Colorado is holding elections, including for school boards, on Nov. 7, 2023. A number of candidates running in these elections completed Ballotpedia’s Candidate Connection survey. These survey responses allow voters to hear directly from candidates about what motivates them to run for office.
Below is a selection of responses from the candidates who filled out the survey as of Oct. 17. To read each candidate’s full responses, click his or her name at the bottom of the article.
Incumbent Susan Meek (nonpartisan) is running for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District A, and the general election is on Nov. 7. Here’s how Meek responded to the question: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
“The majority of my professional career has been focused the public education, which included 6 years in the Douglas County School District where I started with the Douglas County Education Foundation. In that role, I was tasked to create several new programs, many of which still exist today, such as The Apple Awards and the Girls and Women in Sports Luncheon. I also partnered with business, the work force agency, and higher ed on several projects resulting in career training for hundreds of students and unemployed adults.
I have spent that past 10 years supporting public education at the state level, where I work with school districts and school boards across Colorado. My focus has primarily been on school finance, education policy, and governance trainings. …”
Click here to read the rest of Meek’s answers.
Incumbent Vicki Reinhard (nonpartisan) is running for Aurora Public Schools Board of Education At-large, and the general election is on Nov. 7. Here’s how Reinhard responded to the question: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
“I am most passionate about public education, providing equitable resources and opportunities to our very diverse communities, environmental concerns and mental health. Appropriate funding is central to providing all of these services and protecting the environment we live in.”
Click here to read the rest of Reinhard’s answers.
Shay Dabney (nonpartisan) is running for Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education At-large, and the general election is on Nov. 7. Here’s how Dabney responded to the question: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
“… My foremost commitment lies in promoting equitable access to quality education, regardless of a student’s zip code or background. I envision policies that break down barriers and offer every District 11 student an exceptional education. Moreover, I’m dedicated to issues of equity, justice, and inclusion. … I have actively worked to enhance educational accountability and inclusivity.
Currently serving as the Program and Operations Manager of Citizens Project, a local nonprofit promoting community inclusivity, I am well-versed in community engagement. In my pursuit of a role on the Colorado Springs School District 11 Board of Education, I seek to make my beloved district the pinnacle of educational excellence in Colorado, with a strong focus on equitable policies that benefit all students.”
Click here to read the rest of Dabney’s answers.
David DiCarlo (nonpartisan) is running for Douglas County School District Board of Directors District C, and the general election is on Nov. 7. Here’s how DiCarlo responded to the question: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
“I’m passionate about education policy. Institutions of learning exist only to educate the student and prepare the student for life. We must do a better job with the basics and get back to teaching kids how to think as opposed to what to think. …
I am also deeply passionate about economic policy. I feel it is the job of government to assess the situation of those it serves and modify its position in times of economic downturn. The family comes first, the individual comes first. Government’s fiscal health should not be the concern of the people, but the people’s economic condition should be the concern of the government, always. …”
Click here to read the rest of DiCarlo’s answers.
Kimberlee Sia (nonpartisan) is running for Denver Public Schools Board of Education District 1, and the general election is on Nov. 7. Here’s how Sia responded to the question: What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?
“I am a lifelong educator and passionate advocate for quality education. I am also the mother of two DPS students with different learning needs and educational interests. Our family decided to move from the suburbs to Denver when our youngest child started kindergarten so we could enroll in Denver Public Schools. We believe in the strength of the public education Denver Public Schools has to offer all families. We have been fortunate to participate in the school choice process to ensure both of our children’s schools supported them to thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.”
Click here to read the rest of Sia’s answers.
If you’re a Colorado candidate or incumbent, click here to take the survey. The survey contains over 30 questions, and you can choose the ones you feel will best represent your views to voters. If you complete the survey, a box with your answers will display on your Ballotpedia profile. Your responses will also populate the information that appears in our mobile app, My Vote Ballotpedia.
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