Leslie Jackson, Eric Rowlee and Sarah Saragusa are seeking the Zone 3 School Board seat. The election is scheduled for May 24.
Residents living within the Pea Ridge School District boundary must register to vote by April 25 to be eligible to vote in the May 24 election. Voters must live within the same zone as the candidate for whom they're voting.
None of three candidates have run for any political office before. All three have children who are students in the Pea Ridge Schools.
Leslie Jackson
Education, inclusion and compassion are what drives Leslie Jackson.
She has lived in Pea Ridge since 2013. She said her main reason to run for office was "inclusion" which she defined as having empathy and compassion regarding all aspects of diversity -- race, religion, sexual preference, income levels -- anything that may cause division. She said she began a CORE team with assistant superintendent Anne Martfeld, Amanda Shackleford, Taylor Jackson and Jessie Hester.
"I'm a volunteer at heart. I love to serve," she said. She said she is a survivor of domestic violence and moved here to "get a fresh start."
"Being a village that raises children of good character is just as important as having excellent grades and scoring tremendously on tests," she said.
"What drew me to Pea Ridge is the inclusiveness, how we've set up campuses and have access to the same resources and the support we get from community.
Saying she has a unique perspective, Jackson said she has lived in the northwest Arkansas area since the 1990s and has watched what the traditions are here. "I can align with those who are new and may not have been here for generations. I can see both sides. I can see the compromise."
"These are the reasons why I am running for the Pea Ridge School Board. I want to help our community heal from the divisiveness and help those in need of a voice. That cannot be done with a white supremacist teaching our youth," Jackson posted on social media, in the midst of statements that a school teacher had made "racist statements."
When asked, she said "racism is one of the reasons, that is a part of the inclusion group."
She said her sons have had trouble at school in the past and has talked to school district officials. She said she'd like to see the school host a diversity day.
"We are one of the only bi-racial families in the district," she said. "There are very few African American students in our district. I want to address that and want to do it in a positive way."
"You look at our school board or at our staff, it doesn't reflect 100% our population."
"Pea Ridge is a diamond in the rough," she said.
Eric Rowlee
Making sure the school serves everyone who is there is essential, according to Eric Rowlee.
Father of seven children, two of whom have graduated from Pea Ridge, he said, "With all of my children in Pea Ridge schools, I feel pretty invested in helping the schools be invested. I'm married to an educator and I see the children and how hard they work. I want to do what I can to help."
From California before moving to Pea Ride, Rowlee said he has experienced all school sizes and believes the school is one thing that draws people to the community.
He said sometimes there is a tendency towards "programs for princes" and that students who really struggle may not have as many opportunities provided to them. He said he has seen, within his own family, children who excel in one area and not another and others who have completely different tendencies.
"I want to be sure Pea Ridge schools have something for everyone," he said. He said he appreciates the interest of the teachers who are "here because they love kids. I've seen them love my kids. That's one of the things that makes Pea Ridge schools special."
"What we have is pretty special and I want to protect and get more of it," he said.
He said evaluating funding opportunities as the district deals with the growth that has come is important.
"I'm very tuned tuned into how do we bring in the growth and all of the good that can come with it without loosing that small town feeling. There are some big schools around us. We don't want that for Pea Ridge," Rowlee said.
"Making sure funds are being allocated across the spectrum for all kids and making sure that the way we handle the growth is handled carefully, thoughtfully," drives him.
Rowlee said he is capable to be on the board and has served on the board for a large non-profit in the area. While in that position, he chaired a committee. "I have experience being on a board, which sets me apart a little," he said, adding that he has a degree in organization behavior/psychology and therefore understands organizational dynamics, how leadership works.
"I think my passion is doing whatever I can to help the school be a place that all the students want to be, that all the students can thrive, and feel like they count, that they matter to someone. When they're not there, they're missed. When there's a problem and they achieve, there's someone who's proud of them," Rowlee said. "I recognize some get that at home and school. Some don't get that at home. Some don't feel like they get it at school."
"We need to build on strengths we have -- the teachers and administrators are amazing. I want to support, protect, build on that," he said.
"We feel like we were lead to live here," he said.
Sarah Saragusa
"Building Pea Ridge together," Saragusa said, is one of her goals. "I want to be able to be an active part of the school board to ensure great curriculum and opportunities for all students."
"I really love Pea Ridge and want to be more active and supporting the school and the district."
"We're in a time of growth, we need to steward that well. Taxpayers have put a lot of money into the school. We need to be providing the best educational opportunities in the arts, and in all the training programs. I love how the high school has the opportunity."
"We need to be a good steward fiscally," she said.
Saragusa said she earned her license in mental health in 2011 and has experience in school counseling. She said those classes helped her understand what's needed in school system related to counseling. She said it gives her the ability to understand emotional needs of students and parents and understand IEPs and 501c.
A business owner, Saragusa says she owns her own LLC and has had to learn to budget well.
"For me, it is bringing more of the mental health awareness and supporting all students," she said, adding that with bullying and a little bit of racial tension, school officials can be more proactive than reactive.
She said identifying a student who bullies and not punishing the child, but helping the child heal can help both the perpetrator and the victim.
"I am kind and strong. I'm very willing to be an advocate for the students and the parents," she said.
She said she created the Pea Ridge Parents Page on Facebook that has more than 1,000 members because she believes parent involvement is important.
"The school board is here to really make good decisions about the fiscal health of the school," she said.
"I want to be a strong voice. I understand the value of community, but also understand the value of handling growth well. When you're not growing, you stagnate," she said.
Saragusa said the school district was one of the reasons she moved to Pea Ridge.
"People who move to Pea Ridge and not Bentonville typically grew up in a small community. That's why they choose Pea Ride over Bentonville or Rogers," she said.
"I know the value of community," she said.
She said with the new zones of the school district, each of the board members are accountable to serve their neighbors. "The people voting for you are literally your neighbors."
Researching the role of a School Board member has educated her. She said she would work collaboratively with the systems that are already in place.
Jackson
Rowlee