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Townsend District #1 School Board Candidates Discuss Their Qualifications For Office
Author: Nancy Marks, MT43 News Reporter

Nancy Marks

MT43 News Reporter

With one new face in school politics, two incumbent Townsend School District #1 board members will vie for two three-year positions. Jean Hodges is running for one of the two seats against incumbents Chase Ragen and Jason Kool.

Judy Gillespie, who was appointed to fill Vanessa Flynn’s one- year term after Flynn resigned early, will be elected by acclamation.

Jean M. Hodges, age 70, moved to Townsend to retire and to be near her daughter and grandchildren in 2020 from LaGrand, Oregon. Hodges has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and is a Certified Public Accountant. She has worked as an internal auditor for corporations and agencies, including as an auditor for the State of Oregon. She also worked as a comptroller for the municipality of Juneau, Alaska. She has extensive knowledge reporting to federal and state agencies.

From a family of teachers, Hodges understands the importance of board trustees communicating and understanding the needs of teachers and staff. She favors students’ opportunities to take college-level courses as well as have access to extracurricular clubs and activities. She would encourage the school to beef up its courses in the trades: "We need more emphasis in the trades so students have alternatives to college.”

Jason Kool, age 39, if elected, will serve his second term as trustee. Jason, along with his wife Heidi and their two children, operates a cattle operation in Lone Mountain Area. Originally from Iowa, Kool has a bachelor’s degree in animal biology and a minor in law enforcement. He finished his education with a master’s degree in natural resources. He currently serves as program manager for Fish, Wildlife and Parks Hunting Access Division. He heads a 40-member staff and administrates a $19 million budget for the agency, which manages the Block Management Program.

Kool emphasized he has worked in the public service arena for his entire career.

“I have two children in Townsend Schools and feel passionate about public service,” he said.

In his second term, should he be re-elected, he would prioritize continuing improvements to school safety, including re-establishing the school resource officer. He would like to see the school push academic success, including encouraging students to graduate. He emphasized his thoughts about student health: “I feel we should seek ways to help support students both physically and emotionally – including increased use of local foods/beef, reduced screen time and securing funding for a school nurse.”

Chase Ragen, age 49, has filed for his second term as trustee. Ragen, a 1994 graduate of Broadwater High School, has a long history with the school as his mother, father and grandfather graduated from the school. He and his wife, Daniella, have three children currently attending. Their oldest, Devinn, graduated in 2015. Ragen has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a master’s degree in strategic studies from the U.S. Army War College. He is a Colonel in the Montana Army National Guard, currently serving as the G4 Director of Logistics.

If elected to a second term, Ragen said his biggest priority will be to bring the Safety Resource Officer (SRO) back to the school. “If you don’t have a safe school, everything else is a moot point,” he emphasized.

Quality of education is another of Ragen’s priorities: he would like to reimplement a program to give teachers a forum to improve their teaching skills. Superintendent Brad Racht facilitated the program during his stint as Middle School Principal. “The program really bore fruit with teachers doing well,” he explained.

The program goes hand in hand with talent enhancement. He said, “We acknowledge our top performers, but at the same time help those not meeting the standards by strengthening their abilities to meet our expectations.”

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Image 1 Caption: Jean Hodges, Candidate for School Board Trustee Photos Provided
Image 2 Caption: Jason Kool, Incumbent Running for School Board Trustee Photos Provided
Image 3 Caption: Chase Ragen, Incumbent running for School Board Trustee Photos Provided