Tim Conner
Conner was born on May 19, 1960, in Mexico. His family farmed north of Auxvasse and he attended North Callaway schools while helping on the farm. He also attended the University of Missouri in Columbia where he received his B.S. in music education. He later attended Eastern Illinois University, in Charleston, Illinois, where he studied at a graduate level.
"Work experience includes teaching music, substitute teaching, convenience store assistant manager, car sales, Missouri Department of Revenue and sales processing clerk. Most recently I have been a Quality Assurance Tech with Dawn Food Products in Mexico."
Q) What do you think the biggest issue you need to solve, and how would you solve it?
A: "The biggest issue that could affect the North Callaway District is the possibility of a shooter attacking the school, like in Florida and around the country. Initially, I feel that we should train our teachers and staff to combat this type of problem. Already in the North Callaway Schools there are programs like Crisis Prevention Team (CPT), and Intruder Training, which have been implemented to counteract problems with the students and possible shooting threats. There should be some form of surveillance in our high school, a presence to serve as a deterrent to this kind of activity. A sheriff's deputy on duty in the school hallways would be a good place to start."
Q) What you makes you qualified for this position?
A: "I believe my volunteer experience and community activism in Callaway County give me the capability to be a successful board member. I have been active in the Callaway Chapter of the Mizzou Alumni Association. As former president of this organization, I have been successful in the delegation of personnel for the betterment of graduation seniors from local high school. I and the board raised money for scholarships to future MU freshmen. Budgeting the amount of money available to provide scholarships is a major duty of this position. I am a member and treasurer of the Evening Rotary Club of Fulton."
Q) What do you hope to achieve while in this position, if you win?
A: "I want to continue to see the district send students into the real world with the tools to be successful in whatever they undertake. At North Callaway Schools, I was well-prepared for my next step of education. I want to promote fine arts, technical and computer programs. Technical fields are changing quickly and we need to make technical and computer-literate students more valuable to job markets"
Greg Huddleston
Huddleston lives in Auxvasse with his wife, Danielle, and their three boys. They all enjoy warm weather activities such as riding bikes, swimming, fishing and camping. They are active members of Grand Prairie Baptist Church in Auxvasse. They recently inherited Huddelston's grandma's two dogs, which have been a lot of fun, and the family looks forward to seeing what warmer weather brings with the two new family members.
Q) What do you think is the biggest issue you need to solve and how would you solve it?
A: "Our biggest issue is operational funding. Due to cuts in state funding, our district has made adjustments to our operating budget. The administration and board have worked hard to reduce costs and streamline spending and we still have a ways to go. My goal is to make sure the community is aware of the district's needs and how and where funding is spent. Residents are not often fully aware of where certain funding comes from and how it can be spent. I hope to make this more clear. With better communication and more involvement, we can get the community on the same page, equating to a better education for students."
Q) What makes you qualified for the position?
A: "I am a lifelong member of the community. Between my wife and I, we have four kids, three of whom attend school in the North Callaway district. From preschool all the way through my senior year in high school, I attended North Callaway. I also work here in the community and call it home.
"I feel I have a thorough understanding of the needs of both our students and staff. I'm very familiar with the members of our community and feel that I can help to express both their ideas and concerns to the board and our administration.
"I did not complete my college education. I wish I had, but I have been very fortunate in life. Through lessons learned the hard way, I feel that I have gained a very well-rounded knowledge of both interpersonal skills and financial management abilities. These will allow me to help make solid and well-thought-out financial choices for our district."
Q) What do you hope to achieve while in this position if you win?
A: "I want to see our school district thrive. I want teachers to jump on the opportunity to work in our schools. I want parents to see the benefits of a smaller district, and to bring their families here. I want to see our community help future generations of Thunderbirds achieve success throughout life. Most of all, I want parents, students, and teachers all to feel as proud as I do to be a Thunderbird."
David Isaacks
Isaacks is a son, brother, husband, and father of four daughters. He served as a U.S. Marine for just more than eight years and now serves veterans (American heroes) everyday as an employee of the Truman VA Hospital. He enjoys the outdoors, gardening, hiking, camping, working on renovation projects and spending time with his wife.
Q) What do you think is the biggest issue you need to solve and how would you solve it?
A: "Increasing costs which is in contrast with a decreasing or stagnant funding base. I would go to where the work is already being performed. Teachers and staff know what works and doesn't. Employees know where waste is and how to fix it. Meeting and talking with them is first step to becoming more efficient. With a finite amount of resources it's critical that we focus them on what matters the most. Secondly, I would be an out spoken advocate for the school district and dedicate time to identifying additional community stakeholders that would align themselves with supporting students and educators."
Q. What makes you qualified for the position?
A: "The complexity and interconnectivity of a school district is ripe for moving it from a 'really good' organization to a 'remarkable' organization and that is why I am interested in being a member of the board. The board plays such a vital role and certainly my interest alone is not going to produce results; however I believe that the following skills and abilities will.
