Editor's note: Some of these answers have been edited for length. To see the unabridged version, go to www.cordellbeacon. com.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself, i.e., age, job, hometown, family, hobbies, etc.?
I am 35 years old and work for Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma as a Loan Officer and Certified General Appraiser. I serve as a lay servant and the youth director for the Cordell First United Methodist Church; the President of the Washita County Cattlemen’s Association; and also as a firefighter/first responder for the Corn Volunteer Fire Department. My wife Tara and I farm and run cattle with my parents, Dan and Charlene Jaronek, on the family farm east of Cordell where we and our 4-year-old daughter Elsie currently live.
I grew up on the farm and went to school at Cordell where I graduated in 2004. After graduating from high school, I attended Oklahoma State University, and in 2008 I graduated magna cum laude, earning my bachelor’s degree in Agribusiness and Animal Science. Upon entering the workforce, I worked as a Ranch Foreman for Deseret Cattle and Citrus in Kissimmee, Florida. In 2010, I moved back to Oklahoma and worked for the Oklahoma Beef Council as the Director of Producer Communications. I then made the move to the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association where I was the Foundation Coordinator as well as the Membership Director.
Why are you running for board of education? What are things you hope to accomplish if elected?
Simply put, I am running because I care about our school, the education it provides, and the teachers and staff that it employs. I graduated from Cordell, as did both of my sisters. I have chosen to move back and raise my family here, because Cordell is home; not just the town, but the people in it are home. I truly feel that my education and the teachers who had an impact in my life were a crucial part in making me who I am today. My father was blessed to serve on the school board for 12 years in order to help make the school the best that it could be for my generation, and now I hope to do the same for my daughter’s generation.
What particular experiences or skills have prepared you to serve as a board member?
I have served on numerous boards, committees and advisory councils from the local level all the way up to the state level. I have served on strategic planning committees for the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association (OCA) and the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Foundation. I have also had the opportunity to serve on the advisory council for Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom. My extensive and diverse financial background has prepared me to make sound decisions. I have successfully managed employees in addition to budgets and assets in excess of a million dollars through my various work experiences. My experience as a registered lobbyist for the OCA has taught me how to deal with controversial is : ‘I would li sues, both on a one-on-one basis and in public forums.
What is the biggest issue facing the Cordell school district?
I think that one of the biggest issues facing Cordell, or any rural school district for that matter, is the issue of funding. How will potential changes in funding calculations for rural schools affect the amount of funds we receive? How will future legislation affect our school? While Cordell is in a good financial position right now and is doing a good job by taking advantage of grants and federal funds, costs are going to continually increase. The answers to these questions have to be considered in order to fulfill our fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers of the county.
The most immediate issue is our return to normalcy throughout the school system. What does it look like? What protocols stay and which ones leave? How are expenses affected with changes that might remain in place? These are all issues that not only have an impact on our students and teachers, but on everyone in the school district as well.
What can be done to improve student achievement and ensure everyone who graduates is college-ready especially after a year in dealing with the consequences of COVID?
Student achievement isn’t a one-size-fits-all, just like education beyond high school isn’t a one-size-fits-all. College is not the automatic path for everyone. There is a huge need for the educational opportunities that Vo-Tech and trade schools can provide. For example, COVID has proved through all the virtual learning, online meetings, and virtual family gatherings that a career in technology is not only essential, but extremely rewarding. It also is one that does not require a person to go to a 4 year university. For those who do feel that college is the path they want to take, advanced classes and concurrent college courses are excellent opportunities for students to continue building on their education and to get a headstart on the general college curriculum. We need to ensure that students are aware that our school can help them down whichever path they choose. We need to make sure these things are always available to help our students excel.
What are your areas of concern regarding student achievement in your district?
Virtual learning has been a phenomenal tool that allows flexibility and provides the opportunity for education and learning to continue during difficult times, but student achievement is unmatched when learning is taking place in the classroom where our teachers excel. School and the “Classroom Experience” is so much more than just facts out of books, figures written on the board, or diagramming a sentence. Teachers get to know and invest in every single student. They get to know what signals a bad day or a good day; they spend the time to dig beneath the surface, have conversations, and show the kids that they, the students, are worth the teacher's time, energy, and care. Students learn how to work with each other in-person; they learn how to effectively communicate; they find their interests and passions. This, in my opinion, would be extremely tough to achieve in a virtual setting. Our teachers have done an incredible job of juggling everything that has been thrown at them over the past year, and I have no doubt that our students are as well prepared as any in the state given the circumstances. We have to remain focused, as we have been, on keeping students in the classroom where concentrated, hands-on learning can take place and use virtual learning for what it is, one of many tools in the toolbox.
What should your school district do to better prepare students as citizens?
Through extra-curricular activities such as speech and debate teams, FFA, FCCLA, athletics, band, art, and so many more activities, students are taught life skills that can’t be learned from a textbook. They learn about hard work, teamwork, finance, self-expression, and poise. They learn to not just have an opinion, but to support it with facts. They learn how to be a courteous winner and a gracious opponent in defeat. Opportunities to job shadow, learning how to apply for a mortgage, witnessing the judicial process, and a basic understanding of taxes are all things that will help prepare our students for life after high school.
Why should you be elected to the board of education?
I want the opportunity to serve the Cordell School District. I’ve made a point to go to several school board meetings this year that were open to the public to familiarize myself with the process and to have a better understanding of the business that is discussed so that I am better prepared if elected. I have had the opportunity to see difficult decisions being made at the meetings, and I know that it just isn’t possible to make everyone happy with every decision or outcome, but someone once told me, “All you can do is make the best decision that you can with the best information you have at the time.” That is what I have always tried to do and will continue to do if elected.
What else should people know about you or your candidacy?
Voters in the district have two excellent choices for School Board when they go to the polls on April 6th. Levi is a friend of mine, and we are both running for the same reasons. This is our home; we want to serve. We think that Cordell is a great school, and we want the best teachers providing the best education possible for our kids. Regardless of whether or not I’m elected, it is a win-win for Cordell Schools. If Levi is elected I’m behind him 100%, and I know that he will make excellent decisions for our school. No matter which candidate you feel is the best fit for you, I hope that everyone will make a point to go to the polls and vote.