Alan Neushwander
Candidate, Ludington Area School District, At-large
Elections and appointments
Education
Personal
Contact
Alan Neushwander ran for election to the Ludington Area School District, At-large in Michigan. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 5, 2024.[source]
Neushwander completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]
Biography
Alan Neushwander provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on September 5, 2024:
- Birth date: March 14, 1982
- Birth place: Morris, Illinois
- High school: Morris (IL) Community High School
- Bachelor's: Baker College
- Associate: Baker College
- Gender: Male
- Profession: Director
- Incumbent officeholder: No
- Campaign slogan: Committed to our Schools
- Campaign Facebook
Elections
General election
Election results
Endorsements
Neushwander received the following endorsements.
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Alan Neushwander completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2024. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Neushwander's responses.
Expand all | Collapse all
I have lived in the Ludington School District for over 20 years. My oldest daughter graduated from Ludington High School in 2022 and I currently have two children in the Ludington school system.
My career is in healthcare administration, where I oversee marketing, communications, human resources, staff recruiting, legislative advocacy, employee satisfaction, and fundraising. These leadership skills are transferable to the skills needed to be an effective member of the Board of Education. I have served two terms on the Mason County Planning Commission.
I want Mason County to be a good place to live, work and raise a family. Good schools are one of the pillars of a prosperous community.
As a parent and taxpayer, I care deeply about the Ludington Area School District and want to contribute to ensuring we remain one of the best schools in the state and that our students are prepared for life after high school, whether that be going to college, technical school, or entering the workforce. If our schools are great, our students will have a competitive edge in whatever journey they choose after graduating from Ludington High School. - I will strive for accountability and transparency while engaging all stakeholders in dialog. I will serve as the representative and voice for all stakeholders of the school district. I believe there should not be a monopoly on good ideas, and everyone should be involved in decisions impacting our schools.
- I will work to create a culture where teachers and staff feel valued, appreciated, and heard.
- I will ensure our schools are safe for our students and staff.
School safety, transparency, fiscal responsibility, and inclusive learning environments.
Elected officials must be honest, transparent, and willing to listen to their constituents. Elected officials should serve as the voice of the people and be their representative on the School Board.
My entire career has been in communications. I believe these skills are transferable to an effective member of the Board of Education. I will strive to increase communication and transparency with all stakeholders.
I have a love and passion for Ludington and Mason County. I want to leave a lasting impression on the community that I love and the community that has done so much for me. I hope my legacy is one that people can look at and say, "He did everything that he could to give back and ensure future generations can have the same passion for the Ludington area."
The core responsibilities of a School Board member are to recruit, hire and evaluate the superintendent; establish policy for the district; review and adopt the budget; assist with goal setting; approve, review and evaluate curriculum; adopt policies governing salaries and terms of employment; determine school facility needs; and advocate for the public school system.
I view constituents as all stakeholders in the district. This includes taxpayers, parents/guardians, students, faculty, staff, and administration. The public school system must be a partnership between parents/taxpayers and the district, the board of education and administration, administration and staff, and staff and students. A partnership includes being transparent, open-minded, and willing to solicit input from all stakeholders. I welcome open dialogue from all viewpoints to develop creative solutions to the complex issues school districts face.
All stakeholders need to be engaged. I would propose monthly School Board office hours where stakeholders can meet with a School Board member to express concerns, voice opinions, and offer suggestions. I would also like to see stakeholders surveyed regularly to get their input on the complex issues facing our school system. In addition, we need to create a more inclusive and inviting environment at School Board meetings where public participation is encouraged, including adding a second call-to-the-public at the end of the meeting.
Legislative advocacy is part of my current career. I frequently meet with state and federal lawmakers at their offices in Lansing and Washington, DC, along with hosting site visits. I will work closely with our state and federal leaders to ensure schools are properly funded.
We must destigmatize mental illness. Schools must work closely with local behavioral health providers to ensure that mental health resources are readily accessible to all students. Funding must also be available to provide school-based behavioral health providers, whether that be through the district's budget or in collaboration with the local ESD. There are also partnerships and grant opportunities through the Expanding, Enhancing Emotional Health (E3) Program through the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
The learning environment must be inclusive for all students. A one-size-fits-all approach to education is not effective. Students have unique learning needs. This includes neurodivergent students who face additional challenges because teachers and administrators lack understanding. The school system needs to celebrate students' individual strengths rather than using a templated approach for each student in the classroom. We also need to ensure that students feel safe asking questions and asking for help. In addition, many neurodivergent students need routines to be successful. Teachers must tailor their teaching style to meet these unique needs.
One of the most important elements of supporting neurodivergent students is parental engagement. Parents can provide insight into areas where their children may struggle and offer advice on how teachers can accommodate their children. When hearing parents’ insights, concerns, and ideas, administration and teachers must be open-minded and active listeners.
Teachers also need to be supported by being provided opportunities for additional training to support neurodivergent students and the autonomy to build lesson plans that support the learning styles of every child in the classroom. We must create a culture where our teachers and staff feel valued, appreciated, and heard. Districts across the state are facing workforce shortages. To recruit and retain top-tier talent, we need to create a culture where teachers feel empowered, their input and ideas are solicited and considered, and salary and benefits are competitive. Our teachers and staff need to have the facilities, tools, and resources to do their jobs effectively and prepare our children for success in the classroom.
There must be transparency and accountability on all levels. Information on the budget and all school board activities should be readily available and easily accessible for all stakeholders. We need to use technology to be more transparent. This includes live streams and online videos of Board of Education meetings, using social media to better communicate with the community, enhancing the district’s website, and ensuring meeting agendas are posted online in a timelier manner. I want increased transparency and more discussion at Board of Education meetings. While many decisions are made at the committee level, we gain no understanding of the thinking or rationale behind the board members’ decisions when it’s not explained during the Board of Education meeting. I would also like the consent agenda to be discussed at the meeting. The consent agenda is currently approved, but there is no discussion regarding the items on the consent agenda, where the bills are paid, and personnel decisions are made. Without discussion and transparency, school board meetings appear to be more of a formality than a governmental meeting.
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
See also
External links
