Meet the candidates for the school board

Charlie Malam: I have been married to my wife Lisa for almost 39 years. We have three adult children, who, like their dad, all attended K-12 at Houston R-1 Schools. I received my Bachelor of Science in Education degree from SMSU (now Missouri State University). I have a Masters and Specialists degree in School Administration from Missouri State University as well. In 1986, I had the privilege to return to my alma-mater to teach and coach. I spent 25 years teaching, coaching and as a building principal at Houston R-1. My K-12 career also included two years at Willow Springs as the middle school principal, and three years as the superintendent of Raymondville School District. I have been blessed with a career of serving the youth of our community. My post-retirement service has continued as a Leadership Specialist providing leadership support, development, training, coaching and mentoring. I am assigned to the South-Central Region of the state serving over 130 principals in 13 counties and 63 school districts. My passion to serve schools is as strong today as it was 38 years ago.

Jeff Crites: I’m 50 years old and a 1991 graduate of Dora High School. After high school I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Wildlife and Conservation Management at SMSU. I have been employed by the Missouri Department of Conservation for 25 years as a Conservation Agent, first in Shannon County where I met my wife April, and then in 2003 in Texas County where we relocated to start and raise a family. My wife April is a registered nurse with Texas County Memorial Hospital. We have two daughters – Olivia, 18, a graduate from Houston High School currently enrolled at MSU-West Plains seeking a nursing degree, and Sophia, 16, a junior at Houston High School. My family attends church at Faith Fellowship where I am one of the youth leaders at Launch Student Ministries. I enjoy engaging with my community and giving back to it in service as it has provided myself and my family a great place to live.

Britt Shelby: I’m originally from Charleston, Mo., and moved to Houston about 15 or so years ago. My husband, Justin Shelby, and I have three children and the best doodle ever named Izzy! Our boy/girl twins are 7 years old and in first grade and we have a 4-year-old boy in preschool as well. I graduated from Southeast Missouri State University with my bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Hospitality Management and a minor in Marketing. After college, I settled in advertising sales and marketing for a combined 12 years including managing the Missouri territory for The Knot magazine and website. More importantly than my background, is my personality and drive. Rest assured, I’m a bit of a spit fire but always willing to listen to all sides and work together with others to come to the best possible solutions for our school, staff, kids and community!

Marty Merckling: My name is Marty Merckling. I am a lifetime resident of this area. I graduated from HHS in 1980, as did my wife, Judy, in 1983. Our son Trevor graduated here in 2014 and our son Casey in 2023. Having sons nine years apart, I have been involved in the school district for the past 22 years. I served as a high school assistant coach over different time periods throughout the years. My wife has a master’s degree in teaching and was a teacher at HHS for a period of time. Outside of school, I have dedicated 27 years to running youth programs here, with ages ranging from second graders to seniors in high school. Since 1985 I have operated my own businesses dealing with all aspects of running a business including budgets, employees, equipment, repair and maintenance, and dealing with contractors all over the country. For the past five years I also have served and am currently president of the Piney Township Board. As with my personal businesses, at the Township I oversee budgets, payroll, insurance, equipment and employee needs. All of which are tools that will be necessary to make an impact on school board decisions. 

David Adkison: I am a Houston native. I graduated in 1985, attended the University of Missouri – Columbia but finished my degree in education at Drury College in Springfield. Unforeseen circumstances brought me home in 1997 and I have been here ever since.  My business is as a life and health insurance broker as well as a financial advisor. I am married to Amy Allen of Summersville and have two sons, Caleb, class of 2016, and Brody, graduating in 2025.

Charlie Malam: I will never forget all the dedicated adults who supported me as a student at Houston R-1. Their efforts and encouragement helped push me to a successful life. Equally, the support and guidance as an educator, coach, and school administrator I received has been vital to the success of my career. Why did they do this? Because the education of our students is foundational to their future success. I want to continue to serve this same purpose, supporting the education of our children in the Houston R-1 School District. I consider being able to serve in this capacity a privilege.

