In the minds of some United South Central school district residents, breaking away from a system of precincts for school board elections might help to unify the district.

After receiving numerous calls from residents asking for a change in the district’s precinct form, as well as advice from former interim superintendent Donald Berkland to do so, a vote was put on the board’s agenda for Monday night on the matter.

Currently the district has three precincts with two representatives on the board from each.

This past year, when Mary Thrond resigned from the school board, the search for a new candidate in the south district turned up two possibilities. Those who live outside of the district weren’t able to apply for the position. If the district were to become an ‘at-large’ one, anyone will be able to apply for that position.

Dani Jo Ninke-Greaver, who took Thrond’s seat, isn’t sure yet how she will vote. She said that she feels some constituents would like to feel they have a more localized voice on the board.

&uot;They might feel they are not represented,&uot; she said.

For Scott Robbins, who will be a sophomore in the district, a vote to dissolve the election precincts is a positive step toward making a more community-minded district.

For a freshman year civics class Robbins undertook a petition to get support for having an at-large district.

His choice for assignment was based on single-minded decision making he’d seen in the district.

&uot;I saw that school board members fended for their own turf. It seemed like they were more interested in what decisions might be best for their towns instead of what might be best for the students of the district,” he said last May.

He also added that putting the district at large would get better candidates for open positions.

&uot;Instead of just taking the best of Kiester, Bricelyn or Wells, you get the best of the best,&uot; he said.

Board Chair Pat Staloch agrees with that, though he didn’t always.

&uot;I met with a few superintendent from around the state,&uot; he said. &uot;At that time I was all for the precincts. But they convinced me otherwise. Because the fact is, whoever gets elected, they have to represent the whole district.&uot;

Staloch said that board members will feel more accountable to the whole district when the whole district has elected them.

&uot;The school district has been together for over 10 years now,&uot; he said. &uot;I feel this is the last step to becoming united.&uot;

(Contact Peter Cox at peter.cox@albertleatribune.com or 379-3439.)