Signal Hill school board candidate: James Enyart

Name: James “ Jay” Enyart

City of residence: Belleville

Age: 42

Family status: Married, one child

Education: Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, bachelor of science in psychology, master of science in kinesiology; Logan College of Chiropractic, Doctor of Chiropractic

Occupation: Biology instructor; Lindenwood University Belleville and St. Louis Community College Meramec

Political party: N/A

Office sought: Board Member Signal Hill School

Previously held offices: None

What qualifies you for this position?

“My family has a strong dedication to education. My wife and I are both educators. I currently teach for Lindenwood University Belleville and St. Louis Community College and my wife, Tanya, teaches at Emge Junior High school in Belleville. In addition, I operated a small business in the west end of Belleville for approximately seven years. I believe my academic background and work experience qualify me for this position. In addition, we have a young child enrolled at Signal Hill School. I believe I can bring to the school board a unique perspective as an educator, home owner, taxpayer in the district and as a student parent.”

What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it?

“Signal Hill School has been a unique institution and neighborhood anchor for West Belleville for decades. Signal Hill School has done an incredible job of maintaining small class sizes and providing tremendous educational opportunities for all of its students. These opportunities include technology in the classroom, arts, music, athletics and foreign language. I believe it is vital to continue offering these great educational opportunities in a financially responsible manner in order to provide students with a well-rounded education in preparation for the challenges of high school and the workplace.”

This story was originally published March 25, 2015 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Signal Hill school board candidate: James Enyart."