School Board Candidate
About
My husband and I both lived and graduated from Savannah in the 1970s. My husband joined the Air Force shortly after my freshman year in college. My parents and two of his siblings have lived in Saint Joseph since that time so we have kept up on life in Saint Joseph through many visits over the years. We still feel a part of this community and have returned to the family to serve both.
Qualifications
- I have taught everything from kindergarten through college, and college education endorsement courses.
- I have worked as a paraprofessional, substitute teacher, elementary teacher, middle and high school teacher, adjunct college professor, and vice-principal.
- I have taught in Arkansas, Guam, Hawaii, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Arizona, and Missouri, in both public and private settings.
Contact/Social
Email: kimberlyj34@hotmail.com
Our Candidate Summary
Social Conservative
Fiscal Conservative
These assessments are based on the answers or lack of answers supplied by the candidates. Kim Miller’s responses indicate a socially conservative and fiscally conservative position.
Kim on the Issues
Why have you decided to run for the Saint Joseph School Board?
Great question! God calls us to serve Him. If I truly believe that then I must serve where He leads me. I believe He is leading me here for such a time as this. Though I am out of my comfort zone, I believe He will fit me for this service. I hope to be of service to my God and to my community in this capacity.
What are the strengths you will bring to the school board?
My husband and I both lived and graduated from Savannah in the 1970’s. My husband joined the Air Force shortly after my freshman year in college. My parents and two of his siblings have lived in Saint Joseph since that time so we have kept up on life in Saint Joseph through many visits over the years. We still feel a part of this community and have returned to family to serve both.
As a military family, we have lived and raised two sons in California, Italy, Washington, Mississippi, Arkansas, Guam, Hawaii, Florida, and Illinois. I have taught everything from kindergarten through college, and college education endorsement courses. I have worked as a paraprofessional, substitute teacher, elementary teacher, middle and high school teacher, adjunct college professor and vice-principal. I have taught in Arkansas, Guam, Hawaii, Florida, Illinois, Ohio, Arizona, and Missouri, in both public and private settings. I have taught in Native American culture, in Polynesian culture, in military culture, in Chamorro culture, and in environments where children might attend without shoes or in others where the children had every possible advantage to learning. I learned so much about diverse cultures!
We have also taken in children through Foster Care and learned to be advocates for them as they process their circumstances while navigating through different schools. Most of these children needed extra help in learning because they fell behind their peers in learning skills. So I feel that I have some experience and insight regarding schools and students. I am also a licensed therapist and my practice in the past has been more directed to children and parents.
What changes/policies do you want to implement within the School Board?
I do not have an agenda to fulfill on the school board. My desire is to be able to give voice to perhaps the unpopular perspectives of conservatism and faith, to listen to what matters to the public/parents, and to bring back a trust in board policies and transparency that has been broken in the past.
Many schools in Saint Joe are falling into disrepair. What would you do to see schools maintained and upgraded?
I would like to see the money allocated for school maintenance put to use. The school district always budgets money for improvements and repairs, whether from taxes or other means. I would like to see that money used for those purposes. If the problem is workforce shortage then we have to make hiring qualified personnel a priority.
How do you feel the mask mandate was handled by the School Board during the COVID pandemic?
I think the mask mandate at the beginning of the pandemic was alright for the short term. We had no idea what to expect from this virus. However, once it became evident that masks were of no benefit then we should have dropped the mandate and left the decision to wear them up to the community/parents.
Would you be in favor of mandating face masks or vaccinations of students within the school district? Please elaborate.
I am not in favor of the mask or vaccine mandate. They remove the responsibility from the people to make their own decisions about their health and community welfare. The risk of severe Covid symptoms in children is very low so to mandate masks and vaccinations is not good science and unwise. Mask or no mask, vax or no vax — the choice of the individual and Constitutional freedom. If we continue to give up these freedoms, what keeps the government from taking away more and more of our freedoms? Many businesses are not accepting religious exemptions from these mandates, which in turn erodes our freedom to exercise our faith. The more we depend on the government to take care of us and protect us from ourselves, the less we need God.
Do you believe there are financial resources within the budget that are currently misallocated?
I think there are always funds going to things we don’t think are as important as other things. Our students need to be prepared to enter society. I would think this means academically educated as well as relationally savvy. It does not serve them well if we spend district monies on items that do not pertain to this education process.
What are your top funding priorities?
Qualified Teacher’s salaries. Academics (including gifted classes, arts, special education, and accommodations)and those classes that teach trades(auto mechanics for example). Building maintenance. Extracurricular activities (music, sports, etc.)
How would you ensure financial transparency and accountability with the public?
I can only do my part in this and encourage integrity in those with whom I work. I would want all financial information available to the public, including expenditures and income. I would encourage an oversight committee to make sure we stay on budget, and spend only as we have determined as a board. I don’t like handing out credit cards to all members or not having scrupulous parameters on member spending. I also would discourage taking money from agencies that want to force us to pursue mandates or regulations that undermine our freedoms and privileges as community members.
What is the greatest challenge the Saint Joseph School district is currently facing?
Besides transparency and serving with integrity, I think retaining qualified teachers (salaries, etc.) and increasing student achievement (the ability to read, do simple math, and know the Constitution) are the greatest challenges.
How do you feel about the current approach to special education within the school district?
I do not know enough about the handling of special education here. My observation of other school districts is that this program rarely runs as the district wants and the parents hope. Funding is usually prohibitive, paperwork is unending, diagnosticians are few in number, and accommodations are difficult to maintain.
What do you see as the most significant challenges teachers face within the district?
Weariness and lack of support, not to mention low salaries as compared to other communities. I say weariness because teachers have had to adjust teaching methodologies in order to teach remotely, test remotely, and gauge learning progress remotely. Some have had to teach part of the class online and some in class. It has to be difficult to keep the interest of students when the students are home and perhaps on their own when it comes to school time and effort! Teachers have to wrestle with the mandates handed down from local officials, and their own feelings about those mandates. They also struggle with the loss of learning time while they or their students are quarantined. Teaching is definitely a calling yet we lose those teachers because they cannot live on what they’re paid, and what they are expected to pay out of pocket for the classroom supplies.
How will you encourage community interaction and receive community feedback about the state of Saint Joseph Schools?
I think it’s possible to hold public meetings at schools. Perhaps be more involved with schools’ PTO groups and set up specific school websites that would encourage interaction or feedback. We should always be seeking ways to be open to the public. We are meant to serve our students, teachers, and parents so whatever that looks like, maybe we need to do it.
How would you encourage parental involvement within the school system?
School board meetings are open to the public but many parents don’t know this. They can bring up issues and have a voice if they come prepared to speak. The board agenda is posted online and the meetings are held regularly but again most parents don’t know where to find the agenda or when the meetings are held. We should make this information more easily accessible. Perhaps the board could select schools at various times to participate in the meeting or hold the meeting at the school.
Do you identify as socially/politically liberal or conservative?
Christian Conservative