Four candidates are vying for positions on the Poplar Bluff R-I School Board.
Incumbent Michael Price, who rejoined the board last year after a hiatus, is running against Anthony Curnutt, Dave Elledge and Larry Kimbrow. Candidate Raymond Webb announced he is dropping out of the race.
The top three candidates will serve three years on the school board.
Candidates were provided with the same list of questions and their answers are included here as provided with minor edits for clarity or length. Information is listed in ballot order.
Age: 40
Spouse: Dustie Curnutt
Children: Tony, 18; Malachi, 17; Amberlyn, 15; Austin, 14; Emery, 9; Maverick, 2
Occupation: Owner of Gibborim Backhoe Services LLC
Education: East Carter High School
Current affiliations: Palace of Praise, Real Men Talk Podcast
Why are you running for the board?
My wife has worked for the school district for over 13 years and I currently have five children in Poplar Bluff schools. I have a lot invested in Poplar Bluff schools. I feel that with the experience I have both in business management and being a children’s pastor for nine years, I could help guide our district in the right direction. I have an interest in seeing both the children and the teachers succeed and I am excited to serve our community.
What characteristics would make you a good board member?
I have strong moral values, leadership skills, integrity, discretion, and a passion to serve the Poplar Bluff schools.
What do you hope to accomplish?
To keep the district going in the right direction for both the teachers and the students.
Are there any recent actions you agree or disagree with?
Recent actions are not the reason I am running. It’s future, the future of not only our students but also our teachers and staff. What will the future of Poplar Bluff school district look like?
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the distinct and how would you address them?
I think with a new superintendent there will be a lot of challenges with new leadership. I would be honored to help with this transition to make sure the district stays both morally and educationally accountable.
Are there any needs you want to address?
I just want to make sure that our schools stay in the right direction.
Age: 63
Spouse: Luann Elledge
Children: Lauren (Elledge) Hasanov, Lyndsee (Elledge) and Brandon Moon, and Luke and Leslie (Harris) Elledge
Occupation: Executive co-pastor, The Bluff Church
Education:
Master’s degree in religious eduction from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, master of arts in adult fitness and bachelor of science in education from Eastern Illinois University.
Current affiliations: The Bluff Church, Difference Makers, Sleep In Heavenly Peace, Buddy Ball, Bright Futures, Lake Road Elementary and Junior High, Poplar Bluff Upward Basketball program
Why are you running for board?
My purpose in running for the Poplar Bluff School Board comes down to one of the main themes of my life — service. I believe the purpose of the school board is to serve: serve the students, the teachers, staff, and administrators, and to serve the community. Yes, the board must lead, but I believe the best leadership is servant leadership.
What characteristics would make you a good board member?
Once again, one of the driving forces of my life is service. I truly believe that serving others is one of the most important things we can do in life. As we give ourselves in service, we make ourselves better and we lift up those we serve and celebrate their value.
As a pastor and leader of organizations like Sleep In Heavenly Peace and Buddy Ball, I understand the importance of leadership. I have been in tough situations, dealt with budgets and finances, and had to have tough conversations with people. I know how to lead. From my experience, I also know how to listen. I can hear from differing points of view and help come to an equitable outcome. I know there will be many instances where having an unbiased, reasonable, and level-headed approach to issues will help in decision-making.
What do you hope to accomplish?
There are three words which summarize my goals in running for the board: Serve, Support, Succeed. Serve — I will seek to serve the students, families and schools of Poplar Bluff R-1. Support — I will support the teachers, staff and administrators of our district. I believe the classroom teacher is our most valuable resource in the education process and we need to do all we can to help them do their jobs with excellence. Succeed — I will do all within my power to help our school district succeed at its mission of achieving excellence through learning.
Are there any recent actions you agree or disagree with?
