Colfax-Mingo School Board Election Candidates 2023

Name: Mary Poulter

Age: 65

Occupation: Retired school administrator

1. Please introduce yourself and explain why you are running for school board.

I’m a retired school administrator with 35 years of experience as a teacher, elementary principal, and curriculum director in Newton, Colfax-Mingo, Baxter and PCM districts. My husband retired as a teacher, coach, and athletic director from Colfax-Mingo. Our three children, Anna, Abby and Austin all graduated from C-MHS. I’m a Master Gardener, secretary of the Colfax Library board, a member of the athletic boosters and United Methodist church, as well as on the board of directors for the Iowa Association of School Boards. I’ve served on the school board since 2015.

I am running as an incumbent because I believe I can continue to contribute to the good of the district. I love children, I love learning, I love our district!

I have earned the Better Boardsmanship Award from IASB every year I have been on the board. It’s given to those who achieve a level of learning. I have lobbied at the state legislature regularly for education.

2. What’s the best quality of C-M schools? What can the district improve on?

One of the best qualities of the district is its openness to all—students and the staff are accepting of everyone. Our facilities are awesome! I believe we can continue to improve providing the best instruction for each and every student. We have systems in place to assess and identify students’ needs and provide appropriate instruction, but need to keep improving.

3. What challenges do you see in public schools and how do you propose to address them?

Challenges to public schools continue to be funding and lack of support by our legislators. We have not been allotted enough funding to keep up with inflation and rising costs. Vouchers (education savings accounts) are harmful to public education. They are using tax dollars to support private schools with no accountability. Public schools educate everyone and are transparent in the use of public monies.

We must be very resourceful in the use of our limited monies and continue to lobby the legislature for the needs of our children. Public schools must continue to work closely with parents and communities for the good of our students.

4. Where would you like to see C-M grow?

I would like to see C-M grow in enrollment, continue making facility improvements, and look into more preschool/daycare offerings.

5. What is a parent’s role in the educational system?

A parent’s role in education is vital to student success. Parents are the ones who make sure students are ready to learn and need to work hand in hand with the staff to ensure that children are learning.

6. What other school issues are you most passionate about?

School issues that I am passionate about are daycare, preschool and teacher staffing/retention. We need affordable, convenient daycare for birth-5 as well as before/after care solutions.

If we could be fully funded for voluntary full day preschool, that would be of great assistance to parents and the school. It would provide more time for instruction and social interaction for children and take away a daycare concern.

Another issue of high concern is staffing. There are fewer teachers entering the profession and more are leaving. I believe this is due to low pay, long hours, stress, and lack of appreciation. We need to value our teachers and staff members and figure out a way to increase salaries. School employees need to be acknowledged for the hard work they do each and every day!