Six seek four seats

Four candidates are vying for two seats on the South Adams School Board, while two other candidates face no challenge in their races.

Incumbent Arlene J. Amstutz and David W. Haman, both of Geneva, will face off for the District 2 seat in the May 4 school board election. Steve Dobler of Berne and John L. Mann of Geneva are running for the District 6 at-large seat. O. Steven Hampshire of Geneva is unchallenged in his bid for the District 4 seat, as is Bluffton resident Julie Mansfield, who is seeking the District 5 seat.

The new school board members will take office July 1.

Ron G. Spade of Berne had filed to run in the District 6 at-large race, but he later withdrew his candidacy due to health concerns. “I wish to thank all of the people for their support and encouragement during my consideration of this important issue,” Spade said in a prepared statement. “I shall cherish the good wishes and offers of support that have been expressed.”

Amstutz, 47, is an Adams Central High School graduate. She has worked as a secretary and clerk at Berne Hardware Co. Inc. for six years, and as a custodian at West Missionary Church for eight and a half years.

A member of West Missionary Church, she also serves as organist and pianist and with the puppet ministry. She has served on the school board for four years.

She and her husband John "Butch" Amstutz reside at 2686 East 800 South, Geneva. They have a daughter, Jennifer, and two sons, Ryan and Craig.

Haman, 41, is a 1982 graduate of Blackhawk Christian School in Fort Wayne. He attended ITT, where he earned a degree in electronics. He has been employed at Berne Tube Products as a maintenance supervisor for three years.

He and his wife Jennifer have a daughter, Kelci, and a son, Eric. The family resides at 3496 East 900 South, Geneva. They attend First Missionary Church in Berne, and he serves as vice president of the Adams County 4-H Horse and Pony Club.

Haman is making his first run for an elected office.

Dobler, 42, graduated from Peru High School in 1980 and Purdue University in 1984. He has worked at Bing Assembly Systems in Berne for nine years, and is manager of industrial engineering.

He is a member of First Missionary Church, Berne Rotary Club and the Institute of Industrial Engineers.

Dobler and his wife Margie have a son, Benjamin, and a daughter, Grace. The Doblers live at 1566 Old Colonial Drive, Berne.

This is Dobler's first run for an elected office.

Mann, 60, a 1961 Geneva High School graduate, also is making his first bid for elected office. He earned a bachelor of science degree for Ball State University in 1965 and a master's degree from St. Francis College in 1972.

He earned his real estate broker license in 1968, and runs Mann Realty in Geneva.

A member of ISTA Retired, Mann is also a member of First United Methodist Church of Geneva, where he serves as chairman of the board of trustees and on the administrative council. He also is a member of Geneva Proud, the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, the Limberlost Historic Site and Friends of the Limberlost.

Mann and his wife Dixie have two sons, Richard and Justin, and four grandchildren. They reside at 2302 West 1100 South, Geneva.

Hampshire, 57, is a 1964 graduate of Mississinawa Valley High School, and attended Central Bible College in Springfield, Mo. for two years. He also has taken classes on PLC programming.

He was self-employed until 1992, and worked in the maintenance department at W&M Manufacturing. Since 1999, he has served as Geneva town manager and certified water plant operator.

Hampshire is a member of First United Methodist Church, and also attends Bridge Church in Decatur. He serves on the advisory board of Geneva Proud and the Geneva Chamber of Commerce, and its business and industry committee.

He and his wife Cyndi have nine children and 10 grandchildren. The Hampshires live at 111 North Drive, Geneva.

This is his first run for an elected office.

Mansfield, 47, also is making her first run for an elected office.

She graduated form Richmond High School in Richmond, Mich. in 1974. She earned a bachelor of science degree in computer engineering in 1993 and a MBA in management in 2004 from the Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne. She is a Cisco Certified Network Associate and a Cisco Certified Academy Instructor.

Since 2002, she has been an assistant professor of computer science at IIT. She is also a high school outreach director and regional academy director. Previously, she was the manager of information systems and information technology for South Adams Schools.

