001here pretty quick. >> Come on in, you guys. Come on in. Make your way into these two, the middle section and the left section. Thank you very much. Let's go squad. It's time to dip. Time to roll down this way over here. Stay in this middle to left section. Okay, you can shut that music off. >> All right, here you go. All right, squad. Hey, here we go. We're going to go ahead and get started. We want to thank everybody. We Thank you. We want to thank everybody for being here. I'm going to turn it over to our moderators for our community school district school board candidate forum that we're having today during connections. Here you go. Okay. My name is Adriana Noen and I'm a senior. >> I'm Kate and I'm a senior. >>
002I'm Rachel Kent. I'm the only incumbent. >> I'm Mark Salman, candidate for school board. >> I'm Hannah Horton, candidate for school board. >> And I'm Rodrigo Santzo, candidate for school board. >> Okay. Awesome. Okay. Our first question is, what motivates you to run for the school board at this time? >> Okay. Uh, you guys are my number one reason. I have five children that have all attended Urbanddale schools. Two have graduated. I have three that are left in the district. Um, I've been watching you guys grow and change for 17 years. Close to 60 years of experience between all my kids so far. Um, we've had amazing opportunities and experiences and some that were not so great. Um, I'm watching you guys improve test scores. I'm watching community and culture of our buildings change and
003grow um, and evolve over time. And I'm just really excited to continue to watch the progress that we can make, to watch the test scores, um the gaps between our different classes, lesson um and everybody just grow as humans. >> I'm Mark Salman. Is my mic not working now or can you hear it? Okay. Um it's an honor to be up here with my fellow candidates, with you guys, in front of the students. you guys really represent the school. Um my primary sort of motivation in running for board is to really give you and your parents a voice. Okay. Um my belief is that the school the majority opinions of the or um uh the majority voices of you and your parents and the teachers are much more important than the few at the administrator
004level. um that are high up in the district. Um uh so that's my primary goal is to change the culture of the district here um to be more receptive to you and your parents and the teachers. >> Um the reason I'm running primarily is because of you, the students and educators that I'm passionate about. I always tell my kids, if there's something that you want to change, don't sit back and complain about it. Do something about it. I am passionate about being an advocate for kids and I'm passionate about Urbandale and I would be honored to serve my community on the school board. >> Uh what motivates me? Um I've got three kids. My oldest is a sophomore here at the high school. Uh, I have a seventh grader at the middle school and a
005daughter who's a uh is in third grade, 8-year-old. Um, and I see you guys now that as young adults and getting out there and making important decisions, being involved in situations like this and getting out there to vote. And for me, it's about getting the school district and our students prepared for life afterwards. Making sure we're progressing, doing what we can to make you ready and prepared for life after the school and make this a much better environment. >> What Okay. What is your opinion on book banning in schools? >> I'll start. I'm I'm 100% against it. Um, I understand that some books may not be necessarily appropriate depending on the age. Obviously, certain books in the high school may not be appropriate for elementary school. So, it's important obviously for our librarians and the
006committees to review that. But at the end of the day, it's up to you to decide what it is you want to read. And being able to read what is out there, I think helps develop critical thought, critical thinking, and have, you know, difficult discussions that maybe some people don't want to have. So, I think it's important to keep that available for consumers, for you, and for us, um, instead of just kind of shutting it out and hiding it away because we just don't want to see it. >> Um, I don't think it's the government's role to regulate what we can and cannot read. I trust teachers and educators and school librarians who have specific training um to decide what is appropriate and um age appropriate for our kids and for their lesson plans. And
007I think that we need to rely on them and their expertise and not micromanage what they're doing. And I also trust you as students, especially as seniors who are nearly adults, to make an informed decision about what you believe. And I think it's not our job to teach you um how what you believe, but to teach you how to make an informed decision and to make that decision on your own. >> I'll keep my answer brief. I agree with Rod and Hannah. I think going down the road of banning books is a dangerous one to go down. Um I do think there's age appropriateness certainly for the very for the much younger ages but beyond that um uh I do not believe in banning books. >> Um I I would say that we had a