Jeff Crites: I have had two daughters in Houston R-1 School District and have watched many kids grow up through the district and am highly interested in the quality of education our kids are getting. I want our kids to receive the best education possible. I’ve always been the type of person to step up and help out where needed. I am pleased with the way Houston R-1 School District is advancing and growing and I want to continue to be a part of it, while ensuring continued growth. Over the last three years that I have had the pleasure of serving on the school board, there have been many changes; implementation of the Piney River Technical Center in which both my daughters have had the opportunity to attend, the opening of the Early Childhood Center, along with the opening of Tiger Fieldhouse – all exciting resources for our kids and community. There are many projects coming up in the near future that I hope to be a part of. 

Britt Shelby: Better question, why not? Our school not only impacts our kids but our community as well! With three children, I want to make sure they have the best opportunities to learn and grow in a public school atmosphere the same way I did. I believe I can be a very strong asset for our school board for several reasons. When faced with an important decision, it’s important to me to understand the whys and hows and do my own research to better educate myself and form my own opinion. But ultimately, try to work with others to find the very best solution for our school and community.

Marty Merckling: The school board needs help. There are many issues that have been brought to light the last few weeks and the current school board as a whole has not effectively met the challenge of resolving them. The district is led by an out-of-control superintendent who exerts his will over the board instead of the board over him as it should be. This administration is not being held accountable by the board. I will say that recently some board members have stood up and have taken more control but not all of them. It just happens that the two incumbents running for board this election are the two that have done nothing to tackle these issues. They need to go. That doesn’t mean I’m your guy. If you can’t vote for me for whatever reason, that’s fine. I’m running to bring awareness to the community about issues that are not being exposed. There are three other capable candidates who should be given a shot at fixing our problems instead of the same old do-nothing guys on there. Please consider voting for someone new.

David Adkison: Dr. Copley invited me be a part of the CSIP and the Long Term Planning Committees this last fall. While I have learned from that experience, I have also tried to bring an “outsider’s” perspective to the meetings. It is my belief that we all have a stake in the direction of our education system. If we do not speak up, how will any one know how we feel? I intend to speak.

Charlie Malam: Houston R-1 School District has a strong team of leaders, educators and support staff. They love kids, they care about kids and they want to be a part of every students’ educational journey toward success. Another strength is a continuous improvement plan striving to provide the best educational programs possible. Houston Schools has a caring community that is always stepping up to support our kids. This has always been the backbone of the Houston R-1 community. This community values and supports the educational journey of our kids.

Jeff Crites: Houston R-1 School District has many strengths. One is a strong administration and staff, tackling every problem or concern head-on and trying to make the best of every situation. The community of Houston is another strength of the Houston R-1 School District. Our community comes together to support the students and faculty, pouring all their extra time and resources into our community and the future of these children. Families are another strength of the district. Houston is rooted in families with strong core values. This filters over into our schools with both staff and students benefiting from a strong foundation at home.

Britt Shelby: I believe we have some amazing and passionate teachers and staff. I’m proud of our accomplishments and want to see us legit win in all aspects from academics to athletics and everything in between.

Marty Merckling: The only strength that stands out in our district is the community support for our kids. That is evidenced every time a fundraiser is held by any group. The community loves and supports their kids, unconditionally. I believe it could be the same for the school and will be again when someone else is running it.

David Adkison: No amount of words I write will accurately describe the pride I have when I try to explain to someone from outside this community where I come from, how I got here and where I plan to go thanks in large part to the education I received at Houston. We have a committed staff of teachers, support personnel, administrators as well as the students and parents themselves who are striving to achieve. As a community our school is, and should be, a source of pride! Just look at the progress we have had in the last 20 years. Upgrades to the primary and high school building, new facilities such as the Piney River Technical Center and gymnasium as well as revamping the vocational building for early childhood development. Is it perfect? No. It just isn’t finished yet.

