Election 2022: Meet the candidates for Harper Creek School Board
Nine candidates are seeking four seats to serve on the Harper Creek Community Schools Board of Education in the Nov. 8 election.
Jacob Bax, Michael Gryn, Brad Halverson, Don Myers, Jason Smith and Sara Wallace are running for three open seats to serve six-year terms, while Erin Allwardt, Gavin Powell and Joshua VanDuser are vying for one partial term that ends on Dec. 31, 2024.
The district located in Emmett Township has five school buildings, with more than 2,700 students enrolled during the 2021-22 academic year. Each candidate is looking to join a school board that includes President Beau Bess and Vice President Barry Smith.
The following information was submitted via questionnaires provided to the candidates:
6-YEAR TERMS
Jacob Bax
Bax is a 16-year resident of the school district and a 2021 Harper Creek High School graduate who is currently enlisted in the Michigan Army National Guard. He has siblings who currently attend the district.
Bax wrote that there is no major problem that the district faces, but said not having a "good slate of board candidates elected" will lead to things making their way into Harper Creek classrooms, "such as critical race theory, (the) 1619 Project and etc."
Bax is running for a seat on the Harper Creek school board because "I am a concerned citizen of the district. There are so many things that are being pushed on public schools and I worry if they are implanted in our schools they will ruin the idea of students being independent thinkers."
Michael Gryn
Gryn is a married father and works as an engineer in the automotive industry, and he has served as a volunteer math tutor for students in grades K-5.
Gryn wrote that without access to data, community feedback and other resources, he can't confidently say what is the most pressing issue facing the district but noted he would come into the role "without and agenda" and with a plan to collaborate with the rest of the school board and community to create a clear list of key issues to focus on, ensuring that "the top issues and the board's plans to fix them are transparent to the community."
Gryn is running for a school board seat because "I would like to take my skills and put them to work for our community. I will bring a data-driven focus to our decision making and ensure our choices are based on the best data we have available. I want to make sure that staff, students, and the community have transparency into the board's decisions."
Brad Halverson
Halverson is a married father of three, with two of his children currently attending Harper Creek Community Schools. A 1994 graduate of Harper Creek High School, he has spent 22 years with Kellogg Co., currently serving as the senior director of cross category and sales operations.
Halverson wrote that the most pressing issue facing the district is underperformance in student math scores compared to the statewide average, saying the district needs "to establish benchmarks and targets at each grade level and incorporate different actions with regular lead metrics to assess success."
He also noted the impact of inflation on the school's operating budget and the need to thoroughly evaluate the balance sheet to effectively offset increased operating costs.
Halverson is running for a seat on the Harper Creek school board because "as a candidate that represents three generations of HC Alumni/students in my family, I am firmly grounded in the community. In addition, I am a highly-skilled professional with 10-plus years of executive level experience at Kellogg. I have been trained in financial management, leadership, strategic development, governance, project management and negotiation. I am running to utilize my skills to develop and implement sound strategies and plans to successfully enable Harper Creek to help every student reach or exceed their goals."
Don Myers
An incumbent trustee who has reached his term limit, Myers has lived in the Harper Creek school district for 40 years. His professional experience includes teaching eighth-grade science and serving as middle school and high school principal and school superintendent. He has been a school board member for 12 years and is serving on the Board of Directors for the Michigan Association of School Boards.
Myers wrote that the most pressing issue facing the district is "to continue to improve education for all students."
Myers is running for re-election to the Harper Creek school board because "I want to give back to the district that gave me an opportunity to work in public education. I have worked as a teacher, a principal, and a superintendent. I have coached students, teachers, principals, superintendents, and school board members."
Jason Smith
An incumbent whose term ends in 2024, Smith is seeking re-election for a six-year term. A Tennessee native, he has lived in the Battle Creek area for the last 14 years, including over a decade in the Harper Creek school district. He is a married father of two children who attended Harper Creek Community Schools, and works in the public and private industrial manufacturing industry.
Smith wrote that the most pressing issue facing the district is finding "new and innovative ways to financially resource and equip the staff to effectively engage in a broader and more diverse population." He also stated that a priority for the district is to "regain the educational ground" that some students lost as a result of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Smith is running for re-election to the Harper Creek school board because he said he is "someone willing to listen to all the stakeholders and then find the best path forward maximizing the economic as well as human resources available in support of the district’s objective."
Sara Wallace
Wallace is a married mother of two children − a third grader at Harper Creek Community Schools and a 3-year-old − and she owns a small horse farm in Emmett Township. Her professional experience in the nonprofit sector includes serving as the president and CEO of The Miller Foundation; director of housing and support services for Community Action; Barry, Branch and Calhoun County MPRI Coordinator for the Calhoun Intermediate School District; domestic violence systems coordinator for the Calhoun County Prosecutor's Office and SAFE Place; and as a board member for Battle Creek Unlimited, Direct Investment Fund, Greater Battle Creek Ice Hockey Association and 50 Capital Avenue Corporation.
Wallace wrote that the greatest issue facing the district is the "constant changes and pressures in our society and how it affects the needs of our students." Wallace also noted a "wealth gap" in the district and the importance of addressing all students' needs through interactions with their families.
Wallace is running for a seat on the Harper Creek school board because "combining my experiences... and being a current Harper Creek parent, I feel I am extremely qualified to be elected to serve our community as a school board trustee. I want to hold this position to help represent our community and help Harper Creek be the best it can be for ALL its students."
PARTIAL TERM THROUGH DEC. 31, 2024
Erin Allwardt
An incumbent trustee who has reached her term limit, Allwardt is a married mother of four children who attend elementary school in the district. Her professional experience includes working for Calhoun County 911 for nearly 15 years, with previous work in journalism and public relations.
Allwardt wrote that the greatest issue facing the district is the "learning loss" as a result of the pandemic, as well as the need for improved mental health services for children, teachers and staff, which "are crucial for the learning environment." Allwardt also noted the need to continue to address infrastructure in the district, writing that "a comprehensive, strategic plan to replace or expand our facilities should be a priority especially at our elementary schools and middle school" in the next two years.
Allwardt is running for re-election to the Harper Creek school board because "I learned a tremendous amount about the needs of children and advocacy skills. Each of our boys have unique stories. I have navigated IEPs, mental health services and outside support for learning. My work has resulted in training of interpersonal skills, needs of the community and the need for strict school safety planning."
Gavin Powell
Powell grew up in Stevensville before moving to Kalamazoo and then Battle Creek, and he is a parent. He did not list any relevant professional experience.
Powell wrote that he was unsure what the greatest issue facing the district is but said that he would be "vigilant in finding out what problems are on peoples' minds and the best ways to solve those."
Powell is running for a seat on the Harper Creek school board because "I'm a parent in the district who is interested in staying aware and informed about the decisions our local academia is making regarding our children. I am just interested in playing an active role in my community."
Joshua VanDuser
Did not respond.
Contact reporter Nick Buckley at nbuckley@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter:@NickJBuckley
This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Election 2022: Meet the candidates for Harper Creek School Board
