Trustees tap new board member

SANDPOINT -- The Lake Pend Oreille School Board switched up its usual agenda Tuesday evening to take on an arduous task -- selecting a new board member to fill the seat of former trustee Joel Molander. The board opted to interview the six applicants and select them by roll call vote, making their selection process completely transparent.

The six candidates, seated at a long table facing board members, superintendent Shawn Woodward and administrative assistant Kelly Fisher included: Barbara Schriber, a Northside Elementary School parent and owner of a local construction firm; Melissa Davis, a Northside and Sandpoint Middle School parent who works for another local contractor; Kathleen Rose, a retired bridal shop owner who gained previous board experience in Amherst, Mass.; Sharon Banning, whose grandchildren attend district schools; Purley Decker, a retired LPOSD teacher, veteran and school volunteer; and William Stevens, a retired Marine Corps veteran.

Trustees asked applicants 12 questions, allowing each candidate to answer in turn. Questions focused on how each viewed the role of the school board and the board member, each person’s reasons for applying, the qualities and competencies each would bring to the board, and any changes each would like to see in the board or the schools.

“I think as a school board, you have to put the kids first, giving them opportunities to achieve and excel. You also have to be accountable to community, taxpayers and students,” said Schriber.

“A board member should be courageous, have the courage to make unpopular decisions,” said Decker. “I see the job of the school board is to work with the community and get it involved in the schools.”

“The board has a great obligation to the taxpayers to be very careful with their money,” said Stevens.

After the applicants had answered all the prepared questions, trustees asked a couple more that had occurred to them during the interviews.

“Do you have any personal agendas that you will be bringing with you?” asked trustee Barbara Oler.

Most applicants denied having a personal agenda, while a few said their agendas were based on doing a good job for the school board. However, one candidate did mention an issue she would like to address.

“I want to get rid of Common Core,” said Banning, referring to a set of math and language arts standards adopted by the state of Idaho.

Trustee and vice chair Joan Fish asked, “Being on a school board means being part of a group and getting along. What’s your leadership style?”

“I lead by example. I am a very good listener,” said Rose.

“In the service, I learned to listen to my troops,” said Stevens. “They often knew more than I did.”

“I am a people person. A good listener. I like to hear the facts before I make a decision,” said Davis.

“I always ask ‘why’,” said Decker.

With the interviews finished, trustees offered positive feedback to the applicant pool.

“We’re fortunate to have six terrific candidates, but it makes the decision process that much harder,” said Chairman Steve Youngdahl.

“I think everybody brings something to the table. I wish we could wrap you all up into one person,” said Oler.

After some further discussion, Youngdahl asked for nominations from fellow trustees, reminding those assembled that the board would vote on each candidate in the order he or she was nominated, and the first one to receive a majority vote would become the newest board member.

“I’d like to nominate Mr. Decker,” Oler said.

“I’d like to nominate Mel (Davis),” said Fish. “I really liked her down-to-earth answers.”

“I’d like to put forth a nomination for Barbara Schriber,” said trustee Geraldine Lewis.

Because three members -- Lewis, Oler and Fish -- voted yes to the first nominee, Purley Decker won the vacant seat.

“Whether you have kids in the system or not, I think that’s a moot point. To me, community’s a huge thing, and working knowledge about how the schools operate is pretty beneficial to someone jumping in -- a hit the ground running kind of thing,” Oler said.