Five vie for four school board seats

There will be six names on the general election ballot running for four spots on the Hot Springs County School District Number One Board of Trustees. The terms are four years in length.

One name on the ballot is Nikki Slagle, however, she has stated she is moving out of the district and that will make her no longer eligible to run. Her name will still appear on the ballots because they have already been printed.

Joe Martinez says one of his biggest concerns is the budget, cautioning if the budget is not maintained, items such as extracurricular activities could see a hit. In addition, he is a strong proponent of vocational classes, noting that college is a great opportunity, but may not be feasible for some students who wish or need to go directly into the workforce.

Clay VanAntwerp is a current board member running for re-election. His focus is creating the top performing district in the state and he feels we are close to getting there. He, too, believes the budget is a major concern and has spoken with legislators, letting them know he wants today’s students to have the same opportunities he had in school, including vocational and athletic programs.

Beth Lewis comes from a family of educators and has seen other districts run from different perspectives. She truly believes any decisions made at the school board level need to have the kid’s best interests in mind.

Nichole Weyer has been on the board the past two years and says she has seen significant changes, including collaboration time between the teachers. As an educator herself, she says the children are the most important part of the equation and are always in the forefront of her mind.

Dr. Travis Bomengen has served on the board for eight years and said he has spent so much time in the books that he knows the importance of a quality education. Preparing our kids to be successful after graduation is his first priority.

Also on the ballot is Tonya Petty, however, she was not available for comment at press time.