2024 Voter Guide – SCHOOL BOARD

Debbie Blue Bird

Donna Moore

If elected to the School Board, what will your top priorities be in office?

I am a Christian and 100% conservative.

One of my top priorities will be to represent the interests of students, families and educators by fostering academic excellence through traditional curriculum. I want every student to thrive.

I will also be promoting policies to minimize disruptions in the classroom. As an advocate for teaching the basics (such as reading, math, science, history, English studies and social studies) I hope to keep woke ideologies out of the classroom.

As parents and schools work together to educate children in your district, a partnership must be built between the two parties. In your view, what should this partnership look like?

Encouraging parents to engage in their child’s education by facilitating open communication. Parents are key to their child’s education.

Vince Vidal

Troy Carr

Kate Thomas

If elected to the School Board, what will your top priorities be in office?

My personal top priorities will be a focus on academics and minimizing distractions for students. I would like to see the board focus on how to make education more meaningful, and appropriate for every student. We have ways to close the achievement gap that some of our students have. We also need to do more for the students that are struggling with dyslexia and other disabilities. One and five has dyslexia or some other disability, That’s 20% of our students. We have made some headway for these students, but much more could be done. We can minimize distractions by focusing on curriculum and less on social agendas and trends. I think it’s important for us to recognize the effects that screentime has on young people. Minimizing phones and computers will help students to focus on academics.

As parents and schools work together to educate children in your district, a partnership must be built between the two parties. In your view, what should this partnership look like?

In my view, this is the most important partnership in education. Parents are the first educators in their childrens’ lives. Parents should never feel intimidated, but always welcome to share their thoughts and worries about their children. Administration and teachers build trust with parents by taking comments and questions from parents seriously. This can be overwhelming for the schools, however, but at least an acknowledgment from the schools to the parents would be greatly appreciated. I find that the best relationships, even when not always agreeing, are when they are face to face as much as possible. When our buildings and classrooms are welcoming to the parents, they’ll be welcoming to the children.

Katy Urban

If elected to the School Board, what will your top priorities be in office?

1.  Communication – Effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful organization. I’m committed to ensuring that every voice is heard, and every message is acknowledged, because the will of the people should always inform decision-making at the board level.
2. Recruiting and Retaining Teacher and Support Staff – teachers are undeniably the linchpin of academic achievement. To foster the success of our students, it’s imperative that we prioritize the recruitment and professional growth of top-tier educators and support staff.
3. Safe schools.  The safety and well-being of our students are non-negotiable priorities. It’s concerning that a significant portion of our schools lack secure entrances, and some buildings are teetering on the brink of potential emergency closures due to infrastructure vulnerabilities. We must urgently address these issues to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for our students. 

As parents and schools work together to educate children in your district, a partnership must be built between the two parties. In your view, what should this partnership look like?

Building a strong partnership between parents and schools is crucial for the success of our children’s education. This partnership should be characterized by open communication, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to student well-being and academic achievement.

Parents should feel empowered to provide feedback on various aspects of their child’s education, including policies, curriculum, and their child’s progress and learning style. It’s essential for schools to value and actively seek out community input, incorporating it into strategic planning and decision making processes.

Similarly, teachers and school leaders should maintain transparent and frequent communication with parents, explaining the rationale behind policies and curriculum choices to foster mutual understanding and trust. By demonstrating a presumption of positive intentions and a willingness to listen and respond to concerns, we can cultivate a collaborative environment where all stakeholders work together towards the common goal of providing the best possible education for our children.

Mitch Kleinsasser

Patricia Duffy

Shaun Cronin

Shirley Swanson

Linda Bordeaux

Michelle Allen

Amanda Riley

Michael Phelan

Corey L Thomason

Rachel E Olson