Four candidates are running for two positions on the Sisters School District Board. Candidates said they were concerned about the district’s ability to recruit teachers and financial uncertainty.
Nearly 1,200 students attended the Sisters School District in the 2023-2024 school year.
One incumbent, Edie Jones, is running to retain her seat. She’s being challenged by candidate Emily Horton. Sarah Keeton and Megan Jamieson are running for an open seat.
Two out of four candidates returned KLCC’s questionnaire.
Position 1
Megan Jamieson
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
My name is Megan Jamieson, and I’m running for the Sisters School District Board, Position #1. My husband, Jon, and I have three children in the district, and we’re fortunate to have a daughter in each of our district’s schools.
With over two decades of experience in education, I’ve had the privilege of working in various settings, including large universities, independent schools, and small start-ups. As a dedicated community member and volunteer, I’m committed to serving the district and its students.
Why do you want to run for school board?
As a parent and a volunteer at all three of our schools, I am passionate about increasing my involvement and leveraging my educational background and experience to contribute to the growth of Sisters School District.
At the same time, I am committed to maintaining the high quality of education and exceptional programming that we have come to expect. If elected, I pledge to serve the board with integrity and fiscal transparency that will pave the way for Sisters’ future success.
School districts across the state have struggled with budget issues in recent years. Many have laid off staff and eliminated programs. The Trump administration has moved to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, or cut funding. If you are elected to the school board, how might you approach local, and larger scale funding challenges?
I believe we are in a promising position for the future. The ongoing volatility in the federal government creates a lot of uncertainty. Consequently, our budgetary committee must exercise creativity and adapt to these circumstances by producing multiple action plans while the total revenue remains uncertain.
Fortunately, the proposed funds from Federal Sources for the 2025-2026 school year constitute less than 5% of our total revenue. I believe we can work creatively to ensure that our students are not affected by any potential cuts.
Students across Oregon are struggling to read, and many are behind in math, according to ODE data. What do you think your district should be doing to ensure all students are proficient in reading, and math?
Our teachers and administrators are exceptional, and to ensure their continued success, we must prioritize retaining our amazing teachers and actively recruiting new, qualified educators to our community. We must continue to prioritize small class sizes, and we must provide them with the necessary tools and resources to effectively perform their roles.
Furthermore, I believe that ongoing curriculum evaluation is crucial to ensure that we are using the most effective materials for our students. The new K-5 literacy curriculum, Benchmark Advance, is a great example of working toward improved curriculum and transparency.
What do you believe is the number one issue facing schools in your district?
Sisters and the Greater Central Oregon region are pricing out many of our teachers. If we are to see the anticipated growth in our community and schools while maintaining the exceptional education we demand, we must invest in our teachers. We must collaborate with city leaders to prioritize affordable housing options to ensure our educators can reside and work in our community.
Sarah Keeton did not return KLCC’s candidate questionnaire.
Position 2
Edie Jones
Tell us a little bit about yourself:
I am fortunate to have had a lifetime career in the field of education. I graduated from Washington State University with a BA in Recreation and dance and from Oregon State University with a Masters in Adult Education. These provided me with skills to teach elementary physical education, work for a city recreation department, own and direct a children’s camp, instruct college classes, provide parent education, and be the Executive Director of a parent/child program serving families with children from birth through three years old.
I am also the mother of four adult children, grandmother of seven, and great grandmother of one. All of these have led me to believe in the value of quality education and its importance in a thriving, positive society.
Why do you want to run for school board?
Because I believe in the importance of education, I feel obliged to share my knowledge and experience to assure quality education is available for all children in Sisters, OR. Since my career has been diverse, approaching education from a variety of avenues, I think I have a unique perspective that helps others look outside of the box when it comes to educating our children.
I also get great satisfaction learning about the many exciting programs, curriculums, and projects available in Sisters School District that enhance the lives of both the children and their families. The changes provided by having all three schools located in close proximity, the hiring of two new principals, and new opportunities for hands-on-learning get me excited. I feel we have an outstanding system and look forward to being part of its future.
School districts across the state have struggled with budget issues in recent years. Many have laid off staff and eliminated programs. The Trump administration has moved to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education, or cut funding. If you are elected to the school board, how might you approach local, and larger scale funding challenges?
A primary responsibility of school boards is to address financial challenges. This is done by considering the goals of a district and the best way to meet those goals. One of the most important aspects of this is the person the board chooses to lead the district. In our case that is Curt Scholl, the superintendent. I have been impressed with his ability to discern how our money is to be spent and the work he and the financial staff do to assure we have the money we need. Curt always takes into consideration what is best for the students.
This is demonstrated in keeping class sizes down at all levels. He encouraged the board to pursue workforce housing to make living in Sisters a reality for its teachers. Currently, the best economic avenue for the use of the present administrative building is high on his agenda. Knowing when to pursue a bond issue for the new elementary school is another example of his ability discern the best course of action. My approach to handling financial challenges is to listen carefully to Curt’s recommendations, deliberate intelligently, and be part of the decision-making process.
Students across Oregon are struggling to read, and many are behind in math, according to ODE data. What do you think your district should be doing to ensure all students are proficient in reading, and math?
Sisters School district is working hard to assure that all students are proficient in reading and math, at all levels. They have been investigating, trying out, and deciding on new curriculum and methods to teach all subjects, and I have been impressed with the results. The school has hired additional counselors to be available to assist teachers with kids who may need special attention. Being awarded dollars for the Preschool Promise program and focusing on areas of early childhood education is also an important aspect of helping kids achieve success as they continue through the grades.
Research demonstrates that the better start a child has as they enter school the better they will be able to learn as they move ahead. Up until third grade kids are learning to read. From third grade on they are reading to learn. The fact that we have invested many dollars in our new elementary school shows the importance the district puts on getting all students off to a good start. What should they be doing? More of what they are already doing.
What do you believe is the number one issue facing schools in your district?
The number one issue in all Oregon schools is the funding connected to PERS that impacts the money available to serve students. Careful planning and implementation of creative ways to address this problem are needed.
Another important issue is the cost of housing in Sisters. This could make living here unaffordable for families with young children, thus influencing the number of kids enrolled in the district, reducing the amount of money received from the state. It will also be important to keep a close eye on how the Supreme Court handles questions about the rights of parents to direct curriculum. This has not been a problem in our district, however, depending on how those deliberations go, it could be.
Emily Horton did not return KLCC’s candidate questionnaire.
