Thomas Wenzl click here. This will take you to the Fremont Crusader Newspaper’s interview. Or read Below.
Graceann Pittner click here. This will take you to the Fremont Crusader Newspaper. Or read Below.
Matthew Alexander click here. This will take you to the Fremont Crusader Newspaper. Or read Below.
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Thomas Wenzl, School Board Candidate for Cañon City RE-1
It is very important that a school board functions intentionally to strike a balance between the interests of the school district and the interests, and dialog with, the parents, grandparents and community that elected them. The school board works for its electors. The school board is a checks and balance between the two bodies to maintain fairness for all, even while adhering to any legal requirements. It would be incredibly useful to create opportunities for school board members, and other school administrators to meet informally with parents, and community members throughout the school year to dialogue with one another; feeling heard and understood.
The school board, by its own policies, makes a commitment to ‘reflect the values of the community.’ This should apply to curriculum, financial and policy related values. In these areas, the buck stops with the school board directors.
In terms of everything taught; be it lesson plans, programs or surveys, the school board is terminally responsible for all this content. Yet many parents don’t have access to much of this content, and therefore, the lack of transparency of the things taught, leaves parents wondering if it indeed reflects their family values. Controversial topics, restorative justice practices, and material driven by Social Emotional Learning (SEL), or diversity, equity and inclusion(DEI) should be reviewable and/or approvable by parents before being taught.
Financial records are also an area of interest to the community. The school district pays a lot of entities which go by a set of acronyms. As a taxpayer myself, I’m concerned as to how tax dollars are being spent, what is the school district getting for their dollars? Does the curriculum or programming make the students better educated in things like math, reading, science, chemistry or history? Are the outcomes for this educational content, paid for by the school district, measurable? Does the content reflect the family values of the parents and community? Considering the buzz words above; SEL, DEI, which the school district teaches, and because the merit of these movements is controversial in society, understanding where, and why the money is spent toward these areas is important to parents and the community.
In terms of policies, the school district generally does a fine job of meeting legal obligations. There are a couple of policies that have caught my attention, however. In the revised Mission Statement, the school district has placed, once again, an emphasis on social-emotional needs, while saying almost nothing about academic achievement.
Essentially, the measures of success are unmeasurable attributes. In an educational institution, academic achievement should take prominence. Another policy that got a lot of attention from parents and the community, was what became the transgender guidelines. The school board determined that, upon its publication, the legal requirements had been met. But what about the students in the locker rooms who are uncomfortable, traumatized or fearful, having to share those private spaces? Until students, parents and school employees all feel that a mutually acceptable environment is created, and everyone feels safe, the work is not finished!
While the school district rightfully takes pride in highlighting the accomplishments and opportunities of the graduates who have pursued trade fields and taken advantage of the dual college enrollment options, it’s important to remember that attaining a solid foundation in core academic skills, including mathematics, reading and writing at grade-appropriate levels, is equally important. By equipping students with these essential skills, we empower them to thrive in various aspects of life, preventing any form of limitation on their future opportunities. Job preparation is highly valuable, but the more math, reading and writing that a student learns, the more opportunities they will have in the future.
Thomas grew up on a farm and learned responsibilities at a young age. Thomas and his wife Carol have seven children and seven grandchildren. Together they served as the Friday night cooks at the local homeless shelter, Loaves & Fishes for seven years, and were foster parents, providing a safe home for 31 needy children. Two of which they gave a forever home through adoption. Thomas has lived in Cañon City since 1995.
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Graceann Pittner, School Board Candidate for Cañon City RE-1
There are terrific things happening in our school district: alternative vocational/technical programs, dual credit college programs and the Multi-District Initiative by which students have access to specialized programs in RE-1, RE-2 and RE-3. We want to build on these programs to offer our students many different pathways to a successful future. However, to say everything is great, is to ignore the areas that need improvement. We can celebrate all the wonderful things about our students, teachers, and schools and work to improve things at the same time. We realize if we fail to provide a strong foundation of reading, writing, math and basic learning skills, if we fail to raise the bar of expectations, and if we fail to give students the tools to meet challenges, then we are failing our students.
