2024 General Election: Carson City School District Board of Trustees, District 7

John W. Henley  

 

John W. Henley  

Occupation: Warden, Northern Nevada Correctional Center
Age: 39
Contact: John.w.henley@hotmail.com
Record of service: Since July of 2006 I have been a civil servant working as a law enforcement professional for the Nevada Department of Corrections. Currently I am the Warden of the Northern Nevada Correctional Center.
Education: I am a proud graduate of the Carson City School District.  I am also a Certified Public Manager.

Briefly describe the core duties of the position you are running for.

Brief statement about your platform:

• Academic Excellence: Ensuring that all students receive a rigorous and well-rounded education that prepares them for success in life.

• Equity and Inclusion: Promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to create a welcoming and supportive environment for all students, regardless of background or circumstance.

• Mental Health: Advocating for the well-being of the students and the faculty, 

• Community Engagement: Fostering open communication and collaboration between the school district, families, and community stakeholders to address concerns and make informed decisions.

• Innovation and Growth: Supporting innovative and sustainable teaching practices, technology integration, and professional development opportunities for educators to continuously improve student outcomes.

• Responsible budgeting and fiscal management to maximize resources and support student achievement.

What makes you the most qualified candidate for this position

There are several reasons that I consider myself the most qualified candidate:

Professional Experience:

• I have been serving in the public sector since 2006.  I have significant experience working with stakeholders to develop and administer policies that adapt to the needs of those stakeholders while conforming to the guidelines of legislation.  This experience will help the district maintain and develop policies that serve the needs of the district and its community members while sticking to legislative mandates.

Family Experience:

• My family moved to Carson City in the early 90’s. I attended school within the Carson City School District, graduating in 2003.  Additionally, I have had three children attend schools within the Carson City School District, two of which have graduated and are attending University while one is still attending school within the district.  My first-hand experience with the district policies and the district's history of success is instrumental to the continued success of the district.

Teamwork

• A school board is a team of members, each of which has unique perspectives and opinions.  Members must work together towards a cohesive vision.  I have a considerable history of working within a team towards common goals within my professional life as well as in my personal life. I am open-minded and considerate of different viewpoints and concerns.

Analytical

• School board members make important decisions based on fact-based data. It is important to understand what types of data will show the success or otherwise of a particular policy and to be able to figure out reliable ways to obtain it. Test scores may be a source, but they do not paint the full picture. I have significant experience in analyzing data points and making informed, fact-based decisions.

What is the biggest issue facing the school district and what is a possible solution? 

1. Enrollment: The Carson City School District projects continued decrease in enrollment. This decrease in enrollment leads to less funding. It's important for the board to consider this when approving the annual budgets. Additionally, the board should work with state and federal legislators to increase the per-pupal funding and limit the effects of lowered enrollment.

2. Transiency (no permanent address): The Carson City School District has a significant population of students that are considered “transient”. These students and their families need additional support from the school district as well as community partners. The goal should be to engage with community partners as well as state and federal legislators to ensure these students and their families are connected with permanent affordable housing which is proven to increase academic success. (https://schoolhouseconnection.org/article/the-education-of-children-and-youth-experiencing-homelessness-current-trends-challenges-and-needs#:~:text=Students%20Experiencing%20Homelessness%20Graduate%20At,for%20homeless%20students%20was%2068%25.)

3. Mental Health: The mental health of the student and educators is of the utmost importance and is often overlooked. In the media there has been consistent coverage of school shooting events wherein mental health and the lack thereof is often highlighted. The NEA has several stories regarding declining mental health in schools and ways to alleviate this issue (https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/mental-health-schools-kids-are-not-all-right). My resolution would be to again work with community partners to provide services to students and staff but also work with state and federal legislators to champion funding for additional positions within the school districts throughout the state of Nevada.

