By SALINA POST
During the month of Oct. the Salina Post will be publishing a series of profiles introducing the community to the six Salina City Commission candidates and school board member candidates for USD 306, USD 305, and USD 307.
The Salina Post sent questionnaires to the candidates asking for biographical information, initiatives they hope to champion as a board member, and why they chose to run for school board.
The general election will be Nov. 7. The deadline to register for the 2023 Election is Oct. 17 before 8 p.m.
If you live outside of Saline County check with your local elections officer for election deadlines.
Mark Bandre
What is your age?
55, but Oct. 6 finds me turning 56
What is your profession?
I've served in various administrative ways at six private colleges over the last 35 years. Currently, I am in my seventh year at Bethany College. I also worked at Bethany from 1991-1995 so 11th year overall. My title is Dean of Academic Innovation, College Registrar, and Director of Financial Aid.
Are you an incumbent?
Yes. I am presently serving in my fourth year on the USD 305 School Board.
Give a brief bio on yourself in 100 words or less:
My wife and I are the parents of two grown sons both of whom completed a portion of their educations in Salina. We've lived here ten years and try to serve the community in a variety of ways. I hold a Doctor of Education in Educational leadership and highly value the difference education makes in each of our lives.
As a school board member, what specific initiatives or policies would you prioritize in order to improve educational outcomes and support the overall well-being of public school students in our community?
USD 305 is an extremely important part of our community for a variety of reasons. Certainly outcomes from the educational process that help students become confident, competent contributors to society is high on the list of what makes the school system crucial.
Very important for facilitating this educational process is the sense of safety and security that students, teachers, and staff feel when at school. Learning and development happens when students and teachers are able to focus on the academic topics at hand without worrying about all the myriad societal and daily life realities that each of us carry.
The school board and administration help facilitate such an environment by being good stewards of the budget and facilities, communicating with federal and state legislators about pertinent issues and needs, and diligently monitoring overall progress.
Should voters choose to re-elect me as a school board member, I intend to increase efforts to work with federal and state legislators so that policies and budgets from on high are realistic and in keeping with best educational practices.
I also hope to improve partnerships with other community entities to make an impact on the effects of poverty in Salina as students coming from fiscal insecurity are much less able to focus on learning and personal growth.
In recent years many books have been removed from the shelves of public libraries due to their alleged "inappropriate content." As a school board member where do you stand on this issue?
I am unequivocally opposed to removing books from library shelves. The ability to read and discern content is a crucial part of becoming a contributing member of the community and it should not be up to me or any individual to prevent others from having access to a book. For Salina school libraries, a policy and procedure is in place that enables parents to restrict access for their student which is completely appropriate.. Parental engagement and community involvement are crucial for the success of any school district.
What strategies would you implement to increase collaboration between parents, citizens, and educators?
In the time I've served on the school board, not a single complaint has come to me about collaboration between parents, citizens, and educators.
USD 305 administration, bolstered by board policy, does a tremendous job helping facilitate appropriate communication and involvement in the educational process and I see nothing on the horizon that would detract from this statement.
Certainly disagreements will exist along the way, but I find USD 305 collectively does a really nice job collaborating with all entities and taking appropriate steps to satisfactorily resolve issues that do appear.
I look forward to all opportunities to discuss what takes place in Salina public schools and believe together we can continue making sure USD 305 is the best place to learn and work
Why you are running for school board?
I seek re-election to the USD 305 school board in hopes of using my skills and knowledge to make a difference for others. Many, many things are going well in Salina and I would be honored to continue representing the electorate in this important way.
Check Salina Post on Tuesday and Thursday mornings in Oct. for additional local candidate profiles.