These Shawnee Heights USD 450 candidates see classroom space as a pressing challenge

Several candidates are vying for three district seats and one at-large position on the Shawnee Heights Board of Education.

District A Position 1 has incumbent Lauren Tice Miller facing a challenge by Damon Shore.

Over in District B Position 2, incumbent Rocky Busenitz is running against newcomer Chris A. Kieffer.

For the District B Position 3 seat, newcomers Sarah Sanders and Troy Showalter are running against each other.

The at-large seat has Jason A. Schulz running against newcomers Kristy VanMetre and Michael Cichowicz.

Shore, Showalter and Cichowicz did not respond to The Capital-Journal's candidate questionnaire.

Advance voting by mail begins Wednesday. In-person advance voting starts Monday, Oct. 23, between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Shawnee County Elections Office.

Polls open 7 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, and close 7 p.m. Mail ballots must be received at election office or polling places by 7 p.m.

See guides for the Topeka USD 501, Seaman USD 345, Silver Lake USD 372 and Auburn-Washburn USD 437 school board races online.

Responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity.

Introduce yourself and any relevant qualifications that would inform you as a potential member of the school board.

Lauren Tice Miller: I am a proud graduate of Shawnee Heights by way of Tecumseh South Elementary. I have called this community home all my life. I am now a working mom of three.I am in my second term on the board. I served as board president between January 2020 and January 2021. I currently serve on the District Safety Committee, and have previously been on the Superintendent’s Council as well as the Shawnee Heights Foundation.In addition to my board experience, I have been involved in the Shawnee Heights Elementary School PTO for nearly 10 years, serving on the carnival planning committee as communications chair, and now as the Spring Festival chair. I have also always been an active classroom volunteer. I am a former Cub Scout Den Leader, and I am currently a Girl Scout Leader for a troop of second graders. I have also served on the Washburn Tech Graphic Arts Program Advisory Board.I have professional experience as Assistant State Treasurer, a communications director, a former small business owner and a college instructor.I have an MBA in finance from Baker University in addition to an MA and a BA in communication studies, along with a certificate in technical writing from K-State.

Sarah Sanders: I am a lifelong Shawnee Heights resident. I believe in working to make your community a better place through volunteer leadership. My commitment to our district starts with having two children currently attending schools in the district, but it goes much deeper than that. I recognize the impact a healthy school district can have on a community through increased property values, engaged businesses and community partners and committed district staff who are equally committed to the success of our student body.Professionally, I am responsible for strategic planning and management. I hold a bachelor's of science in criminal justice and masters of business administration.I participate in the PTO and Site Council at Berryton Elementary and Site Council for Shawnee Heights High School, the District Advisory Council and I volunteer to work at the concession stand and other activities for my children. I have served on a number of volunteer boards as well as volunteering in various capacities in the community. I have served on the Board of Directors for Crime Stoppers as well as United Way of Kaw Valley. Through United Way, I have also served on a host of committees such as on-grade achievement.

Chris A. Kieffer: My name is Christopher Alan Kieffer, I go by “Chris” or “Kieffer” depending on my outfit. I am a Topeka native, having graduated from Topeka High in 2005. My qualifications for school board come primarily from the experience from my military career. I work as a project manager, steward of taxpayer dollars, information systems and physical security expert, and mediator for multiple parties in discussion and debate. And of course, I am a father to a future Shawnee Heights USD 450 student. I aim to help preserve the safety of students and staff, maintain the high quality of this education system, and reduce fraud, waste and abuse of funds.

Jason A. Schulz: My name is Jason Schulz. I seek re-election for the at-large position to the Shawnee Heights Board of Education. This is my second term on the board, and through the eight-and-a-half years I've been involved we've gone through many trials and tribulations, including a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic that absolutely rattled our district and forever changed how we do things.I’ve lived in the district for almost three decades. My wife is a Shawnee Heights graduate, and we made the decision that our children would do the same. It’s a choice we’ve never regretted. Seeing the district grow over the years and new opportunities opening up has been rewarding and exciting.Being on the school board is an eye-opening experience, as you see and experience what it takes to provide our students the best education possible — including things you may never consider. The knowledge I’ve gained and the experiences I’ve had as a Board member strengthen my commitment and desire to continue serving on the Board and providing guidance for our administration, staff and students.

