Mingus Union School Board Election
There are six candidates running for three seats on the Mingus Union High School District Governing Board: James Ariola, Taylor Bell, Ashley Koepnick, Rev. Frank Nevarez, incumbent Carol Anne Teague and Joe Wegwert, Ph.D. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 5
Candidate: Taylor Bell
Age: 34
Time in the Verde Valley: “I am a third-generation Cottonwood resident. My grandparents came to the area in the ’20s and I’ve never lived anywhere else.”
Background: “My background is in health care; I have a master’s degree in public health and worked eight years at Northern Arizona Healthcare. My main job is real estate, but I still work in health care to keep my skill set current.”
Q: Why are you qualified to serve on the board?
A: “My roles within health care consisted of managing large projects, budgets and improving processes. These are skill sets I believe will carry over well into my role as a board member.”
Q: What are three specific items or policies that you are running on?
A: “1. Academic Excellency: I believe MUHS can be a destination high school that surpasses other public schools. Investing in our curriculum, test scores and outcomes should be the first priority.
“2: Student Safety: Times have changed. The threats to our high-schoolers are very different even from when I was in high school. There are lethal drugs that are very easy to get a hold of, issues with social media and of course the external threats that we cannot always control. Mingus has implemented even this year a very strong safety initiative and I hope to continue to support and improve on that initiative.
“3: Parent Involvement: I believe parents need to be heavily involved and informed about what’s happening at the school and in the classroom. Transparency is key — the more involved parents are, the higher the probability that the students will be successful.”
Q: How would you work to improve teacher recruitment and retention?
A: “It’s vital that we hire and retain quality teachers. They are the key to everything we do. First, I think it’s important to say that pay is important but it’s not the only factor to retain quality staff in any profession. The quality of the workplace is a large component. If our teachers feel they are constantly having to fight battles on their own, it becomes very exhausting. The school needs to have standards in place that the teachers are then empowered to enforce. If they feel supported, they can adequately do their job and focus on the importance of education. I do feel we need a solid retention program that incentivizes them to stay on board. Lastly, I believe this is another opportunity for parents to be involved. Creating a teacher appreciation program that parents can participate in and contribute to would go a long way.”
Q: Last year the board voted to suspend a capital bond. Moving forward, would you be in favor of a capital bond override? Why or why not?
A: “I am all for capital bonds that help to improve our facilities for the benefit of the students — i.e. the new wrestling room and football fields. I am also for an M&O override as long as it provides for the education achievements of our students.”
