Category: Campaign Updates

The following is my response to a written interview with the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association.  There will be a public forum on Tuesday, October 4, at 7:00pm at HSE High School in the Little Theater (entrance #2 off Olio Rd.)  I urge you to come and support me and present questions to the entire panel of candidates to get an idea of where everyone stands on the issues that are important to you.

HSEA:  Why did you decide to run for the school board this year?

AH:  I decided to run for school board to improve communication and overall community outreach. Additionally, as a parent of elementary school-aged kids, I want to be the voice for families who have children in grades K-4, and those with kids who are not yet in the school system.

HSEA:  What is your educational background and relevant experience?

AH:  I graduated from IUPUI with a Bachelor of Science Degree from the Purdue School of Engineering & Technology. My major was Computer Graphics Technology on the Interactive Multimedia Developer track. While I was in college, I was a teaching assistant for the head of the CGT department, and as part of my studies, I developed a college-level course on internet accessibility and usability. My career in graphic design and web development has kept me on the front lines of computer-based technology, which is where education is heading more and more. I feel that with my background I have a good view of how technology can and should be used in education.

HSEA:  What personal skills and characteristics do you possess that would help you with the school board duties?

AH:  I possess a talent for asking the right questions to get to the heart of an issue to find the best solution. I am also known to be diplomatic, which is important with this type of position.

HSEA:  What do you perceive to be the biggest challenges facing our school system?

AH:  Currently one of the biggest challenges we are facing is the management of our growth. The size of the district has grown steadily over the last 10-15 years. Managing the staff, and building to properly serve our students remains quite a challenge. Additionally, increasing and adjusting communication with the community overall – not just current HSE families – needs to be a priority so new initiatives can be rolled out more smoothly.

HSEA:  What is your position on a balanced calendar or changing start/end times?

AH:  The school calendar has been hotly debated since I was a student myself. The priority must be to benefit our students in the best possible way. I would be open to any and all options that are presented to me as a school board member, and I would encourage any proposed plans continue to be sent to the families in the form of a survey to get a sense of how those changes would impact everyone involved.

HSEA:  How do you plan to balance your point of view with the ideas of those in the areas you represent?

AH:  I definitely have my opinions on the role of schools in children’s lives. At the same time, I realize that my views are not the views of everyone in the school district. So I would encourage the families that I represent to tell me what is important to them, and I will do my best to serve them while balancing the best interests of the district as well. If I am forced to make a decision that is unpopular, I would also do my best to explain why I voted the way I did.

HSEA:  Not all students are college ready. How would you propose to expand programs for those students?

AH:  For those students who do not plan to attend college immediately after graduation, I think we need to proactively train them in some sort of trade so they are ready for the workforce after graduation. The program could also include a placement connection, so students will have jobs available for them when they graduate. I know there is a plan for the school districts in Hamilton County to develop their own consolidated program, and I would be very interested in helping get that implemented.

Education has always been a top priority for me.  Even though my job is in Greenwood (70 miles round trip each day), my wife and I chose to move to Fishers once our oldest turned five to ensure that all of our kids were in one of the best school systems in the state.  Even though we knew they would be in good hands, we were still skeptical of what kind of education they would get in ANY public school.  There are tons of horror stories out there about Common Core, teachers and administrators interfering with families’ personal lives, etc.  We’ve all heard them.  We were relieved to find that this was not the case at Hamilton Southeastern.

What we found after a very short time is that we share a lot of the same values and goals for our kids with the teachers they spend the majority of their time.  Every single person, from teachers to principals to support staff, genuinely loves kids, and enjoys coming to their job every day.  With the amount our educators give to the schools, it is important to me to give back however I can.

The deciding factor in whether to run or not came last spring with the K-4 iPad rollout.  I believe that the school system’s intentions were good.  It’s important for kids to be familiar with current technology in order to be competitive in the job market after graduation.  This rollout has become a very divisive issue across the district. Those who have questions and concerns about the program are seemingly dismissed and we have lost the ability to communicate on the issue. The school administration needed to create and enact a plan and I believe that they have followed through with this plan to the best of their ability.  It is my fear that the current climate surrounding the rollout and it’s implications will impede the ability for the clear review of accountability on the success of placing iPads in the hands of our elementary students. It will be one of my goals upon election to the school board to ensure that communication is maintained between the board and the overall community.

I know that the students’ success is the goal of every member of the school board.  But at the same time, I think some of them have lost the viewpoint parents like me, my wife, and others with young children have.  My wife and I talked to a variety of parents who had young children currently attending elementary school at HSE, and parents whose children are of preschool age and will be attending HSE in the next several years.  Most of the parents did NOT want their kids to have their own devices and were shocked that the schools were going to force them to either buy or rent expensive very breakable equipment that studies show should be used very sparingly for children under 10 years old.  These are the families who need representation.

I love Fishers, and I love the Hamilton Southeastern Schools.  I am running for a position on the school board to ensure that the K-4 families and those with children coming into the schools in the future have a voice.