008really nice process in place for parents to have input on what books their childrens do or do not read. um making books available, the whole array of books available to every student and allowing um families to decide what's best for their own child is where I stand on that. Um I I agree with everybody else as far as age appropriateness. Um I have full trust in our librarians and district that age appropriate books were in each of the schools. Um the way the law is written at this point is tricky in a district like Urbandale for our middle school students because they have broken broken the age ranges from kindergarten to 6th grade and then 6 to 12. Um, so our middle school has a little bit more of a challenge there. Um, and I
009I just think there's there's been an overstep there where we need to empower our educators who are the experts um, in providing appropriate books that will reach everyone. What are what are your main goals and what changes do you want to make as part of the school board? >> Let me start. >> So, uh I mentioned earlier that my primary goal is to bring a voice to the members of the community, the students, your parents and the teachers. So, how does that actually look um on a tangible basis? Um it's currently extremely difficult. In fact, it's hasn't been done to my knowledge in years to actually get an item that you and your parents and your friends feel is import is important to the community to actually get it on a schoolboard agenda. Okay. Um
010I tried for a year and a half when it came to the uh athletic conference issue and was unsuccessful. So I speak from experience. Um the bar is way too high to do that. Okay. So that's something very tangible that I feel strongly about. Um even an event like this, which is great. Um uh I would prefer that we would have a dialogue back and forth. Okay. I think that's fair to ask of when people choose to spend their life and send their kids in this community to have an open dialogue with the leaders of the school including the school board. Um so that's sort of my primary goal. Um, I'll let the other candidates. >> Um, my priorities are I want to make Urbandale a place where students feel safe, seen, and challenged and
011supported academically. I want our culture to be one where educators are valued and empowered. And I want Urbandale to be a place where staff speaking up to protect student safety is seen as an always expectation that is free from retaliation. I believe that we have a big opportunity for improvement to build a more open and trusting relationship between the board, the community, and administration to make our community feel like they are heard and an important part of the decision-making process. And I would like to be a part of that rebuilding. I would piggyback off uh what Mark was saying about one of the goals is creating more communication, more back and forth with you and your parents. Uh and for those parents who are watching, I know a lot of frustrations that I've heard is
012that the communication is lacking from the parents to the district administration level. So, if there's a way to evolve how we actually interact with everybody, yes, I understand that at schoolboard meetings people get two minutes, but there's no reason why we shouldn't have a maybe something like this, a town hall, if you will, I think people like to use, but uh an avenue for people to have a more back and forth with us as the board and district administration as well. So, you guys can actually get your concerns out and we can actually start reviewing those instead of just limiting your time to two minutes. concerns are a lot bigger than just two minutes. >> Okay. Um I'm going to try and I I'm just going to touch on what they've all said about lack
013of communication. Um Iowa law regulates how things are put on an agenda. School board has a lot of items that we need to do um work-wise. We cannot um create an environment where it it's a large portion of it is dictated by what a few people think or want to talk about. There are avenues to get in touch with the school board. There are avenues to get in touch with um administration and I have always always made myself available for um anybody who reaches out um with quick responses. As far as why what changes I want to see made, um I want to continue to see the culture of our schools and our community improve. We've been in a place recently where uh my own children are coming home and talking about the unkind things
014that their classmates are saying. They're working hard in the classroom, on the field, on the track, wherever, and classmates are telling them that they suck. And that really isn't okay. Um we've seen a lot of that behavior in parents in the community as well. Um we know that our children grow up to be who we are. So our behavior is reflective in them as well. Um so I want to continue to be that positive person that's open-minded that can look at the whole picture and embrace everybody's um perspective because perspective is reality. [Applause] [Music] What measures can we take to prevent students from bringing weapons to school as well as ensure student safety? >> Um, all right. So, I worked uh for some of you who don't know, I worked for uh the MO Police
