By: GABE GRANT
What do you feel are the 3 most important issues facing the Salina Education community that the USD 305 School Board should focus on?
Student Achievement and Success – These items, including test scores, daily absences, kindergarten readiness, and graduation rate, are reviewed by the board as we make budget decisions and set goals for the district.Staff Recruitment & Retention – This is a concern everywhere. Any success we achieve here will likely be replicated elsewhere, as all school districts are competing for the same shrinking pool of talent. Work must be done to bolster the perception of teaching as a career, and it must be done at a higher level than just Salina Public Schools.Budget Pressure – An ever-tightening budget and an ever-growing to-do list from the state legislature and our community are on a collision course for disaster. District staff and the board have worked for many years to maintain services for students with ever-increasing costs each year and stagnant funding streams. State funding keeps pace with inflation, but the decline in the number of students in our community will necessitate tough decisions.
What motivated you to run for office and how does that motivation relate to the top 3 issues you want to focus on if elected?
When I first ran and was elected to this position in 2017, our public school system was in the midst of unrest with a messy leadership transition, an interim superintendent, and a lack of trust between the board, district leadership, and staff. Rebuilding partnerships between the Salina Public Schools board, district, and building leadership and staff has brought consistency and trust back to our system. I strive to bring steady leadership with a focus on student success and a commitment to making sound fiscal decisions with the resources devoted to education by our community.
If elected, how will you ensure that your decisions and actions put the best interests of the education community first?
Our community helped set a new vision, mission, and strategic plan goals for Salina Public Schools in 2020. Vision: The vision of the Salina Public Schools is to transform Salina and the world.Mission: The mission of the Salina Public Schools is to be the best place to learn and work by embracing challenges, creating belonging, fostering pride, and inspiring hope.Goal 1 - Increase students' communication skillsGoal 2 - Increase students' critical thinking skillsGoal 3 - Increase students' social-emotional skillsAs board and district leaders, we keep these items in clear focus as we make decisions that will affect our students and staff.
What life experiences have best prepared you to serve as a school board member, and how will those experiences guide your work in this role?
We have a diverse board with a range of backgrounds and perspectives, and we work together to lead Salina Public Schools. Discussion and compromise are imperative in building leadership and trust. Having been a student in this school system and now a business owner in this community, I only want to see success for our students and, in turn, Salina.