6 community members vie for 3 open BOE seats

Voters within the lines of the Haxtun School District will be asked to choose three candidates to fill vacant seats on the local Board of Education. Six candidates are vying for the three open slots, including incumbents Audree Edwards and Jay Wisdom as well as Cole Fix, ChristiAnne Gibson, Dean Michael and Spencer Holcomb.

The six candidates running for a seat on the Haxtun Board of Education plan to attend at Meet and Greet event slated for Friday, Oct. 22 from 4-6 p.m. at the Haxtun Community Center. Each candidate will give a short, five-minute introduction and be available for questions and communication with community members. Light refreshments will be provided.

The Haxtun-Fleming Herald asked each candidate to submit responses to three questions about their decision to run for the local school board. Their response to each question are below; answers are printed in order of names as they appear on the official voting ballot:

• Why are you running for the Board of Education? If elected, what will be your priorities?

Fix: I am running for school board because I care about the success and future of our students. Success outside of school begins in the classroom. I am a parent to three young children and I am fully invested in the future of our District and the success of our students.

My priorities will be working with staff, fellow school board members and administration to set goals for our students to help them reach their full potential. That starts with support for our teachers and doing what is necessary to hire and retain quality staff. Another priority of mine will be student education and ensuring things like CRT or any type of indoctrination is not introduced in our educational system.

Gibson: I feel we all have a civic duty to fill and I am ready to take my turn. I am fully vested in making sure our next generation of children have a good education and the tools they need to survive in this world. We have a history of excellence in our Haxtun Schools because of the staff and administration. However, many of our teachers and administrators are at retirement age and I want to ensure that in this time of transition that we continue to hold our new staff to the high expectations and standards that reflect our community’s interests and morals.

If elected, my priorities would be to ensure fiscal responsibility through balanced budget spending, preserve the assets that we already have in both human resources and fixed assets such as buildings, buses and technology equipment as well as ensure a reasonable maintenance and rotational schedule for these assets and perhaps most importantly, ensure that the values of our community are being weighed and represented in our schools. The Administrator’s job is to run the school and represent the school to the Board. A Board Member’s job is to represent the taxpayer and it’s community to the Administrator. I sincerely wish to represent what is important to each member in our community in a fair and judicious manner.

Michael: Once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog. I am proud to say that I went to school in Haxtun. Because of the education I received here, I have been able to take on any challenge that has come my way. I want to be a part of insuring that today's students continue to get that high level of quality education. I believe that all students should have the equal opportunity to learn, to develop critical thinking skills and to study the things that interest them most. Students need to not only be given the opportunity to prepare for college or trade school, but for life.

Wisdom: I am running for re-election to the Haxtun Board of Education because I want to continue to make our school one of the best in the state. We as a board have made great progress by enhancing student success and providing a great place for our students to learn. We have put Chromebooks in every student’s hands and have put smart boards in every classroom. With the support of the community, we now have a new middle school, heating and air conditioning system throughout the building and an updated gym with heat and air and bleachers. I am proud of the progress our school has made and would like to continue to serve on the Board.

If I am elected, my priorities will be to continue to help solve the issues of our school. I will support the early education programs that have been established. There needs to be additional space in our school to make these programs better for our students and staff. We have worked hard to keep class sizes as small as possible and have hired additional staff. We need more classrooms to continue this goal. It will take some forward thinking and vision to work through these issues.

Edwards: I am running for school board because I love the Haxtun community and have a passion for education. Having three young children of my own, two of which are in elementary school, I am personally invested in this district and its success for many years to come. My career as a school social worker has given me an appreciation for and deeper understanding of the education system. I was fortunate enough to join the school board two years ago to fill a mid-term vacancy. Over the past two years I feel that our district has made a lot of great progress and I am excited about the direction Haxtun is headed.

If elected, my priorities will be to work alongside our talented and knowledgeable staff to improve instruction and accountability and to improve outcomes and provide quality programming for our students with disabilities. We have such a richly experienced staff, something that I think is unique to our district that we can continue to use to our advantage. I believe I speak on behalf of all our community when I say that I want all students to receive the best education. To do that we must continue providing quality professional development and tools for our staff needed to reach our diverse student needs and populations.

Holcomb: I am running for HDSB because it takes a community effort to achieve a great functioning district. If elected, I believe I could bring great insight to the budget, which is a priority of mine as well as finding, funding programs that benefit the students as well as the district.

• Is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve on the board of education?

