Fred Ebert
much interest in local government. I had the mindset that I’m too busy, it’s not for me, someone else can do it, etc. However, the past few years have opened my eyes to the importance of having solid leaders that are not afraid of taking a stand for our children and their best interests. This not only includes the hot topic issues as it relates to COVID-19 protocols and everything that goes along with that but also school safety/security, infrastructure upgrades, hiring (and retaining) quality staff and keeping our teachers instructing our children in reading, writing, math, etc., instead of some of the political activism nonsense I’ve seen some schools across the country try to implement.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the school district and what will you do as a board member to overcome the challenge?
Other than attracting and retaining quality staff, I believe the biggest challenge is (and has been for a number of years) is the referendum to upgrade the high school. The community has spoken twice now and voted it down each time. A “slimmed down” proposal is going to be on this year’s April ballot and my understanding is that this 3rd referendum is a direct result of listening to the community as a whole. In my opinion, that is how government is supposed to work. I encourage everyone who is eligible to vote, to do so April 5th. With that being said, if the referendum does not pass this time around, the school district, community, and the school board will have to go back to the drawing board to prioritize what is critical as far as repairs/upgrades to MASH, in the upcoming budget cycles.
What can the school district do within budgetary limitations to attract and retain quality educators and staff?
This is a difficult but critical task. I am all too familiar with this same issue at my current place of employment, as I’m sure other places of employment are as well. Applications for open positions are few and some that apply are not qualified and/or desirable so we work short-handed, demanding more from our loyal staff members and hopefully not causing burnout. Taylor County has recently implemented a new wage compensation plan as a direct result of a wage market study. Throwing money at the employee shortage issue is not a guaranteed fix but it certainly helps. Higher starting wages combined with more benefi t time are all things that may help alleviate shortage(s). Further, we need to reward the school district’s current staff that continue to be loyal to the Medford School District by implementing some sort of longevity pay. Maybe the school district is already doing this and if so, look at the possibility of tweaking it to increase the pay and/or shorten the time it takes to get to the next pay increase step. Aside from the financial aspect of this issue, I would be remiss if I did not mention that work environment/culture matters. Recognizing staff for their achievements, promoting higher education and training to staff, cookouts/potluck events are all things that can help foster a more desirable workplace.
How do you feel the school district can be more responsive to the needs of the community?
The school district needs to continue to actively seek input from the community, especially the parents and teachers. I view the school board as a conduit between the community and school district. That is why it is important to have members on the school board that will listen to members in the community. But it does not simply stop at listening to their concerns, ideas, thoughts, and suggestions; they need to be carefully examined from all perspectives, placed on the agenda, and put to a vote. The school board is essentially a governing body and as such, each decision made must uphold the district’s mission: To ensure that all students learn.
Hello, my name is Fred Ebert and I am running for 1 of the 3 positions on the Medford School Board. I’ve been happily married to my wife Kitty for 37 years; we have 2 adult children and 6 grandchildren. I attended Medford schools, as did my children.
After high school I received a degree in automotive technology at NTC and graduated with high honors. I worked in the auto industry as a master technician and service manager for 16 years, before taking a position as Shop Superintendent at the Taylor County Highway Department. I am now finishing my career as Taylor County Airport Manager.
In my free time, I love spending time with family, serve on my church board as the Immanuel Lutheran Childcare Committee Chairman, enjoy playing music with my band Sojourner, buying / selling cars & campers, and really enjoy the outdoors.
Why do you want to serve on school board?
I was approached by a conservative group of business owners & retirees and asked to add a conservative voice to the school board. I admittedly take issue with some of the referendums that have been brought to us to vote on, and believe education is job 1 for a school district. I would like to be a voice for seniors trying to stay in their homes, and not being taxed out of them.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the school district and what will you do as a board member to overcome the challenge?
I believe properly maintaining the facilities we already have, within the current budget, needs to be achieved prior to adding additional square footage. If you can’t afford to replace the worn-out shingles on your house, would you ask your bank for a loan to add square footage to your home?
