R-IV School Board: Angela Mutert

Director of operations at Equal Mortgage Corp, Foristell, MO resident and mother of three, Angela Mutert is campaigning to become one of three Board of Education candidates to be elected on April 5.

Mutert, 37, has lived in the school district since she was in fourth grade. With one of her three children graduated from and another attending South Middle School, Mutert has volunteered for the PTA and the PTO.

The candidate's 8-year-old daughter attends , where Mutert has also volunteered.

As the staff appreciation coordinator at Boone Trail in 2009, Mutert planned breakfasts, lunches, dance lessons and games for a weeklong event showing gratitude toward the school's professional educators.

With the people between 2000 to 2010, growth has become a major concern in the school district, with measures like Proposition 3 under consideration to help fund a new high school and build additional class rooms in the middle and elementary schools.

Despite the growth in population, a loss of revenue due to state funding cuts has become problematic, Mutert said. As a result, keeping a vigilant eye on the school district budget has become a necessity, more now than ever.

"Properties values are declining," Mutert said. "It costs more to operate buses. Financially, we could be in trouble. I think the housing market and all the foreclosures definitely are not helping."

Mutert said she is on the lookout for ways to save the district money and is the type of candidate who, if elected, would not simply go with the flow.

"I'm not afraid to stop and ask a question," she said. "'Does this make sense?' 'Is this a good solution?' I'm not afraid to go against the grain."

An example of a cost-saving measure that the board of education failed to consider came up at a recent meeting. Along with several other items, the board approved spending approximately $60,000 on planners for students to use, Mutert said.

"How many of them end up in the lost and found? Is it an expense that we really are benefiting from?" Mutert asked. "I would like to have tabled that and done some more research. I have a middle school student, and half the time he doesn’t know where it's at."

Teachers' compensation could also use some work, Mutert said.

"They spend more time with our children sometimes than we do as parents," she said. "We have to do things to get good teachers to our district...With property values where they are, our tax rate may not be as high as some of the St. Louis County schools. Other schools might offer a higher salary."