[00:00:04] Speaker A: Well, welcome, everybody. I'm MJ Bolt. I'm the host of Unbolted. And we have Pam Orbaugh with us today, who is running for school board director, position five in Central Valley School District in Spokane Valley. Welcome, Pam.
[00:00:19] Speaker B: Well, I appreciate. Thank you, thank you. I appreciate you having me. And I'm excited. This is, you know, I'm very excited to chat with you today. So this is good.
[00:00:27] Speaker A: Yes, I think it's so important. I'm excited to provide this opportunity, too, because so many people don't get a chance to know the candidates that are running. And our school board positions are so important. The issues that are at hand are so important to our communities.
So, again, thanks for being with us today, Pam, and congratulations on getting the endorsement of the Spokane County Republican Party. There's a dual endorsement. So both you and the other candidate, Rob Weinbarger, got the endorsement, and that's why I'm here interviewing you today. So, Pam, tell us about yourself, your background and why you are running for this position. What motivated you to run for the school board?
[00:01:10] Speaker B: Again, that is a loaded question, M.J. so, my gosh. So my background, kind of an overview. I am a nurse and I've been a nurse educator for the last seven years. So taking, you know, from the clinical and now teaching and doing curriculum, everything related to it's higher ed, but it still is education. And I have a master's in nursing with an educational emphasis, so I can bring that knowledge to the school board. I'm a mom of five.
All five of my kids have gone through cv. One last child still at Central Valley School District. So I'm in the thick of what it means to be a parent also in the school district.
I am a strong Christian. Everything I do is I look to Jesus and his Word. What. How should I, you know, decisions and ways to, to, you know, how I, how I conduct myself, that is vitally important to me above. Above anything else.
So it's kind of. I was born and raised in Missoula, Montana. Been in the Spokane area Since the early 90s, though, so lived in Spokane longer than anywhere else as far as I go. So it's a little bit about like, kind of married my hubby, wonderful hubby.
A little bit about me. I've been on the school board. I ran and was elected in 21. So I just have served a little over three and a half, almost exactly three and a half years on the school board. So I'm running again because like you said, it's vital the school board position is vital, especially right now in the. This political era, if you want to call it that, where we have a federal government that is very different than our state government and a state government that is even different than what the majority of our local community wants. And the school boards are really caught in that crosshair. So we've done a very good job in the last couple of years navigating those waters as far as, you know, really hearing. A big thing for mine is community voice. So really looking at the community voice and pushing back against the state, looking out, reaching out to the federal government also. So I just think it's vitally important right now that we have school board directors who are leaders who are willing to take a Santa fight for our kids in our community and yet also realize the environment that we're in, that we could burn it all down, but that's not going to help our kids. So, you know, how do we just juggle. Juggle that? So I'm running again because I feel like we've done. I really, truly believe that we are in a really good path at Central Valley School District right now. We have seen huge increase in academics this year with a lot of different changes that we've done. It's multifaceted. It's not just one thing, but I'm hearing from the teachers and principals that we've.
They've seen for the first time, the first time possibly ever, is some of their words that they've seen a huge increase in academic achievement.
We really are fighting to include parents and standing up for parental rights.
Fiscal responsibility is huge. I mean, I take it to heart that every dollar is somebody's earned money, that is taxpayer dollars.
And yet that balance of what do our kids need? But not to overfund and not to underfund, but also to ensure our taxpayer dollars are.
And we're not overburdening our taxpayers. And just the community since COVID has really demanded, rightfully so, accountability and transparency from the school district and from the school board. And so I've worked very hard and, you know, at least the other board directors in the current administration at the district too, to say we need to be very. We need information out and transparent in what we're doing and accountable to our community and our board. Docs, where our meetings are continues to just grow with information. The website continues to grow with information.
In the past, we've done community forums or town halls or even been at some of the farmers markets just to talk to the community. So I really believe we're on A good path as much as I think we can be in the state of Washington really for a lot of the stuff the state is trying to do to insert themselves in our school district.
