School Board endorsements

  The Iowa City School District has an opportunity to elect a super majority of the School Board

today. As a naturalized citizen of this country, I hope you will exercise your constitutional right to vote.

    I encourage you critically exam each of the candidates not for how they stand on an issue as those views could change, but instead on whether or not you believe they can provide the leadership our district desperately needs. There is a distinct difference between leadership and management. Our School Board does not need more managers. It needs and deserves leaders. Management deals with implementation whereas leadership deals with creating with change.

    Leaders create a vision and strategy by gathering data and examining the trends and relationships in the data. The decisions leaders make align an organization’s values and people to produce sustainable positive movement. Leaders understand and work towards satisfying the basic need of its stakeholders to feel an intrinsic connection to the organization which will help move an organization forward toward greatness.

    I have known Megan Schwalm for almost six years now and have been impressed with her ability to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds, building both formal and informal networks. She is an individual who not only has an understanding of diversity, cultural competency, and communication, but she uses her understanding and skills in those areas to facilitate and promote understanding community wide.

    I have known Brian Richman for about three years now. I have been impressed with Brian’s analytical skills, financial acumen, long-term thinking, and strategic-planning abilities. However, I have been most impressed with his deep understanding of the lack of trust our community has in the School Board and his commitment to rectify that lack of trust. He understands that in order to create sustainable change, we must have stakeholders that are intrinsically committed to that change.

    Although I have not known LaTasha DeLoach for very long, she will be a powerhouse that I look forward to watching in the upcoming years. She understands that by aligning an organization, stakeholders feel empowered and therefore intrinsically motivated to implement positive change.

    Each of these individuals will contribute unique skills from their professions helping inform the board, they will question the status quo, they will strive towards greatness and they will be leaders.

    It is because of the leadership skills I see in Megan Schwalm (two-year term), Brian Richman, and LaTasha DeLoach (both for the four-year term) that I will vote for them and encourage you to do the same.

Tuyet Baruah

School Board member

Paul Roesler for School Board

    I am pleased to find so many candidates running for the five open seats on the School Board. As a School District parent since 1998 and longtime advocate for productive decision-making and functional government, I frequently attend board meetings and engage in conversations about our schools. One candidate in particular stands out as a constant presence at meetings of the board and its various committees.

    Paul Roesler has a clear desire to work on behalf of all of our kids and every part of the district. He takes the time to truly understand any issue and then advocate for all students, even when it doesn’t directly affect his children or neighborhood. He is a soft-spoken individual who understands teamwork and takes the time to listen to diverse opinions. He listens more than he speaks, but when he does speak, people, including the board, listen.

    His devotion to the district and community are unmatched: his involvement in youth sports, advocacy for the Facility Master Plan, presence on district committees, and nearly flawless attendance at school board meetings. Paul has exhibited a dedication worthy of our support and our district would do well to support him, as he has selflessly supported all of our kids. Join me in supporting Paul Roesler today for the two-year seat on the board. Paul is just what we need to continue to move our district forward.

Janet Clark

Jason Lewis for School Board

  I first met School Board candidate Jason Lewis shortly after he moved to Iowa City. I came to know him through his music. I found him to be talented and engaging. I then found his writing and learned of his knowledge and depth. When Jason ran for the board a few years ago, I got to know him even better. I found him to be articulate, responsible, and deeply caring about our local students, teachers, and schools. Jason listens because he knows that he doesn’t know everything. Jason learns because he admits that he has made mistakes and is willing to change his positions given new information. Jason leads because his 20-plus years’ experience as a teacher and administrator have given him the skills to lead the School District into the future. Jason has been endorsed by the Iowa City Press-Citizen, the Cedar Rapids Gazette, the Iowa City Federation of Labor, and the Iowa City Education Association (teachers’ union). They see the same strengths, character, and leadership qualities that I do. Please join me in voting for Jason Lewis for School Board. He will make us all proud.

Mike Carberry