015Department, done so for 24 years, and I worked as an SRO at East High for 4 years and then came back as a supervisor when I got promoted to sergeant. Um, and that's that's a it's actually a quite difficult uh question cuz there's there's not a true way uh unfortunately to keep everything 100% safe. Um there were discussions when I was at the school about bringing in metal detectors. Um obviously that can bring in several concerns and issues along with it. The funding, who's going to man it? Um kids coming into schools. Um the other concern is is that the environment we want to create for for people who come to our schools and make it seem like it's unsafe. uh utilizing our local police department and our SRO's to help train staff and students
016about identifying behavior. Um you know the the saying you see something you say something but the part of it is also learning what it is that you're seeing and what kind of behavior. If you have friends or see students that uh you know might cause a concern or you see something that isn't normal, you got to report it even at the minimalist sign that you might think it's concerning. Um so I would say being able to train our staff, our students, um watching that behavior, but again also finding out what the community wants, how the administration looks at what our teachers are looking for and truly creating that environment. If we find a student that has brought a weapon, as a district, what are we doing? The police department's going to do their side of
017things, right? But as a district, are we meeting with the student after the fact and the parents to find out what took them to that point? Was it something in the school? Was it something out in the community that made them feel like they needed to bring a weapon? We need to address those factors as well um in order to better understand what's truly going inside and outside of our schools and hopefully do what we can to keep people from bringing a weapon into the buildings. >> Yeah, I'll echo what Rod said. Obviously, he's the expert having served as a SRO. I think it's a really multiffactorial um answer. There's not, as he said, not an easy one-sizefits-all answer. I think um I recently talked to an educator at DCG that they talked about how
018they've implemented a really widespread anti-bullying training for all of their students and all of their educators that has really decreased their um bullying and violence rates which I thought was something really impressive. You know, it starts it starts with violence prevention before you get to the weapons. And I think um really focusing on mental health. Um listening to what your classmates are saying. Like Rod said, when you see something, say something. If you if you hear someone saying something concerning. Um I think also when teachers report something, taking them seriously. Um not being punitive to students or teachers when they report something and just creating a culture where mental health is important. and um where reports are taken seriously and where safety is the top priority. >> Yeah, I agree. Um I'll just add that
019I do think at some point there needs to be perhaps more serious repercussions for those who bring weapons to school, particularly on a repeated basis. Um I've heard some frustrations from parents um that there those repercussions are not in place. So I think we need to consider those as well. Um, I have a little bit I wouldn't say I disagree with them at all, but I I'll just expand on it. Um, our district has policies in place. Um, I can't recite the number, although I should be able to because we've exercised it several times in the last four years. Um, we have a wonderful working relationship with Urbandale Police Department. Our SRO's, both of them are um out mingling and building relationships. they're able to um kind of ward off potential issues. Sometimes um our
020school board has we we've struggled with the zero tolerance policy because these are people um and people's lives that are being changed when they make a really incredibly bad decision um a mistake if you will. You guys are are are kids. you're still growing up, you're still learning, adults are making the same kind of mistake. Um, it it's not uncommon for people to screw up. Um, but the district has been very consistently enforcing the zero tolerance policy. Um, and that policy is again governed by the state law. >> What is your history with politics and leadership? What's your history with politics and leadership? Oh, >> sure. Well, I'll go. Um, I'm a small business owner. I manage a team of employees. Um, this would be my first time in publicly held office. Um, I do
021serve on the board of Urbanddale Golf. Um, I'm past president of um, a few trade associations, including the Iowa Commercial Real Estate Association and when I lived in Minnesota, the Minnesota Commercial Finance Association. Um, I've served for I'm just finishing my fourth year. So, that's my the extent of my politics. I'm not really here to be a politician. School board is nonpartisan and I wholeheartedly believe that and I think that my actions and behavior have reinforced my belief there. Um, as far as leadership, I've been a teacher um by trade for a long time. This year I am currently uh working at Drake and I'm supporting student organizations there. So um I'm helping lead if you will um the process of all all of the students especially their board members um through all the right