I am running for the school board in answer to a call from community members who have an interest in being involved with their local schools to make important decisions and have their voices heard. Parents want to be allowed to raise their children according to their own values and want schools to concentrate on simply educating them. The school board serves as the bridge between the community and the schools by providing oversight and direction. They have the specific duties of developing responsible policies, overseeing the educational planning, staffing, financial resources, and facilities that will ensure the educational welfare of all Cañon City students, and “providing adequate and direct means for keeping the local citizenry informed about the schools and for keeping itself informed about the wishes of the public.” It is this last point, a direct quote from our RE-1 Board Policy BBA that highlights the greatest contrast between the ‘We the Parents’ candidates and the others.
You deserve absolute transparency regarding the education of your children. You have the right to advocate for policies and curriculum that will benefit your children. I am concerned about the amount of money that is spent purchasing initiatives that offer ‘solutions’ to deal with social emotional learning, bullying and mental health, many of which have built-in, preconceived ideologies that are in direct opposition to the beliefs and values of many of the parents and families in our community. I believe we would be better served to work with our school counselors, psychologists, teachers and parents to create long-term systems to help deal with the rising number of students who are struggling in school. We have talented, caring people right here in our district who have the institutional knowledge to rebuild programs that disappeared when funds dried up after the 2008-09 recession, programs such as Garden Park High School and the Bridges program at CCMS. There are different ways to deliver education to our children that will help them thrive. I agree with Madeline Hunter (acclaimed educator) when she said, “Expecting all children the same age to learn from the same materials is like expecting all children the same age to wear the same size clothing.”
Because of my business background (banking, real estate, and small business), and my 40+ years working with children (22 years teaching) in five different school districts in three different states, I have seen successful ways to deal with the problems we are currently experiencing. Do I have all the answers – no – but I have the experience and commitment to work with those in our school community who can and will work toward positive solutions.
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Every parent’s desire is that our children will have a better life than we did. That they will reach new levels of success, be smarter and have a better education. That is why I, Matthew Alexander, chose to run for the Canon City School Board. I am a fourth generation native of Colorado and founder of Moon Rock Landscaping. Prior to that I have worked both in blue-collar and white-collar fields. I have served in ministry in inner city Chicago working with both youth and adults in underserved communities. A resident in Cañon since 2006, I have served the community from being a youth pastor to a Rec Sports coach, chairman for the Head Start Policy Council and happily served on board of the CCHS Band Boosters. As a business owner, entrepreneur and a parent of three kids, two having graduated Cañon City Public Schools and one currently a sophomore in High School, I am poised to offer sensible parental representation on the school board.
It is essential to understand that our education system has been on the decline locally and nationally for some time now. Liberals have had the majority of control in public education for a long time and we are seeing the results of a failed liberal education. It is time to get back to a fundamental education that is not tied to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, the negative parts of Social Emotional Learning, Critical Race Theory, Comprehensive Sex Education or attempts to show a left leaning bias in the classroom or curriculum.
My opponents would have you believe that I am bringing some ideas that are going to “turn classrooms into political battlefields.” That they are listening to parents and are better suited to work with administration and staff. That they are going to keep politics out of the classroom. These are the very things that I have been talking about, not at the finish line to garner votes, but from the beginning of my campaign.
I have been talking to the community, teachers, parents, students. I know what people are saying. They want fewer excuses and better results. I recently sat listening to a school board work session as they discussed CMAS testing results and SAT scores in Cañon City, as group after group showed continued decline, no questions were asked. As it was discussed in a certain elementary school, that third grade students were 1/2 a grade level behind in reading, fourth graders 3/4 grade level behind. Fifth graders were a full grade level behind, again not one single board member asked why or asked what was being done to fix this or even discussed ideas for bettering our system. As a businessman, I plan and analyze how to improve work performance, better customer service, employee relations and more. The school board should be doing the exact same thing. Working with teachers and administration to make sure that the education is improving and not settling for the status quo.
When elected by the community as the right choice for Students, Parents, Teachers and community members, I promise I will work harder than anyone else to better our education system. When my opponents say we will keep politics out of schools, what they are truly saying is we will keep conservative politics out of schools. I will keep ALL political indoctrination out. I ran for YOU, the parents, to have control over what your kids are reading and what they are being taught. I ran for YOU, the parents, to have the control over your children’s beliefs in religion, politics, mental health, physical health, gender or sexuality decisions. These are all private matters and should be between you, your kids, counselors, ministers and family. It is not the school’s responsibility to be involved in these matters. Let’s get back to letting teachers teach and letting kids learn.