Just a day before the deadline closed, not a single application had been filed to fill three seats in the North Bend School Board election.

But rather than let the district go without leadership or resort to appointing board members, a group of political newcomers is running to ensure that the community is well represented.

No incumbents are running, but four men are vying for position No. 7, which is south of the bay.

Running for position No. 7 are Don Van Dyke, a retired naturopathic doctor who now serves on the city of North Bend's Parks and Recreation Advisory Board; Corey Crismon, a parent of three North Bend school children and sales representative for Kraft Inc.; Aaron Simons, the father of a North Bend High School junior and a graduate, who is the maintenance supervisor for the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay; and Charles “Tom” Hibbert, a retired educator and school counselor for the Coos Bay School District.

Among the three precinct races, Positions Nos. 1 and 3, which are for areas north of the bay, are uncontested with Dave Ellingson and Mike Wallace running for the respective spots. Current School Board members Robert Raper, Rhonda Cuzzort and Rick Evans chose not to run.

While none of the candidates in the contested race has served on an elected board, each believes he can make a positive difference in the district, whether by reintroducing programs that have been tossed aside in the face of budget cuts, increasing communication between the schools, parents and the community at large; or by cutting class sizes.

Position No. 7

Corey Crismon

Education: Graduate of Grant Union High School and a current student of Eastern Oregon University, where he is pursuing an bachelor's degree in business.

Elected experience: None. Crismon, who leads the men's prayer group at the Celebration Center in North Bend, said he believes he has developed leadership skills through his work with the church and through his experience as an assistant manager for Wal-Mart.

“I feel like I can contribute to the community and our kids' education because I listen to what my kids say at school about the quality of lunches and things like that,” Crismon said, adding he isn't afraid to speak his mind.

Crismon said he chose to run because he wants to make sure students get a good education and is concerned about issues such as nutrition. He said his daughter often tells him about fast-food-style lunches available at the high school and he would like to see more healthful choices available for all children.

“I think the school district is doing great, but I want to ensure that it stays that way,” Crismon said. “I think we need to put a good foundation down for eating habits.”

He said he also would like to implement a teacher appreciation event to show more support for the district's educators and to cut class sizes to improve the student-to-teacher ratio.

“The police officer and the teacher are probably the most underappreciated positions in the United States,” Crismon added.

Have school and district administration handled the recent bomb threats appropriately?

“No. Bomb threats need to be taken seriously. One incident took a day or even more before being reported to police. I believe bomb threats need reported to the local authorities immediately,” Crismon said.

He said the district and school administration should put forth a greater effort to capture those responsible, especially in the face of the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech.

“You look back and you think, ‘What could have happened here?'” Crismon said. “I think they should have canceled school until they get the person.”

Would you support another charter school in the district?

“No. At this time I don't believe that it is the right move financially for the school district. Enrollment is already declining and another school would pull a high percentage of students from North Bend High School,” Crismon said.

Would you support a one-district county?

“No. First of all, this would increase class sizes. Students don't get the quality education they deserve with larger classes. Second, I believe a community loses its identity with consolidation,” Crismon said. “It might save money in the long run, but I just don't agree. I think we need to stay separate.”

What do you think about North Bend and Coos Bay partnering on programming for students?

“I believe that would be a great way to have more of a budget. I don't see how it would hurt anything.”

Don Van Dyke

Education: Graduate of Red Bank Catholic High School and Monmouth University, where he earned a bachelor's degree in electronic engineering.

Elected experience: None. Van Dyke was appointed to the North Bend's Parks & Recreation Advisory Board earlier this year, has gained leadership experience while founding his theater group, the Western Academy of Theater and Television for Children and the Handicapped, and volunteers his time taping various board meetings for Channels 14 and 98.

Van Dyke said that while none of his grown children have attended a North Bend school, he does want to do his part to provide a better education for youth. He said he decided to run after he learned that no one had filed for any of the open seats.

“I said ‘I got to do something about that,' so I ran down to Coquille and signed up. (It's the) same reason I volunteered to be on the parks committee. Our form of government relies on volunteerism, especially locally,” Van Dyke said, adding that he wants to give back to the community. “I don't know how much time I've got to give, but I've got time.”

He said he is a fiscal conservative and plans to get “the best results for the dollar spent,” and also would like to increase awareness of what's happening in the community's schools.

As a theater buff, he said he would also like to see more performing arts in schools.

Have school and district administration handled the recent bomb threats appropriately?

“I am really disturbed by the frequency of the bomb threats,” Van Dyke said, noting that he knows few details about the repeated incidents. “I have no complaints. I'm not faulting the board of education on how it was handled.”

Would you support another charter school in the district?

