Candidate Q&A: H-M-S school board

Chad Lyman, Director District 3

1. My wife, Rhonda, and I have two daughters, Morgan and Jayden. I'm a trailer mechanic at Van Hof Trucking in Sanborn. I enjoy golfing, bowling, going racing and Morningside football.

2. I've been a Firefighter for 24 years and served as Deacon at Sanborn First Reformed Church.

3. Keep improving education experience and keep buildings going in the right direction by not falling behind on maintenance.

4. We need to keep reinforcing education updates and updates on our facilities.

5. N/A

6. N/A

Becky Stoltz, Director District 2 (write-in)

1. I am a lifelong resident of Hartley, along with my husband, Curt. We are both graduates of H-M-S. Our boys, Brett and Brennan, are sophomores at H-M-S. I went to Morningside College and received a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing with a Business Administration minor and recently a Master's of Science in Nursing. I am a Registered Nurse at Spencer Hospital. I have been at the hospital for over 23 years and am currently the Director of Quality Services.

2. I have served on a variety of boards over the years including the Community Memorial Health Center Board of Directors, Hartley Fitness Center Board, UMC Hartley Preschool Board, Hartley Parks and Recreation Board and a Cub Scout leader. I currently sit on several nursing advisory boards for colleges and serve on the Iowa Organization of Nurse Leaders board. I am involved in St. Joseph Catholic Church activities and play organ. Currently, I am a member of the Hartley TTT Club and the H-M-S Music Boosters.

3. I care about our children and want them to receive a quality education. My dad served on the school board when I was younger, and I want to give my time to serve our H-M-S school district. I also want our school district to be successful to help attract and retain families and businesses in our communities.

4. My concern for our school district is more general with the uncertain times with resources, such as supplies, human resources, financial, etc., and how they have an effect on our school district. To address these issues, staying abreast of changes, prioritizing, being creative and making necessary adaptations will be needed to navigate the challenging times.

5. • Achieving positive student outcomes by providing necessary resources, learning environments and leadership for our district;

• Building a positive culture and image of our school by continuing to build on community partnerships and relationships;

• Maintaining financial stability by making responsible and informed decisions maximizing available resources;

• Creating a vision for our school district to help ensure longevity as the district moves into the future

6. Thank you for your support as a write-in candidate for H-M-S District 2 school board election.

Scott Vollink, Director District 5

1. My family and I reside in Hartley. I am a senior sales estimator for Morton Buildings, Inc. I have been employed there for 19 years. My wife, Becky, and I have four children ranging from 4-16 years of age. We stay very busy cheering for the H-M-S Hawks, as our kids are involved in many different H-M-S activities.

I enjoy woodworking, yard work and general maintenance projects. Our family enjoys fishing, swimming and cheering for the Iowa Hawkeyes together!

2. I have been on the H-M-S school board for eight years. I have also served as a deacon in our church for a couple of years. As a school board member, I have served on the personnel and building/ground committees. I have been the Iowa Association of School Board delegate for the past few years. I have also attended many of their training workshops and meetings as well.

3. We currently have children in all three of our buildings. I enjoy working with the school leadership teams and being engaged in our future's education. I would like to continue to be involved in making sound decisions for our district.

4. Staffing continues to be a struggle, not only in the H-M-S school district, but across the state. Both certified and non-certified staff are difficult to obtain and retain. As a district we need to continue to make H-M-S not only competitive, but stand out in our region and state. As a member of the board, I would like to increase our collaborative efforts with staff to recruit and retain quality people.

5. I believe there are two vital entities of our school system that should always be reinforced. First, providing the best education and opportunities for our students. We exist to serve our children and to educate leaders for future generations. We want to continue to build on our school's growth and sustain H-M-S long into the future. Second, our financial strength and attention to our budget. It is our role as a school board to use our patrons' tax dollars wisely and for the betterment of the district.