Meet Your Candidates: Wyoming’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming Information Now) – We reached out to all candidates submitting for Wyoming State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Under are the candidates operating who responded to our request. The knowledge under is written by the candidates and unedited by Wyoming Information Now.

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY CANDIDATES

NAME: Megan Degenfelder

AGE: 33

OCCUPATION: Oil & fuel authorities & regulatory affairs supervisor, a earlier government at WY Division of Training

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: N/A

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN CHEYENNE OR WYOMING? I’m a sixth era Wyomingite and lifelong resident. Whereas I grew up in Casper, I lived in Cheyenne for a number of years, and my husband grew up in Cheyenne. We now reside in Laramie.

WHY ARE YOU RUNNING? As a product of Wyoming’s public college system and the College of Wyoming, I used to be in a position to construct a profitable life and profession right here in my residence state. I’m operating for State Superintendent to make sure that our future generations have simply as many, if no more, alternatives to have a profitable future in Wyoming.

WHAT IS CHEYENNE’S/WYOMING’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE?

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Because it pertains to schooling, I consider the most important problem is making certain our schooling system is nimble sufficient to greatest put together college students for a profitable future with high-paying jobs proper right here in Wyoming. So as to take action, we should deal with the instructor scarcity, enhance literacy charges earlier than third grade, accomplice with native industries to arrange college students for the present office, present as many choices and profession pathways to college students and fogeys as attainable, and hold authorities out of the classroom, from radical political agendas to burdensome reporting and necessities, so we are able to deal with what’s most important- educating our youngsters.

ZOOM INTERVIEW: Degenfelder

NAME: Thomas Kelly

AGE: 52

OCCUPATION: College Chair of Political Science

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Appointed boards and commissions.

*HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN CHEYENNE OR WYOMING? Three years

WHY ARE YOU RUNNING? Recruited by Wyoming State GOP members

WHAT IS CHEYENNE’S/WYOMING’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE? Breaking the dependancy to federal cash, which is undermining state sovereignty

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Ph.D. in American Authorities, MA in Training, professor, former public college instructor, and a number of other youngsters in Wyoming colleges.

ZOOM INTERVIEW: Kelly

NAME: Brian Schroeder

AGE: 57

OCCUPATION: Superintendent of Public Instruction

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Served as Superintendent since January 2022

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN CHEYENNE OR WYOMING? Since 2019

WHY ARE YOU RUNNING? I’m operating as a result of I need to assist Wyoming schooling to return its focus to the true function of schooling: to study to suppose. I need to restore the philosophical integrity of the classroom, put mother and father first, and take away indoctrination from (or forestall it from taking root in) our lecture rooms.

WHAT IS CHEYENNE’S/WYOMING’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE? Wyoming’s largest problem in schooling is its dependence on federal {dollars}. In current weeks, the federal authorities has proven its hand, and it’s obvious that the strings tied to federal {dollars} will not be well worth the cash. Wyoming doesn’t have a funding drawback, we now have a spending drawback. We should drastically cut back our dependence on federal {dollars}.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Web site: Schroederforwyoming.com

ZOOM INTERVIEW: Schroeder

NAME: Jennifer Zerba

AGE: 51

OCCUPATION: Educator and College of Wyoming Doctoral Scholar

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE:

PARTY AFFILIATION: Republican

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN CHEYENNE OR WYOMING? I used to be born in Casper, WY.

WHY ARE YOU RUNNING? What’s the level of schooling? What are we doing if we aren’t making ready college students for all times? It’s time we now have somebody because the superintendent of public instruction who is aware of what it’s wish to be within the trenches. I presently work for Natrona County College District as a board-certified substitute instructor and Wyoming Skilled Teacher that may train enterprise, enterprise administration, enterprise administration, and human service whereas I full my schooling doctorate in Studying, Design, and Know-how. I perceive first-hand the results of hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in funds cuts during the last a number of years. I had watched the TV present Undercover Boss and similar to within the present, selections are being made by individuals who do not know the way it impacts the folks they’re making the selections for. I’ve skilled simply that. Folks in Cheyenne are making insurance policies, initiatives, and procedures with out understanding how these have an effect on educators and college students. Educators are burnt out and quitting the occupation or leaving the state to coach college students in these states. I’m dedicated to monetary duty, supporting educators, upholding the Wyoming Structure, and a talented workforce.

WHAT IS CHEYENNE’S/WYOMING’S’ BIGGEST CHALLENGE? Wyoming’s largest problem in schooling is intertwined: standing up for our educators and upholding the Wyoming Structure whereas making certain our college students graduate with expertise that allow them to make good decisions with the huge alternatives offered to them. Retention and getting extra educators needs to be on the highest of the record. 65% of educators would give up if they may. In Natrona County, we had over 130 job openings for 2022- 2023.

www.zerba4WYSOPI.com

ZOOM INTERVIEW: Zerba

NAME: Robert White: Didn’t reply by deadline.

DEMOCRAT PRIMARY CANDIDATE

NAME: Sergio Maldonado Sr.

AGE: 68

OCCUPATION: 23 years as knowledgeable public educator

POLITICAL EXPERIENCE: Sergio has served two phrases on his native college board; He was a candidate for SD 25 in 2018.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU LIVED IN WYOMING? Sergio was born and spent most of his youth on the Wind River Reservation, leaving to pursue his schooling. He returned residence to Wind River 16 years in the past.

WHY ARE YOU RUNNING? It has been disappointing to see successive Superintendents politicizing the schooling of our kids. Our college students deserve a lot extra. Below my management, schooling is not going to be politicized to the detriment of our college students. Each pupil will obtain a top quality schooling in collaboration with Wyoming academics, the administration, and neighborhood enter.

WHAT IS CHEYENNE/WYOMING’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE? Each youngster, it doesn’t matter what their zip code, deserves a high-quality schooling distributed with love no matter age, gender, race, class, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. That’s what schooling is about and that’s what I’ll ship.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: As Wyoming’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Sergio will deal with these points:

• Equitably fund our colleges
• College security first
• Assist our academics
• Native management, native enter
• Each pupil succeeds
• Public funds for public colleges solely
• Early childhood schooling for all youngsters

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