Charlie Malam: The school district has a process in place for areas in which data is collected to inform decision-making. This helps stakeholders to consider what changes or improvements are necessary moving forward. Teams within the school district, including the board of education, can prioritize the needs of the district and consider strategies to improve the areas of need. Another area that needs improvement is educator’s salaries. Missouri has for a long time come in as one of the lowest in the nation. As a board member advocating for this at the state level is a continuous effort, being a voice for educators. The state formula drives much of the funds available to be allocated for teacher salaries. To attract highly effective teachers, Missouri must offer competitive salaries.

Jeff Crites: Teacher recruitment and retention – offering more competitive wages and incentives to compete with other area districts, continuing and increasing college alternatives –  working with area companies and continuing to expand what is offered at the Piney River Technical Center to transition more kids into skilled jobs, facilities – continuing to improve our campus to provide a safe learning environment and to give our children the tools to compete with others in the job market when they graduate so they can in turn pour back into the community and the future of their children.

Britt Shelby: I believe we should empower our teachers and ensure they have all the resources needed to help our students grow academically, improve our overall ranking and scores in the state while reassuring parents and our community that our children are getting the education they deserve. I would hope to tackle this by working to find a way to increase teacher’s pay overall and reduce our turnover rate of valuable educated professionals within our school.

Marty Merckling: A. To begin with, our water is still not lead free and continues to be a hazard for the kids and faculty.

B. Over 40% of our teachers are not certified. 50% in middle school.

C. Only one of nine of our middle school and high school math teachers are certified and the one that is, is only part-time. Our superintendent has hired individuals off the street to teach math. He also has hired students straight out of high school to teach math. It makes you wonder why our math scores that were received in February showed our kids to be near the bottom in rank of all the local schools.  And why do I say it’s the superintendent’s fault? Because he recommends to the board everyone that is hired. He takes them one name and they approve it. When asked by a board member to be involved in the interviews of applicants he scolded her and said that would undermine his administration. 

D. Teacher morale is at an all-time low.

E. Teacher wages are still the lowest by far in the area.

F. Because of the low scores that the middle school received, a grand presentation was made at the February board meeting by the superintendent and administrators. After over an hour of explaining the results of the low test scores, they presented their great plan. Their solution, they are going to teach the teachers how to teach. Yep, that’s it. Now I’m not sure who in the district is qualified to teach a teacher how to teach. I thought that was mostly reserved for college professors and professionals. But the good news for them is that they won’t have to face test scores again for another year. But let’s not be surprised if we get more bad news then.

G. Our certified and most experienced teachers are leaving. Over the last two-and-a-half years, we have lost teachers with over 150 total years of teaching experience. We’re losing more this year. It must be stopped. It’s not just the money. Ask any one of them why they are leaving or have left, same answer, because of the culture created at the school by the superintendent. 

H. I know these things are hard to hear but everything I have said is backed up by facts. Don’t believe me? I would be happy to share my evidence with anyone.

David Adkison: Teachers. We need to be competitive and we need to be willing to pay for the individuals willing to make this their profession. It is not easy. How many teachers have left the system for “greener pastures”?  

Charlie Malam: A school board member should be driven by ensuring all students succeed. The key challenge in this for many is ALL. But it is this very element that makes public school a cornerstone of our children’s future. Houston R-1 accepts every student who comes through the school-house door and strives to provide the best education possible. This is a high calling, but a calling worth the efforts and support of the entire community. School board members should advocate for sound educational policies and procedures at all levels, national, state and local levels. A school board member must remember they serve on a team. An individual board member has no authority to speak or act on the behalf of the other six board members.

Jeff Crites: The purpose of a school board member is multi-faceted. A board member helps set the goals and vision of the school district and also sets policies for the district. The ultimate goal of the Houston R-1 School District member should be to make sure every student has the opportunity to achieve their own personal success. A board member should not use his or her position to further their own agenda but instead work hard to achieve the collective goals of the school district.

Britt Shelby: I believe the purpose of a school board member is to work with our school staff to make our school the best it can possibly be. I believe a school board member should educate themselves on where the funds within our school are going and ensure that they are working to give us the very best results in every aspect of running a school and its facilities. If elected, I plan on meeting and checking in with teachers periodically to get their feedback and opinions to which I also view as important for a good school board member to do. Overall though, the main purpose of a school board member, in my opinion, is to do what’s best for the children and future of our school.