Kristy VanMetre: Hello, my name is Kristy VanMetre. My husband Chris and I moved to the district in 2003 and we have three children — a 2016 Shawnee Heights High graduate, a 2021 graduate and a ninth grader. I have a college degree and have been a business owner for the past 20 years. I have had the pleasure of being involved in our District at the following schools:Shawnee Heights Elementary—PTO Treasurer-2 years, SHES Pack 1 Den Leader-10 years, SHES Pack 1 Committee Chair-11 years, Carnival committee member.Tecumseh North Elementary—PTO Secretary, Girl Scout Troop Leader.Berryton Elementary—PTO Secretary, Classroom Volunteer.Middle School—PTO Treasurer, PTO Class Rep, Site Council Member.High School—Booster Club Treasurer, Home Run Club President, Bowling Treasurer, Post Prom Committee member, Class of 2022 Parent Rep.

Rocky Busenitz: I graduated from Shawnee Heights in 1994. As an elementary student, I attended Shawnee Heights and Tecumseh North elementary schools. Jenessa and I knew we wanted to raise our family in Shawnee Heights because of the excellent educational and extracurricular opportunities. As a student and parent, I have experienced a strong sense of caring from teachers within the district and have always been impressed by the support our Shawnee Heights community demonstrates. I strongly believe in helping and serving others. When I decided to run, I was serving on multiple committees within the district and at the time had 5 kids attending our schools at every level (elementary, middle, high school). I could see the needs at each grade level and decided I could volunteer my time to help Shawnee Heights.

What motivated you to run for school board, and what difference do you think you could uniquely make?

Tice Miller: I am seeking re-election because I am excited about the future of our district. The last few years have been hard, but I am proud of how we have overcome the challenges – making strategic investments to close the pandemic learning gap, creating our own police department and adding SROs, providing on-site mental health resources, and initiating long-term strategic planning, just to name a few.I remain committed to preparing all of our students for success, no matter what path they take after graduation. I will continue working to ensure safe and secure learning and working environments, retaining and recruiting excellent educators, supporting sound fiscal management of taxpayer dollars, and acting transparently and in the best interest of our students and their families, our staff, and our community.I bring insights and experience to the board as a former student, as a parent, and as a current board member. I also have teaching experience, nearly two decades of experience as a communications professional, and more than a decade of experience working with the Kansas Legislature, giving me a solid understanding of issues and policies impacting our school district and our community from the state level.

Sanders: My commitment to the Shawnee Heights district is over 40 years in the making. This community has been my home and I am committed to driving toward successful outcomes for my neighbors for years to come. Members of the Board of Education should be champions for public education. I believe our school board should work to build a strong public school institution that is available to any patron of our district. I believe our school board should work to support the staff and students through planning, responsible fiscal oversight, deliberate communications and an awareness of the social and emotional needs of our students and staff. A school board should be proud of the district they serve and strive to build for the future needs of their patrons.My experience in life positions me to evaluate processes, ask questions for understanding and to challenge norms and to recognize inefficiencies. Additionally, I am comfortable trusting educated resources to guide decisions where I am less knowledgeable and speaking up when I know I have something valuable to add. Working as a member of a team requires commitment, strategic thinking, collaboration, confidence and rational thinking.

Kieffer: I have a growing concern that entities outside of the local community are working to influence policy changes at the local education system level, and I will not sit down for decisions to be made due to an agenda that does not have the best interests of the students at its core. I plan to be a voice against any fringe ideologies that intend to infiltrate these governing bodies.

Schulz: My grandmother was an elementary school teacher for more than 30 years. She stressed the importance of a strong education throughout her teaching career and her life. She told me many times that “the best way to fix something is to get involved.”Inspired by this, I originally ran for the school board because I wanted to be more involved in my boys’ education. I thought there were things the district could do better, so I decided to step up.When I was elected, I became an advocate for every student and staff member of the district. That’s a huge and humbling responsibility. I'm more than eight years into service, and I still learn new things.I will continue to fight for what’s best for our students and staff, with no political agenda or hidden goals. I will work to balance the wide variety of needs and goals to make sure our students are prepared to take on the world. Whether you’re a student, staff member, administrator, or district resident, we’re all in this together.In the end, I strive to be as much of an influence on our students, staff, and administration as my grandmother was in her career.

