Neighborhood Information: Monett Faculty Board questionnaire: Maella Blalock (4/3/21)

1. Why do you want to operate for a seat on the university board?

I believe in serving my neighborhood. It is who I am. I want to use my leadership training and practical experience to aid the most important structure we have in our culture – education and learning. My mother and father have been both equally educators. My mom taught elementary faculty for several years in Springfield. My Dad, a WWI veteran, gained two many years of company college education and learning and taught in a one particular-home university in Arkansas just before turning to business enterprise. My moms and dads thought so strongly in the great importance of a superior education and learning that they paid for my brothers and I to go to Greenwood Laboratory university, then compensated for our college educations. They sacrificed. Now I want to provide by listening to the mothers and fathers, instructors, counselors and learners, and converse up for them. I want to aid Dr. Mark Drake achieve his aims and look forward to the development of our faculty district.

2. What, if any, preceding working experience do you have?

I taught Junior ROTC in this article in Monett at Scott Tech for 6 a long time. I have a diploma in Education and learning and prior to my yrs in the military services, I taught elementary audio in the Springfield General public School system. I taught JROTC in a diverse inner-town college in Muskegon, Michigan and in Clinton, Missouri. In all 3 JROTC destinations I expanded the plan, attained quite a few targets, and developed management abilities in youthful people, lots of of with whom I am continue to in touch. I substitute taught each and every issue K-12 in Section of Protection Dependent Educational facilities (military services foundation colleges) abroad. Another sturdy talent is budgeting and finance. I have a Masters Diploma in accounting and served in the military for 26 decades as a Finance and Accounting Officer. I worked with schooling overseas militaries, sustaining big military foundation infrastructure budgets, payroll accounting, and overseas currency banking. My other armed forces ability was as a International Space Officer. It necessary international language competencies and an desire and appreciation for other cultures. As a military services advisor to eastern European nations I uncovered to be a strong advocate of variety in instruction and in daily life. I come to feel Monett has a lot of chances to rejoice our diversity.

3. What is your area of employment, and how does it lead to your skills as a potential faculty board member?

At this time I am retired. But as my daughter reported, I genuinely don’t recognize the that means. I love my Monday work functioning at the foodstuff pantry, instruct non-public piano to various Monett pupils am the Regent of Monett’s Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Chapter, and Vice-President of the Four-States Chapter of Military Officers Association of The united states (MOAA). I am pretty lively at my church, 1st United Methodist, Monett, enjoying keyboard for the up to date company and in the bell choir. I am one particular of the founding leaders of the Caring Individuals, a aid group for single Moms in Monett. When I uncover time I perform golf, and it seems like I’ll be coaching my granddaughter’s T-ball group this summertime. I’m active but I have time to listen and I treatment deeply about our younger folks.

4. What are your priorities for the district?

The short-time period priorities are quite perfectly set up by the present board. I hope to guidance Mark Drake as he requires the reins as superintendent. We have a superb developing prepare we are working on that moves Monett in advance. But “COVID Capture-up” is my amount a single precedence. As personal as discovering styles were prior to COVID, they are all around the map now. We have to asses where by students are, what deficiencies want to be tackled, do the job on the psychological well being difficulties, be certain steadiness in our college, offer for teacher’s demands as well as learners, use our funds properly and struggle for rural university issues in Jefferson Metropolis.

5. What would you adjust, if everything?

I have no very hot button concerns. That’s not why I am jogging. Monett is a terrific college district. I want to put my shoulder to the wheel to continue to keep it targeted on priorities even though continue to going ahead. The board has several troubles forward. I want to use my leadership to give the district aid.

6. In mild of COVID, what are the largest problems experiencing the district shifting forward?

We are taking part in COVID-Catch up. We acquired a good deal about isolated education. Now we have to work to integrate the lessons discovered and speed up, when probable, to ensure the benchmarks for grade ranges are fulfilled. It will just take time, cash, and community involvement. Mental health is 1 of the huge areas that requirements addressing. Pupils and academics have all suffered less than a hardship, not to mention moms and dads. We have to have to extend counseling to all groups, including mother and father. We will need to incorporate community leaders additional – our library, our chamber of commerce, company leaders, location church buildings. We have family members economic issues, both previous and new, that want to be addressed. We have to extend our sources and find new options. I feel Monett can and will make guaranteed our college students receive a leading-quality instruction, in spite of the a lot of troubles. That has to keep on being our focus.

7. What are your particular targets you would like to complete, if elected?

I would like dad and mom and people to sense their youngsters gained a wonderful education in Monett. I would like learners to truly feel they have a board member on their team and for mom and dad to truly feel they can speak to somebody who will pay attention. I want teachers to know devoid of a question that they have my assistance and admiration. I want to serve.