My name is Kevin Daniels and I would like to publicly declare my candidacy as a write-in candidate for the USD 489 Board of Education this November.

Since not earning the appointment for the open board seat a few weeks ago, many people: teachers, staff, administrators, parents, business people, and community members, have encouraged me to run as a write-in candidate this November. They believe in me as a candidate and as a person they can trust.

I am currently serving as president of Roosevelt Home and School, and I have worked hard to support our students, but also our teachers and staff. I have been in the classrooms and seen the needs first-hand for smaller class sizes and better facilities. I have talked with parents and teachers on a regular basis, listening to their concerns and making the tough decisions when necessary.

I believe that I will be an asset to the USD 489 Board of Education. I believe I will bring honesty, transparency, and trust to the position, and I will fight for what it is right.

My campaign slogan is “Working with Teachers to put Students First.” There are three parts to that statement that are important to me. The first word is “working.” I am a hard worker and give 110 percent to everything that I do. I am active in the community, serving on several boards and committees, working hand-in-hand with people to better our community. I will give my whole heart to serving on the board.

The second part of the statement is “with teachers.” If I could make the slogan longer, it would say, “with teachers, staff, and administrators.” There is a feeling by many that the board is in an adversarial relationship with the teachers and staff. I believe something needs to be done to fix that. We need to listen to one another and work together for the common goal of educating our students. I have demonstrated at Roosevelt that much can be accomplished when parents, teachers, staff, and administrators work together in unison. Yes, disagreements come up, but I will listen carefully to both sides and then make the best decision possible. I have the support of many teachers and staff in the district, and it’s important to me to have that support. But that support doesn’t mean that I will make decisions just to make people happy. What I have promised my supporters—all of them—is that I will listen to their concerns and that I will be transparent and honest with them about my decisions.

The third part of the statement should perhaps be at the beginning, because it is the most important: “put students first.” The whole reason we who support our schools do so is for the sake of the students. Nothing comes before what is best for the safety, security, and education of our students. If students stay in Hays, there are entrusted to us for 7 plus hours a day for 13 years. We have an incredibly important responsibility to use that time wisely, preparing them for the world beyond K-12.

To serve on the board would be a great honor for me. It has been humbling these past several weeks, having so many people share with me their support and encouragement. I am looking forward to a win in November so that I can continue serving our Hays community, this time as a board of education member.

I would humbly ask for your support as I embark on this uphill write-in campaign. My name will not appear on the ballot, so each person will have to manually enter my name. It’s going to be a battle, but it’s one that I’m prepared to win. For more information about me, visit kevindanielsfor489.com or on Facebook.com/kevindanielsfor489. You can email me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you. Thank you for your support!