Fix: If there is anything we learned from last year, it is that we need to stand up for our students and get involved. I have been motivated to run for school board after seeing the struggles and grief our students went through last year having to wear masks and being quarantined at home from their fellow classmates and out of the extra-curricular activities. I want to do my best to make sure our students never have to go through another situation like that again. I believe our students lost a huge part of their lives; missing important class time, one-on-one time with teachers, sports, traditions and overall just being a kid.

Gibson: We have a lot of transition happening in the administration of our schools this year and as a business professional, I think that I can add value to the Board in providing guidance through my experience and financial expertise. I have spent years analyzing financial reports for both non-profit and for-profit organizations and I want to ensure fiscal responsibility at the local level. I also feel motivated to serve on the Board of Education because we have seen a lot of changes coming down from the State level over the last few years. Some of these things have benefited us and there are some mandates and changes to the curriculum that many in the community do not agree with. Again, I want to make sure that our community has a voice that is represented at the local level, and if necessary, at the State level. We are an important piece of our State’s economy and we should not be overlooked just because our population is small.

Michael: I was probably not the easiest student, however, I had excellent teachers to guide me through school. One of the reasons that they were able to do such a great job was the excellent support they were given by the administration and the board. The teacher should be in charge of the classroom, not the students. That can only happen when the teacher knows that they are not going to have their disciplinary decisions second guessed or ignored. Our kids need to be challenged, not coddled. Loved, not overprotected. Encouraged, not over-rewarded.

Not only do our teachers need to be supported in the classroom, they should be properly compensated as well. We are a small school with a budget to match but, we must be able to attract and retain the best talent possible. I look forward to insuring that our tax dollars are spent in such a manner that we get the best benefit for the students, which includes having the best teachers. Our children need to be educated, not indoctrinated.

Wisdom: The biggest issue that motivates me is to be sure that each and every student gets the best education that he or she can get, whether they go on to an ivy league college or to be ready to enter the workforce after graduating from our school. This can only happen by working with our community, parents and the students themselves.

Edwards: I am passionate about mental health and positive school climate. I do not believe we can adequately educate our children without the school being a place of safety, connection and high expectations. This is true for both students and staff. If we can continue to strive for a positive school climate, then success in the classrooms, on the court, on the stage, and in the real world will follow suit. I want Haxtun to be known for its high quality education, students of good character and community of positive support.

Holcomb: I am interested in being involved in the decision making process of the education of our future generations. We have an evolving tech world that is moving faster and faster, we need to keep up.

• What attributes and behaviors are essential for school board members?

Fix: Attributes I think that are important for being a member of any local board include communication, listening to the staff, administration and community members as well as the ability to stand up and be a leader.

Gibson: A good school board member needs to be able to do their homework, study the issues at hand, read the law or policies that are in place and not be afraid to challenge or change those policies if they do not fit anymore. We live in an ever-changing world that requires flexibility and adaptability to get better. Good discussion and research often attain the best decisions. Listen to all sides of an argument before one makes a decision on the best way to proceed. A good board member seeks the qualified opinion of many viewpoints and considers the impact on all the constituents before making a major decision.

Michael: The Haxtun community is absolutely outstanding in their support for our kids. We need to make sure that same level of support applies to academics as well as sports and programs. It takes a village and as a board member I look forward to receiving constructive input from anyone. The board is there to represent the best interests of the parents and the students. The board has to be able to make the choices necessary to insure that our school and our students have the brightest future possible.

Wisdom: Truly believe that all students are capable of learning. Show up. Bring your ideas. Be prepared for each meeting by reading the board packet. Listen to all ideas that people have, even if you might not agree with them. Have the courage to ask questions and dissent when you feel it is necessary for the good of the school and students. Remember you are only one of seven members on the board. Support decisions that are made by the board. Support and attend the activities of the school.

Edwards: As a school board member, it is important to act with integrity and collaboration. Not one opinion is more important than another. Teamwork is the only way to truly have a successful board. Members should be open-minded, as nobody knows the school and education system better than our staff. All of these are qualities that I believe I possess. It has been a privilege to serve this community and a duty I have not taken lightly. I have appreciated the opportunity to serve and I hope to continue this role for another four years.

Holcomb: I believe we need School Board members that are responsible and willing to listen to the students, parents, school staff and community. Then decipher what ideas are viable and what are not viable. One person cannot achieve as much as a dedicated group that all put forth community effort.