Oakridge School Board candidates for Position 3: bus driver Lisa Samuelson vs. teacher Stacy Tindall

Two Oakridge women, Lisa Samuelson and Stacy Tindall,  are seeking the Position 3 seat on the Oakridge School Board in the May 18 elections.  Samuelson, a school bus driver, and Tindall, a teacher and school counselor, are vying for a four-year term in the seat being vacated by board member Tami Edmunds, who did not file for re-election.

Lane County elections officials say all registered voters should have received their ballots in the mail as of Wednesday, May 5. Voters are being advised to return their ballots by mail by Tuesday, May 11.

Samuelson and Tindall are among six candidates competing for three openings on the board. All six received invitations from The Herald to provide a brief biographical profile and answers to five questions dealing with local school issues, including their feelings about the current board’s handling of the controversy over the performance of School Supt. Reta Doland. Here are the responses from Samuelson and Tindall, provided in alphabetical order and with no editing by The Herald in an effort to maintain fairness.

Biographical profiles

SAMUELSON: Lisa Samuelson, 65. I graduated from Battle Mountain High School, in Nevada, started working and did not go to college. I have always enjoyed jobs where I could help people. I have worked in Banking, Grocery stores, Home improvement centers, and even a dental lab. I am currently enjoying driving a School Bus here in Oakridge. When my work schedule allows, I am a volunteer at Cafe 60, Senior meals. I am also a Precinct Committee Person. We moved here in 2016 and love our town.

TINDALL: I am married to my husband, Darrell, almost 30 years. We have a 23 year old daughter who is attending the University of Oregon. We made Oakridge our home in June 2018. I will be graduating with my Masters of Education in School Counseling in a little more than a week. I have taught for eight years. Six of those years in Texas and two here in Oregon.

Why did you decide to run for this office?

SAMUELSON: I want to be a voice for the students and to see them succeed. I am interested in the curriculum being used.

TINDALL: I decided to run for a position on the Oakridge School Board for several reasons. Some of those reasons are due to the decline in Oakridge high school graduation rates, teacher and staff retention, the lack of transparency from the current board regarding leadership positions at the administration level. I am passionate about education and want what is best for our kids. Along with August Reed and Charlie Ross I am running for change in how things are managed at Oakridge School District. The three of us have similar views regarding education and we are running as 3forchange or RRT – Reed, Ross, Tindall.

What are the biggest challenges facing our school district?

SAMUELSON: Helping students recover the time lost due to the lock down. I know many in our community are invested in our students success. I would like to see mentors/tutors from the community. If supplies are needed for a class or project, I think letting the community know about it would help in whatever was needed. We need to think outside the box for solutions.

TINDALL: The biggest challenges facing our school district are leadership at the administration level, teacher retention – and the lack of concern and care for teachers and staff, high school drop-out rates, and financial concerns.

What is your position on the standardized testing issue that has been in the news?

SAMUELSON: I think the standardized tests  are given too much importance, but I do believe they could be useful as a tool to see where our students need help or the curriculum could be improved.

TINDALL: My views on standardized testing are that while the government views these as necessary, a standardized test does not show what is learned. A standardized test shows how good of a test taker a student is on a given day at a given time. I have seen students place their self-worth as a result of how well they completed these tests. Students need to know they have value and are worth more than a standardized score.

How do you feel about the present board’s handling of the Reta Doland controversy?

SAMUELSON: From what I have read, it seems like the proper procedures were not followed for making a complaint. It also sounds like many of the problems could have been solved by talking AND listening. I hope an effort will be made on ALL sides to solve these issues.

TINDALL: The controversy of the dealings with Ms. Reta Doland are discouraging. The current board did not take time to listen to the community. When in session they muted teachers who attempted to speak. When I was called upon to deliver comment they would not unmute me and it looked as if I had not shown to the meeting. Ms. Doland has proven that she is not competent for a leadership position of this importance. Leaders in any successful entities are effective communicators and Ms. Doland has even admitted to be lacking in the area of communication. Ms. Doland is proving to not be competent in financial issues – when is $97,000 for 60 lockers feasible? The board blindly accepted this bid. No other bids were presented. I would like to see where this money is going and not blindly accept an administrator who has no oversight on her school district credit card, as stated by the auditor at the last board meeting.

What changes, if any, would you like to see in the Oakridge school system?

SAMUELSON: I would like to see the teaching of skills needed in every day life. Finances can have a devastating effect on your life if handled poorly. Knowing how to make change, learn how to budget for large purchases, cook, garden, and do laundry are valuable skills.  Learning how to be a responsible adult is priceless.

TINDALL: Changes that I would like to see at Oakridge School District are effective and accountable leadership. There is a problem in the district when a superintendent earns a 90% rate of no confidence by their teachers. I would like to see a complete audit of all Title 1 money. I want to see our teachers respected as the educational professionals they are and not worrying if their position is secure. Teachers do not teach for the income – they teach for the outcome and they need to know they are supported by their leadership. I want to see the graduation rate increase. The current rate being in the 60 percentile is of concern It is important that we help our kids be successful humans! Lastly, I want to see transparency in spending of the bond money as well as the money coming to the school through COVID 19 funding.