Editor’s note: The Daily Freeman-Journal asked the Webster City Community School District Board

of Education candidates to answer a series of questions regarding their decision to seek a seat on the board.

This is the third installment in a series of three. We finish with the District 3 candidates.

JERRY KLAVER

Tell us a little about yourself personally — family, education, where you grew up.

My name is Jerry Klaver. I grew up in rural Kamrar and attended and graduated from Northeast Hamilton Community School. I also attended Iowa Central Community College. I have two sons and a daughter. My youngest son graduated from Webster City High School after attending Northeast Hamilton Elementary. He is currently a senior at Iowa State University. The older two graduated from Northeast Hamilton and are graduates of Iowa State University. My wife Patrice is a graduate of Radcliffe High School and a graduate of AIB in Des Moines. She is employed by Farm Credit Service of America.

Do you have school-aged children?

I have a grandson who is in fifth grade at Webster City Middle School currently.

What is your professional background?

I am a self-employed farmer in the Kamrar, Webster City and Williams areas. I was a paraeducator in the district in the past and drove a school bus for the district out of the Blairsburg, Williams and Kamrar area of the district, first as a substitute driver then fulltime for 26 years. I also coached at the junior high and high school junior varsity and varsity level in basketball and junior high baseball.

Why do you think you would be a good addition to the school board?

I think with my experience in various roles I have held within the district gives me some insights into a lot of areas other candidates may not have. With a grandson, two nieces and a nephew enrolled at Webster City Middle School I have a vested interest in the future of Webster City Community Schools.

What do you think is important as a member of the school board?

I think a school board member should try and listen to the administrators, teachers and parents as well as the students and taxpayers input.

My experience as a church board member, a Farm Bureau board member and former Hamilton County Fair board member will be helpful in working together with other board members to help us develop the best for our students.

Do you feel the communications between the school system and families are adequate?

I think that there are always areas to improve on when it comes to communication. Especially when it comes to things that affect our lives as much as our children’s education.

What is your position on the future of the high school and maintenance of other school property?

I feel that there are always maintenance issues with any property, especially school grounds and buildings, as well as transportation needs and maintenance facilities for the transportation department. And at some point in time improvements need to be addressed; it may be improvement to current facilities or replacement of some. At some point in time it may be considered to replace existing facilities with newer facilities that may be more efficient. And cost of replacement at some point may be the better option if cost of repairs or improvements to existing infrastructure is costing as much as replacement costs.

Buildings are needed that are efficient and provide a good safe learning environment for our students. Buildings are always in need of repair or improvement. At what point does replacing them need to be considered? Some buildings may just need upgrades. At some point in time the cost is prohibitive. I think that cost is a factor for any building improvements versus replacement. I do think every building should have adequate heating and cooling systems. These things can be added to existing buildings in some cases with new technologies that are available but cost is always a factor in every decision if it is economically feasible.

Do you have other issues you would like to bring to light or areas of concern?

One area of great concern to me is the number of open enrollment students out of the district to other neighboring schools. I think that needs to be investigated as to why they choose to do so. What can we do to reduce that number? Any student that open enrolls out of the Webster City School District takes away revenue that is used for the education of every student in the district. When the school loses revenue it can affect academic opportunities and educational opportunities. As well as extracurricular activities such as music, sports, speech, FFA, just to name a few programs that can be affected if we lose revenue from students’ open enrollment out of the district.

AMANDA SOWLE

Tell us a little about yourself personally — family, education, where you grew up.

I grew up in Duncombe. I graduated from Webster City in 2004 and continued my education at AIB College of Business in Des Moines. After finishing school, I married Andy Sowle and we have four children together. We chose to settle down in Webster City to raise our children in a small community.

Do you have school-aged children?

I have four children. Emma and Jordan are in the sixth grade, Brooklyn is in the third grade and Wyatt is in preschool.

What is your professional background?

I do bookkeeping/business administration work. I work at Tony’s Tire, in town and do bookkeeping for a couple clients personally and for another company in Des Moines.

Why do you think you would be a good addition to the school board?

I think I would be a good candidate for the school board because I am direct, logical and good at seeing the whole picture. I think I am easy to relate to or approach and I have a true desire to see our district continue to improve. Professionally and as a mom, it seems all I do is find ways to deal with issues.

What do you think is important as a member of the school board?

I think making honest, well-thought-out decisions are the most important task of a school board member. I would strive to be approachable by all community members, educators and administrators.

Do you feel the communications between the school system and families are adequate?

As a parent, I would love to see more transparency in the school system.

What is your position on the future of the high school and maintenance of other school property?

I think it is time to discuss options for a remodel or complete reconstruction of the high school. Our school is within the same age as several similar school districts who are building new high schools. I think it is time to do a review of what is needed, funds and available options.

What is your biggest concerns on the infrastructure of the existing buildings?

My biggest concern with infrastructure is addressing the age of the building. With the current age of the building, I think it is necessary to have trained professionals evaluate and assess the remaining useful life. I would rather deal with replacement or remodel while there are still options, rather than being forced to close the buildings or try to find ways to relocate an entire school.

Do you have other issues you would like to bring to light or areas of concern?

A few of the issues I have or have heard from the public are: cell phone usage in school, language barriers affecting classroom learning, transparency from the school to the parents/public, daily school safety concerns, concerns regarding the timeliness of filling open positions within the district to attract the best candidates, and the number of students choosing to open enroll to other districts/how that affects the funding of our district.