VanMetre: I feel the best way to be involved with your children’s education is to be present and active at their school. Over the last 20 years I have done just that. Now that my children are older, I feel like I have the time it takes to dedicate to being on the school board. It is just another way I can give back to our district.I believe my experience as a business owner along with the various district roles I have had volunteering gives me a better understanding on how our district runs. I believe in being transparent and am always willing to listen to a constituent’s questions or concerns.

Busenitz: I am blessed that I’ve had time to volunteer and serve Shawnee Heights. Prior to serving on the school board, I served on the Shawnee Heights High School Site Council and the District Advisory Council for many years, and I saw many of the needs within the district. My wife and I talked and decided I could help serve those needs by running for an open school board position. I believe in providing students and teachers with the tools they need to be successful. I’ve worked as an IT professional for 26 years and believe pairing technology in the classroom with our excellent teachers is a tool for success and student achievement. I'm passionate about efficiently improving facilities to provide more and better academic and extracurricular opportunities for all our students. Shawnee Heights has an excellent reputation and I plan to keep providing students and teachers the tools they need so they can excel in school and their careers.

What is one way schools in your district are exceling, and what steps would you take to further those efforts?

Tice Miller: Strategic investments to close the pandemic learning gap began under my watch as board president. Now, the majority of assessed Shawnee Heights students are performing at or above grade level. I will continue to support investments in providing interventions for students who continue to struggle, increasing academic rigor, and expanding course offerings.At the same time, the mill levy remained flat (no tax increases!), we have paid off debt early to save taxpayers nearly $2 million, and we continue to empower staff to find efficiencies to reduce costs to our families.

Sanders: Consistency. Our district consistently strives for excellence for students and staff. Our district has worked hard to close the learning gap created through COVID, we consistently strive to offer interventions when needed and we consistently work to think creatively to provide opportunities. As a member of the board, I will work to support continued efforts of the district to create a safe learning environment for students and staff, create strategic long-term goals to improve upon the quality education, work to prepare students for the “real world” and prioritize the emotional well-being of students and staff.

Kieffer: The educators themselves are integral to the execution of the function of public education, and I see the recruiting and retention of them as paramount to maintaining the high quality of education this community has come to expect. I hope to bolster the efforts to keep USD 450 a desirable place for quality educators to work.

Schulz: Put simply, our people are the best. We attract and recruit teachers, paraprofessionals, support staff, and administrators who are committed to and driven for the success of our students. They work hard in the classrooms. They find new and exciting opportunities and partnerships for learning. They’ve dealt with unprecedented and extreme change, and their dedication didn’t waver. Without our personnel, we’d have nothing.We need to continue this work. We need to keep and support the people who give so much for our students, and we need to employ more like-minded individuals to keep it going.

VanMetre: We excel by being resilient. I have not seen a time when our district, staff or community have not been able to overcome a challenge faced. This was proven with our recent test scores showing the great strides the district is making in getting our children caught up from COVID.I would continue to evaluate the resources we have for our teachers, staff, and students to ensure they are current and relevant. I would also continue to advocate for an autonomous environment for our teachers to be able to provide the best learning experience for our students.

Busenitz: The people (teachers, students and community) make Shawnee Heights special. I had the privilege of addressing our teachers last year before the school year started. I shared multiple personal stories of how teachers went above and beyond for me personally as an elementary student when my family dynamics changed and the support they showed when my son suffered a serious injury. The generosity and kindness I’ve witnessed always blows me away. We need to make sure we continue to support teachers and staff with training and pay so they can excel in our schools and their careers.

Where are schools in your district falling short, and what solutions would you bring to the table?

Tice Miller: From talking with district patrons, there is a continued need for better communication to strengthen partnerships. I support technology upgrades to provide real-time updates to parents/guardians, additional opportunities for feedback and input from families especially throughout decision-making processes, and the use of more strategic communication.Additionally, student behavior continues to be a challenge. In 2019, I championed a task force to review policies and procedures in place to address bullying, physical fights and general student conduct. The work got interrupted when everything shut down in 2020. I would like to see this reinstated to finish its important work.