It’s often easy to throw stones when you are on the outside looking in. I believe our district has had a history of some very good board members, including those currently serving. My hope is to gain a seat on the board and help the board operate at its best to serve the families and staff of our school district.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the distinct and how would you address them?
For the board, I’m sure the transition in July to working with a new superintendent will be an adjustment. There will be a period of learning how Dr. Cornman leads a district and how he and the board can best work together. I’m sure that after a period of adjustment there will be a great working relationship.
I have spent time over the past few months speaking with educators and administrators in our district. I have taken the time to sit down with them in their schools and listen to both their challenges and triumphs. There were some recurring themes in those conversations, such as mental health issues, getting parents more involved, and hiring and retaining the very best personnel possible.
Are there any needs you want to address?
In Poplar Bluff we have a fantastic school system filled with teachers who go above and beyond every day, staff and administrators who work tirelessly to lead well, and students who do their best to excel. Within our district we have plenty of needs from helping parents get more involved in their child’s education to teacher overwork/burnout to making sure our facilities and resources are maintained and used in the best way possible. As a board member, my goal will be to help our district do all it can by supporting our educators, administration, and staff and to help our district provide the optimal environment for our students to learn and prepare for productive lives.
Age: 73
Spouse: Amalia “Amy” Kimbrow
Children: Kimberly, 32; Timothy, 30; and Kaycee, 28
Occupation: U.S. Navy lieutenant commander, retired. Three Rivers College executive vice president and vice president for academic affairs, dean of career education and workforce development, and associate dean of vocational and technical education, retired.
Education: Doctor of education in higher education leadership from Nova Southeastern University, master of science in operations management from University of Arkansas, bachelor of science in professional aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, bachelor of arts degree in management from Western Illinois University.
Affiliations: Greater Poplar Bluff Area Chamber of Commerce, Poplar Bluff and Missouri Lions Clubs, Rodgers Theatre Inc., Black River Public Radio (FM 101.9), Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #1056, Missouri State Council of Vietnam Veterans of America, Butler County Veterans Memorial Wall Board of Directors, Butler County Veterans Council Board of Directors, John J. Pershing VAMC’s Veterans Service Officers Council, John J. Pershing VAMC’s Center for Development and Civic Engagement (CDCE) Advisory Committee, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #6477, American Legion Brown-Mabrey Post #153, AMVETS Post #29, Toastmasters International and the Heartland Storytellers Club.
Why are you running for the board?
My three brothers ... and I graduated from Poplar Bluff High School. Also, our three children, Kimberly, Timothy and Kaycee attended Poplar Bluff R-1 schools from kindergarten through high school and graduation. Additionally, we currently have three grandchildren in elementary and junior high schools. As a result, I want to do my civic duty to ensure that all of the students in the district are provided with the same, or even better, educational opportunities that we were provided to be able to achieve academic excellence.
I want to be able to remind the administrators, staff, faculty, parents, and tax-paying citizens that our main mission is to prepare the students in our schools with the core academic subjects to prepare them for advanced education in college or in numerous “career and technical education” (CTE) opportunities in the high in-demand and high-paying jobs in the workforce.
What characteristics would make you a good board member?
In all of my daily activities in both my public and private lives, I still conduct myself by the Navy’s Core Values of “Honor, Courage and Commitment.” These values served me well during periods of high stress and perilous activities during my military career. I have found that they are applicable today as well in the civilian world. My leadership style is based on these core values (honor, courage and commitment).
What do you hope to accomplish?
As parents, we send our children to our schools with the expectation that they will be safe and secure and will have the opportunity to learn and obtain academic excellence. I intend to ensure that the board maintains oversight over the district’s expenditures and revenues so your taxes will be used effectively and efficiently. Along with the other board members, I intend to provide professional and experienced advice and guidance to the superintendent and the executive staff and to approve the district’s policies.
Are there any recent actions you agree or disagree with?
