CALUMET – Melanie Parker thinks the Public Schools of Calumet, Laurium & Keweenaw provide an excellent education for its students, and she wants to return to the Board of Education to help the district continue that excellence.

Parker, who is running for re-election on the Nov. 8 general election ballot for a six-year term, said in an e-mail response to questions about her decision to seek re-election, two years ago she was elected as a write-in candidate.

“I believe our school district is wonderful and provides great opportunities for our students,” she said of her reason for running two years ago. “It has been a pleasure to be part of that, and learn all that goes in to running a school district. I would like those opportunities to continue for CLK students.”

Parker said there are many things good about the district.

“Our teachers and staff are very dedicated to our students, they work very hard all year long to be excellent educators,” she said. “The educational opportunities in our district, such as the Early College Program and its success. The program in 2013-14 and next year we will have 170 students enrolled in Gogebic Community College through the EC program, and 51 of those students will be fifth-year students, and 119 will be juniors and seniors at Calumet High School.”

The quality of students at C-L-K is excellent, also, Parker said.

“Since being on the board I have been impressed over and over by the students,” she said. “Last year we had many students competing at the national levels in robotics in St. Louis, Business Professionals of America in Boston, JROTC Leadership team in Washington, D.C., and student Zander Worm competed in the National Spelling Bee in Washington.”

As with most school districts in the state, funding issues are a concern for the C-L-K Board of Education.

“State funding is and will remain an issue for CLK and other districts in our area,” she said. “This is (an issue) until the Legislature and the governor get serious about making K-12 education a priority in the state.”

Parker said according to to a recent Michigan Education Finance Study which the legislature requested, K-12 funding is not adequate or equitable in Michigan.

A consistent standard state assessment test is needed, also, Parker said.

“In the last two years we have gone from the MEAP test to the M-STEP assessment and then after this year the test will change again,” she said. “You can’t hold districts accountable if you keep changing the playing field ever other year. And it is frustrating for the students who are taking these tests.”

The district needs to keep up with technology advances to provide the best education possible for students, Parker said.

“Technology is moving fast and furious today,” she said. “I feel CLK has been a state leader when it comes to technology in our classrooms. We have adopted a 1:1 computer program in 2011-12 in grades 4-12 and were one of the first districts in the state to do so.”

This school year, Parker said the district will be implementing a new Learning Management System(LMS) called Schoology.

“I feel this will have a big impact on our district and how we do everyday business,” she said.

Parker said she lives in Calumet with her husband, Brad, and their two children. She is a registered nurse at UP Health System-Portage Homecare and Hospice.