Candidate Questionnaire: Jeanne Root for Burr Oak School Board

The following is Watershed Voice’s candidate questionnaire for November’s Burr Oak Community Schools board election. We will run all completed questionnaires from candidates in contested general election races in the order they’re received prior to Election Day. ​

Jeanne Root filled out our questionnaire. These are her answers. Root, an incumbent, faces fellow incumbents Thadius J. Baxter and Terrance Conklin. The three candidates are running for two board positions.

Name: Jeanne Root

Age: 61

Address: 65025 Big Hill Rd. Sturgis, MI  49091

Party affiliation: Editor’s Note: Root left this blank.

Are you an incumbent? Yes, I was elected to this seat in the previous term and hold the position of secretary of the board.

Family (optional): My late husband, Dennis Root and three grown children, Jena Root, Cole Root & Cass Root, have all attended Burr Oak Community Schools.  My granddaughter Brooklynn is a senior and grandson Isacc is attending Burr Oak as a 4th grader currently.  So as you can see from their attendance, we have been involved in the school system for decades. 

Background/Bio:  

I retired in 2020 from Human Resources after 30 years of service to Sturgis Hospital, where I had the pleasure to work in the community and serve the people of St. Joseph County. 

Why did you choose to run for the Burr Oak School Board?

I value the education process, personalization and fellowship that a small school can offer their students.  I have seen so many successful adults come from Burr Oak Community Schools and look forward to continuing the school’s mission that my late husband was instrumental in developing.  BOCS is dedicated to providing a platform for quality, 21st Century education for all students and is committed to developing lifelong learners who will value themselves, contribute to their community, and achieve individual successes that will inspire others in an ever- changing world.

Have you previously held public office, or have you served in a public leadership role? If so, what is your experience, and what are some of your accomplishments?

Yes, I have been on the board of education for the last three years and various committees.  I have served on many committees as well as community organizations where I gained the ability to work as a team to resolve issues and/or create opportunities.  

What are the three most important issues facing your school district?

Leadership, Facility Improvements, Continuity of Curriculum.

How will you address or help facilitate school safety?

Many of our board policies contain procedures to ensure our students and staff are in a safe environment like internet safety, bullying policy, transportation, environment safety, as well. Our board recently had a safety survey conducted that was related to school violence such as an active shooter and our facilities committee will be developing a priority list to accomplish goals like steel doors for all classrooms, fencing for the school yard, etc. to enhance the protection that our students and staff will benefit from in the situation of an active shooter.      

How will you address or help facilitate the mental health of students, staff, and faculty?

We currently have a counselor available immediately to handle any situation and be prepared to coordinate more extended care with a psychologist or psychiatrist for our students or staff.  Our county recently has opened a mental health urgent care facility, Pivotal, that will be instrumental in caring and facilitating mental health for students and staff.   

How will you address or help facilitate that your schools will have enough staff, whether teachers, bus drivers, or any position?

I suggested new positions that I felt would benefit the school system and have always voted in favor of hiring new or replacement personnel as well as supported an appropriate wage scale within our financial budget.  We currently have open positions on social media and the ISD’s and BOCS website.  

How will you address or help facilitate that your schools attract and maintain a full staff and student body?

I plan on bringing student growth to the board as one of our superintendent’s goals this year.  I would like to set a benchmark as a percentage of growth within a three-year period.  I will continue to “think outside the box” to have positive opportunities for our staff. For example, the BOCS staff has a designated planning hour at the end of the school day that begins at 2:20pm. I will continue to be a strong voice on our board to continue Burr Oak Community School’s reputation as being a school that every student is important and has opportunities that sometimes are not available in larger systems.

How will you work with your fellow board members and school administration if elected?

If you know me, then you know that I enjoy being part of a group of people that share information, opinions and ideas to come up with the best solution. It’s like a major think tank and I feel it is necessary in order to have a successful outcome as we can all learn from each other’s experiences. I will bring goals to our board for the superintendent that give assurance to our students and community that our school is being navigated in the right direction.

How would your term in office differ from previous school board terms, including your own, if applicable? 

I feel the board needs to be more driven in providing detailed goals. Our meetings should become more efficient with that in mind. 

Is there anything else your prospective constituents should know about you, your platform, your views, or your background?

I am a genuinely caring person. Every child in the school district is important to me.  I am an empathetic individual that will be considerate to diversity as it relates to different family settings and values. I feel public education is one of the most powerful platforms for the community! I am that parent that invited every child to my children’s birthday celebrations.  My late husband was a great mentor to me when it came to sports and education, he knew the concept of team and our team is the community we live in.  He always said that the whole team needed to be successful to win a championship and that is just how a school works as well.  At Burr Oak we surround ourselves with great people that work and attend our school and lift each other up which ultimately brings success to our students.