USD 398 Board of Education position 1 candidate
Bruce Burke
Q: Why do you want to be re-elected?
Burke: To serve the public at large where our children are concerned.
Q: Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the current administration?
Burke: I am very satisfied with the current administration. This administration has brought our school district through some very difficult and demanding issues over the last four years. The current administration continues to navigate these difficult times, while making decisions that have a direct effect on our children every day.
Q: What is your background or what are your qualifications for office?
Burke: Father of one child, currently attending Peabody-Burns High School. Currently finishing a four-year term on the school board. Live and work within the school district.
What are your goals for the school district? How do you plan to accomplish them?
Burke: We are currently in fight for survival for our school district. One of my goals is to continue to see Peabody-Burns USD 398 as a viable option for our children to get a top quality education and have an enjoyable educational experience.
Q: What is the most important issue for the school district? Why? And how do you think the district can cope with funding issues?
Burke: We are in the midst of a funding crisis where our children are concerned. Our school district is in a good position compared to most school districts in Kansas, right now. I want to keep it that way, if at all possible. We will be facing some critical funding issues in the coming months, which require the school board and administration team to continue to be creative as well as “think outside the box.” In addition, due diligence will need to be given to all decisions effecting the education of our children.
Q: More information?
Burke: A 1977 graduate of Peabody-Burns High School, 1979 graduate of Hutchinson Community College. Married with one child. Work for the City of Peabody as Chief of Police. Own and operate a small family farm within the school district.
Position 2 candidate
Terril L. Eberhard
Q: Why do you want to be re-elected?
Eberhard: Educating the youth of today is providing the work force and the leaders of the future. It is enjoyable and rewarding to be part of that process.
Q: Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the current administration?
Eberhard: I am very satisfied with the current staff of administrators.
Q: What are your goals for the school district? How do you plan to accomplish them?
Eberhard: I would like to see administration and staff continue to be innovative and proactive in their work. The school is an important part of both communities in our district. It is always nice to see the parents as well as the non-parents in attendance at school activities.
Q: What is the most important issue facing the school district? Why?
Eberhard: Providing the best quality of education on a limited budget. The administration and board are continually seeking the best alternatives.
Q: More information?
Eberhard: I spent the first 18 years of my life in Peabody, graduating from the Peabody school system. I attended Kansas State University with a degree in agriculture education. After that, I joined the Army Reserve. In 1971, I was employed by the Farm Credit Administration through 1984, which included agricultural lending in four states. I came back to farming in Peabody in 1984 and still continue. I have served on other boards and am currently serving on the Peabody-Burns School Board.
Position 3 candidate
Glendon Parks
Glendon Parks filed his candidacy for the board of education to serve the school district for which his family is part. He lives just outside Peabody. He grew up in rural Peabody and attended Peabody schools the majority of his school years. He returned to Peabody three years ago with his family. He is married to Stacey Parks, speech-language pathologist with Marion County Special Education Cooperative. He has two children, ages 8 and 6, who attend Peabody-Burns Elementary School. He is employed by AGCO in Hesston.
Position 7 candidate
Anthony Zappone
Q: Why do you want to be re-elected?
Zappone: I would like to continue serving to assist the Peabody-Burns district through our current financial challenges in a manner which will cause the least disruption to the education of our students.
Q: Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the current administration?
Zappone: I think our administration has done a good job in keeping to a minimum the negative impact our national and state level fiscal policies have had on USD 398.
Q: What is your background or what are your qualifications for office?
Zappone: My background is in education. I have been a high school and middle school instructor and coach within the Marion-Florence and Peabody-Burns districts. I currently teach at Remington High School. Additionally, I will soon complete my first term on the USD 398 School Board as well as the Marion County Special Education Cooperative Board of Directors.
Q: What are your goals for the school district? How do you plan to accomplish them?
Zappone: My primary goal is to improve the academic performance of our students. I plan to accomplish this in partnership with parents to identify student needs as early as possible and then provide a strategy and resources to “fix” those academic areas of weakness.
Q: What is the most important issue facing the school district? Why? How do you think the district can cope with funding issues?
Zappone: Funding is the most important issue facing our district. We have coped as other districts have: with cutbacks in personnel, and a number of items in other areas. We have also been forced to increase our local option budget. Fortunately, previous USD 398 boards have been financially responsible, leaving us in a relatively good position to make it through the “storm” to this point. However, unless the financial weather improves, it is becoming increasingly difficult.
Q: More information?
Zappone: I am employed by USD 206 in Whitewater. I am married to Lorrie Reynolds and we have two adult children, Anna and Joseph.