Susan Knopf / Summit Daily News
Summit School District board members: Four-year term. Vote for four.
I’m friends with several of these people, so I’m just going
to share a few of their strong points. Largely I’m summarizing what the candidates
say about themselves.
Online, each candidates’ name is linked to their published
statements, or go to summitdaily.com/election to find coverage of the candidate
forum.
Summit County Education
Association endorses Chris Alleman, Emily Lutke, Gloria Quintero and
Consuelo Redhorse. For the record, I do not recommend this shortcut. Please
read through the column so you understand the candidates’ qualifications and skill
sets. We have some highly qualified candidates who are worthy of your
consideration.
Chris Alleman: Master of Arts from
Texas A&M, Lake Dillon Theatre Co. artistic director, Silverthorne
Elementary PTA president and Accountability Committee member, volunteer with
numerous local groups including The Summit Foundation and the Family &
Intercultural Resource Center. Priorities: 1) Improve teacher retention rate,
2) invest in student mental health, 3) prioritize arts integration to improve
education outcomes.
Gini Bradley: Master of Arts in
social work from University of Denver, former director of Summit County Youth
and Family Services for 12 years, two Summit Foundation awards for professional
and service work, 35-years experience working in Summit County professionally
and for nonprofits. A problem-solver committed to creative solutions and
community partnerships. Key issues: 1) Supporting the whole child academically
and emotionally, 2) retaining high-quality educators, 3) creative teaching
approaches that better meet student needs, 4) creating school environments that
feel safe for all students.
Miranda Fisher: General manager at Always Mountain Time, a local media company
offering radio, digital content and events. Fisher is a well-connected
community leader, a former pre-school teacher. Priorities: 1) Recruit and
retain high-quality educators, 2) value social and emotional learning. Strongly
supports 1A, 4A and 7A.
Lauren Gearhart: Master
of Arts in public health. Worked 10 years coaching and mentoring Summit County
youths.Priorities: 1) Increase teacher
and staff salaries, 2) increase emotional support for students, 3) increase
access to district interpreters, 4) increase access to trade curricula at
Summit High School. Committed to creating workforce opportunities for students,
and reducing youth substance use. Supports Measures 1A and 4A and Proposition CC.
Emily Lutke: Carriage House Early
Education Center board member, Vail Resorts ticket sales manager, Breckenridge
Ski Resort Epic Promise Foundation co-chair, wife of an educator, mother of a
7-year-old student. Priorities: 1) Ensure every student has the opportunity to
learn and grow regardless of differences, 2) strengthen the health of every
child, 3) support educators.
Stan Katz: Ph.D. in applied
economics, veteran school board member who served 12 years in the West-Windsor-Plainsboro,
New Jersey, board of education. That district is ranked third
in New Jersey, a state that U.S. News and
World Reports ranks second
nationally. Katz says he was chair of the Finance Committee for 10 years.
He believes our school board needs a finance committee and needs to be more
actively involved helping shape the priorities of the school district. He says that
when he was on the school board in New Jersey, the district ranked high in test
scores while spending less per pupil than the state average. He says Summit
County can do better, and he wants to help lead that effort.
Gloria Quintero: Degrees in accounting and international business, Master of Arts
in social and human sciences, bilingual, Strengthening Families Outreach
Program counselor with Summit County Youth and Family Services. Recently worked
with Early Intervention and a member of Head Start Policy Counsel. Her passions
include special education and mental health, starting in early childhood. The National
Conference of State Legislatures found every dollar
spent in the first three years of a child’s life saves eight dollars later in
life. Believes diverse opinions on the board builds the best school district.
Consuelo Redhorse: Office manager/accountant, Summit
County preschool chair. Shepoints
out Summit County spends $2,703 less per pupil than the national average.
That’s more than $50,000 less in a class of 20 students. She challenges the district
to competitively fund education. She pledges to: 1) Support the district’s
mission and strategic plan, Vision 2020 2.0, 2) build relationships and
increase communication and participation, 3) support teachers and
professionals.
Brooke Shotts: She says her kids and passion for high-quality education
have been her driving force for 11 years of volunteering. She advocates
for: 1) A livable wage for teachers and support staff so the district can
retain talent and recruit the most qualified teachers, 2) mental health support
in the schools, 3) spend school funds wisely “to provide teachers the
time, resources and personal development needed to adjust curriculum to best
suit the needs of their students.”
Tim Westerberg: Ph.D. in education administration, 45 years of experience as a principal, teacher, coach, consultant and author. Priorities: 1) High academic expectations for all students and support those expectations, 2) make Summit County a top performing district, 3) hire, develop and retain high-performing principals and teachers in every building and classroom.
Susan Knopf’s column “For The Record” publishes Fridays in the Summit Daily News. Knopf has worn many hats in her career, including working as an award-winning journalist and certified ski instructor. She moved to Silverthorne in 2013 after vacationing in Summit County since the 1970s. Contact her at sdnknopf@gmail.com.