Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of guest columns written by school board candidates.

Our vision for the Woodland Park School District is one of revitalization and success. Through unity, transparency, and accountability, our plan aims to bring together all stakeholders for a brighter future.

Strong Partnerships

The incumbent board operates in the shadows, making decisions outside public view and without input from stakeholders. In fact, there hasn’t been a single dissenting vote in a public school board meeting yet this year. To foster collaboration and transparency, we intend to organize regular meetings with key entities such as the City Council, local law enforcement agencies, and County representatives. Our goal is to encourage open dialogues, address concerns, and align our efforts to enhance the educational experience for our students. We also plan to integrate local community service groups such as the Lion’s Club, Community Partnership, and Kiwanis into our strategic plan. Their input will enhance the overall educational environment.

Expanded Participation and Input

The incumbent board removed a valuable check on its power by giving itself the ability to appoint members to the District Accountability Committee (DAC). DAC members were previously appointed by school administrators. Unlike the incumbent board, we welcome oversight and accountability. Besides returning responsibility for appointing DAC members to school administrators, we will also go one step further and expand the DAC to include a broader representation of voices, including: an Administrator from Merit Academy, one elementary teacher from each school, a high school student from the Student Council, and a Merit student.

Evaluate Legal Expenditures

The incumbent board has burned through hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars in dubious legal expenditures. We will carefully review legal costs and eliminate unnecessary expenditures, which includes reevaluating the role of Brad Miller. By reducing exorbitant costs, we can reallocate resources to support academic achievement.

Contract Evaluation

Leadership is integral to the success of any educational institution, but the incumbent board has hired multiple leaders with no prior experience related to their roles. As a result, our district is experiencing unprecedented staff turnover. Our plan involves a thorough review of leadership contracts to ensure our leaders demonstrate effective management skills with proven results. This evaluation will help us maintain a strong administrative foundation and foster a culture of accountability and excellence.

Elevating Educational Standards

The incumbent board made our kids the guinea pigs in their education experiments by implementing unproven academic standards. We will implement standards and curriculum with a focus on proven academic results and compliance with collegiate requirements.

Empowering Parents

We believe in the importance of a strong partnership between parents and the school district. We will provide a full curriculum at the start of each academic year on the district website. Parents will have the right to opt-out of any controversial electives, empowering them to make choices that align with their values while fostering a collaborative environment.

By fostering unity among stakeholders, expanding input sources, enhancing leadership, refining curriculum, and empowering parents, we are paving the way for a brighter future.

Keegan Barkley

Courtesy photo