Mansfield attend St. George Episcopal Church in Berne, and she serves on the McMillen Center for Health Education Board of Directors in Fort Wayne and the board of directors for the Cinema Center, also in Fort Wayne.

She and her husband Martin reside at 6747 West Ind. 218-1, Bluffton. They have a daughter, Samantha.

Amstutz, Haman, Dobler, Mann, Hampshire and Mansfield recently answered questions from The Commercial Review about their candidacy and school issues. Their answers follow.

What prompted your decision to run for school board?

Amstutz — South Adams community is very important because it is our students’ future. Helping to provide the best for our children is an opportunity to serve our community from a mother's perspective. A well-balanced school board should have ladies and men serve.

Haman — I have talked about running for school board for the last couple of years. Now that I have a child coming home and asking me why certain things are happening in the school, that I feel should not be happening but have no answer for my child, I feel I need to get more involved with the school and find out the answers. This year was the time I could run for my district.

Dobler — I wanted to get more involved in the community and my children will be in the South Adams School system for the next six years.

Mann — I have been following with interest and concern the news articles about our South Adams School District and have been approached by concerned citizens in the district who have asked if I would consider being a school board candidate. I have the educational and life experience to help make a difference in serving the children, teachers and taxpayers of South Adams County schools. The schools are very good, but it is my goal to help keep them going in that direction.

Hampshire — I was asked to run by several residents who felt that I would make a good candidate for District 4.

Mansfield — I believe that it is important for people to be involved in their community. I have a heart for education and for the students. The best way for me to continue to be involved and work as an advocate for all the students was as a member of the school board.

What personal qualifications do you bring to the job as a school board member?

Amstutz — As a local business owner, I definitely receive community input and concerns. Since serving on the current South Adams School Board, I have attended many district and state seminars pertaining to current issues facing the challenge of our school district. Each challenge is never acted upon without looking and considering the whole picture. I enjoy challenge and working as a team to achieve the goal — the best students.

Haman — I feel I have a lot of qualities that would make me a good school board member. First of all, I would listen to everyone. I want to sit down and listen to the teacher’ concerns, listen to parents’ concerns and also listen to the students. The students have the reality of how the school is run day in and day out. We as parents must realize that when our children start school, the school spends more time with them than their own parents. Are our children in an atmosphere that we as parents want them in? Only the students can answer this.

Second of all, I want to learn how and why the school board makes the decisions that they do. After all, if you don't see the whole picture, you cannot make a true judgment. And finally, I don't jump to conclusions. I will listen to everyone, but I will not make a decision until all the facts are revealed.

Dobler — I have experience with budgets, personnel issues and contract negotiations. Those three items seem to take most of the school board’s time. As an industrial engineer I spend most of my time finding more efficient ways to run the business. I think we need to find more efficient ways to run the school corporation on a limited budget.

Mann — I am a retired 35-year veteran instructor of industrial education. I taught 10 years in the East Allen School System, Fort Wayne, prior to accepting a position in the Jay School Corporation in 1975. I helped Jay Classroom Teachers Association in contract negotiations during the early 1990s. From 1993 to 2000, I was vocation director. I implemented new vocational programs of health occupations and graphic arts. I interviewed and hired instructors in the programs and vocational electronics.

As an instructor/administrator, I had the rare opportunity to experience both sides of issues and learn the difference. My broadened perspective would help me to address issues in the school district. I have knowledge of school facilities, having served on the facilities study committee of the South Adams schools. I would like to offer my experience and skills for the children and teachers.

Hampshire — Many years of working with the public, knowledge of budgeting, past performance as town manager, seeing several large projects through to completion and good old-fashioned “common sense” approach to problem solving.

Mansfield — Growing up, my father Wallace Edlund, was the superintendent of every school system I attended. This gave me a unique perspective on education — getting to see both the administrative and student side. Currently, I teach at Indiana Tech which gives me the view from the faculty side.

I spent almost 10 years at South Adams Schools, which I thoroughly enjoyed and which afforded me a view of public education from within the system. I believe in the power of education and am committed to providing those opportunities to students. I spend time visiting schools around the state as part of my employment at Indiana Tech and get a chance to see how different school systems work on different problems and challenges.