So that's why I'm running again, because I just want to continue the good work we're doing. And there's also more work to be done as far as some, you know, disciplinary stuff that, you know, the state mandated basically almost a hands off discipline with kids. So that's no discipline. But we're not seeing, obviously that's not working. So there's more coming from the state on that. But that's, I think the next thing we really need to tackle is I, maybe I call it discipline but you know, behaviors, disruptive behaviors in, in the classrooms and what do we do for that? So long answer to a loaded question. Question.
[00:05:45] Speaker A: MJ yeah, well, it was great. No, good, good information.
Pam, what's your vision for our school district?
[00:05:52] Speaker B: Our vis. My vision like overall is for the kids. I mean, we exist for the kids. We do not exist for the employees. We exist for the kids. And obviously we want our employees very well taken care of and a great place to work. But my vision is that Central Valley School District is able to, in partnership with parents, we have to partner with parents that we give the kids what they need to be the best that they can be and what they want to be. And I love that right now we're doing that. We are, we're partnering with parents. And I'm, you know, hearing from numerous principals who are also like, yes, it's imperative that we bring parents in. I love that we are looking at like career and technical education courses where we can have some, it's called educational equivalencies. So that instead of just taking boring biology, it might be boring, you know, not for all it might be boring. But hey, I could take animal science and it's going to count for that because I want to do something in veterinary medicine. So I would love that we're getting more of these pathways for our students because overarching, that's my vision, is that our kids get what they need to be productive citizens. And if that is, you know, a job right out of high school, great military, great higher education or you know, a skills, a skills trade is so needed also. So that's my overarching vision.
[00:07:10] Speaker A: Yeah, those riddle world opportunities and experiences for kids are so important. I love that.
So Pam, why do you believe people should vote for you over your other opponents in this race?
[00:07:24] Speaker B: So I've, I'm on the board right now, like I said, we've got this great path moving forward with academic achievement, fiscal responsibility, parents. Right. Really respecting parents and accountability, transparency, building that bridge. I've said from when I ran the first time, I really believe a director's position is to be that bridge between the community in the district. And I have done that and I'll continue to do that. So I have that experience. I have these working relationships with, you know, from Dr. Parker to the administration. And it is working relationship. It is definitely give and take a lot. But when we. When I need to hold my ground, I hold my ground and say, sorry, Dr. Parker, this is what we're doing. And. And he realizes that's what the board says and that's what the board's doing. And he's like, fine, it's a board decision. I'm like, yes, it is.
Yes, it is. But we have a positive working. We have to have that positive working relationship. So the experience, my. The vision, the path that we're on and the positive working relationship is what I have over the other two as far as that goes. I mean, they are speaking to their platforms. I know there's a lot of.
I'm hearing, you know, or seeing a lot of misinformation going on as. As far as what we have done or not done on the school board. And, and I actually am doing my own little singular podcast, just me talking every week about what, you know, you know, here's safety or here's parents rights or here's the budget. And one of the podcasts I did was like, here's where you can go on our website, the district's website, and you can see in board docs or even other places on the website where we have done what we've done with meeting minutes. Again, just. I just want to get it out to the voters what, here's the truth and you. Here's where you can find the truth. Some of the meetings you can find are still even for like the last couple months or up there where you can even go watch the meeting for yourself type of thing. So that's what I have over. Over the other candidates.
[00:09:22] Speaker A: All right.
And Pam, what are your top priorities for the school district?
[00:09:28] Speaker B: Top priority is academic. What safety. Obviously our kids have to be safe. That is like, you know, we cannot expect. I don't want our kids going into an environment that's not safe. And I appreciate that. We have, you know, contracts with either law, various law to law enforcement agencies for resource officers. And we also have our school Resource officers, and we have Brian Asmus, who is overseeing all safety. So, I mean, obviously, our kids have to be safe. And then next is academic achievement, just like I spoke to and whatever that looks like for each child. It's, you know, the higher achievers getting pushed harder, the children who are struggling getting the resources to be the best that they can be.
