April-May 2013 - Meade School District

ELECTION: Continued from Page 17Legion Honor Guard. Hisinvolvement also includes youthsoftball, baseball and soccer.Curt and his wife Darlenehave eight grown children, fiveof whom graduated from SturgisBrown High School and two whoare teachers.Bob Burns is owner ofEarthorizonsInc., a constructionandexcavationcompany.He attendedPiedmontElementarySchool andlater earned abachelor'sBob Burns degree fromRutgers University, New Jersey, inenvironmental science.He has served on the MeadeSchool Board for four years.During that time, he has been amember of the building committee,employee recognition committee,teacher negotiations committeeand transportation committee. Healso serves as board vice president."As a lifelong resident ofMeade County and the father offour children who attendedMeade schools, it's been anhonor to have the opportunity togive back to a community thathas given us so much," he said.The 63-year-old is running forre-election because he wants tocontinue to be part of the teamthat builds the future for the districtand its students. "The state'snew Common Core curriculumand technological requirementsbring change that will challengeour teachers, administrators andschool board. I know our staff isup to the task, and the soundbudget established by the boardover the past two years will allowthe school board to provide thebuilding blocks our educatorsneed to meet that challenge."Even though budget reductionshave caused school closingsand consolidations in other districts,he is proud that MeadeSchool District has kept its commitmentto keeping the ruralschools open."The building improvement atHereford, the realignment of classesat Enning and Union Center,which kept both schools open, andthe continuing plans to build a middleschool in Piedmont Valley attestto the district' s commitment to thelocal school concept," he said.Bob believes the district cando a better job of long-term planningfor growth. "The new elementaryschools in Piedmont andSturgis are almost at capacityand we have limited capital outlayfunds or property at the schoolsfor expansion," he explained."Budgets are always tight andthe cuts of the last few yearshave limited our ability to do anymore than spend on our immediateneeds,” he explained. “Thegood news is that the proposedbudget for next year is starting toreflect the importance of planningfor the future."Bob is concerned that continuedbudget cuts, combined withunfunded mandates, will forcedecisions that are detrimental tothe children's future."Even with the funding cutsneeded to balance the state'sbudget, Meade School districthas, fortunately, managed to balanceits budget without dramaticallyreducing the quality of educationfor our children," he said."This has been a team effort ofthe staff at all levels of forgoingpay raises and finding efficiencieswhich allowed us to do more withless. At the board and administrativelevel, spending that wasn'tabsolutely necessary was postponedand creative ways werefound to move funds from capitaloutlay to support the generalfund. These moves saved morethan 11 teaching positions andallowed us to keep all our schoolsopen and fully staffed."Bob is president and financechairman of the Piedmont ValleyLutheran Church Council, memberof the Black Hills NationalForest Advisory Board, memberof the Citizens Advisory Councilto the Rapid City AreaMetropolitan Planning Organization,and board member/treasurerof the Chapel in the Hills(Stavekirk Church).He and his wife Mary LaHoodhave four children: Murray, asenior at Sturgis Brown HighSchool; Delainey, a sophomore atthe University of Vermont; Ryan,an exercise science major atBlack Hills State University, andKevin, a TV news director.18 In Touch April-May 2013