Editor’s note: The general election for school district offices is Tuesday, Nov. 7. In anticipation, ThePerryNews.com asked each candidate for a school district office to answer a few questions in order to give voters a sense of who the candidate is and what issues motivate him or her. These candidate profiles will be published over the coming days. Interested voters might also wish to attend a candidate forum for the school board candidates, scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 29 at 2 p.m. at the Perry Perk coffeehouse at 1201 Warford St. in downtown Perry.
Linda Andorf is seeking a seat on the Perry Community School District Board of Directors. Andorf lives at 1822 16th St. She can be reached at 515-681-0162 or jlandorf49@gmail.com.
1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself, Linda. What do you want voters to know about you, your qualifications, your intentions as an officeholder?
My name is Linda Andorf and I am a retired Special Education teacher. I have held a teaching certificate for 52 years. I am finishing my 50th year in education. I taught at Woodward State Hospital-School for 14 years, Ames High School for 14 years and Perry High School for eight years. I retired in 2010 and am in my 14th year of substitute teaching. I have three children who attended/graduated from Perry, as well as a grandson who graduated in the class of 2023. I retired in 2010 but have continued to be a high school substitute teacher. Education was my career and is important to me. I enjoy being in the classroom. I enjoy seeing the light come on when students understand what is being taught.
I have served on the Perry School Board for eight years. I have served as vice-president and am currently serving as the board president. I am seeking reelection because, as mentioned, education is important to me. I have seen many changes in education through the years, but none can compare to the challenges that education/educators currently face. I want to be a part of assuring that we provide the best quality education that we can and live up to our mission statement of developing “knowledgeable, skilled and productive citizens of character.” Education has been good to me and my family. Serving on the PCSD School Board is my way of giving back to the institution that gave so much to me.
2. Why are you running for elected office? Is it something that you have done before? Are other forms of public service a part of your background?
As I indicated above, I have served on the Perry School Board for the past eight years. I have served as vice president and have been the board president for the past two years. I am seeking re-election because, as a retired teacher, education is important to me. I miss being in the classroom on a daily basis, and serving on the school board is my way of giving back to education. I have no agenda other than the best education for all students and meeting the needs of the students.
I am active in public service. I am a member of the Perry School Foundation and on the Veteran’s Day Committee. I am a member of the Dallas County Area Retired School Personnel and was the treasurer of this organization for 10 years. My husband and I chair the Perry Toy Drive in conjunction with Toys for Tots and we are active with the annual free Christmas dinner. I try to help wherever and whenever I am needed.
3. Are there particular issues that you believe are urgent or important and are facing the residents of Perry? If so, what issues are these? How to you think the city council can address or resolve these issues?
a. One of the greatest challenges for our district and most other districts is the recruitment and retention of teachers. Unfortunately, the pool of individuals graduating with a desire for teaching is not as great as in years past. When there used to be hundreds applying for a single teaching position, now there are sometimes zero applicants. The colleges and universities are attempting to create programs designed to create more applicants, but they also need to be sure that teachers are prepared with the current pedagogy. Other careers and largest districts with a higher tax base are able to pay their employees more than smaller school districts can. We need to continue to promote the excellence of education that we can provide.
b.. Parental engagement is a challenge. I know that parents are busy, but their participation in their children’s education will boost student success. Schools have always welcomed parents into the education of their children. We have a core group of parents who are always involved, but we need to expand that group. The Perry Elementary School and Perry Middle School have a parent group, but the high school does not. Like with Booster Club, parents could be asked at registration to volunteer or to sit on committees. We need to reach out to parents and request assistance and engagement. We need to have family-friendly activities that are open to the whole family in order to “get them in the door.”
c. Our achievement scores district-wide need to continue to improve. Perry Elementary School staff, administrators, students and families deserve huge credit for being recognized as a Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. They have worked tirelessly to bring up student achievement scores. We need to continue to strive to bring all of our scores up. We need to continue to push for high expectations so all of our students will continue this upward growth.
d. Lack of substitute teachers is a huge challenge. We have few substitute teachers because most of our regular substitutes have chosen not to return since COVID-19. Many have let their licenses expire and have chosen to not renew. Our classroom teachers are giving up their planning periods to cover for their coworkers who are absent. Our staff members are doing what they can in order to assure that all classes are covered with licensed personnel. I do not believe that wages are the issue. I believe that many have been gone long enough that they have found other interests. I really have no solutions for this problem.
4. What do you envision as the future of Perry? In what direction would you like to lead the school district?
I see Perry as a multicultural district, welcoming all students regardless of their abilities and backgrounds. We are fortunate to have excellent teachers and staff who only want the best for all of the students who walk through their doors. We have excellent course options and the ability to partner with DMACC for post-secondary experiences for our students. I want to see the district continue to make gains in academic achievement so that all of our schools can be recognized as Blue Ribbon Schools.