And what is your pathway after, you know, what are your goals for your life and how can we help as a school district get you there?
I honestly believe that our community needs a strong public school system.
I love that there are great options, though, should parents want to do private school or homeschool? I love that there's good options. I love that the state has left that alone for right now, so parents still have those options. However, the majority of our children go to public school.
[00:10:33] Speaker A: And.
[00:10:34] Speaker B: And we need a strong public school system that will help each child to be the best they can be. Our community relies on these kids graduating and being good citizens and getting jobs and being skilled and whatever, you know, to uphold our society and our community.
[00:10:48] Speaker A: So that's, yes, very important, Very important.
How would you handle a situation where parents, teachers and administrators disagree on a major policy issue?
[00:11:03] Speaker B: On a major policy issue? So I think, obviously we just want to get the. Gather the facts, and I want to hear them, you know, what is your perspective and why. And then obviously, we have to look at the law. The laws in this state continue to take away local control from school boards. So as much as we might want to do something, we might not be able to do that or risk them pulling all. Pulling funding or finding us or, you know, such. But I would just want to navigate that with hearing all sides and really looking at, you know, gathering facts, investigation as much as, you know, what. What is going on? And then again, what is the law? What is the law here?
[00:11:43] Speaker A: But yeah, yeah, for sure.
Pam, what role do you believe school board director, School board director should play in overseeing the superintendent?
[00:11:55] Speaker B: Well, it's paramount. I mean, we do oversee the superintendent as a school board because we are that elected voice for the community.
And like any good superintendent, they continue to push back against the board, and any good board should push to the superintendent. And that's what we do with Dr. Parker. I mean, we. We really have that. I tell people it's a tug of war, in a good way.
It is that tug of war for power or for control. And. And we both see that, but we have a respectful relationship. So when I go to him And I say, Dr. Park, John, this is what we need to do.
And he. He'll push back. Or. But Pam. Or Pam. Or, you know, but any, you know, And I'm like, no, no, this is what we. Or at least I want this on the agenda for the board to talk about. So obviously I can push for anything I want, but it's the whole board that votes on it.
You know, that's why I keep saying we, because I don't just do things unilaterally by myself other than propose things. But to get anything accomplished, the whole board must vote on it. So I push a lot for things to the agenda or for us to do extra meetings to look at things. Especially when I was president, I was really able to do that. Even as vice president. I worked with Stephanie a lot on. On that also. So the board oversees the superintendent. However, you must have a positive working relationship or you're not going to get anything done.
You know, you just. He just won't. He'll just, you know, whether he would just push back on everything or who knows what he, you know. But we must have that good relationship. Now. When I was first elected, I saw, and so did Anise and Stephanie when they were first elected, that the administrators and even John thought that we were coming in to destroy the school district. And so it took a long time to build that trust that with them that, no, really, when we're asking questions, we want to learn, we want to know what's going on. And yeah, perhaps we're going to say you need to change something, but it's not to destroy you. It's because we're here to see what needs changes and make changes, but also to. To learn. So it's taken a long time to get that positive working relationship with them, that trusting relationship where, you know, when we're emailing and saying, you know, like to the business people, hey, these numbers don't make sense to me. I was calculating all these numbers. I don't understand in your spreadsheet where these numbers are. Can you explain this to me instead of them taking that as an attack? They're like, no, I really just. They're just really want to know what the numbers are. And, and I told John long time ago because he's like, why are you asking so many questions? I'm like, john, I never vote without knowing what I'm voting for. The days are gone where you have a board that just rubber stamps whatever you want, that's gone. Now you have a board who wants questions. We're going to ask questions. We want answers. We want the Knowledge and then we will make a decision and, you know, give us your input of how this would affect the district. But then at the end, it's a board decision.
[00:14:49] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:14:50] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:14:50] Speaker A: And that's what people have elected you to do.
