Nampa Classical Academy appoints board members
Nampa Classical Academy fourth-grade teacher Susan Beard asks a question of prospective board members Tuesday night at a meeting. Founders seated three new board members at the meeting. MIke Vogt/IPT
More Photo Galleries
jmeyer@idahopress.com
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
NAMPA — The founding families of the Nampa Classical Academy appointed three new voting board members amid frequent applause at a meeting Tuesday night that drew more than 50 people (listen to audio).
Founders Mike Moffett, Isaac Moffett, Shawna Schneiderman and Matthew Schneiderman approved Terrence LaMasters, Erik Makrush and James Lorenzen as new board members. Tracy Moffett, Isaac's wife, abstained from voting because she was absent from the interviews that took place Saturday.
Interview questions posed to eight candidates Saturday included previous board experience, knowledge of charter schools and classical education, and how they would work together with the rest of the board.
Background, what's next
The three new Nampa Classical Academy board members fill seats vacated when former board Chairman Kyle Borger and Treasurer Kristopher Wilson recently resigned after a meeting that raised issues of a possible conflict of interest between brothers Mike and Isaac Moffett.
Former board member Kym Slater resigned in August, officials said. Ad hoc board member Corey Freeman also resigned earlier this month.
A special board meeting will be held Friday. Founders said board members could be seated in the treasurer and other positions, as well as deal with additional matters. A time will be announced when the agenda is posted today.
Share story
The five founders also used the Tuesday meeting to approve a resolution to bring "solidarity to the board," Matthew Schneiderman said. The document recognized that sitting board members Melia Loftus, Carolina McArthur, Mitch Miller and ad hoc member Bryon Merrill were not properly "interviewed, considered, appointed or voted upon by the Board of Directors" and then adopted them as properly appointed members.
It also extended "an olive branch of peace and solidarity" to the four.
Lorenzen, a 35-year-old full-time National Guardsman from Nampa, said he was approached to enter his candidacy after a recent meeting that drew more than 100 parents to address the school's vision and future.
He offered to give "all I have, all my time, my resources, my energy" to serving on the board.
LaMasters, 37, of Meridian, who works in purchasing for a modular home builder, said that both he and his family are committed to pursue the vision behind the academy.
Makrush, a 39-year-old legislative consultant from Caldwell, said he would make it a goal to be as open with information as possible while serving on the board.
All three have children at the school.
Charter stakeholders asked the candidates questions about how they would bring unity to the board, the extended training process and their experience, their ability to question the founding members and their commitment to the classical education model.
The candidates said they have approached superiors about disagreements and that issues are best discussed in a respectful way. They all described a passion for the classical curriculum put forth by the academy, giving 30-second presentations on their view of that type of education:
- LaMasters described it as a type of education that focuses on character, because it will determine destiny and ensure students can be functioning members of society who will go out and make a difference.
- Makrush said classical education provides a means for students to discover answers for themselves, and releasing the ambition and desire inside of them.
- Lorenzen said a classical education concentrates on teaching students to think rather than just teaching content.
The founders also drew questions about their connection to the candidates, and answered that they had either only met recently or had talked briefly in the past because of their involvement with the school.
