School Board Forum Highlights Candidates' Hopes for District's Future

Five candidates running for three positions on the Waukee Board of Education discussed middle school grading changes and the need for a district communications position at a forum Tuesday night.

Incumbents Susan Bunz, Larry Lyon and Jerry Ripperger took part, as well as newcomers Kurt Hiatt and Rob Thelen. The sixth candidate for school board, Todd Dohrmann, was absent from the forum due to a planned vacation.

Some of the issues raised by moderator and former Waukee Chamber of Commerce president Chris McLinden included candidates’ positions on standards-based reporting, the need for an all-district communications position and what the candidates feel the relationship between administration and the teachers should be.

It was perhaps current school board president Jerry Ripperger who spoke most pointedly about the overall mission of the school board.

“We have a desire to keep kids at the forefront and do the right thing,” he said.

The hour-long forum was civil and without confrontation or rebuttal. Challenger Rob Thelen appeared to be the most outspoken among the five candidates. He is against standards-based reporting in middle schools and believes parents should give as much insight into district affairs as board members.

On the issue of communications, most candidates agreed the district needs to do a better job of sharing information with parents and the public about the things going on in Waukee schools.

“At this time, because of growth, we have to have a director,” said current board member Lyon. “We have so many great things going on in the district. The public needs to know. That's what a communications director will do.”

Thelen countered, saying every parent should get the information they need from their child’s teacher. He also said the district’s new $14,000 website is not getting all the information out in the way intended.

You can read all the comments from our live blog of the forum at Waukee Patch.

Where to vote

Voting for the three school board spots will take place Tuesday, Sept. 13, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters can cast their ballots at St. Francis Church, 7075 Ashworth Road in West Des Moines, or at the , 560 S.E. University Ave., Waukee.

Read Waukee Patch every day until election day for profiles of the school board candidates. Today's profile: Jerry Ripperger, current Waukee school board president.