Candidates seeking to wind up on the Alpine School Board this fall face an unprecedented situation - the winner will help to manage the $98 million the district will receive from passage of a bond vote last May.
While the money has been earmarked for the construction of two high schools and two elementary schools, all three candidates have different approaches to educating the growing number of students in the district.The three candidates include an experienced PTA leader and business owner, a dentist and an Alpine School District office worker.
Voters will be called upon June 28 to narrow the field to two candidates for the general election in November.
Blake L. Evans, 40, of Lehi, is a dentist seeking to win his third four-year term on the board. He has been instrumental in the passing of two major bonds in the Alpine School district.
Evans said he is running for another term because wants to ensure that the money he fought hard for the district to obtain is spent wisely.
"With this money, we can try to provide the best education possible at a cost that we can afford," he said.
Evans also said he would push to use the money in ways that would help ease high enrollments and would make building new high schools, junior highs and elementary schools a priority in the growing district.
A strong advocate of technology in the classroom, Evans said he will do whatever is necessary to ensure advanced computers and other information systems are available to the children of the district.
"There is just so much information out there for the kids to learn, and right now it is easier to do so than it has ever been," he said.
Marilyn Kofford, 53, of Alpine, is part owner of Covenant Communications, an LDS book, tape and computer software publishing company. A mother of six and grandmother of six, she has been volunteering in various capacities for the Alpine School district for more than 14 years.
Her most recent roles include being a member of the Alpine Foundation Board, president of American Fork Junior and Senior High School PTSA, council PTA president and an active member of several Alpine School District committees.
While serving as American Fork High School PTA president in 1991-92, Kofford was presented the National PTA Award.
Kofford said she would stress stronger family, teacher and student involvement in the learning process.
"If we can all become team players, the educational level is bound to rise," she said.
Kofford proposes enacting a Student Education Plan in all schools. The program would require each elementary student to sit down with his or her teachers and parents to set educational goals. A similar process would be carried on until graduation from high school.
"If we team together, every child could walk out of the elementary schools reading," she said. "If we don't start paying the prices, we will lose some of our children."
James Glenn Hunter, 44, is a teacher and a certified employee of the Alpine School District office. A father of five, Hunter has been active in the teaching profession for more than 20 years as a teacher, athletic coach, administrator, bus driver and custodian. Hunter is also an active member of the National Guard and Army Reserves and has completed master's degrees in communications and mass media and educational administration.
He said he is a strong supporter of giving control of education more to teachers, principals and parents, and less to the district. If this program were introduced in the Alpine School District, he said, the need for a large central administration would be greatly diminished, saving the district up to $1.2 million.
Hunter is also a strong advocate of technology in the classroom.
"A school district runs as a business," he said. "The product is the education of the student, and educating that student is tough to do without the latest resources."
The Deseret News was unable to obtain a photograph of Hunter.
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Additional Information
Primary previews
During the 10 days preceding the primary election June 28, the Deseret News is publishing a series of articles on candidates and the issues they are discussing. In coming days you'll see the following stories: Tuesday: State House of Representatives Wasatch County Commission
Wednesday: Utah County Commission seat A (Republican)