Nicholas J. Tanner and Matt Winder compete for Shelley School Board Zone 2

SHELLEY: Community Pioneer sent a questionnaire to the candidates asking about their background and certain questions regarding current issues facing the school district. The following is their answers.

Nicholas J. Tanner

1. 43, Las Vegas, Nevada, Preston Idaho, Lived in Shelley, ID 15 years.
2. Undergraduate at Utah State University and Idaho State University, Doctorate of Dental Surgery (DDS) from Virginia Commonwealth University. 
3. I have been an owner/partner at Eagle Rock Dental Care in Idaho Falls since I graduated from dental school in 2008 until present.
4. I married Janica Willson, Shelley native, in 2003. We have 4 children:  Braxton 18, Darby 14, Lucy 12,and Quinley 10. We have loved raising our family in Shelley the past 15 years.

1. Why are you running for the School Board?

High-quality education is very important to me. I want to ensure the children of our school district have the best education available through exceptional administrators, skilled & caring educators, and great learning environments.

2. What would be the first thing you want to see changed in our schools if elected? And why?

I would like to improve communication district-wide. I think this should be considered in all avenues: teachers to administration, parents to board members, administration to parents, and so on.

3. What is your position on the High School bond?  If you are in favor of it, why?  If you are against it, what would you do to ease the over-capacity of our schools?

I am in favor of the school bond. I realize this will be a financial burden on all citizens. However, I have always believed in forward thinking and we need to think of a more permanent remedy to growth. I think a new high school could be the solution.

4. Do you think the schools do a good job of communicating with parents regarding their child’s welfare in a crisis? If not, then what do you think the schools could do to inform parents better? 

I do believe that overall the school district does an effective job in communicating with parents during high crisis situations. I appreciate how they reach out via email, voicemail, and text. I know that administrators have worked seamlessly with the police force to resolve conflicts quickly. Although all of my questions aren’t always answered ‘in the moment,’ I trust they are more focused on resolution.

5. What do you believe is the biggest financial hurdle that school district faces outside of the issue of over-capacity schools? How would you lessen or eliminate that hurdle?

I believe a financial hurdle many don’t consider is maintenance on aging buildings. The supplies for effectively maintaining & updating these buildings are on the rise, as is the paygrade for those providing maintenance.

6. What do you believe is the biggest educational hurdle facing the school district? How would you lessen or eliminate that hurdle?

I think involving parents is a key to educational success. It appears we have stopped utilizing parents as a resource since Covid; we should start using them again! The need for parent assistance doesn’t magically stop when students learn to read or pass the 4th grade. We should continue using parents’ skills to enforce, teach, support, & cheer on.

7. What role do you believe the School Superintendent plays in the school district by way of budgeting and setting educational policies?

I think that we rely on the school superintendent to give us statistics, guidance, and logistics. But I think that it is the school board’s responsibility to research and discuss the superintendent’s recommendations and ultimately give the final vote. I think that it is important to pass information on to the community.

8. What role do you believe you, as a school board member, play in the school district by way of budgeting and setting educational policies?

I believe that above all we need to ensure an environment of learning. There are so many variables that go into this: supporting quality teachers,  eliminating classroom distractions, consistency in discipline, classroom supplies, recognizing academic achievements, controlling classroom size, technology support, etc. I think we need to step back and refocus on the purpose of our schools: quality of education.

9. What qualifications do you believe you have that make you a better choice as a school board member?

One of my greatest assets to the school board would be my ability to research and voice my opinion. I like to study things out and problem solve. As a small business owner, I completely understand the value of a budget and the importance in working as a team. I proudly advocate academics and the arts: a voice I feel is not currently heard on the school board. Finally, I think the fact that I am not from Shelley is an asset: I can honor the traditions of our community, but am not afraid to question the core crowd. 

Matt Winder

1. 42 Years old, Born in Idaho Falls, raised in Shelley, moved back to Shelley in 2018
2. Bachelors of Science in Communication from Brigham Young University-Idaho 2007
3. Vocational history: NA
4. Married to Drue (Heninger) Winder. We have 5 children: Zachary (male) is 17, Macie (female) 15, Golden (male) 11, Max (male) 5 & Reese (female) 11 months.

1. Why are you running for the School Board?

I am running for school board because I am passionate about education and the well-being of our students and the future of our community. I have 5 children, four of which are currently in the Shelley School system.  I believe that every child deserves access to a high-quality education that prepares them for a successful future.  

2. What would be the first thing you want to see changed in our schools if elected? And why?

If elected to the School Board, my primary focus would be on building upon the existing strengths and supporting the initiatives that are already in place.  It is crucial to maintain continuity and ensure that successful programs continue to thrive. I would work closely with educators, parents, and the community to make sure everyone’s voice is heard. 

3. What is your position on the High School bond?  If you are in favor of it, why?  If you are against it, what would you do to ease the over-capacity of our schools?

I am in favor of the High School bond because I feel that it is important and necessary to address critical infrastructure needs in our schools.  I believe that if we don’t pass a bond now, overall costs will only increase in the future. 

4. Do you think the schools do a good job of communicating with parents regarding their child’s welfare in a crisis? If not, then what do you think the schools could do to inform parents better? 

 In my experience, the communication from the schools has been great.  I have been notified in a timely manner several times in regards to situations involving my own children.  

5. What do you believe is the biggest financial hurdle that school district faces outside of the issue of over-capacity schools? How would you lessen or eliminate that hurdle?

I believe the biggest financial hurdle outside of over-capacity is how to competitively compensate all of our school staff.  This applies to everyone from math teachers to bus drivers. It is vital that we keep quality employees in our school district.  These are the people directly influencing the lives of our children.  As a board member, keeping good employees would be a top priority.

6. What do you believe is the biggest educational hurdle facing the school district? How would you lessen or eliminate that hurdle?

The biggest educational hurdle facing our school district is how to best prepare our students for success after High School.  Every student deserves access to a high-quality education that nurtures their unique strengths and prepares them for a successful future.  I believe we can lessen this hurdle by continuing a strong emphasis on dual credit classes as well as CTE programs. 

7. What role do you believe the School Superintendent plays in the school district by way of budgeting and setting educational policies?

I believe that the role of superintendent with regards to budgeting and policies is that they will work closely with the school board to identify key priorities that will impact student success.  It is important that the superintendent and the school board have a good working relationship so together they can optimize the budget to positively impact education. 

8. What role do you believe you, as a school board member, play in the school district by way of budgeting and setting educational policies?

As a school board member, I believe that my role is to listen to and work with community members in regards to school policies and budgets.  With the help of the community, I can take their questions, concerns, and ideas back to the board and superintendent.  I believe that compromise and understanding is crucial to a school district’s success.      

9. What qualifications do you believe you have that make you a better choice as a school board member?

I believe that I can be a successful board member because of my ability to work well with others.  I have a genuine interest in listening to the concerns of the community, parents, teachers, and students.  I have the communication skills needed to engage with other board members and school staff to impact student success.