Hannibal School Board candidates field questions on range of national, local topics during Monday forum

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Four candidates for election to the Hannibal School Board took part in a question-and-answer forum Monday at the Hannibal American Legion. 

The candidates fielded questions on their vision as a potential electee to the board as well as thoughts on current happenings nationally and within the district. Participating in the forum were incumbents Scott Hawes and J’Nelle Lee — who are running for their second and fourth terms, respectively — as well as new candidates Ann Lear and Chuck Huston — who are both running for their first position on any school board. Jamie McCoy, the other candidate for the two vacant positions on the board, did not attend the forum.

Hawes, the director of facilities management and a former wrestling coach at Hannibal-LaGrange University, has served the last three years on the board. He said he deliberated for quite some time on whether to run for a second term.

“It was a decision I didn’t make lightly,” Hawes said. “I talked with my family. I talked to some wise counsel around me. I felt like if there was somebody around me who could take my place and do a better job than me, then I should allow them to do that. At the end of the day, after talking to some people who love Hannibal Public Schools and love education and my family, I was encouraged to run again because of my experience. I prayed about it, and I believe that’s what God wants me to do. I’m pouring myself into it, and I’ll leave the results up to God and those who are important to me.”

Lee, a real estate agent at Hannibal Realty, has been a school board member for the last decade. She said it was a no-brainer to run for a fourth term.

“This is a way to be involved in the community,” Lee said. “Education is very important, and it’s just a way I can serve.

“I’m pretty dedicated. I’ve taken it seriously. In my first term, there was continuing education that board members could take, and I have finished the second level of certification. It’s just learning how to be a better board member.”

Lear was an educator in the Hannibal School District for 32 years before spending six years at St. John’s Lutheran School in Hannibal and later moving on to Learning Opportunities/Quality Works, also in Hannibal. She said the stars aligned for her to run for a position on the school board.

“I just felt like it was my time,” Lear said. “I only work half a day, and I just thought it was time.”

Huston has spent nearly 50 years in the automobile business and is the general manager of Poage Chevrolet Buick in Hannibal. He said his participation in the Watch DOGS (Dads of Great Students) program at Veterans Elementary School was the primary motivation for him to submit his candidacy for the school board.

“We go from classroom to classroom and try to engage with those students,” Huston said of the Watch DOGS program. “We act as a little bit of security. We go into the lunchroom with them. I’ve opened a ton of ketchup packets. I’ve opened a lot of milk. It’s a great program, and I would love to see people get involved in it, and I would love to see that program grow.

“I’d run into (the students) outside of school, and they would come over and give me a hug. It warmed my heart. At the age and position I’m in now, I think it’s time for me to give back. This is going to be a non-partisan school board. I don’t think I need to be involved in politics, but I think I can add value to the school board.”

The first question the candidates answered revolved around what being a school board member means and what it takes to be a quality school board member.

Hawes said it is important for the board as a whole to recognize what their role is to make the best possible decisions.

“We as the board are the authority,” Hawes said. “As a school board member, I want to be supportive of what our teachers need, what the superintendent brings to us — requests, ideas, insights — but at the end of the day, we have to be a balance between the community and the administration. We’ve got this place where we’re making important decisions and sometimes hard decisions. Sometimes those decisions go against what the superintendent or other administrators want, not because we’re trying to be cantankerous or trying to work against them, but their desire might not reflect where the community is.”

Lee said making the students and their success their primary focus allows the board to make those difficult decisions.

“It’s about making sure our schools are the best they can be, making sure our students are achieving, supporting our teachers, being involved with our community and listening when they have concerns,” Lee said. “The main priority is making sure our students are learning and achieving.”

Lear said a combination of ensuring finances are in order and pushing for student achievement make for a thriving school district.

“(School board members should) make sure that we always have a good budget, and with that, that our standards are high, that our kids are leaving here all shiny and bright, whichever way they go, whether it’s vocational or higher academic learning, that our kids go prepared and that they’re happy kids, content with their lives and feel good,” Lear said. “I loved going to school here, and I want our kids to feel that way, too.”

Huston said in addition to finances and student accomplishments, school board members should see to the needs of the community it serves.

“A school board member needs to have good fiscal responsibility,” Huston said. “We also need to make sure that we advocate for the students and the teachers. That’s really our primary responsibility, plus community engagement. We need to get the community engaged and feel that this board is open to where they can come in and voice concerns and that we respond back quickly.”

Subsequent questions — from moderator Medford Randy Park as well as members of the audience — covered topics like the closure of Eugene Field Elementary, the potential elimination of the Department of Education, school finance, technology in schools — cell phones, Chromebooks, etc. — keeping students in the district and student expectations, among other things.

Hawes was pleased with the cooperation amongst the four candidates.

“As far as the overall experience, I feel like there was a real collegial atmosphere between all of us as candidates,” Hawes said. “I could see myself working with any one of them. It was a good experience overall. There were a lot of great questions from people who really care about education in this community.”

Lee appreciated the opportunity the candidates got to provide perspective on how to manage the different needs of students.

“I think it was a great event,” Lee said. “I think one thing people have to realize is if you go into a school, it might not be like you think. You really have to go in and see what the teachers are experiencing because they have expectations, they have lessons, but our students come with so many other burdens, other things going on in their lives. We have to take all that into account when thinking about our students.”

Lear complimented the audience members for their relevant, thoughtful questions.

“Isn’t that nice?” Lear said. “And they were good. They weren’t spiteful. They were genuine, heartfelt questions. I thought it was fantastic.”

Huston also gave the attendees kudos for their participation.

“The forum that we had tonight was fantastic,” Huston said. “We had a lot of good questions and a lot of good feedback.”

Voters will decide which two candidates will fill the vacant school board positions during the April 8 general municipal election.