Name: Brent H. Windsor
Age: 40
Occupation: Group product manager, Hopkins Manufacturing
Education: BS advertising and marketing, Kansas State University
Personal: wife, Melissa Windsor, director of the Emporia Arts Council; son, Zach Windsor, eighth-grade student
Q Why are you running for this office?
A Emporia being my home, I have a responsibility to give back my service to the community. I truly believe I can contribute to the success of our school district. I am confident I can make a difference in our community, our educational system and the success of our students.
Q If elected, what are your goals?
A Emporia is a quickly changing, diverse community — one that offers a breadth of opportunities for our students and educators. I will champion initiatives that provide much needed support and attention for all Emporia students and families. Every student deserves access to the tools required to achieve educational excellence. I intend to assure all our children have equal access to those tools.
Q How will the Emporia school board be better with you as a member?
A As your next school board member, I will use my years of leadership, team building, strategic management and fiscal administration towards building the best education system our district can offer. I consider being a member of the school board an awesome responsibility. I pledge to always put the best interest of our students first, while giving the community my full attention and serious commitment. I am confident you will find my experience and dedication to be a valuable asset to Emporia’s next school board.
Q What do you think is the biggest issue facing the Emporia school board and how would you resolve it?
A Children should have the opportunity to reach their highest potential. We see strong advancements in reading and math in grades K-6. A District Improvement Plan has recently begun its implementation period. This plan utilizes many of the successes seen at the K-6 grades and duplicates those successes at the middle and high school level. It is imperative that our district continues to implement strategies, allowing all students the opportunity for success. I will strive to assure our board initiates policy that results in these successes. Emporia struggles with providing adequate resources that will bring students in the ELL, Low SES and Special Education sub-groups in line with Adequate Yearly Progress requirements. Our educators must have the resources and training to provide these students with the tools they need to excel. I support funding that increases our resources for these sub-groups. Additionally, we must not forget our students who surpass standards. They must have a curriculum available that continues to push their abilities to new heights. I encourage policy that not only allows students at all grade levels to meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind, but escalates Emporia to a top performing Kansas school district.
Q What should Emporia school board’s priorities be when it plans a budget?
A The school board has a responsibility to put students first and make budget decisions that will improve the educational environment, while providing resources for superior learning achievement. Budget responsibility to the community and administration is imperative. My budget development and management experience will prove an asset to the board.
Q Looking to the future, what are three things you’d like to see happen in the Emporia school district?
A We live in a global economy. For our students to succeed and our communities to prosper, we must look beyond our borders. First, I support programs that require foreign language studies as early as grade school. Second, I would like to see curriculums that better prepare students by encouraging abstract problem solving and the development of strong people skills. And third, increased world knowledge is vital to the development of a global citizen.