Meet Fox School Board Candidate Anthony Thebeau

Patch sent all local candidates for office identical questionnaires in order to compile candidate profiles prior to the April election. Each candidate who returned the survey will be featured on the site.

Anthony Thebeau, 27 (Candidate for the Fox School Board) 

• Address: Arnold, MO 
• Occupation: I work as a school counselor.
• Education: I have an Associate of Arts degree from Jefferson College, BS and Dual MA in School and Licensure Counseling from Missouri Baptist University.
• Family: My wife is Stacy Thebeau, and we have a daughter in kindergarten at Lone Dell Elementary.
• Years lived in the Fox School District: 2 years.
• Please provide a brief summary of your background, highlighting community involvement if applicable. The only thing I can really say is I come with no business or political ties, and I have some background in education. I want the best for the community I live in and being on the school board should not be a life time position.
• Please provide a brief summary of your reasons for running: My reason for running for school board is I want my child to go to the best school possible, Period.

Questions

1.  What do you currently see as the biggest issue facing the Fox School District?  Some of the biggest problems facing the district are the negative reports in the news about the downside of Fox regarding its hiring policies, accountability in special education, construction fumes, and spending; but there is not enough talking about what Fox does well. I believe involving the community more in the school system is a big factor in making the community more on board with the school district and thus making the school a better place to strive for excellence.

2. How would you address the continuing uncertainty over state funding for schools? Spend money wisely.

3. In what area does the Fox School District need to improve? Are you satisfied with the way the district has been operating? It could improve on Community Outreach.

4. Assume you win the election. What single thing do you want to accomplish during your three years on the board? Do no harm and set the district up for long term success.

5. There has been some opposition regarding the hiring of relatives within the district. How do you plan to address this moving forward? There was obviously some district outcry over what happened last year of the hiring of a relative of a school board member that may or may not have been as qualified as other applicants for the position. I do not know all the details; however, I do know that the residents seemed clearly upset and want change regarding Fox’s nepotism hiring policy. I want to make sure that the most qualified person is hired for the position, because that is what matters most.

Editor's note: Thebeau did not provide Patch with a candidate photo.