I have had the opportunity to serve on different boards for other non-profit organizations which have given me experience I feel will be beneficial. As part of the executive board at the McMillen Center I have helped verbalize the core values, establish the mission and vision for the center and begin the work to implement the goal to achieve our mission.

Philosophically, what do you believe the role of the school board should be?

Amstutz — The school board sets policy, rules and regulations for the school district. The board hires a superintendent and administrators to manage the school. The board is always concerned with all aspects affiliated within the school. The board is a group of individuals who work as a team to find and act upon the best solution for the entire corporation and students. Students are our number one concern.

Haman — The role of the school board is to make sure the students are getting the best education, not the best sports program. Don't get me wrong, I love sports. But if the students cannot learn their subjects, then how can they learn the plays of any sports. I feel education is number one. After all, these students are our future.

Dobler — I believe the school board should ensure that the school system is operating in the best interest of the students by developing open communication between the faculty, administration, students, parents and the community.

Mann — The school board should be a liaison of the community and the school corporation. The school board should help the administration be aware of the needs of the students and teachers, and find a balance with the limitations of the state’s financial situation. I believe the school board should be responsive to the citizens, and the administration should be responsive to the school board. The school board should listen to their principals, teachers and uncertified staff, and never forget that a board represents them all and should make every effort to acquire facts and figures to make good a fair decisions.

Hampshire — To direct the administration, control finances, strive for the benefit of the students and staff.

Mansfield — Philosophically, I believe that the role of the school board can best be defined by paraphrasing the Indiana School Board Association's mission statement: To assist the local school, through a governance role to ensure the opportunity for the highest quality public education for all children. The Code of Ethics developed by the Indiana School Board Association (http://www.isba-ind.org) clearly spells out the do’s and don’t for school board members. I believe in each point in the code of ethics. One point in particular speaks to the question of what the role of the school board should be: “By understanding that the basic function of the school board member is ‘policy-making’ and not ‘administrative,’ and by accepting the responsibility of learning to discriminate intelligently between these two functions.” (Indiana School Board Association, Code of Ethics).

If you could change one thing about South Adams Schools what would it be?

Amstutz — Wishing that South Adams could receive all our federal and state funding to provide an even better education.

Haman — There is a couple of things about South Adams at this point that I know I would like to see changed. First of all, a contract for the teachers. Second of all, the dress code enforced. And last but not least, the public display of affection that is shown in the hallways of the high school needs to stop.

Dobler — I would like to see South Adams become a true community school system. We have too many groups pressing for their own issues instead of focusing on what is in the best interest of the students. The students are the reason South Adams Community Schools exist.

Mann — I would hope to accomplish a renewal of confidence and trust between teachers and the administration.

Hampshire — Don't know yet.

Mansfield — If I could change one thing about South Adams Schools it would be to eliminate the atmosphere of distrust, the lack of communication, and the "us/them" mentality.

If you could preserve one thing about Jay Schools what would it be?

Amstutz — To preserve something of the past is to live in the past and may not be in the best interest of our students. As a school board, we must constantly look to the future to better our students’ academics, athletics, vocations, community service, etc. We have a superb administration, teaching staff, abundance of parental volunteer involvement and the best students. Let’s not preserve any of our strong strengths — let’s make them stronger as a complete district.

Haman — I want to preserve the dedicated staff that are still with South Adams. If we do not have dedicated staff to help keep South Adams current with all state regulations then our children will be denied the education that they deserve.

Dobler — I would like to keep the current education programs we have at South Adams. I realize that cuts have been made because of funding issues, but we have some excellent programs I think we need to keep. Music, HOE, CISCO and Industrial Trades are just some of the programs that South Adams students benefit from.

Mann — The one thing I would like to preserve is the positive work ethic of the school’s staff that enhances their commitment to their professional positions and the children. There are many other areas of interest, but this one thing is most important now.

Hampshire — The high quality of education and close “one-on-one” teacher/student relationship.

Mansfield — What we must always strive to keep at South Adams Schools is the concern, care and quality of education the students receive through a caring and dedicated staff of professionals.[[In-content Ad]]