Watershed Voice sent out questionnaires to over 30 candidates running for elected school board positions in St. Joseph County and the surrounding area. Leading up to the General Election on November 3, Watershed will publish the questionnaires as it receives them back from the candidates. Pamela Riley, a candidate for the School Board governing Centreville Public Schools, filled out our questionnaire. These are her answers.

Name: Pamela Riley

Age: 49

Address: 319 W. Charlotte Street, Centreville, MI 49032

Family (optional): 1 son upper elementary

Background/Bio:

I am a supportive mother of an 11-year-old son and sports enthusiast.  I have spent most of my life living in Centreville and St. Joseph county.  I am an experienced strategist, entrepreneur, and former business owner with over 20 years of experience and a proven record of generating and building sales, relationships, organic and acquisitional growth, designing marketing and educational strategies, and coaching individuals to success. Skilled in building cross-functional teams, demonstrating exceptional communication skills, and a creative problem solver.  I am a servant leader committed to developing and inspiring others to invest and give back to their communities.

Does your background include training or work, paid or unpaid, in education?

Yes

What was that experience?

I am a substitute teacher and I have spent time volunteering as a reading assistant giving students one on one reading experience to increase their accuracy and fluency. 

What are some of your successes, and what have been some learning moments?

Being a substitute teacher has given me a better perspective to the challenges the teachers and administrators face with academic performance.

Do you now or have you ever had children enrolled in the district where you are running?

Yes, I have a son in upper elementary.

How else do you currently participate, or have you participated in the past, in school district activities?

I am a volunteer with our PAC (Parent Advisory Committee).  I am also an active member on the Pandemic Instruction and Support Team which is a committee for the Re-opening School Task Force put in place by our Superintendent. Our family participates in and attends many athletic events.

How has your school district handled the pandemic in both the spring and fall of this year? If anything, what would you have done differently?

Our Superintendent, administrators and teachers worked very quickly and diligently in the spring to keep our students engaged and learning during that time of uncertainty.  When our district opened this fall, our Superintendent (along with input from the school board, teachers, administrators, and the community) put together a comprehensive plan that gave our families/students multiple learning options while keeping safety a top priority.  I am extremely pleased with the outcome of our district’s plan.

Outside of the pandemic, what are currently the most important challenges your school district faces? How do you plan to address those challenges?

Improvements to buildings, campus, test scores, and budgets are always important topics. If elected, I look forward to learning about all these topics that are in progress and add my experience to their advancement.

How does running for the school board fit your broader views and ethics?

As a committed member of the community, I want to be instrumental in ensuring our high standards for education and test scores continues to improve so that our students succeed in life. 

Why is education important to you?

As someone who has earned bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate degrees, I believe it’s important to try to instill in our children that learning/education is lifelong.  We may not always be learning in a formal educational setting, but hopefully we are able to foster the curiosity and motivation to keep learning. 

Is there anything else the community should know about you?

I’m excited for the opportunity to server our school district and students.  With our school district being 43% school of choice, I’d like to continue to make Centreville a desirable choice to be a Bulldog.