Decatur school board candidates hoping to fill 3 seats in April election

UPDATE (2/28/2023):

Decatur School Board candidate Jalynn Walker told WAND News she has withdrawn from the race. 

Voters can learn more about the remaining six candidates below.

DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — Early voting begins Thursday for local elections which take place April 4th, 2023. Seven candidates are running for the Decatur School Board: Bill Clevenger, Misty Fronk, Jacob Jenkins, Mark Reynolds, Will Wetzel, Hannah Wolfe and Jalynn Walker. 

Bill Clevenger is a familiar face in Decatur.

"We really are invested in Decatur, I've had 4 boys who went through McArthur High School. All are now grown with children of their own. So we're looking to the future," Clevenger explained.

He moved to Decatur in 1988 and spent decades leading the Park District before recently being appointed to fill the school board seat vacated by Dan Oakes.

"I think its really important we work hard on corporate governance and implement changes to the way we currently do business," Clevenger told WAND News.

Clevenger wants to see improvements in the board operations and the district's overall climate and culture. But he said if elected, his top priority would be student achievement.

"6% of those third graders being able to read at grade level and do simple math at grade level-- that sets those children back for the rest of their academic career," Clevenger said.

Its a sentiment shared by fellow candidate Misty Fronk.

"That told me that we as citizens of Decatur failing our children, we're setting them up to fail," Fronk explained.

Fronk raised her kids in Decatur, but saw her daughter move because of the district's school system.

"Her children were failing and took them to another state where they are now thriving, that tells me we need to do something locally so we can keep families in Decatur," Fronk told WAND News.

Fronk wants to see more aides in the classroom and a focus on core curriculum. That is also a top priority for Jacob Jenkins.

"I just want to make sure that all students in DPS61 have a fighting chance in this community," Jenkins told WAND News.

Jenkins wants to get back to basics in the classroom, and hopes to improve students' education by tapping into local resources.

"DPS61 can no longer being an island. That is going to come from strategic partnerships, as well as working with our business community, trades and labor," Jenkins explained.

Mark Reynolds is getting to know the Decatur School District from the inside out.

"I thought I could make a difference as a sub, but then I started thinking about the actual board of education," Reynolds told WAND News.

Spending time as a substitute teacher at Hope Academy and Franklin Grove, he saw firsthand the student achievement gap.

"If we have children who can't read after the third grade- we've lost them. And I think we have a generation of children out there right now that we have lost," Reynolds explained.

He wants to see a focus on core curriculum, with more volunteers and aides tutoring young students.

"I don't think there's a silver bullet for our problems, so its going to take time," Reynolds added.

Will Wetzel knows first hand how important it is to get all Decatur students reading and doing math on grade level.

"My daughter Ava is a second grader at DPS. So everything I do on the board will not only affect the 7900 children in the district, but also my own," Wetzel told WAND News.

Wetzel wants to see the district tackle issues with the learning environment by listening to teachers and principals who are in school hallways each day.

"We need to start where people actually feel safe, that their basic needs are taken care of- and then students can get to the business of learning," Wetzel explained.

Decatur native Hannah Wolfe said it's time to take a hard look at the numbers to find solutions.

"We need to take a data-driven approach and figure out the areas where we need to work on in certain schools or certain demographics- and really start from the basics and build up," Wolfe told WAND News.

She wants to improve educational basics and expand trade programs to better prepare our future workforce.

"We really need the schools to succeed for everything else in this community to succeed. I am willing to dedicate the time and my resources to that," Wolfe explained.

Jalynn Walker declined to make herself available to WAND News.

Datrice Weathers is listed on the ballot but has withdrawn from the race.

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