The Jefferson High School District No. 1 Board is proceeding after the recent election of two new members — one of which unseated an incumbent — and the resignation of its longest-serving member.
In an election by only mail-in ballots that ended May 7, Kyrie Marks Russ prevailed over incumbent Travis Pierce for an at-large position on the board, and the unopposed Bryher Herak won a seat as the Basin-area representative.
On May 8, Sabrina Steketee, who had been serving as board chair and was elected to the board in 2008, announced her resignation via email to Superintendent Tim Norbeck and the departing Pierce, who had been serving as board vice-chair.
At her final meeting on May 14, Steketee said she believed the board had made tremendous progress in the 11 years she served on it. As one example, she offered that in 2009, then-superintendent Sharyl Allen recommended that the board cut at least $100,000 a year from its budget for at least three years in anticipation of a further decline of students. Not only did the board successfully make the cuts, she said, but it was also able to increase enrollment by about 30% — to more than 260 students — in the six years that followed.
Steketee said that the board had met other goals including hiring a full-time principal, bringing back the speech and debate club and holding strategic planning meetings — including the state’s first student-led strategic planning meeting two years ago.
As for unmet goals, in a May 31 phone interview Steketee said the biggest one has been getting student test scores in the top 20 percent of other class B schools in the state.
When asked in the same interview why she resigned after the school board elections instead of before, she said, “I just announced it when I needed to.”
The May 14 meeting was also the last for Pierce, the board’s second-longest serving member at seven years. He ran for reelection but lost to Russ. In an interview after the meeting Pierce said he is disappointed to no longer serve on the board and that it’s been a transitional period for him since losing. “I didn’t think I’d miss it as much as I do,” he said, adding that he plans to run again for a position on the board in two years.
Russ said by email that it is an honor to be able to serve the community on the school board. After being sworn in at the May 14 meeting, she was placed on the policy and technology committees, which she said are excellent places to start her three-year term.
“Related to technology, I am hoping to continue guiding JHS toward appropriate use of educational technology and having access to top of the line tech resources,” she said in an email statement. “At the same time, I am conscious of the negative effects of too much ‘screen time’ on youth, related to mental health, bullying and brain development. I would like to help JHS continue to keep personal phones out of the classroom and guide students toward using technology responsibly and respectfully.”
She also wrote that she looks forward to serving on other committees as well.
Herak said that she is delighted to serve and that her first impressions from the committee and board meetings she’s attended so far are that school staff and administration are professional, highly trained, thoughtful and care deeply for the school and community. She added that she still has a lot to learn and that her main objective right now is to learn more about the school and the district.
Following her swearing in, Herak was placed on the policy and negotiations committees.
“As the Basin representative, I will be asking Basin residents about their concerns and will bring those concerns to the board,” she wrote in a recent email.
At the May 14 meeting, Denise Brunett was named chair and Cami Robson vice-chair.
