Editor’s Note: This is the first in a two-part series.

The Calcasieu Federation of Teachers and School Employees invited candidates running for Calcasieu Parish School Board Districts 1, 2 and 15 seats to a forum last month to introduce themselves to area voters.

District 1 Rep. Aaron Natali is seeking re-election for his final term. He said his passion for sitting on the board stems from loved ones who are educators.

“I come from a family of educators, even though I’m not an educator.”

When asked what he believes CPSB can do to ensure student and campus safety, Natali said optimum security is reached through the implementation of several measures. “I don’t think there is one specific thing,” he said.

He said during his time on the board, CPSB has amped security at Calcasieu schools by installing security systems, encouraging secure, single entries into schools and changing out locks. He said there is no need to stop there. “You can always keep pushing to do more,” he said.

Natali said it’s important CPSB embraces technological advances in education, especially in rural schools.

“We need to take advantage of it and embrace it,” he said. “It’s not going away.”

He said he does not believe technology should be the primary form of learning, but instead functions as a supplement. “I don’t think technology needs to drive it, but I think it needs to enhance what’s already been done.”

Natali wants CPSB to be teacher-focused. “I think that the teacher’s are the backbone of the system.”

When asked about his long-term strategy to ensure student success, he said that he would want to put focus on reducing class sizes for teachers. This would ensure students receive a more personalized learning experience, and ease the workload for teachers.

Natali cited his hands-on approach to being a board representative in his closing statements. “I feel like I’ve always been accessible,” he said. “I want to be a conduit for the community.”

Rick Batchelor, who is running against Natali for the District 1 seat, believes it is time for fresh faces on the School Board.

“It’s time for a change and to give someone else an opportunity to serve.”

Batchelor said there needs to be changes made to the special education programs in Calcasieu Parish.

“There are some problems in this area,” he said. “Several people have told me that the special needs program needs a lot of work.” His solution to this issue would be to introduce customized practices to account for varying levels of disability.

He also said he doesn’t see true representation of his district on the board.

For Batchelor, it is the responsibility of a government official to put aside your opinions, and make choices based on the collective. “If you are a representative, you have to forget about what you feel and what you want.”

Batchelor said it is imperative that stricter discipline be reinstated into Calcasieu schools. “I remember the day that the adults actually ran the school and the kids didn’t. They just followed the rules.”

In his closing statements, Batchelor stated his desire for a return to the classic basics in education. “We tried Common Core, let’s try common sense,” he said.

Chris Archinard is running to fill the District 2 seat. He said the foundation of his plan is to ensure teacher needs are consistently met. “I’m teacher-driven,” he said.

Archinard, though recently retired, remembers the trials of being an educator. “I do understand the amount of time you take in the classroom, which to me is about 80 hours a week.” Due to the workload that teacher’s face, he believes the optimum solution to many issues the district faces is to increase teacher salaries.

When asked what main accomplishment he would like to achieve if elected, Archinard said salary adjustments were his primary goal. He said CPSB  “needs to get paid every 2 weeks with salaries starting at $60,000.”

According to Archinard, CPSB has the funds to do so. He would also want to implement a bi-monthy pay schedule. “They’re paying us off the interest once a month,” he said. “That’s archaic when you’ve got the charter schools paying every two weeks.”

He also believes that increasing teacher salaries will address the declining enrollment and employment at CPSB schools. He said through focusing on neighborhood schools, student retention will increase. “We neglect a lot of schools that need our help,” he said.

He explained that it is important for local schools to have local teachers to succeed. “If you pay teachers a certain amount of money, they will go back to their neighborhood schools,” he said. Archinard believes it is clear that the current base salary for Calcasieu Parish students is deterring new, certified teachers. “You get what you pay for,” he said. “I guarantee you I start paying more, I get more certified teachers.”

Fellow District 2 nominee Raymond Fondel said he watched the struggles of educators first hand, and believes this perspective will aid him in being a successful CPSB member. “

I know a lot of the challenges that you as teachers have,” he said. “My mom was a teacher who taught in the system for 30-plus years.”

Because of this experience, Fondel hopes to bring a teacher-focused perspective to CPSB. “I believe that the teachers are the key.”

Fondel said the past two years of disruptions — COVID-19 and natural disasters — proved there is innovation in educational processes to be explored. “It shows that we have the capability in our hands to be able to find a way to better educate the students that we have,” he said.

For Fondel, technology can be utilized to ensure all students receive effective education. “I believe if used effectively, it can be a bridge to help better educate our students.” He noted it is leadership’s responsibility to speak up and explore these possibilities.

His ultimate concern is to ensure educational equity for all Calcasieu students. “My goal is to make sure that nobody gets left behind, regardless of who they are,” he explained. “Everybody deserves to live the American dream … that means you have to have a quality education.”

Fondel believes the voucher system, as well as the tuition tax credits, are important to maintain an open system and allow students to attend schools that serve them best. However, he does believe these systems are something that can be more closely examined. “The voucher system in Calcasieu Parish … is something that is challenging,” he explained. “I think they are something that can be worked on.”

Ultimately, Fondel said he hopes to create a more cohesive School Board. “We face a lot of challenges in our schools, but these are challenges that we can face working together as a group.”

Karen Hardy McReynolds, who is also running for the District 2 seat, was unable to attend this forum due to personal events.