excelling at every opportunity in front of me and creating more opportunities each day. I have decided to run for the school board to be more involved in my daughter’s education and the community growth that we need here in the town of Gilman.
I feel one of the biggest challenges facing the Gilman school district is numbers. Our class sizes are constantly decreasing. I see this as a tough challenge for many parts of the school to overcome.
With student numbers dwindling, we need to keep kids involved in all opportunities that the school has to offer, including; clubs, sports and challenging each student to push themselves and take classes that will help excel their knowledge and skills to prepare them for their next steps beyond high school.
I feel that the Gilman school district already has some great programs underway and I plan to continue to enforce the need for these programs. Gilman school district is part of an already great community, there is exceptional opportunity for the school district and I look forward to being an even bigger part of our future ahead.
Jessica Wisocky
My name is Jessica Wisocky and I currently serve on the Gilman School Board as a board member. I live in Gilman with my husband, our son who is currently a sophomore, 2 dogs, 3 cats and 14 chickens. We have 3 other children that are past graduates of the Gilman School District, 2021, 2020 and 2019. I am a Special Education teacher in Abbotsford and enjoy working in the school system and assisting students to find their passions, set their goals and work towards reaching their dreams.
Why do you want to serve on school board?
I have a desire and belief that communication is key to the success of any school system. Since joining the school board it has been my goal to be the bridge between the parents, community and school to allow for open lines of communication to remain or to find a solution to why they may not be in place and make it happen.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the school district and what will you do as a board member to overcome that challenge?
As with many schools, declining enrollment is our district’s largest challenge. Finding ways to engage students that are currently enrolled and to encourage students to be excited in their learning and express what they have learned and share with others their excitement and knowledge will hopefully spark an excitement within our district and spread to others to come see all the amazing things in our district.
What can the school district do within budgetary limitations to attract and retain quality educators and staff?
In my opinion, the answer falls within a person’s heart. If they are true to the passion of building future learners it is not about the income for oneself but it is about the outcome for what we produce... GREAT STUDENTS! Each person should be paid for their skill, knowledge and desire to teach and the best is here and the best will come to teach because that is what we do.
How do you feel the school district can be more responsive to the needs of the community?
Our district needs to increase our involvement within the community, plain and simple. Community service, volunteers, paying it forward to the citizens of our district. The community supports the students be it sports, concerts and fundraisers however it is time that the students return it back to the community for fulfillment for their own selves.
