The Greentown Grapevine – 2006-04, 13:04

              The Greentown rapevzne
~ L Celkbrating Our 13th Year?
Volume 13, Issue 4 “ 6paPerfitheptWpk” April 2006
Candidates for School Board
Respond to Questions
The Greentown Grapevine
posed 4 questions to candidates
for school board. Following are
the responses. Terry R. Steiner,
Randy Blankenship, Dale
Smith, and Joyce Hendrix are
all running for the “ at large”
seat. Larry Hinesley is
unopposed for the “ Greentown”
seat. All voters in the school
district are able to vote for both
seats regardless of which
township they live in. The
election. will be May 2. School
board elections are not tied to a
politica1 party.
I. Why are you a good
potential school board
member?
Terry Steiner
I believe my educational and
life experiences qualify me to
be a good school board
member. Some of these
qualifications include: Public
school t e a c h e r ; music
department head; and church
deacon. I have earned
undergraduate and graduate
degrees in education. I was
education chairperson and
board member with the
Kokomo Association of Life
Underwriters. I have been a
member of a contract
negotiating team. I directed an
adult church choir for over 25
years. I managed a team and
was a board member of the
local little league for seven
years. My three children
graduated from EHS with
honors. I have work experience
in insurance sales and
automobile manufacturing.
All of these experiences have
allowed me to develop a varied
and conscientious work ethic,
good listening skills and the
ability to make decisions in a
group/ goal- oriented setting.
Randy Blankenship
Over the past year, I have
attended approximately half of
the school board meetings, so I
Sam familiar with much of what
the board has been dealing
with. I also have complete
control over my work schedule
that may enable me to be more
involved in school activities
than others who might like to
serve but are bound by
inflexible schedules. Having
served on and chaired boards
for 20 years, I understand how
to achieve consensus.
I served as Chairman of the
Board of Central Indiana Teen
Challenge, a residential
rehabilitation program for
adolescent females. I also
serve as the vice president of
the Kokomo Human Rights
Commission.
In addition to my Bachelor’s
Degree I also earned
Teacher’s Certificate. I
attended Eastern Schools from
the third grade, graduating high
in my class of 1981 and was
extremely involved in sports
and extracurricular activities.
Dale Smith
In my professional career of 20
years I have always been held
fiscally responsible. I have led
successful multi- mi II ion dollar
projects with 30 plus people
reporting to me. I feel that
with my project management
skills and accountability, as
well as having three children in
the school system I would be
able to help guide the
corporation to the next levels of
success. I feel that learning can
be made to be fun while still
working hard to maintain the
high academic standards that
Eastern has come to know.
I am very approachable and
people oriented and able to
make strong, informed
decisions.
Joyce Hendrix
I am very proud to live in the
Eastern Howard School system.
I do not bring with me any
hidden agendas nor do I wish to
shake up the system we
currently have. Rather, I would
like to help preserve the high
standards of excellence we
presently enjoy. My experience
as the PTO President for the
past 6 years has given me great
insight to parents’, children’s
and teachers’ needs within our
school system. My education at
Ball State, in Social Work
combined with my experiences
has given me a passion fol
building a strong community.
would look forward to workin!
for everyone and to continut
developing the strong, unitec
school system that is a leadin!
example of what education i!
and should be in this State.
Larry Hinesley
I feel that learning is life- Ion!
and 1 have learned a lot fron
my time of service on the boarc
and hope to continue to makc
the right choices.
2. Are there particulai
policies, programs, 01
course offerings you are
particularly interested ir
supporting at this timc
which you feel may be ir
jeopardy?
Terry Steiner
The music department and ir
particular the high school strint
program has been mentioned a:
one program that would bc
affected if the block schedule is
changed. I would hope that i
change in the type of schoo
schedule, if there is indeed one
would not cause this to happen
The music department is one
that is consistently successful in
developing accomplished
performing students. The
students who participate in
music make up a significani
number of our student
p o p u l a t i o n and t h e i r
participation in band, choir and
orchestra spreads success to
other areas of our school. The
community is proud of these
organizations and is willing to
support this department and its
highly motivated teachers and
students.
Randy Blankenship
Because of the financial
constraints of state funding,
there has been discussion 3f
moving the high school away
from the block schedule. It was
decided to continue on the
block schedule this year, but
that decision could be revisited
Continued on page 3
Voters, to Experience
Changes This Year
Persons wanting to cast a
ballot in the upcoming Primary
and School Board elections will
find the experience will run
more smoothly if they take note
of two changes. The first is a
change of polling place for
Jackson Township and all
precincts of Liberty Township.
The second i’s a requirement
that a photo ID must be shown.
The polling place for Jackson
and Liberty Townships will be
the Eastern Howard Performing
Arts Center, located at the north
end of the high school. Union
Township voters will go to
Jerome Christian Church, 9567
E 100 s.
From the website of the
County Clerk: Ifvou are voting
inperson at thepolls, or voting
zn absentee ballot in your
: ounty Clerk’s of$ ce, you will
5e asked to present proof of
‘ dentijkation before voting.
This ID must:
I ) Show your photograph;
2) Include your name, which
must conform with your name
on your voter registration
record;
3) Have an expiration date
after 11/ 2/ 2004 and
4) Be issued by the US.
government or the State of
Indiana.
Ifyou do not have ID when you
appear to vote, you will cast a
‘ brovisional ballot”, which
permits you to vote on election
d q . You must present photo
‘ ID to your county election
board no later than noon 13
days afrer election day for your
provisional ballot to be
counted.
The deadline for registering
to vote in May has passed, but
people can still register to vote
in the November elections. *
Questions about absentee
voting or voter registration can
be directed to Voter
Registration at 456- 22 19.
4g Day Provided for gfh Graders
Several Howard County 5‘ h Grade Students learned how various
ood products get to the kitchen table at Ag Day. The event was
ield at the Howard County 4- H Fairgounds March 21. The
, tudents moved td stations where they heard presentations on
opics such as beef, swine, sheep, tomatoes, soil and water
: onservation, and soybeans. A popular station was a visit to the
, ions Pavilion where several animals were observed and petted.
lg Day is sponsored by Howard County Farm Bureau, Inc., Purdue
Zxtension of Howard County, Northwestern FFA, and Western
: FA.
iastern students Alex Peters, Zach Patterson, and Derek Conwell
njoy contact with a chicken and a rabbit at Howard County Ag Day.
Photo by Rocliel Jetikiti. 5