[00:14:53] Speaker B: Absolutely.
[00:14:54] Speaker A: Yes, I agree with you on that. Pam, final comments. Is there anything else that you would like voters to know about you or your thoughts or your positions on anything?
[00:15:06] Speaker B: Well, I touched on them a little bit in the intro, but I just really, my heart is for the kids. It really is for a strong public school system for our kids. And we have great employees and we need to definitely ensure they are well taken care of. But the focus of the school district has to be for our kids and for educate, keeping them safe, educating them. But again, in partnership with our parents. We cannot drive our parents away. We can't drive that wedge between the students and the parents. And I've worked hard on any policy, anything that comes up to say we need to add parent communication, we add parent input.
We need to even the curriculum, I said we need on our, when we get a new curriculum, I said we need to put a page there for parents to access. You know, how do you do homework? You know, even like encourage our parents to work with their kids at home, even on homework. Just that partnership, because that is what will help our kids the best.
I really believe in local voices. The state continues to try and take that away from us. Like with each legislation that they make for school boards, it seems like they take more local control away. That that local control means that I can be that bridge between the school district and the community. So when the community members, whether it's a parent or a grandparent or a taxpayer, say, hey, this is my concern.
And then I can bring that to the district. And then it's also back and forth to the community, like, hey, I've looped you in now, so and so we'll get back to you. Or this was their answer. Or this is why, you know, we can do that or can't do that. So that's why I say it's a both way, you know, back and forth bridge with community.
I really have a heart for the, our taxpayers.
When we were doing the levy, I did a lot of calculations on my own and that was a lot of pushback of like, I don't know why we need such an increase in the levy. And, and I had different numbers than them and that's fine. I mean, I know that they're, that's their job. So they see more than I do. But obviously I was just like, I continued to push back. It's all in open meetings. You can find out. They say, but our taxpayers, but our taxpayers, I get it. We are not funded adequately to what our community wants to see in our school district from the state. But we have to balance that with our taxpayers and what we're burdening them with by an ask. So when it came to voting, this was the previous board before Niece and Stephanie were on. But when it came to voting, I said, my vote is for this to go out to the voters, that the voters are going to decide what they want our school district to look like and what it.
If they are willing to foot that bill or not. And I directed the school district, I said, you are going to have a campaign on facts. You're going to say, this is what the levy covers and this is what our school district looks like with the levy. And if we don't pass the levy, this is what our school district will look like. Like these are, you know, all these things that will be cut to make the balance. Budget, the budget balance.
I said, you know, we put it, I asked for a calculator to be put on the website. It's still there. So people could figure out, you know, what is $2.40 per thousand of my assessments value, you know, whatever the county is saying my assessed value is now, what is that really going to cost me over the current levy or the levy that was just expiring?
And they did that. And I must say the district really did. It was. And I also said, we're not doing sob stories. I don't want to hear poor Johnny can't play football if you don't pass the levy. And I, I had the whole time I've lived in the Central Valley School district, which is almost 30 years now. I mean, I've never seen such a factual based campaign for the levy. So that's what my heart was, is like the vote with the. Give the voters the information so they can decide if they're willing to foot this bill or not. Because I, I want, I feel for, I see. I, you know, obviously I want our schools to have everything we need and yet I don't want to overburden the taxpayers. So, so. And that rolls into just fiscal responsibility and accountability and just working hard with anything related to the budget. Do we have, is there another option for another bid? Is this something we really need?
Even, you know, like when the garbage truck was wearing out those poor guys, I'm like, okay, go get another bid. Did you Talk to this other company. Do we really need a garbage truck? And they kept coming back with more numbers. Here's how it's going to save the district. Okay, it's going to save the district. And every time, you know, Dr. Parker's doing, moving people around in the administrative office, Hugh now starts the conversation with no new positions. Pam, I know you don't want any new positions. Thank you. Thank you. No, I don't want new positions. You have your people, they work very hard. They have a ton on their plate, but we have to keep the budget under control.
