KVAK recently presented the following two questions to Valdez City School Board Candidates:

1. What are three main challenges for Valdez City Schools in the next five years? As a potential school board member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

2. What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance?

   Here are their unedited answers.

Melissa Cockerham

 I was born in Michigan and first moved to Alaska over twenty years ago. My small business opportunities frequently moved me around the state, but for the last eight years I have lived in Valdez. One of the driving factors for my family staying was the quality and reputation of the school system. I have had two boys graduate from Valdez High School and my daughter is graduating this year. Next year I will have a child at the elementary, middle school, and high school level. For the last five years I worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant, but recently I earned my Nursing degree from the University of Alaska Anchorage, and I am currently employed as a Nurse at Providence Valdez Medical Center. I enjoy the outdoors, watching community athletic events, and family time. Along with school safety, as a Valdez City School Board member I want to ensure that we continue our academic and athletic success both in the classroom and on the athletic field.

What are three main challenges for Valdez City Schools in the next five years? As a potential school board member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

The three main challenges for the Valdez City School District over the next five years will be maintaining an adequate base student allocation (BSA), maintaining current levels of funding to the teacher retirement system (TRS), and continuing maintenance and technology updates. School funding for education continues to be a challenge at the state level as they try to shift more of the burden to the local level. As a community, as a school board, and as individuals we must continue to put pressure on our legislative leaders to do what is right for education and for the kids.

What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance?

From 1997 until 2008, I was a small business owner that set up banking relationships between business owners and Elevon information systems. These banking services included equipment sales and leasing of terminals so the business owners could accept credit and debit cards from their customers. Once the relationship was established, a competitive discount rate for the business owner was set and maintained. Over time I was able to build a business portfolio model for each of my customers that saved them time and money. In addition to running a small business I am also aware of individual budgeting, investment, and financial strategies through my personal experience and educational training.

Joe Prax

We have three children in the Valdez School System, one in each building. During my time on the school board I have worked to make sure they get a good education in an excellent environment. We have lived in Valdez for 23 years and have been lucky to raise our kids here. As I have learned more about the education system around Alaska I am convinced that the Valdez Schools are leading the state. Valdez is a great town and we are lucky to have the resources to provide a quality education. My business experience as owner of the Prospector has been helpful in areas of management and structure of the schools. Having a child in each building helps me keep in touch with all the schools. Providing a great education is a huge responsibility that requires involved parents supporting their children and teachers. Everyone else, the support staff, the administrators and the board members are here to support them in their efforts.

1. What are three main challenges for Valdez City Schools in the next five years? As a potential school board member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

The three main challenges for the Valdez City Schools in the next five years will be funding, administration and direction. We will be lucky if the state funding stays stable in the next five years and the city income will most likely slowly decrease as well. The increase in the number of students has allowed us to add programs and teachers. We will have to be careful that we are able to keep the best learning opportunities for the students. Valdez has seen a wide variety of superintendents in past years. In coming to Valdez Mr. Nygaard has demonstrated the power of effective leadership and Valdez is on an exciting path. We will need to do all that we can to continually develop the administration team that can capitalize and continue on the many successes we have had. Staff has been able to concentrate on teaching our kids and the administration continually supports and encourages them. As long as we have administrators that remember we are here to offer the best education that we can for the students the schools will continue on their incredibly positive direction. I am a big believer in momentum. If things are going well, it…  READ MORE

2. What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance?

As the owner of The Prospector these are issues I deal with daily and the experience ties directly to the schools. The board oversees the budget and clear financial understanding is crucial to the continued success of the schools. We are blessed with the strong support from the city for the schools, we need to make sure that these funds are used most efficiently. As a past member of the city council I understand the city’s budget process too. Future state funding is uncertain for school budgets so we have to be careful to not create programs that we can’t sustain. The schools maintain a strong reserve and we look to take care of expenses now to increase flexibility for the future. While much of the state has been forced to make cuts we have been able to add programs and personnel. Not everything is financial. There is a huge investment in personnel and the schools have worked to make sure that we are using staff in the most beneficial way possible to the students. With our current superintendent we have a rare opportunity to set the Valdez City Schools up for years of continued success and growth. This is… READ MORE

Erica Shirk

Biography:

I grew up in Colorado, doing outdoor things like, skiing, horseback riding and hiking. I attended the University of Denver where I earned a BS in Chemistry and a BA in Art. Upon graduation I worked in the environmental testing industry and looked at gas contaminates in water and soil. This was not my calling; I went on teach at the Denver Waldorf School, where I did Waldorf teacher training. I taught chemistry and physics to grades 9-12, I also taught a bit of art and math. When our family moved to Grenada I taught at the Montessori school there, forms 4-6 in science. Upon moving back to the United States I worked closely with several schools in New York City, Summit County, Colorado and Des Moines, Iowa. All at the upper grade levels in mainly math and science. I have switched from a science focus to one of art. Currently, I work in my studio at my house and provide an occasional art workshop. I have two sons, one a freshman at the University of New Hampshire, and the other in fifth grade at Herman Hutchens Elementary.

1. What are three main challenges for Valdez City Schools in the next five years?

The biggest challenge for Valdez City Schools lies in the cohesiveness of the curriculum. As of now, the schools seem to operate as islands with no stepwise gradient providing a well rounded education. We need a coherent curriculum, that not only complies with state and federal requirements, but also challenges students to become their very best through dynamic instructional practices and a building of topics through all the grades. The capstone for any community lies in the high school, lets make ours the best.

As a potential school board member, how do you plan to address these challenges?

Even as of this week, I am having discussions with instrumental players to help initiate a future curriculum that will empower the learning of all students as they pass through our doors. Looking at possible curriculum content areas, gaining valuable teaching methodologies through professional development, and helping to foster open communication with the community are just a few of the ways upon which my election to the board will aid this issue.

2. What experience do you have with budgeting, investments, and finance?

I run my family’s finances and have worked on investing our assets. Many years ago I owned a snowboard and skateboard shop in Boulder, Colorado. I helped, with partners, to run the books on that business. While at the Waldorf School in Denver, I managed a budget for the science curriculum. I am currently on the Valdez School Board and aid with looking at the budget for the upcoming year.

Alan Sorum

Candidate did not Return Survey