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.
Janea Dinkel
Age: 46 years old
Occupation: Registered nurse/health coach
Incumbent: I am currently serving on the school board
Do you have children or grandchildren who attend(ed) Victoria schools?
I have four children, two have graduated from Victoria, and two currently attending and are in the sixth grade and a junior in high school
Why are you running for school board?
I am running for school board for the students. I think that each student possesses the capability to be great. I believe that with support, guidance, and educational opportunities can achieve greatness, or even beyond. We as a school board need to continue to identify areas where we are not meeting those needs and address them. But, also search for ways to improve the educational experience of each student, so that they can achieve their own personal success.
If you had one thing you could change about the USD 432 school district, what would it be?
Change is an action or thought that produces some result. To some change is adjusting, building, challenging, transforming, upgrading, but also unknown and scary. I would like to change the stigma that “change” is a bad thing. Each day things are changing in our district, and at the end of the day we want those changes to help make the students feel safe, a sense of belonging, and also successful.
What is your opinion of the Victoria USD 432 administration? Do you think you could work with the current administration moving forward?
The administration at USD 432 is high-performing in many ways. Committed, goal-setting, passionate, solution-oriented, and strong leader are a few objectives to describe the administration. Student safety and success are the priority, and finding opportunities to make these a reality are of upmost importance. Administration is approachable and encourages and empowers staff to academically grow to achieve their own leadership roles and positive change. I currently serve on the school board and feel that I can continue to have a positive influence on the district along with the administration.
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 am currently serving on the school board. I, along with the other board members, contribute my own unique talents and visions while collaborating as a team. We have listened to the needs of the students, teachers, parents, community, and building needs. We have updated and implemented new curriculum. Improved communication by having a Facebook page, posted board agendas online, and updated handbook and policies. Security cameras were updated and more added. We did increase the base salary and have added an assistant principal.
What do you think the board’s role should be in the day-to-day operations of the district?
The school board plays an important role in keeping the school on track and setting policies that affect our children and school. The school board also sets the vision and goals for the district and keeps them accountable for results. As school board members, we are responsible for making sure administrators lead our teachers and staff in the direction of the district putting out successful and well-educated students.
What are your opinions of the school district’s discipline policies and how they have been applied?
The discipline policies are looked at on a regular basis in the district. Technology, social media, and the world in general keeps changing it seems by the minute. You can have the “best” policies put in place, but then you have an unexpected situation occur that does not fit under a certain policy. I believe administration has done what they could with the current policies in place, and have noticed the need for them to be revised as well.
What do you think the school district should do to improve student test scores and academic performance?
The fact of the matter is that it is a collaborative effort to improve test scores and academic performance. Students and parents play an intricate role in this process by preparing, studying, and seeking out assistance from teachers when problems arise. Higher test scores can happen if we realize the process is a collaboration.