Meet a Waukee Candidate: Susan Bunz

On Sept. 13, Waukee area voters will decide who should serve on the Waukee school board.

There are three seats up for grabs in the election. Susan Bunz, Larry Lyon and Jerry Ripperger are all in the race to keep their seats on the board, while newcomers Todd Dohrmann, Kurt Hiatt and Rob Thelen hope to replace them.

Today on Waukee Patch we profile the third of six candidates running for the Waukee school board.

Name: Susan Bunz

Age: 47

Occupation: Vice president of human resources and corporate services, Pioneer Hi-Bred International

Address: 15237 Woodcrest Drive, Clive

E-mail: jsbunz@mchsi.com

She's only served one term on the Waukee school board, but Susan Bunz says there is still so much to accomplish. 

This mother of three children — two of them, Ellie, 16, and Emma, 10, still go to school in Waukee — says that the district's growth is one of the biggest topics she's had to deal with on the school board and one she hopes to continue working on if re-elected Tuesday.

"Growth is always going to be an ongoing issue with the school board," Bunz said. "The administration does an excellent job of anticipating growth. We just need to stay out in front of it."

Bunz said standards-based reporting — something she is firmly in favor of — is going to see further discussion this semester. Building to keep up with rapid growth will also be on the agenda.

"We’re going to have some significant issues to deal with," she said.  "The building of another elementary, another middle school and determining whether we have a need for another high school ... the board is going to have a lot on its plate."

Bunz, a former attorney, says three years on the school board has taught her a lot, not only about Waukee Schools, but also about how you manage an educational institution to best serve its students.

"I've learned a ton," she said. "That's the one thing about serving on the board. There are so many different aspects — whether it's finance or trying to balance a budget — that make this very much like a business. I think three years later, we're in a good place."