Jami Reever, Lillian Lingenfelter and Jennifer Thomas ended up elected to positions on the USD 253 Emporia Public Colleges Board of Training Tuesday, ousting incumbent Mike Crouch and changing two board users who did not find reelection.
Of the six candidates vying for three seats, Reever earned the most votes with 1,972 whilst Lingenfelter garnered 1,770 and Thomas introduced in 1,763.
Reever reported it was humbling to see her name on the ballot when she voted Tuesday and that she was grateful to the local community for electing her to the school board.
“When I resolved to operate for university board above the spring and into the early summer months, I definitely preferred to commit myself to doing what was correct for pupils, academics and staff members and I preferred to have a concept that highlighted so lots of optimistic issues that we do in our educational facilities presently and the want to establish a strategy for supporting our schools be even improved,” she reported. “I’m so glad that the information that I experienced and the operate that I was doing seriously resonated with voters.”
Now that she’s been elected, Reever stated she is searching forward to diving even further into the troubles struggling with the district, these as the spending budget, graduation costs, state assessment scores and the issues of district staff members.
“I want to be in a position to inquire the inquiries of the directors, the developing principals and get the job done carefully with lecturers so hopefully we can commence to change things around,” she reported. “One of the things I’m most passionate about is currently being an ally for our academics and staff members and making absolutely sure that they acquire the payment that they are worthy of. That is a definitely higher precedence for me for the reason that I know that accomplishment in our schools commences with teachers and workers.”
She claimed that she felt a large array of feelings throughout the day, 1 instant wondering she experienced a extremely great shot to win and the upcoming imagining there was no way she’d pull it out.
“It’s a large amount of emotions and I just really have to congratulate all the individuals who ran for place of work right now,” she claimed. “It was a big deal to set your identify on the ballot and to go by a total marketing campaign cycle, chatting to individuals who assistance you and making an attempt to influence folks who might not guidance you to guidance you.”
Lingenfelter mentioned that as she was leaving her household to go to the Lyon County Courthouse to see the election outcomes, she was reminded of why she’d registered as a candidate.
“I was just seriously energized to be ready to serve the local community and give back again to everyone here,” she said. “That’s been the biggest motivating element for me is supporting students and teachers. I’m so energized to have that prospect.”
She claimed that she’s delighted to operate on strategies to help college students defeat the potential finding out reduction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and handle the unease that quite a few instructors are enduring.
“I imagine a person of the largest challenges is likely to be, of program, the conversations bordering insurance plan, compensation and advantages,” she stated. “I was conversing to voters now, even, about that issue. It’s however something which is really weighing seriously on the minds of voters and I’m fired up to tackle that challenge.”
As an educator herself, Lingenfelter wasn’t capable to cast her ballot until eventually following school. However, any worry about the election outcomes was mitigated by the function she does.
“I was with my youngsters all day, I was teaching all day, and it kind of took my thoughts off matters because I was tremendous nervous,” she mentioned. “But luckily, becoming with them is always genuinely satisfying for me.”
Thomas claimed she was happy to see the fruits of the campaigning process be borne out with an election night victory.
“I was extremely grateful for all the support from the group the past 6 or seven months,” she reported. “It’s a process to go as a result of and it is a chance to throw your title into the ring and adhere your neck out there, specially correct now. But I’m very grateful and quite grateful.”
She stated that she’s all set to start mastering the ropes of serving as a college board member and to continue on creating connections with people today as she has been carrying out the past several months. She also is aware that the college board faces really real worries.
“Everybody’s bought their concerns, everybody’s obtained their objectives and what they would like to see labored on or changed and it’s going to be a course of action of listening to people and functioning with others to test to act on it as substantially as possible,” she claimed. “I know that a lot of folks want some variations with all the COVID protocol and just getting our children as a great deal again to ordinary as probable, and so I consider which is in all probability at the top of everyone’s checklist.”
Thomas voted very last 7 days and was capable to do so along with her 18-12 months-aged daughter, who was voting in her pretty very first election.
“It was just an thrilling, large-vitality working day, just to get all those people messages from individuals and a ton of thank-yous from folks,” she stated. “ … I’m energized for the other two winners as effectively, so it is likely to be some new names and new faces and I believe that is constantly a superior matter.”
The 3 freshly elected faculty board customers will swap Melissa Ogleby and Doug Epp, neither of whom sought reelection, alongside with Crouch, who arrived in fourth place with 1,669 votes.
“(The outcomes) are what they are and the voters have spoken,” Crouch reported. “I’ve been blessed to provide on the faculty board for the past 16 a long time and I’ve been blessed to serve my neighborhood and I just hope that the new board users can aid continue on to move the district ahead.”
Crouch explained that he believes that it is important for men and women to serve their communities and that the school board has achieved “a large amount of fantastic things” during his time.
“Most not long ago, undoubtedly, the bond tasks and the development jobs, I imagine, are going to be great for Emporia and so I’m excited to see what those people will provide,” he explained.
Christina Faulkner finished fifth with 1,543 votes and Paul Meinke concluded sixth with 968.
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