022channels um that will help them succeed later in life as well. I've participated many years and much time on PTO and um helping coach mock trial, academic decathlon and um pretty much anywhere in the school that they need some help. Um volunteers are hard to find. So stepping up to the plate is really important for all of us. This is also my first time running for public office. Um, like Rachel, I have been an active participant in my kids' education since they were in preschool. I now have two middle schoolers, a sixth grader and an eighth grader. Um, I'm a nurse. I've been a nurse for 23 years. I am currently working um, I'm on the organizing committee with some other nurses in the area to try to organize about 2,000 nurses into a nurses
023union in the area. So that's um a leadership role that I'm working on. I have also served on the PTO. I was a Girl Scout leader and um I've been on the school improvement advisory committee, served on a couple curriculum review committees, and I am currently working with a team of administrators, parents, and middle school educators to work on um revamping our um elective offerings for our middle schoolers here in Urbandale. Um this is my first time doing any sort of public office. Um kind of like what's been said already too. I think school board should be apolitical. Um but having a good variety of ideas is always good. Um my leadership experience um you know I'll lean back to my 24 years with with the police department. Promoted to sergeant uh in 2015. I
024worked midnight patrol for about a year and a half and then again with the SR unit. um was then promoted to lieutenant in 2020. Um I was one of the watch commanders for third watch patrol and then in charge of our dispatchers. I was assigned to our academy for 2 and 1/2 years which involved uh hiring uh new police officers and training them. I was instructor for deescalation ethics. I'm also in charge of our taser program. So if you see a de mo police officer, it's high chance that I literally tase them as part of the training. Um, and then right now I'm assigned as as a commander for our narcotics unit. So, what I've learned throughout my years about being in a leadership role, it's not about necessarily about telling people what to do
025and understanding that, but it's also knowing that you may not have the answer all the time. And you have to be open to other ideas. not coming in and changing things for changing sake, but maybe sitting back, observing, and then assessing if changes need to be made. Listening to others, and making sure you're creating an environment that makes them flourish at their job and what they're doing. >> What will you do to support all ranges of activities like music, sports, etc. >> Um, I think I kind of answered this in the last question. I have been a supporter of all sorts of activities here at the high school, the middle school, and the elementary school. Um, at the very least, I'm attending when I'm not already tied down to one of my own families activities
026or board activity work. Um, I've I've been to marching band invitational and show choir invitational in uh the winter. I'm attending football games and not making it to volleyball games. And I'm really sorry. I I'm chasing um middle school cross country um this fall and soccer. Um so I I'm doing those things. I'm coming to support you. I am volunteering in the concession stand um to help support the booster club. I am making donations. Um there's there's a real divide in um not just our community, just our society right now where we think that that the registration fees for things are what are holding people back. It's not just registration, it's that you need baseball or softball cleat, you need a bat, you need a he a helmet and glove and things like that. So
027we're um we're donating those kind of items to students so that they can participate. um at at lower levels. Um we don't have larger items, but we're getting there. We're going to be uh donating those too. Um I am I have been chaperon for academic decathlon. I have supported our coach there um quite a lot. I volunteer at those at the state and um regional um competitions that they have. I have spent hours and hours with mock trial in the past. Um so >> yeah my kids have participated in many I would say most activities most sports um showfire chorus um not every not every activity but the majority of them I think at the very least what I would bring to the board is a deep understanding of our athletics programs. I think we're
028lacking that currently on the board. Nothing against any of the board members. um they all bring their respective strengths, but a deep knowledge of athletics and a deep history of supporting athletics is not one of them. Um uh so I think that's sort of what separates me at least from many of the existing board members. >> So I think it starts with what I would bring is just being an involved parent as Rachel said. Um, I also recognize that not every person or family is able to do that. So, I think that it's important as a board member to advocate for all kids. Um, even those who may not have that at home. Um, and I think it's also important to lift up all activities. um you know, if there's one that might not have