Most recently, we are.
We actually did something different this year. We. Because last year's approval of the budget took. So we had so many questions and so much, you know, was an Issa, Stephanie's first time, too. But it was also.
It took longer than the district thought it should for us to approve it and a lot of questions. So this last year, in February, we sat down with the business office and she said, give us parameters how you want the budget built. And so we did. And she built the budget for the parameters. It was like, fabulous. Fabulous. We need to get spending in all realms under control from, you know, from salary to. To supplies to everything we need. And it's not out of control at all. I'm not saying it's out of control. We just need to ensure that it's. That it's all still under control. And we're not. We're not, you know, spending more than we need to anywhere. So fiscal responsibility is. Is huge.
[00:20:37] Speaker A: Yeah, very good.
[00:20:38] Speaker B: And I'm going to ask you one.
[00:20:39] Speaker A: Other question about how. How are you planning to stay connected to your community, to the citizen voice, to hear their concerns or where you can, you know, have.
They can have a voice with you.
[00:20:55] Speaker B: So are you talking during the election or after?
[00:20:59] Speaker A: After the election, if you are elected, how do you plan to stay connected to the citizen and community voice?
[00:21:08] Speaker B: So I really did. I wish, I would hope that we could do the farmers markets and the community forums again, and I would ask to do that, to do some more of those. I mean, that was a big push right after I was elected the first time that, that we. The community. You're not listening to the community. You have to listen to the community voice. So that's where you really get out to the community. That said, anytime there's emails coming through, concerns coming through, either myself or I ensure that Stephanie, between the two of us, are addressing those emails. Any public comment, we're ensuring that one of us is getting back to that person.
And I apologize if we have it. But just again, that voice. I encourage people to come to meetings. I encourage people to reach out and have a chat.
I'm.
If they're not interested, then they're not interested. But if they're reaching out or if they want information, I am. I constantly, people grab me even in the grocery store, what's going on with this? You know. And I love to just, I'll be there and open just to talk to the community. But from. I would love to do more of the forums like we did. I think we're obviously too late on the farmer's market this year. But. But when we did it in the past too, just people could come and come and ask questions. A lot of it was more so about hey, are you hiring? Or how do I get my kindergarten to register for school? So but just being as open to numerous different pathways for the community to reach out and chat and ensuring that I am getting back to them too.
[00:22:35] Speaker A: Great, great. So Pam, where can people find out more information about your campaign or get in contact with you?
[00:22:42] Speaker B: Oh, awesome. So I have a website and a YouTube channel and an email.
So it's Elect Pam for Kids, but it's the number four. So it's all one word. Elect
[email protected] is my email. It's selectpam4kids.com is my website. I have the same Elect Pam for Kids on Facebook and I think my YouTube is reelect Pam for Kids. But all my anything on YouTube is posted on my website and the link is on my website and also on my Facebook. So because I'm also doing weekly newsletters trying to get those out of like, hey, here's what's going on with the campaign. I'm also doing a weekly podcast where I'm like, you know, I've talked about from why I'm running to safety, safety issues, parents rights, budget discussions.
Just a different topic every week. Trying to get that out. So anybody that could watch those and share those, it's again, it's just information on as much as what I've done to related to topics or what, you know, when the board has done related topics, things I have pushed for related to topics, but also just that education piece too. It's like, you know, this really is what the budget looks like. This is really what safety priority in the district. This is, you know, what we're doing for academic achievement that, that I've so excited about. So topics like that.
[00:24:06] Speaker A: That's great. And in all of your, your addresses use the number four, right? It's number.
[00:24:12] Speaker B: Yes, Number four.
[00:24:14] Speaker A: Okay, awesome. Well, Pam, thanks so much for spending time with us today. And thank you for serving and for running again for this important position. We really appreciate it.
[00:24:25] Speaker B: Well, thank you for having me. I really appreciate it.
[00:24:28] Speaker A: All right. Take care.
[00:24:29] Speaker B: You, too.