"Beginner's Mind: I thirst for knowledge and approach opportunity through learning so that I don't manage by past tradition or preconceived notions, but through innovation and excellence.
"Idea Broker/Communicator: I work to position myself to balance learning and collaborating so that I can serve as a conduit for fresh ideas.
"Firsthand Experiences: I have been accountable for the lives of others through my decision making and responsible for managing multi-billion dollar budgets. I strive to observe and understand the nuances from the frontlines, which keep me in tune with what really matters with both internal and external stakeholders."
Q) What do you hope to achieve while in this position if you win?
A: "Further empower teachers and educators, grow early learning opportunities, and infuse more technology into our elementary, middle and high school academic programs. I am also interested in providing teachers with more advanced technology, equipment, and training. My general thoughts on education is that we should teach students how to think and not just what to think."
Gary Linnenbringer
Linnenbringer lives in Bachelor. He graduated from North Callaway High School in 1971, and University of Missouri in 1975. He has farmed all of his life, and for the last 19 years he served as agent/director for Farmers Mutual Insurance Co.
Linnenbringer has grandchildren and step grandchildren, plus great nieces and nephews in all four schools in the North Callaway school district.
Q) What do you think is the biggest issue you need to solve and how would you solve it?
A: "Finding the right superintendent to lead us for the next several years is the most pressing issue. We will keep looking until we find the right person."
Q) What makes you qualified for the position?
A: "Six years service before, and being mentored by Mr. and Mrs. Joe Crane while I served on the board before. They were the best educators that I ever met. I was part of the second class to go through Hatton-McCredie and North Callaway, so I have a historical view of the school."
Q. What do you hope to achieve while in this position if you win?
A: "I hope to help give our kids a great education without breaking the bank."
Amy Reinhard
Reinhard is completing her first term as a North Callaway School board of education member. As a former high school mathematics teacher and a preschool teacher, she said she takes education very seriously and works to instill the love of learning into her three children. She currently serves on the Williamsburg Elementary Parent-Teacher Organization and is a volunteer in the district. She and her husband, Greg, enjoy spending time with their children by taking cruises and visiting state and national parks.
Q) What do you think is the biggest issue you need to solve and how would you solve it?
A: "The biggest issue facing the NCR-1 district is lack of funding. It is hard to make do with the dwindling funds we receive from the state. Our teachers are asked to do more with less each year. One approach to curtail part of this issue is for voters to pass the operating tax levy on April 3rd. The added funds will allow for additional staff to be hired to help teachers and students grow in their education while also allowing our teachers to be compensated for their commitment to educating our students. If it is not successful then the board will be faced with tough decisions on where to cut back that will especially affect our students and staff."
Q) What makes you qualified for the position?
A: "As a current board member I have been through the training and earned my Essential Board Member Certification. I have also attended the Missouri School Board Association Conference two of the three years I have served and I look forward to furthering my knowledge by completing the Advanced Board Member Certification. I will always put the students first in every decision I make while on the Board."
Q) What do you hope to achieve while in this position if you win?
A: "I hope to continue being involved in the education process of our district. With a four-day school week, there is no time to get behind. I will make it a priority to keep abreast on our students' quarterly growth and make sure that curriculum is being taught effectively across the district. I also hope to spend more time in each building helping every student reach their goals. This time is precious for our students and we can never get it back so we have to make sure we are doing everything correct the first time."
Scott Starkey
Starkey is a lifetime Callaway County resident who attended North Callaway schools, went on to Southwest Missouri State University for three years, and then had to leave Southwest in order to take care of the family farm. He became a full-time farmer. He and his wife Janette have two children, Lance and Clare, both of whom attended North Callaway schools.
Q) What do you think is the biggest issue you need to solve and how would you solve it?
A: "School funding has been declining rapidly in the past six years. North Callaway has lost $1.1 million in funding from the state. There is not enough money left in the budget to give hard-working teachers the salary they deserve. I would like to see the April 3rd tax levy pass in order to raise the teachers' base pay. It would increase overall funding for the school."
Q) What makes you qualified for the position?
A: "I am an incumbent board of education member who has served six years. My experiences have shown me which direction our school system needs to take, and I feel I have contributed in shaping our school system through my two terms by helping pass the last bond issue and in implementing the four-day school week. I have also served on other community lead boards, such as the Service and Supply Co-Op board for nine years (three as president). Being from the Williamsburg area, I would like to retain my position to represent that part of the district."
Q) What do you hope to achieve while in this position if you win?
A: "I want to continue to help guide the school in the right direction. The mission of North Callaway is to provide students with a learning environment that empowers them academically and prepares them to have a successful life after high school. I have always voted in favor of enriching the school to benefit the student body as a whole."