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.
If you live outside of Saline County check with your local elections officer for election deadlines.
The General Election is Tuesday, November 7th. Polls on election day will be open from 7 a.m to 7 p.m.
J.D. Garber
What is your Age?
41
What is your profession?
Sales associate, Farm Bureau Financial Services
Are you an incumbent?
No
Give a brief bio on yourself in 100 words or less.
My name is J.D. Garber and I am a Sales Associate at Farm Bureau Financial Services. I am a people person and enjoy working with our clients. I graduated from Kansas State University in 2005 with a bachelor's degree in secondary education. While teaching and coaching in USD 305 I earned my master's degree from Emporia State in education administration in 2012. I taught English and Journalism for 15 years at Salina Central. My wife Lindsay and I have three children; Marcella, Gabby, and Jett.
As a school board member what specific initiatives or policies would you prioritize or improve educational outcomes and support the overall well-being of students in our community?
As a school board member, I believe we have a unique opportunity in USD 307. I’m from a small town rural high school and loved the education I received there. I would prioritize teacher and support staff recruitment as well as facility improvement. Building on the excellent staff and history in Brookville is key to developing an outstanding learning environment.
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 believe there are bigger issues for us to focus on in education and in our student's lives. I love reading and appreciate the dialogue we can have as teachers, parents, and students when we find content that exposes the reality of the world we live in.
Parental engagement and community involvement are crucial for the success of any school district. What strategies would you implement to increase collaboration between parents and educators?
I completely agree and believe parental engagement and community involvement are very important. I also feel that in today’s educational system communication must be clear, easily accessible, and from multiple sources. USD 307 administration is already communicating in multiple ways and we will continue to look at improving this. Families in 307 need to be in our school. I would hope to improve parent/teacher conferences as well as encourage our leaders to create ways for parents to participate in their student's education.
Please explain why you are running for city commission.
I am running for school board because I believe I can help improve the educational experience in USD307. I also have two students attending school in our district. I’m excited for the opportunity to find ways to rethink rural education. As a longtime Salina based educator I’m looking forward to being back in the school system.