Bridger,
Hayes, Wagoner
seek
spot on R-3 board
After Tammy Glick announced she was resigning to focus
on her campaign for Platte County Prosecutor, three interested
persons stepped forward to become candidates for the vacated
one-year spot on the Platte County R-3 School Board.
Dorothy Bridger, who has lived in Platte City nearly
all of her life, believes her 29-years of educational
background could be the right touch to get her elected
to the school board.
"I feel my strongest suit is my background in education
and I feel I have a special interest and background in
the Platte City community," said Bridger.
She has been a teacher in West Platte, Platte County
R-3 and North Platte School Districts over the past 29
years.
"My decision to run for the seat came about from
my intrigue at this time in the increased growth of the
district," stated Bridger.
"I want to make sure our increase in growth doesn't
deteriorate our quality and excellence in education. We
have a great district and I want to uphold that standard
even though we're getting larger and larger all the time."
In order to maintain that quality of education, Bridger
suggests maintaining small class sizes, quality teachers,
and maintaining programs for special and gifted needs.
Bridger graduated with a bachelor's degree in elementary
education from Northwest Missouri State University in
Maryville, a master's in reading from UMKC and is certified
in art. She and her husband David have three children:
Shane, Shannon, and Chance, and one grandchild.
For Jeff Hayes, being a spouse of a teacher and a parent
of children in the district gives him a special interest
in the Platte County R-3 District.
Hayes stated he has been actively involved in the board
meetings, sitting in the audience for the past two years
watching the board in action.
"Looking at the district as a whole I feel the growth
in the district could become a potential problem,"
stated Hayes. "We really need to take the bull by
the horns and take a hard look and plan for the growth
before it's right on top of us."
One way Hayes proposes to take the bulls by the horns
is, "to work with the City of Platte City and Platte
County in staying ahead of the ball game regarding proposed
major neighborhood developments."
Hayes stated another issue facing the district is the
need to look five years down the road.
"Within five years we will need to look at a new
middle school. Right now the high school is landlocked
and the logical place for the district to look to is the
middle school for expansion and then build a new middle
school."
According to Hayes, the transportation and congestion
at the main campus in Platte City is one focus needed
by the board. "The transportation and congestion
issue needs to be looked at and balanced out," said
Hayes. "I'm not sure of a solution but we have to
come together as a board and a district to look at solutions."
Hayes says the perceived division of the district between
north and south must come to an end, and that would start
with him if elected.
"There are many people that want to divide the district
into the north and the south and may see that I'm not
qualified because I'm from the southern part of the district
and not a Platte Citian," explained Hayes.
"What those people have to realize is there's 700
kids in the southern part of the district that need attention
too and we need to begin to view the district as a whole,
not north or south."
Hayes has served on the VISION 2007 committee, worked
with the petition initiative with the district, serves
on the PTA District Council, serves on the Barry PTA Executive
Committee and will be serving on a committee for the future
expansion of the district.
"I want to make sure this district is the one other
districts strive to be like," stated Hayes.
Hayes, who has lived in the Platte County R-3 School
District for seven years, and his wife Chris have two
girls, Kaleigh and Maddison.
For Karen Wagoner the need to maintain the school district's
excellence while experiencing the inevitable growth of
the district, is a main priority.
"The fact that Platte City will see growth that
they've not seen before is going to make an obvious impact
on the school district. This is the greatest challenge
the district faces," said Wagoner. "I feel I'd
be an asset to the district when it comes to finding effective
ways to handle the growth."
According to Wagoner, handling the growth in a way that
won't hurt the current staff and students is a major priority.
"The main issue is that the school district stays
ahead of the growth and is able to handle it without adverse
affects on the students and staff," explained Wagoner.
"The district needs to strive to maintain the 'accredited
with distinction' status and the student achievements
of the district. I'd like to see Platte County R-3 become
a model school district. I want us to be the district
everybody wants their kids to attend and the district
that everybody wants to teach in."
Wagoner also noted that more cohesiveness needs to be
seen among the schools in the district.
"There shouldn't be a division between north and
south," she said.
Wagoner serves on the board of Platte County Economic
Development Council, the board of Platte County Convention
and Visitors Bureau, the public relations committee for
the school district, serves as a PTA volunteer and is
a "lead parent"/"youth friend" at
Siegrist Elementary.
"Actions speak louder than words. I've been active
in the schools for nine years, my children are in the
district, and I've spent a lot of time volunteering in
the school and the community," she said.
"I give 110 percent to anything I do. I'm not dying
to do the job, I'm willing to do the job."
Wagoner and her husband Roger have two daughters, Megan
and Emily. She graduated with a bachelor of science degree
from John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Ark.
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