Sanders: Space is at a premium. As a district our elementary schools are over, at or approaching capacity. As a result, our class sizes are often larger than desired and create challenges for creating spaces for smaller groups to work on specific student needs, one-on-one interventions and calming spaces. Teachers are challenged to do more with less. While they are rising to the challenge, we must seek additional opportunities to support staff and students. Looking at creative ways to use space, offering support staff and evaluating classroom capacity and elementary boundaries all must be considered to ensure our district remains desirable.

Kieffer: I have heard concerns that decisions are being made in a bubble about policies and procedures that affect both the students and teachers. I hope to open the door even further to ensure anyone who has a vested interest in the outcome of these schools is fully informed and able to have their voice heard.

Schulz: For many years, I feel we overstressed the “importance of going to college.” A large chunk of our success was (and still is) measured by how many of our students attend school for two years after graduation. College is not right for everyone, and times are slowly coming around to that end.We are finding and offering more opportunities to provide educational experiences for our students at all levels, and expanding alternatives for continuing education after their time with us is over. We need to encourage our staff to continue this outstanding work and support them as we can.

VanMetre: The size of our school buildings. We are a wonderful district, and it is obvious how many people love our district, but that brings issues of our classrooms being overcrowded.Currently all our elementary schools are overcapacity or close to capacity, so we need to look at a short-term and long-term solutions. Short term, we need to consider what schools we could add classrooms to in the basements, or bring in mobile classrooms. Long term, we need to consider the possibility of adding a new middle school and using the old middle school as a sixth grade center or fifth through sixth grade.

Busenitz: Our special education department reported to the school board they are researching inclusive playgrounds. These are playgrounds designed so students of all abilities can play and interact together — not separately. I will work with administration, other board members and the community to come up with a plan to make this a reality. Additionally, we also have an amazing Shawnee Heights Public Schools Foundation that raises money for teacher grants and student scholarships. I'd like to see if they could help us find grants and other community resources that would be willing to help.

What is the biggest issue facing the school district?

Tice Miller: We are experiencing amazing growth; some buildings are over capacity. To ensure student success, provide safe learning and working environments, and retain and recruit educators, I am ready to strategically plan solutions to meet our district needs.We also face challenges brought into our community by outside groups working as part of a national effort. Their ultimate goal is to influence state and national policies that would devastate our schools.I remain committed to advocating for what is in the best interest of all Shawnee Heights students and their families, our staff, and our community based on input from local district patrons.

Sanders: I know our district is working hard to help students recover from academic gaps created during COVID and I am excited to see the progress our district has made. Continuing to watch for early indicators of academic gaps and social needs of our students to ensure we adjust to those needs before they become critical will be one of my goals.Additionally, staff retention and recruitment has become an increasingly challenging issue. By evaluating class size, staff benefits and support, we can continue to strive to retain and recruit qualified staff to serve our students.

Kieffer: The growing concern of students who have a gap in their development due to the loss of a structured education during those times is a sincere concern we all have. I will advocate the implementation of any scientifically proven resolutions that arise over the coming years to these issues at our local level.

Schulz: Getting the Kansas Legislature to adequately fund and support our schools is a harsh, brutal and ongoing battle. Instead of seeking to improve our schools and programs, many work to undermine our foundations and exert authority for purely political means. We need to strongly and loudly advocate for our schools in the capitol and stand firm against intrusion. I will continue to add my voice and action to that effort.

VanMetre: Mental health. Although we have made great progress on getting the kids academically caught up, we also need to focus on their mental health along with teachers and staff. Depression and anxiety are at an all-time high with students and not just in our district but across the nation. During COVID our students were isolated from their peers and interacted with each other more through phones and online, leading to more bullying and loneliness.I would like to see mental health classes being more integrated into our curriculum at both the elementary and secondary levels.

Busenitz: We are scheduled to pay off our current bond years in advance, saving Shawnee Heights thousands in interest payments, but we have space constraints in our elementary buildings. It will be difficult to rely solely on a new bond to satisfy our future space needs with the way the current state aid formula is constructed. Prior to 2015 state aid on a bond was 59% for Shawnee Heights and is now 18%. We need to plan for scenarios where the bond formula stays the same and another where it changes and be prepared to act if it does.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Shawnee Heights USD 450 school board candidate guide