029as much funding, I think it's important to make sure that those kids are also getting the attention and the support and um the engagement that they deserve from the community. >> At the end of the day, it's about being visible and being present and involved in the activities. um everything they've said um you know I I agree with um volunteering at concession stands being at whether it's athletics or band or choir here here in the activity center and theater um I've got like I said three kids around a variety of levels and so they they keep me busy coming and going to a variety of activities but as not just schoolboard members but as districts officials uh we want to make sure that we're present at your activities, supporting them, and even activities outside of
030official district if there's club sports and we have a variety of them here in the area and showing up there and just supporting you guys and whatever it is that your interests are as well. >> Can I add something real quick? Um, it's really common for people to assume that the higherups, administration, the school board, etc. know exactly what's going on. We don't know if you don't tell us. Um, so a good example of that would be, um, athletics are getting new uniforms, but band isn't. Um, did administration know? Did anybody ask you know um I I think that there is a desire to have equal support across all boards. >> Okay. Our last question is do you support staying in the C IL or leaving? >> Well, I'll start. Um most of you probably
031know um I was one of the parents leading the effort to leave the CML and join the little Hawkeye. Um I could talk for hours about this. I think it's probably redundant redundant at this point, but um you know um the overarching reason is to give our kids, our students, particularly our female student athletes, a fighting chance on the field on or on the court. Okay. Um, uh, my daughter graduated just this past spring and I witnessed her participate in numerous sports, primarily basketball and volleyball, um, at all levels, freshman, JV, senior, and she didn't win a single game or match. Okay, we're talking in excess of 200 losses, not a single conference win. Um uh the data is overwhelming. Uh we would in this new conference be participating with schools that are actually our
032size. Okay. DCG, Norwok, Indianola, and Ames. Um uh they are at our level of competition. We would not dominate these schools, men or boys or girls in any sport. So, I believe it's a perfect fit. This doesn't mean we we can't still compete against our CIL CIL neighbors. We can still schedule them, but at least for conference play, um, uh, I support joining the Little Hawkeye. >> Um, I agree with Mark on this. I have watched our girls struggle and I you know through no fault of your own you're being forced to play against teams that are huge huge so much bigger than Urbandale and that puts you at an unfair disadvantage and you deserve a chance of a level playing field. So I would support leaving [Applause] [Music] All right, I think you guys
033are answering to get out of here. But the long of it, yes, I support it. Um, I went to a small 1A school in Iowa City, Regina, and we bounced back and forth in classes, not even conferences. And you have to understand that schools are going to evolve, districts are going to evolve, athletics are going to evolve. And it's not a matter of running away from competition or ignoring it. There's value in losing, but is there value in losing all the time? I don't think so. But it is about getting you to a level competition. The other schools are getting bigger. We're kind of staying the same size. So, we probably need to start looking at evolving and adapting to who we are now. Not who we've been, but who we're becoming. And so, part
034of that in my mind would be to move in uh to Seattle. >> I'll be real quick. Um I'm the outlier in this group. At this point, I did not um when we voted in February, I did not vote to support leaving the CIML. Not because not because I think that it's the best fit for us or that Little Hawkeye isn't a great fit for us, but because we are still one of the larger schools regardless of what we want. Um, unless the state does something different with their structuring, that's going to remain the same. If you guys want to be able to compete postseason, you're going to need to be able to compete against the big the big big schools. Um, we're not going to be one of those big schools. I understand that.
035Um what I think the little Hawkeye has in most of the other schools in the CIML that we don't have is the youth development piece. And I think we really need to work on um that. We need to fix that so that we can compete everywhere against every school. And I totally believe in you guys. >> Yeah. [Applause] >> Thank everybody before you go. This is very important. First of all, let's clap up our moderator cheer. Thank you very much. Good work. Not an easy job. Last thing, remember this is very important. Seniors that are especially your voting age, part of the reason you were selected to be here is to vote. So get out and as they say, rock the boat. Do it. Have a great one. Third period. [Music]