Candidiate Previews - School Board
1. Terms Served?
Jayson Bishop: I have been on the Board of Education of Perkins County Schools for nearly 16 years.
Holly Cornelius: I have served one term.
Mitchell Bottom: I would b new to the position.
Jason Noyes: I am a new candidate for school board.
2. What qualifications do you bring to the position?
Jason Noyes: I believe I bring a strong desire to advocate for our district that serves our students, staff and community. I have been self-employed for 18 years and have served on various different boards during that time. I have been a member of the Grant Volunteer Fire Dept since 2008. I work hard to remain a dedicated volunteer to our community, and this would be another opportunity to do so. I consider myself a good team player with an “outside of the box” mentality. I love to work as a team to do what is best for the people or things I am representing. I will add, as much as I love a being part of a team effort, I am by no means a “yes man”. What I bring to the table is the ability to ask the tough questions, when it is necessary. I have a passion for public schooling, the molding and education of our young minds and for the future of the youth in our nation. Public schooling brings socialization, education, opportunity in many forms and opens doors to our youth that will shape them into the adults that will one day be leading us, and it is our job to make certain that they are led well.
Mitchell Bottom: I graduated from here. I have 4 girls that are in school. I’d like to think that I am pretty active in the community. And I also think I have the pulse of what is going on in the community. I would say I am approachable for people to come to me with their concerns.
Holly Cornelius: Having served for four years now, I have gained a better understanding of the needs of the staff and students of Perkins County. I am committed to doing what I can to help our students succeed at PCS.
Jayson Bishop: My years of experience on the Board and working with different administrators over that time have allowed me to learn a lot about what it takes to operate the school and work to give all our students the best education possible. I’ve also had the opportunity to attend many conferences and learn from experts in the education field about a wide variety of topics. Those conferences also afford the opportunity to discuss education issues with other board members from around the state and share ideas.
3. Why do you want to serve?
Holly Cornelius: I want to serve because I believe that the health of the community is directly tied to the health of the school district. I feel that I can help be a part of that by serving on the board.
Mitchell Bottom: I want to serve because I think it is important to be active in your community. I think being that I grew up here, I would like to keep our town unique like it’s always been. And like I said, I have 4 girls still in school and would like a say in what their experience looks like.
Jason Noyes: I have a passion for public schools and a strong belief in the value that public schools provide to educate and prepare our next generation to become volunteers and leaders of our communities.
Jayson Bishop: I think education is the best way to help our children have opportunities for a successful career doing something they enjoy. I enjoy helping in that. Also, in a rural, agriculture-based community, a good school system is right up there with the agriculture economy and our health care system as the most important parts of our community.
4. Specific issue interests? What do you think will be of most importance should you be elected?
Mitchell Bottom: I don’t have any specific issues. I just want to listen to what the community wants and make the right decisions as they come up.
Jayson Bishop: I believe the biggest issue we face for the foreseeable future is maintaining high-quality personnel in all areas. There is a shortage of teachers across the state and that makes it harder to attract people to Perkins County. We need to retain the quality staff we have now and find ways to attract the best possible candidates as needed.
Holly Cornelius: The importance of education hasn’t changed over the years but the needs of the students have. I hope to be a part of providing a safe, structured environment where kids can succeed.
Jason Noyes: A few of my main interests in running for school board are: #1 I believe a board is as good as the superintendent that they employ. #2 To ensure that our districts visions and goals align with policy and budget. #3 To represent the values, beliefs, and priorities of the District. #4 Maker certain that our policies are thoroughly addressed and “bullet proof” especially considering the decline of our nation and its moral values. Our policies should uphold the values we want in our community and student body most importantly.