Three members of the Fort Dodge Community School District Board of Education will be on Tuesday’s city and school board election ballot. They are running unopposed for the three at-large seats they currently hold on the board.
Candidate Stu Cochrane is currently the school board president, candidate Lisa Shimkat is currently school board vice president and candidate Dan Hansen is a school board member.
The Messenger asked each of the candidates about their reasons for running and the priorities that they would pursue if elected. Their answers are as follows:
Stu Cochrane
“I have been an attorney with the Johnson Law firm in Fort Dodge since 1986. I have five children, Nick, Hilary, Samantha, Jaci, and Kathryn, who have all graduated from the Fort Dodge Community School District. My wife Toni, is a special education teacher in the school district. She has been a teacher and coach for the school district for approximately 30 years. My daughter-in-law Heather has taught in a number of capacities in the district and is now teaching Spanish at the high school. I have two grandchildren, Tommy and Colby, who go to school at Feelhaver Elementary School. I also serve as chairman of the Fort Dodge Civil Service Commission. I have served on the Board of Education since 1997.”
Why are you running for a position on the school board?
“I’m running for a position on the school board so I can continue to serve the students and families of our community and help continue to assist in developing policies that assist our exceptional educators and staff. Working with all of the people that provide education to our youth has been extremely rewarding. We have talented people throughout the district who dedicate themselves to today’s challenges of providing unbelievable opportunities to our kids and families. Being part of that education process in even a small way is very satisfying. I don’t have any agendas. I don’t advocate for any philosophy other than what’s best for kids and families. The Board of Education is made up of exceptionally committed volunteers who I feel privileged to serve with. I enjoy them as people and dedicated public servants. We respect each other. We bring different views and we all come from different backgrounds which makes us better as a group. The chance to continue to work with all of them is very satisfying.”
What are your goals if elected?
“If elected, my goals will not be new ones. My goal will be to help administrators, teachers, custodians, bus drivers, para-educators, coaches, and all of our staff people feel empowered. My goal will be to help all of those folks in any way we can as a district to accomplish their goals of educating our young people. Maintaining facilities is an ongoing goal. Providing quality curriculum is an ongoing goal. Doing what we can to provide the best academic and social environment for each student will always be a goal. Bringing parents and the community into the educational process is an ongoing goal. Making sure that we continue to make practical financial decisions in the best interests of our taxpayers and community is an ongoing goal. Putting the most qualified educators in front of kids and offering them the support they need to be successful is an ongoing goal.”
What will be your No. 1 priority if elected?
“I’m not sure I have a No. 1 priority. This district is well positioned from a staffing position and from a financial position to do great things for kids. Navigating COVID has been tedious. It’s resulted in frustration for all of us. Navigating issues related to student safety, masking, and even possibly vaccines, if mandated, will be a challenge. Providing straightforward responses to the community is important. There are no easy answers. But being responsible to changing situations will be a priority. Our community, regardless of views on any one issue, is extremely passionate about their kids and their kids’ education. Trying to support those views from all sides will always be a priority. We are also always mindful that we spend taxpayers’ money. Our local taxpayers’ money. We take that responsibility very seriously. Making sound fiscal decisions that not only support education but also meet our taxpayers’ expectations will continue to be an important priority.”
What values do you believe you bring to the School Board?
“In terms of values, I like to think that I bring a straightforward, honest, and passionate perspective to education. I certainly know that I don’t know all the answers. Our decisions aren’t always perfect. I like to think I’m open minded and flexible when it comes to needed change. If elected to continue on this board, I will always check myself to make sure that both I and the district do not become complacent and stuck in the status quo. I hope I can be a board member that is looking for positive change where it will benefit our staff and students.”
Lisa Shimkat
Lisa Shimkat is the state director of the Iowa Small Business Development Center (SBDC). The Iowa Small Business Development Center has 15 centers across the state that provide business counseling for entrepreneurs in all areas of starting, operating and expanding a business, including utilizing existing community loan programs in partnership with banks and federal programs.
She has an MBA from Iowa State University in Ames and has also obtained Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP) certification through the National Development Council. She served on the Securities and Exchange Commission Advisory Committee on Small and Emerging Companies through 2017. She has also served on the Iowa Economic Development Authority Board since May of 2019 and is serving her second term on the national ASBDC board. She currently is a member on the Fort Dodge School Board as well and has served on numerous boards and commissions.
Why are you running for a position on the school board?
“I am running for a position on the school board because I have strengths that can help our school system. I wanted to give back to the community and to the district. We have such an amazing team of teachers, staff, associates, bus drivers, administrators and volunteers within the district. Navigating through COVID has been challenging. We still have a path before us that is not going to be easy, but by working together we will be able to get through a stronger district. I am glad to be able to do what I can to help be a part of the solution.”
What are your goals if elected?
“We have a lot of building projects coming up from our funding through ESSR (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency and Relief Fund) as well as some funding to help with students who may have fallen behind. I want to help drive that focus on helping our students achieve even through the challenges that were put in our path over the last 18 months. I want to also create stronger communication channels with our parent groups and the board. I would love to see more participation at board meetings throughout the year and not just during hot button topics. We encourage feedback and welcome input from the community.”
What will be your No. 1 priority if elected?
“We need to make sure that we are doing everything we are able to get our children on track with their educational needs. COVID has been more than just a bump in the road for our learning paths and we need to actively look at more ways to provide educational opportunities for our children. There will be a ripple effect, and not just in Iowa, but across the nation. Having the children in the classroom and providing additional opportunities to provide learning for anyone who has fallen behind has to be our priority.”
What values do you believe you bring to the School Board?
“I believe I bring an innovative perspective. I truly love looking at new ways to do things and I hope to be able to find more ways to connect our community to our schools. Collaboration is key and through my statewide work, I excel at bringing groups together and finding ways to support each other’s projects.”
Dan Hansen
“This will be my second term. I was a teacher at Senior High School for 30 years. I coached boys and girls swimming. I grew up and graduated from Alta High School. I am running again because I enjoy the work and see a different perspective. To continue the work that we have done in the last four years and work on the things that we have proposed in the future. We need to see that we have a diverse staff and board. Retention in these tight times are key. The first priority is to make sure that all kids learn at their level and that all buildings have a safe environment and we have a great climate and culture in all schools. Our curriculum must be articulated K-12. Values I have are trust, good listener, honesty, that I am no better than anyone else, treating everyone with respect.”
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November 01, 2021 at 01:12PM
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