Candidate Questionnaire: Cari Jourdan for Constantine School Board

The following is Watershed Voice’s candidate questionnaire for November’s Constantine Public Schools District 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. ​

Cari Jourdan filled out our questionnaire. These are her answers. Jourdan, a challenger, faces fellow incumbents Jerry Gray and MaRinda Stamp. The three candidates are running for two board positions.

Name: Cari Jourdan                     

Age: 31

Address: 65083 Youngs Prairie Road 

Party affiliation: N/A

Are you an incumbent? No

Family (optional): I am 5 years married and we have a four-year-old son.

Background/Bio:  

I grew up in Jones, going to school in Marcellus. I lived in the area for a while before moving out to North Dakota with my husband in 2017. We moved to an oil town and worked extremely hard to build a financial foundation for ourselves and moved back home in the mitten in 2020, giving birth to our son. We bought our first house in Kalamazoo before finally settling down in Constantine in 2022. Being back in the area has brought up so many memories from being the town with the best grinders and playing with my grandma at Riverside Apartments. I am happy to be back in the area and start new memories with my little family.

Why did you choose to run for the Constantine School Board?  

My son started Pre-K this year at Eastside. We plan to have him attend Constantine schools through graduation. As a first-time parent sending their only child out into the world, I want to know and be a part of the community we are sending him to. I want to know the people we trust our children with and what is being taught to them. I want to help the school system and the community in any way possible when it comes to our children.

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?

No, this will be my first opportunity to serve in a public role.

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

1. The safety of our children is and will always be the top priority for me. What are we currently doing to ensure the safety of our children? What areas need improvement? What can we do to help? What do our children say about this subject?
2. Facility updates. After walking through Eastside, I can see that there is a need for building updates for the students and staff. I am aware that past bonds have failed for this. What can we do to ensure the buildings get the updates they desperately need?
3. Faculty and curriculum. What can we do to help the faculty that teach our children? Do they have the resources they need? Constantine school districts follow the state requirements, but what else do the students need to have the best experience? Can we offer students courses (specifically high school students) that will help them in life? I want to help facilitate the needs in this area.

How will you address or help facilitate school safety?

The first thing I would love to do would be to talk to the staff at all school buildings and ask them questions about the safety policies they are required to implement when needed. Could something different be done? Is there room for improvement? Second, I think speaking with the students would be a great benefit as well. What makes them feel safe? And of course, asking parents for their input as well. I want parents to feel that the school board is their child’s advocate for safety.

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

It seems as though mental health has finally been getting the attention it deserves. Unfortunately, we see so many stories of children getting into situations that end tragically. I want to ensure that our children have the resources available to them in those times of need. Every child is different, so we need different resources. Staff and faculty should be included in receiving these resources. Adults are human and struggle sometimes. What can our community do to help those who are mentally struggling?

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

I don’t think there is any easy answer here. There is a shortage of workers in multiple industries. I think for Constantine, we somehow need to stand out to those few people who are looking for careers with the school. We need to look at what other employers are offering and how we compete. What makes Constantine School District different than the rest?

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

I think this goes hand in hand with the above question. What can we do to keep staff and get additional staff needed? I would love to speak with the long-time staff members. What has kept them in Constantine for so long? When it comes to students, I think it’s all about what we offer them on an educational basis and emotional basis. Being a kid isn’t always the easiest. I remember when I was in high school there were cliques within the children but also with the staff as well. Children can sense things with adults, and it was difficult watching the school staff behave as they did. We need to look at the environment we provide our children.

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

If elected, I will work with fellow board members and school administration with an open mind. People do not always agree, and that’s ok. We need those different views to be able to really understand something. I want to work alongside them, not against them. We are all on the same team that wants nothing but the best for the students.

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

I will be honest with the fact that I do not know much about past school board members or terms. I only know information shared from community members. The biggest issue I have heard about is transparency with the board. The community wants to know what is going on and why. As a parent with a child in Constantine schools, I can understand their concerns. I would want the same. Before I try to do anything, I want to look at that issue the community has spoken about. What happened and why? What can the board do differently to make the community trust them? I want parents and other community members to feel that the board is working for them and their children, not against them.

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

I want the community to know that I want to be an advocate for their children and students. I want to make their school experience the best anyone can have. I want to make sure students and staff feel safe and heard. Even if I don’t get elected this term, I plan to find other ways to serve the community and help our children.