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.
Terry Dinkel
Age: 45
Profession: Small business owner/carpenter
Incumbent:
Do you have children or grandchildren who attend(ed) Victoria schools?
I have three children in the Victoria school district. My oldest daughter is a freshman at VHS, my son is an eighth grader at VMS and my youngest daughter is a fourth grader at VES.
Why are you running for school board?
I am running for school board because as a parent and a community member I wanted to get more involved and help make sure the district continues to grow and head in the right direction.
If you had one thing you could change about the USD 432 school district, what would it be?
If I had one thing I could change about the school district it would be to make sure that all people (students and staff) are held accountable for their actions.
What is your opinion of the USD 432 administration?
I believe the administration is doing the best they can with the situations that are presented to them.
Do you think you could work with the current administration moving forward?
Yes, I believe I can work with the current administration. There will always be disagreements, it is how you handle it and work together that matters.
What is your opinion of the current school board?
The current school board members are all good people. It is just a matter of different opinions. It is easy to be on the outside looking in.
Do you think you could compromise with the incumbents who will remain on the board?
Yes. I think I could compromise with no problems.
We all want what is best for our kids, even if what we think is best for them looks different.
What do you think the board’s role should be in the day-to-day operations of the district?
The board shouldn’t be responsible for the day-to-day operations. The board approves the hiring of the administration, teachers and staff. They are the ones who are there every day with the students and should know what is best.
What are your opinions of the school district’s discipline policies and how they have been applied?
Discipline and the details of what happens are confidential. As long as everyone is following what is in the policies, there shouldn’t be any issues.
What do you think the school district should do to improve student test scores and academic performance?
I believe the educators are there for a purpose, and they are the ones with the education and training and know what steps to take to improve test scores and academic performance. We need to trust their judgment and support them. Everyone has to work together. It also falls on the parents to make sure their students are doing the work and the students need to do their part.