Hays USD 489 school board candidate: Paul Adams

Age: 58

Education: BS, Heidelberg College; MS Washington State University; PhD Purdue University

Do you have a student currently attending USD 489 schools? No

Qualifications: I trained as a teacher, and work as an administrator. These experiences have prepared me to use reasonable approaches to make decisions to allocate resources.

Do you support USD 489 trying for another bond issue? What do you think that bond should include? If you don’t support a bond issue, how do you think the school district should address its infrastructure needs?

Simply put, we need to upgrade our facilities. Even if we go back to the drawing board for new ideas or to find the right formula, it is the responsibility of the board to address this in order to fulfill our mission of providing “a quality learning experience for every child in every classroom every day.”

I have visited other districts and seen what can be done with the infrastructure. It is amazing how a remodel or new construction does change the classroom environment and can promote learning and the development of workforce skills. Yes we need a new elementary school; personally I feel we also need a new high school. With these two items we could then eliminate buildings pass their prime and remodel to move students out of boxes into a classrooms that allow each student to maximize his/her potential.

What would you do to secure the financial health of the school district?

We do not have much in terms of contingency reserves should a problem occur or if the state has a shortfall. This needs to be balanced against teacher compensation – where compensation is not just salary but salary and benefits (insurance + retirement). I often feel that the focus on the total benefit package – and the cost of such – is lost in public discussions. The efforts to “right size” salaries and benefits for all employees, while continuing to bring cash reserves to the recommended level will require nuance, but will provide a stable financial platform.

The Hays school board is at impasse with its teachers for the second year in a row. What would you do to improve relations with teachers?

I believe our current negotiation process is ineffective. Collectively – both HNEA and the board – have become entrenched in their positions. This leads to impasse and unintended ill-will. It is time for a restart by moving to interest-based bargaining. I believe this is essential as our current process has lost the focus on the mission of the school district – quality learning for every student.

Do you support the district’s current one-to-one technology policy? If not, what would you propose?

I do. My voting record and comments as a board member speak to this issue. I am actively involved in teacher preparation. One of the measures that the programs I oversee are evaluated on at a national level is training teachers to effectively use technology in teaching. Technology can be transformative in student learning. We should never disadvantage our future by failing to provide adequate tools to our students and teachers.

How would you support the district in its work to improve student performance?

The current board made a sound choice with our current superintendent. The board has placed trust and expectations on the superintendent to set the pace on student performance. The board establishes expectations for performance with the input of school leadership. Our role is to provide the superintendent with the resources to fulfill the joint vision. The board holds the superintendent accountable – from finances to outcomes – to assure top performance by our students. The final and most significant person in student performance is the teacher. The board should actively seek to assure a good working environment and resources for teachers.

Is there anything else you would like to add about you or your campaign?
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