The Hays Post sent questionnaires to all the candidates who are running for seats on the Victoria USD 432 school board.
The candidates who will appear on the ballot include Janea Dinkel, Terry Dinkel, Haley Gagnon, Brenton Hoffman, Jacob Hunter, Douglas Kuh, Tammy Lichter, Matthew Orr, Morgan Pfeifer, Gregory Sander, Tammy Lee Schumacher.
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
To find your polling location, click here.
Haley Gagnon
Age: 27
Profession: Event coordinator and accounting assistant at Smoky Hills PBS
Incumbent:
Do you have children or grandchildren who attend(ed) Victoria schools?
I have twin boys who will attend Victoria in a few years. My sister and four nieces and nephews currently attend Victoria Elementary School.
Why are you running for school board?
USD 432 has always held a special place in my heart because my husband and I both graduated from Victoria. Now, as a mother of twin boys, it is even more important to me that my children attend the same school that their parents did. If elected, my goal would be to preserve and improve USD 432 so my children, and the other children in the community, have the opportunity for local education and support as they grow up. I’m extremely passionate about our school, our children, and their continued success
If you had one thing you could change about the USD 432 school district, what would it be?
I would change the perception of the district as a whole. USD 432 is thriving in so many positive ways. However, oftentimes it seems that only the negative things get attention. I would like to see the amazing parts of the district shine brighter than the criticism it faces. My goal is to bring attention to all of the great things happening in our district — big and small!
What is your opinion of the Victoria USD 432 administration? Do you think you could work with the current administration moving forward?
It can be hard to accept change, especially in a smaller community where many current students’ parents also attended school here. It’s easy to stay in the mindset of “We did it this way when I was here.” However, like everything else, as time passes things have to change to set students and staff up for success. I believe our administration works hard to facilitate the necessary changes to set our children up for success. Having an open mind and open communication between administrators and the school board will ensure continued success for USD 432 and its students.
What is your opinion of the current school board? Do you think you could compromise with the incumbents who will remain on the board?
I commend the current school board for handling the past year with grace. Taking on this role requires a lot dedication to our school district because the school board members face a lot of criticism and controversy. I believe the current board has taken their roles seriously with the goal of supporting our school. I am ready to hit the ground running and get in stride with the current board members as well as bring new and fresh ideas to the table. I am confident that I will be able to work with the incumbents because we all have a common goal of USD 432’s continued success.
What do you think the board’s role should be in the day-to-day operations of the district?
The board’s role in day-to-day operations is simple: to effectively support the administration, staff and, most importantly, the students. They should be available to the community and to the school as needed to listen and solve issues that arise.
What are your opinions of the school district’s discipline policies and how they have been applied?
The district’s teachers and administrators are faced with a difficult task in disciplinary actions because they are not only dealing with students, but also parents, in these situations. There will always be disagreements between parents and administrators on how discipline should be handled. However, the school board’s job is to support — not second guess — the administrators and teachers in their disciplinary decisions. In my opinion, the focus should first and foremost be to educate the students and set them up for success. Education of students includes conflict resolution and learning the consequences of their actions.
What do you think the school district should do to improve student test scores and academic performance?
This is such a difficult concept because every student learns and performs differently. The absolute best thing the district can do is encourage the students in their education! The board should also support the teachers and administrators who are on the front lines of these issues. The board should take heed of the teacher’s suggestions and concerns when it comes to these issues because they are the ones with the education and experience to lead our students to academic success.