The latest standardized testing results gave Medford a C or C+, which is saying we are average, and I don’t believe we should be happy with average. I feel the focus needs to be more on the education we provide then on the facility we provide it in. Don’t get me wrong, it is important that children have a clean, comfortable, well maintained, and safe environment in which to learn.
What can the school district do within budgetary limitations to attract and retain quality educators and staff?
While the financial aspect of this is on the school district, it is on our entire community to make this happen. Yes, money is important, but it’s not everything. Being shown respect, appreciation, and caring from the community can really go a long way.
How do you feel the school district can be more responsive to the needs of the community?
We need to understand there are people in our community that are 1 paycheck away from being homeless. Raising taxes pushes retirees back into the workforce just to maintain their homes. We all need to live within a budget and I think the Medford Schools need to show the taxpayers they respect them by operating within their $33,000,000 budget whenever possible.
I am a lifelong resident of Medford, and a 1998 graduate of Medford Senior High. I am married with four children, ages 6-17. Since graduating I have worked at my family’s business, Werner Sales and Service. I enjoy helping our customers, whether it is finding the right chainsaw for them, or fixing a problem they have with their snowmobile. I like building a long-term relationship with customers. When I am not at work, I enjoy spending time at my children’s sporting events, snowmobiling, and bowling.
Why do you want to serve on the school board?
I want to join the school board to better serve the community and be more active in my children’s education. With my life and business experience, I am hoping to bring a fresh perspective to the board.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the school district and what will you do as a board member to overcome that challenge?
Hopefully the pandemic will soon be behind us, and we will be better positioned to refocus our resources and attention on providing our children with the best education possible. As a board member I would like to connect with our local businesses and work to better align our educational opportunities with the needs of employers today. Additionally, I hope to bring more awareness of jobs to our young members of the community that include four-year colleges, two-year degrees, and many other work force or trade paths they can take.
What can the school district do within budgetary limitations to attract and retain quality educators and staff?
Finding and retaining qualified employees is a big challenge for all employers today. I believe that if you focus on employee retention, attracting new talent will also benefit. The better you retain your current employees the less hiring you must do. Staying within your budget, great pay and benefits is crucial. It is, however, also important to cultivate an engaged workforce by ensuring staff know they are valued, heard, and part of a winning team. Much of this has little to no cost.
How do you feel the school district can be more responsive to the needs of the community?
It is important that the school district and the community work together to maximize areas of common interest. One area of common interest is workforce opportunities. Medford is extremely fortunate to have many great businesses. These businesses are the backbone of the place we call home. Our local companies have great opportunities for our older students that are getting ready to graduate. These opportunities include great paying jobs and internships.
The school district needs to put in place a better mechanism for businesses to work more closely with the district to make these connections. Our students need to understand that there are great careers here in Medford and they have the opportunity to work at our local companies, whether right out of high school or during and after pursuing a degree.
Hi. My name is Cheryl Wibben and I have lived in Medford for most of my life. I am a graduate from Medford Senior High as are my 3 children. After college I started working for Hurd Millwork and have now worked for the company, now Sierra Pacific Windows, for the past 33 years.
Why do you want to serve on school board?
I have been on the board for 15 years. There are a lot of good things happening in the Medford school district and a lot of potential to grow and improve. My hope is to see that our school district continues to move forward and grow along with the community.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the school district and what will you do as a board member to overcome that challenge?
There are a few but, a big one is change. Our facilities, while are in good shape, need to be updated to accommodate more modern learning methods and to expand offerings to allow for work ready students. A good way to do this is by allowing the community to see our current learning environments and then to see the alternate learning space in action.
What can the school district do within budgetary limitations to attract and retain quality educators and staff?
We need to be competitive with local districts for new hires in regards to starting wages and benefits. Along with wages, there is the friendly and safe working environment. Attracting and retaining staff to a school district goes hand and hand with attracting and retaining to the community. If we want to bring in new hires and have them live within our community and have their children attend the Medford schools, we need to offer curriculum and learning environments that are current to the growing world around us. We need facilities that are up to date.
How do you feel the school district can be more responsive to the needs of the community?
Good two-way factual communication. Community needs and wants as well as school district needs and wants are not always communicated through the proper channels This needs to be improved upon. Community members are always welcome to