“Yes, I would support charter schools. I just feel it's within the rights of citizens. I believe in education foremost - public, private, charter, independent study, all education,” Van Dyke said. “It's the people's right if they so choose. If there are enough people behind it, then we go for it.”

Would you support a one-district county?

“As a fiscal conservative, there would be inherent savings in using one district for the county,” Van Dyke said. “I would support it, because I like to save money.”

What do you think about North Bend and Coos Bay partnering on programming for students?

“In special areas of education, it would make sense to combine student bodies,” Van Dyke said, adding that he is impressed by a program that has been kicked off by Southwestern Community College that fosters program and resource sharing. “Why have two or three when (one) good one would satisfy all the requirements?”

Tom Hibbert

Education: A graduate of Glacier High School, Highline Community College, Central Washington State College, University of Oregon and Portland State University, Hibbert holds bachelor's and master's degrees in education as well as an administrative certificate.

Elected experience: None. In addition to years working as a school counselor for Coos Bay and other school districts, Hibbert has served as the president of the North Bend Lions Club, the North Bend Budget Committee and worked with the North Bend Parks & Recreation Board and served as the director of the Coos County Historical & Maritime Museum. He currently serves as the chairman of the North Bend Library Board and Foundation board, chairs the city's Save Our Pool committee and is the membership chairman for the North Bend Lions Club. One of his four children graduated from North Bend High School in 1999.

He said he is running for a seat on the School Board to improve the quality of education and to give back to the North Bend public schools that educated his daughter, Emily. He added he also was inspired to due to the lack of candidates in the school board election.

His goals include providing financial stability for the district, offering more vocational programs to non-college bound students, maintaining school buildings, de-emphasizing government regulations in the field of education and increasing physical education offerings, such as more swimming lessons at the North Bend Municipal Pool.

Have school and district administration handled the recent bomb threats appropriately?

“I think they have. What do you do when you have some message or call? It could be real or bogus,” Hibbert said. “I think they should follow their own policy.”

He said he believes North Bend High School's new attendance policy should be more flexible so students' situations can be judged on a case-by-case basis, rather than immediately sending them to the multipurpose room for being tardy.

“There are exceptions to any rule,” Hibbert said.

Would you support another charter school in the district?

“I wouldn't support a charter school that diminishes the effectiveness of education for all students,” Hibbert said. “To me, public schools should offer a comprehensive, wide range of classes that educate the needs of all children. There should be classes for everyone in between.”

Would you support a one-district county?

“Not at this time. There are cities or towns (that) want to control their own school district, that want to maintain their identity and close relationships with the schools. Bulldogs like being Bulldogs, Pirates like being Pirates.”

What do you think about North Bend and Coos Bay partnering on programming for students?

“I think it's great. I think if a student at North Bend wants to study Latin at Marshfield, more power to them. The school districts shouldn't be barriers to each other. We are in the same lifeboat here.”

Aaron Simons

Education: Graduate of Bandon High School.

Elected experience: None, although Simons has experience helping formulate budgets through his 21 years of employment at the port. He also has coached for youth soccer and baseball teams. He said he chose to run because he hasn't agreed with some of the programs that have been discontinued under extensive budget cuts.

“I can make a difference ... just to help the kids and the teachers. I think they need to have some support,” Simons said. “They seem to keep cutting into activities for the kids. I'd like to see them support the (municipal pool).”

Like several of the other candidates, Simons said he also was moved to get involved when he learned that no one was running for School Board.

He said his top goals are to balance class sizes, and to offer more athletic opportunities to students. He said he is also concerned by cuts to student busing.

“I would like to see it reduced to a manageable number. If it takes hiring more teachers, find a way to fund it,” Simons said, suggesting that grants could be obtained to pay for other district projects, so other funds could be used to support teachers.

Have school and district administration handled the recent bomb threats appropriately?

“Yes, I do. I like the way they have changed policies with the kids being tardy and absent. It has made the kids more accountable and it has helped them to keep the situation under control.”

Would you support another charter school in the district?

“It's freedom of choice if you want you son or daughter to go to a different school. You should have that choice,” Simons said. “I don't think it will hurt (enrollment) as much as people think.”

Would you support a one-district county?

“I'm not totally against it. I would have to see what the overall results would be financially before I can make an actual honest decision,” Simons said. “If it would save taxpayers money, it's definitely something worth investigating.

“I'm a taxpayer and I want my tax dollars spent properly and to stretch as far as possible.”

What do you think about North Bend and Coos Bay partnering on programming for students?

“I'm not against that,” Simons said, adding that he would like to see how it could benefit the students. “That's what this is about, anyway. It's about our kids.”