Michelle Pedersen

 

Michelle Pedersen

Occupation: Deputy Clerk of Marriages for Carson City
Age: 46
Contact: ElectMichellePedersen@gmail.com; ElectMichellePedersen.PoliEngine.com

Record of service: I dedicated 14 years to Carson City Little League, including 8 as a board member – 6 years as President & Vice President, and a decade as head coach. I’ve served 13 years as the Parent Volunteer Coordinator for Youth Theatre Carson City. 3 years as a board member on the CCUSBC board (bowling association) with a focus on the youth. 17 years volunteering in the schools, including time in classrooms and front office, assisting on photo days, with flu shots, health screenings, eye exams, fieldtrips, and PTO events. I spearheaded a spirit program for many years where classrooms competed to show pride in their school. 13 years of classroom fire safety presentations with my husband. For several years I organized & ran a lunchtime intramural sports program where 5th graders had to set & achieve weekly behavioral & academic goals with their teachers to earn their ticket to play. I’ve served the elementary & teenage youth programs in my church for 15 years. I volunteer at a youth camp for a week every summer, where we serve over 200 teenagers, unplugged in the mountains. For 2 years I‘ve been the Registrar for SafeGrad at CHS… and so much more!

Education:
I graduated from Santa Teresa High School, class of 1996. My experience with K-12 education extends far beyond my own time as a student, as I have been actively involved in supporting my four children through their K-12 and college journeys. Currently, I have two high schoolers and two graduates from CHS, one of whom also completed WNC’s JumpStart program.

Briefly describe the core duties of the position you are running for

School Board Trustees shape the District’s educational landscape. We establish clear goals, aligning with the visions and expectations of our educators and community. We make financial decisions that will have the greatest impact on student success, while maintaining integrity and stewardship over tax-payer dollars. We advocate for children’s futures.

Brief statement about your platform

As a voting community, we have an obligation to today’s youth to make decisions that set them up for success. They have no voice in choosing the leaders that shape their foundations. When we age out of the work force, it is this rising generation that will take over the economy and infrastructure that sustains us all. It is imperative that we make decisions that prepare them for their future, not our past. In this always-evolving global society, we have an obligation to keep their educational experience focused, well-rounded and current. We must maintain an inclusive learning atmosphere and protect the integrity of their academic development – for the sake of their futures as well as our own. I am not seeking this position to push for change – I believe CCSD has one of the healthiest school boards in the state. My goal is to enrich what is already strong. I am eager to be a part of ensuring an environment where children feel safe, valued, and compelled to invest in themselves. I am ready to advocate for their growth and progress.

What makes you the most qualified candidate for this position

I have four children, ages 15, 17, 19, 21. In the 21 years since becoming a mother, my focus has always been creating an environment where children can thrive. A place where youth can explore their passions, find their strengths, develop confidence and gain an understanding of the value within them. This is evidenced by the way I’ve poured my energy and time into everything ‘youth’ – weather it’s sports, the arts, schools or the community - they are my passion. I’m not sure there’s a team my kids have been on where I wasn’t team mom. I love an opportunity to be present – not just for my children, but for their peers as well. Sometimes just knowing an adult sees them, values them, and is cheering them on, is all it takes to light a spark in a child and encourage them to strive for better – to invest in themselves. I am not seeking this seat to advocate for a political party and its agendas. I am not seeking this seat to serve any outside influences. I am seeking this seat to do what I’ve always done – and that is to protect the environment where our children grow, learn and develop. I am here to advocate for them, and them alone. While I have never sought political office, I have served in many leadership roles throughout the community, managing large volunteer staffs, even larger budgets, and thousands of kids. I am not emotionally reactive. I am very logic-driven. I can take differing views and find common ground to build from. I’m firm in defending my viewpoints, but not so rigid that compromise is unreachable. I am organized, I am responsible, and I am dedicated to being a voice for our children.

What is the biggest issue facing the school district and what is a possible solution? 

I don’t know that I’d say this is an “issue,” but it is always a top priority – and that is improving student achievement. We need to continue focusing our efforts into helping children succeed, with a full understand that success looks different for everyone. Key pieces to achieving that include reducing student absences, recruiting and retaining highly-qualified staff, fostering parent involvement, and offering a wide variety of educational opportunities. We have some really great resources already in place. One of them is the high school’s JumpStart program which is a partnership with WNC where students have the ability to graduate with their High School Diploma as well as their Associates Degree through dual enrollment. There are also many AP & honors courses for those who have the desire and motivation to be high achievers, as well as a wide variety of CTE programs that support career readiness. We have targeted interventions at the lower grade levels, and an incredible, diverse assortment of teachers and programs to ensure that kids are met where they are and given the opportunity to rise. By continuing to leverage these resources and focusing on individualized student success, we can create an environment where every student has the opportunity to thrive. Our commitment to these goals will help us address the diverse needs of our student population and ensure a brighter future for all.