Two seats on a seven-member Hastings Area School System Board of Education are open this election season and two candidates are running to fill them. The Board of Education is comprised of seven members, who are elected for terms of six years.
Incumbent Valerie Slaughter will be running to retain her seat. She was first elected to the board in 2012. Louis Wierenga Jr. is not seeking re-election. Newcomer Brandy Nofz is running for the seat.
To get to know each candidate a little better, we posed them a few questions. Their answers are below.
VALERIE SLAUGHTER
How long have you served on the school board?
I have been on the school board since I was elected in 2012, starting my term in January 2013. I have served as both Secretary and currently as Vice President.
What experience do you have that serves you well in the position?
My bachelor’s degree is from Spring Arbor University in business management and organizational development, and my professional career has been in insurance claims and risk management for over 25 years. My professional work exposes me to a variety of areas that have an impact on schools and the day-to-day operations of both people and the property involved in running a school district. I also have volunteered in the community, working closely with parents and coaches within the youth athletics community, having served 17 years running the HYAA organization. I have also coached volleyball and softball for the district.
What led you to want to serve on the school board?
Back in 2012 when I decided to run, I had attended several meetings and knew that the district was facing a deficit in their fund balance as well as several other issues. I had three children in school back in 2012, at that time and wanted to have a say in how the district moved forward. Now, I have three children who have graduated from Hastings, two who are teachers, one who came back to teach here at Hastings. I believe in advocating for the best for both our students and our staff while finding the balance the district needs to maintain a strong fund balance.
What are some of the key issues facing HASS and what are your ideas to address them?
In my tenure, we have hired five superintendents. The average term of a superintendent has dropped to around two years. Keeping a strong leader, who will advocate for our district – both staff and students – while also telling our story and keeping the community informed and engaged is one of the main issues, and I feel that our new superintendent will fill this gap. Passing our sinking fund renewal this year is also a large issue facing the district. The sinking fund has been a blessing over the last several years, it has allowed us to maintain and repair our facilities before an emergency hits. Lastly, addressing the teacher shortage and attracting and retaining new teachers as our experienced teachers start to retire. Developing a strategic plan to tackle staffing, building maintenance and community engagement will help our district and board to move forward with the same goals before us.
BRANDY NOFZ
What experience do you have that will serve you well on the school board?
My educational background includes an undergrad in marketing and an MBA focused on finance. I am a local business owner with daily experience in the insurance industry and as a commercial landlord. Most importantly I am the mother of a school-aged child and have spent years volunteering in the school system and as a PTO member and president.
What has led you to want to serve on the school board?
I have always had a strong urge to serve my community. When I became a parent, I began to volunteer in the schools and loved being able to work with the kids, parents, teachers and administrators. As a graduate of the Hastings Area School System, I can think of no better way to give back than to help steer this school system into the future.
What are some of the key issues facing HASS and what are your ideas to address them?
An issue that seems to come up over and over again is a chunk of people in our community who don’t trust our school administration or school board. A solution is to work on building trust by being transparent about how we spend money and the decisions that are being made overall. The more we can involve and inform the community about what we are doing and the changes that are happening, the more accountable we can become.