Baxter School Board Election Candidates 2023

Name: Kim Tichy

Age: 43

Occupation: State Immunization Registry Coordinator

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

I have lived in Baxter since 2007 with my husband and two daughters. I’ve had the honor of serving on the Baxter School Board since 2015 and hope to continue to serve our community on the board.

2. What’s the best quality of Baxter schools? What can the district improve on?

Our teachers are the best feature of Baxter CSD! The relationships our teachers have with our students demonstrate their dedication to teaching and to their desire for personal growth and success of each of our students. Our teachers genuinely care about students!

As for district improvements, I think our district is doing many things well. I know there are always areas for improvement, and communicating with our community is essential.

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

I think the mental health of our teachers and school staff is incredibly important to support and reinforce systems we have in place so our teachers know they are valued and appreciated. I also think funding of public schools is always a concern, and I think it’s important for parents and community members to understand impacts made at the state and federal levels, especially when changes affect what we do and how we do it here at Baxter CSD.

4. Where would you like to see Baxter grow?

Our enrollment is an area we are constantly monitoring, especially since enrollment drives school funding. Our open enrollment numbers have been strong for many years, with about 25 percent of our students open enrolled. We obviously need to continue drawing families with kids to our community as well keeping our in-district enrollment high.

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

Parents serve such a vital role in supporting students’ learning, not only what kids are learning in the classroom but also being involved in all aspects of the school, whether it’s coaching, volunteering or somehow supporting the learning environment and especially being supportive to our teachers. Teachers have an incredibly challenging role and need to know our community values and supports them in our classrooms and outside as well. During the pandemic, many parents got a small taste of what it’s like to teach and I think those experiences reinforced how critical and how valuable teachers are. We need passionate, dedicated teachers to positively influence our kids’ daily experiences and shape their future.

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

I think the relationships we have with students and teachers at Baxter CSD are so incredibly important. Whether we have a new open-enrolled student or a new family in our community, I feel strongly about making sure all newcomers feel welcomed and confident that Baxter CSD is the right school for them!