Hello. My name is Robert Mayer and I am running for the Mount Vernon School Board. My family has lived in Mount Vernon since 2011. My wife Melissa and I have two sons, Chris and Riley. Chris is a senior, and his first year of school in Mount Vernon was the 1st grade. Riley, a freshman, started preschool here in Mount Vernon. Melissa and I were both born and raised on farms just outside of Corsica and Armour South Dakota, both graduating from those schools. We know small town living and small town schools.
Our careers moved us to the Sioux Falls area for several years but then we had the opportunity to move to Mount Vernon. This was one of the best decisions we made as a family. Coming from small towns, we love the friendly atmosphere and conservative values. The best thing that we have come to love is our school here in Mount Vernon. The teachers are very caring and truly want to see our children succeed. We also love the competitive spirit we see in all of the sports programs we share here in Mount Vernon. We started here as huge Mustang fans and now Titans are who we are. We have a great sports coop with Plankinton and I hope that continues for generations to come.
As we all know, the last few years have been some very trying times, but here in South Dakota, we always come together and make things better. It’s no different at our Mount Vernon School. Our school administrators, and the school board, have had to make some very hard decisions the last few years and our school has continued to be successful. Also, there have been some very interesting policies that have made their way into schools recently, policies that go against our values as South Dakotans. Luckily, most of the problems other schools have seen are not problems in Mount Vernon, yet. It is my hope that I can join the school board and help guide our school through issues that affect our kid’s safety and education.
I have had a successful career working for the State of South Dakota, with the South Dakota Highway Patrol. With 25 years of service, I have seen many things from working the streets and highways to now managing personnel, plans, and budgets. I hope to bring my experience to our school board and keep our school district moving forward in a fiscally responsible manner. It is a school board’s job to give the best opportunities for our kids, so they can be successful in life. But at the same time, be responsible with the hard-earned tax dollars that come from the citizens of our school district. It is a balancing act and requires people with integrity and high ethical standards that are determined to do what is best for everyone they represent.
From the moment our children started school in Mount Vernon, we felt at home. We love our school, we participate in many events, and we show our school spirit any chance we get. As a member of the school board, it is my hope to continue the successes that have made this community great.
Thank you.
Rob Mayer