Hays Post
The Hays Post will be publishing a series of profiles introducing the community to the 10 candidates who are running for Hays USD 489 school board.
Those candidates are David Clingan, James Feyerherm, Jayme Goetz, Lori Hertel, Craig Pallister, Allen Park, Ruth Ruder, Duff Watson, Dennis Wilkie and Derek Yarmer.
The Hays Post sent questionnaires to the candidates asking for biographical information and why they chose to run for school board.
Not enough candidates filed for the school board to require a primary. The general election will be Nov. 7. The voter registration deadline for the general election is Oct. 17.
Allen Park
Age: 61
Profession: Retired USD 489 elementary principal. I currently work as a licensed insurance agent and work for UPS part-time.
Are you an incumbent? If so, years served? Yes, I am currently serving the fourth year of my term.
Do you have children or grandchildren who attend Hays public school?
Alexandria, Breanna, Brittani and Nicolas attended USD 489 schools, prek-12 grade. All four graduated from Hays High School. We were blessed to have our children in USD 489 schools continuously for 27 years.
Please give a brief bio on yourself in 100 words or less.
I come from a family of educators. My mom was an elementary teacher and my dad was a teacher, principal and superintendent. The field of education is very important to my family.
My wife, Patti, has also been in education for 33 years.
I received a BS in Industrial Education and Elementary Education, along with my MS in Education Administration from Fort Hays State University. I have worked in education for over 35 years. I have served USD 489 for 31 years working as a paraprofessional, K-12 teacher, coach, migrant director, transition coordinator, and 25 years as the Washington Elementary Principal.
Please explain why you are running for school board in 500 words or less.
It has been an honor serving on USD 489 school board for the last 3 1/2 years.
Our district has seen a number of positive improvements. In the past three years, we haven’t gone to an impasse with the teachers. With the recently passed bond, the facilities are being replaced and repaired to serve the students, staff and families of our district. More teachers have been hired to help keep class size down to make it more manageable for teachers to reach each student. Another positive improvement the district has made is to reduce student fees, which helps families during these tight financial times.
For decades, the district has been a leader in technology. I will continue to support technology needs at all levels. We must give teachers the tools and training they need to prepare students to be successful at their current level so they can continue to build the skills needed.
I will continue to ask questions and learn about the budget to ensure fiscal responsibility with taxpayer dollars. It is imperative to work collaboratively with other board members to openly review and discuss all budget items and ask the question: “Does this aid in academic student achievement?”
I will strive, whenever possible, to support our local businesses in purchasing products and services. I will find ways to improve our budget through appropriate cuts from unnecessary spending, through grant writing, looking for partnerships within the community and using our own facilities to the best financial efficiency.
Communication is so important and can always be improved between the board, administration, teachers, parents, students, and community members. Good communication and being more transparent builds trust with all stakeholders. I will look for more opportunities for frequent and open communication.
Being on the board, I have learned a great deal about state statutes, policies and procedures. I have attended many conferences, workshops and meetings concerning being a board member.
Some of the topics include budget, school law, teacher retention and negotiations. This investment of time has been very valuable to me serving on the board. I was recently nominated and selected to be a part of a cohort group called Leadership for Tomorrow, sponsored by Kansas Association of School Boards. It consists of 24 board members, principals, superintendents, special education directors and businesses across Kansas. These 12 days of opportunities throughout the year have provided insight on topics such as new school buildings, successful school programs, school safety and partnerships that strengthen school districts.
If elected, I will continue to put “kids and families first." This is my belief, and I will refer back to this on all decisions made as a school board member.
My experience as an educator at all levels is to ask the question "Is it best for kids?" If the answer is yes, it can't be wrong.
It has been a privilege serving as your school board member, and with your help, it would be an honor to serve the next four years.