I certainly agree with the district’s efforts to keep our schools open during the recent COVID pandemic. Also, I was very pleased with the district’s efforts to quickly implement the remote learning system once it was apparent that they could no longer keep the schools open.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the distinct and how would you address them?
In the past few years, our statewide academic scores have been falling, especially after our students reach high school. I intend to provide the administration, staff, and teachers with guidance, opportunities, and incentives to determine the “root causes” of this decline. [...]
I also see recruitment and retention of the district’s employees as a huge challenge facing the district. The workforce is very competitive and valued employees have lots of choices in the private and public sectors. We have to provide enough financial incentives to entice them to go to work and remain in the Poplar Bluff R-1 School District. [...] Numerous studies have proven that it is more financially responsible to reward good employees to keep them rather than recruit and train new employees.
Are there any needs you want to address?
Public schools have a responsibility to teach core academic subjects, to keep the children safe, and to protect the rights of the parents. When I am elected, I promise that I will do everything in my power to ensure that happens.
Age: 69
Spouse: Sandra Price
Children: Sheldon, 34; Taylor, 31
Occupation: Dentist, retired
Education: Three Rivers College; doctor of dental surgery, University of Missouri — Kansas City
Affiliations: First United Methodist Church, Kiwanis Club
Why are you running for the board?
We’ve chosen a new superintendent. I went on the board last August to replace Alanna Robertson, who had some health issues. She was a teacher representative on the board for years, and I encouraged her to run on the board when I left years ago and she has been a very good board member. ... We did choose a new superintendent and I feel like if I’m on the committee that chose him, I should stick around (and) try to help him.
What characteristics would make you a good board member?
Experience — I’ve served on the board six years in the past, now eight months again. I do have time I do believe in public education in Missouri. I think it is local — Poplar Bluff decides its own education and I’m a strong believer in public education.
What do you hope to accomplish?
We have a new superintendent coming. I think we have a lot of projects going right now. The bank building (downtown), we’re trying to get bids and get started on that. We’re finishing up some work at the high school athletic field and the junior high athletic field. There’s always ongoing projects.
We are a very large business from Poplar Bluff, 900 and something employees a very large budget, If you’re on the board, you’re representing the public, (promising) to be financially responsible for their money. If you look at your taxes, the biggest thing says “Poplar Bluff R-I School District” and so I think people want the board to say, listen to us, this is what we’re doing with your tax money.
Are there any recent actions you agree or disagree with?
I think the board is going in the right direction right now. Dr. Dill weathered the storm of COVID remarkably. Poplar Bluff stayed open, our children received education. Their test scores show that we did much, much better than a lot of districts. ... I think we just need to continue to build on that.
What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the distinct and how would you address them?
We have shown improvement in test scores, we’re showing improvement in graduation rates — those are always very important. We are actually looking to expand our Technical Career Center. We’re building a new building now to house the Culinary Arts Building. ... I think we have to look at the Technical Career Center as important (to) jobs not only for our area, but for the students. We need these type of people for the future and we need to keep putting emphasis on the Technical Career Center.
Are there any needs you want to address?
Just for the community to continue to support the Poplar Bluff schools and see what we can do. It takes a lot of community backing to keep the school district moving in the right direction, I would say more public input and the community support of our schools.
Raymond Webb announced he is vacating the election due to current commitments, but will continue to back the district and its students, employees and staff. His notice reads as follows:
I regret to inform you that I am no longer seeking and will not accept a seat on the school board in the upcoming election.
As the new board president of the Boys and Girls Club of the Heartland, my duties and obligations require my undivided attention and I will be unable to commit myself fully to the school board at this time. I have also started work towards my Master’s Degree and my academic load is pretty heavy.
However, I want to assure you that I will continue to support the district’s administrators, teachers, and students in any way that I can. I am committed to ensuring that the Poplar Bluff R-I school district continues to thrive and I remain fully dedicated to this cause.
Thank you for your understanding.
Sincerely,
Raymond Webb
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