Marty Merckling: The school board member must always be a representative of the school district patrons who elected him/her. They must be willing to communicate with all citizens concerning school matters. They are the liaison between the public and the school. The board has the authority to make or change policies as needed. Each member must work with the rest of the board to create a safe and prosperous work environment for students and staff. Until problems are resolved, the school board must take a larger role in the hiring process and the monitoring of the operation of the school. Personal feelings must be put aside, and hard decisions implemented when necessary. As a whole, the board is the final authority over all school matters and is responsible for everything it makes happen or let happen.   

David Adkison: A board member needs to listen – to both sides – then make decisions based on the best information available for the good of the school and the community. I truly believe board members serve with hope that they can make this world a better place to be.

Charlie Malam: It takes little time being involved in the process to recognize there are more areas of improvement needed than funds available. During the most recent process, the facilities committee – including stakeholders from the school and community – worked through establishing a list of priorities. This allowed a survey to go out and allow stakeholders to respond and have a voice in where to focus. “Proposition Track and Field” became the priority based on survey feedback. It is the current board’s intention to put in a turf field if bids for the total cost and materials for the project falls within the bonding amount proposed. I believe the board of education should continue to advocate for this process allowing input from all stakeholders. This allows everyone who chooses, to have a voice, not just me. I am extremely proud of the support toward school improvement this community continues to invest for our students.

Jeff Crites: The Board of Education has voted to do a complete project, including turf, as funds are available, and I stand behind that decision. I want what is best for our students, however – the Board won’t be able to fully see what a “complete” project looks like until the proposals are received from the track companies.

Britt Shelby: Classroom necessities and/or teacher’s resources/pay is where I would like to see those remaining funds go. I think we would all love nothing more than a top of the line school and athletics program, but we have to be realistic and realize our budget isn’t infinite. I definitely believe it is imperative to fix our track and provide our athletes with the best facilities we can realistically offer. However, as a high school athlete and top of my class, I personally believe that personnel is what drove my success. I would like to see my children have those kinds of influences as well. And I want our staff to see how much our community truly values them. Where there is a will, I believe as a community, we could find a way together to get both accomplished! Overall, if I’m voted in as a school board member on April 2, I promise to give my very best to make our school and children the very best we can be.

Marty Merckling: This is the most ill-conceived and worst planned idea maybe in the history of Houston Schools. It was rushed to get written and has been promoted in a media blitz by the superintendent and his media team like no other. While he is busy promoting this fantasy of his, I wonder who is taking care of the business and important issues at the school. I guess that’s why he asked the board to hire him an assistant superintendent at the March board meeting. Luckily, some of them didn’t fall for it and it got pushed till the next meeting. As far as there possibly being any extra money left, I’m sure the language of the proposition will read that it will go into school funds and can be used for what the school desires, with no certainty described. Basically, an open checkbook. We have so many issues and current problems at the school that need to be prioritized over this TRACK AND FIELD TAX. Besides these things, it has been forgotten to be mentioned that we received a $500,000 grant but declined it and then re-applied for another $500,000 grant for an eight-lane track, but we won’t receive the answer until well after the election. At the March board meeting, the superintendent was asked what would happen with the new grant if we were awarded it and the proposition had already passed. He stated that that $500,000 grant would be declined also. In 2013, Brent Kell, the acting athletic director, presented a bid from a company to superintendent Dan Vandiver to extend and resurface the track for $115,000. That is about $155,000 in today’s money. THAT’S the track we need, not a $3 million dollar one. We must find a way to provide a track for our athletes but we can’t mortgage our kid’s future by spending all of our available money on projects that will not benefit them educationally.  

David Adkison: Our future planning committee recognized and outlined 19 more long-term goals plus a few more that did not make the final list. All of them have merit. A goal is only as worthy as the effort that is required to achieve it.