Everything you need to know about ranked-choice voting in one spot. Click to learn more!

Barry O'Connor

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search

Local Politics Image.jpg

Ballotpedia provides comprehensive election coverage of the 100 largest cities in America by population as well as mayoral, city council, and district attorney election coverage in state capitals outside of the 100 largest cities. This board member is outside of that coverage scope and does not receive scheduled updates.


BP-Initials-UPDATED.png
Ballotpedia does not currently cover this office or maintain this page. Please contact us with any updates.
Barry O'Connor
Image of Barry O'Connor
Prior offices
Appleton Area School District Board of Education At-large

Education

Bachelor's

University of Wisconsin, Madison

Graduate

University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh

Contact

Barry O'Connor is an at-large representative on the Appleton Area School District Board of Education in Wisconsin. First elected to the board in 2014, O'Connor won a new term in the at-large general election on April 4, 2017.

Biography

Email editor@ballotpedia.org to notify us of updates to this biography.

O'Connor earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He later received a master's degree in special education from the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. O'Connor worked as a principal at Appleton North High School prior to his retirement. At the time of his tenure, O'Connor was serving on the board of directors for the Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity. O'Connor also serves as a member of the Appleton Career Academy Board of Governance.[1]

Elections

2017

See also: Appleton Area School District elections (2017)

Three of the seven seats on the Appleton Area School District Board of Education were up for at-large general election on April 4, 2017. Board incumbents Diane Barkmeier and Barry O'Connor filed for re-election and were joined on the ballot by newcomer Alvin Dupree. All three won terms on the board.[2]

Results

Appleton Area School District,
At-Large General Election, 3-year terms, 2017
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Diane Barkmeier Incumbent 36.32% 5,702
Green check mark transparent.png Barry O'Connor Incumbent 33.99% 5,336
Green check mark transparent.png Alvin Dupree 28.53% 4,479
Write-in votes 1.17% 184
Total Votes 15,701
Source: Elisabeth Moore, "Email correspondence with Kimm Smith," May 24, 2017

Funding

See also: List of school board campaign finance deadlines in 2017
Campaign Finance Ballotpedia.png

All school board candidates in Wisconsin were required to file a campaign registration statement with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission after qualifying as candidates. This statement declares their candidacy to the county clerk's office and allows them to claim exemption from reporting campaign contributions and expenditures. Candidates were only required to report campaign contributions and expenditures if they did one or both of the following:[3]

  • Accepted contributions, made disbursements, or incurred debt in excess of $2,000 during the calendar year
  • Accepted more than $100 from a single source during the calendar year, barring contributions made by candidates to their own campaigns

There were three campaign finance report deadlines in 2017:

  • The pre-primary report was due February 13, 2017,
  • The pre-election report was due March 27, 2017, and
  • The post-election report was due July 15, 2017.[4]

Candidates who filed before January 1, 2017, also had to file a continuing campaign finance report on January 16, 2017.[5]

All candidates in this race filed exempt from reporting contributions or expenditures, according to the Appleton Area School District.[6]

2014

See also: Appleton Area School District elections (2014)

O'Connor ran against incumbents Diane Barkmeier and Sharon Fenlon and challenger John DeVantier during the general election on April 1, 2014.

Results

Appleton Area School District, At-large General Election, 3-year term, April 1, 2014
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Nonpartisan Green check mark transparent.pngSharon Fenlon Incumbent 27.3% 4,183
     Nonpartisan Green check mark transparent.pngDiane Barkmeier Incumbent 27.2% 4,172
     Nonpartisan Green check mark transparent.pngBarry O'Connor 27.2% 4,164
     Nonpartisan John DeVantier 17.8% 2,731
     Nonpartisan Write-in votes 0.5% 80
Total Votes 15,330
Source: Information submitted to Ballotpedia through e-mail from Kimm Smith on May 12, 2014.

Funding

O'Connor did not report any campaign contributions or expenditures to the school board secretary by the March 24 pre-election reporting deadline.[7] State law allowed candidates to claim exempt status from campaign finance reporting if contributions and expenditures did not exceed $1,000 during a calendar year.[8]

Endorsements

O'Connor did not receive any official endorsements for his campaign.

Campaign themes

2014

O'Connor's campaign website listed the following themes for 2014:

Emphasize Fiscal Responsibility

The Appleton School District has performed above the state averages on many measures while spending below the 'per pupil' and 'tax rate' averages. Meeting the needs of the wide variety of students who enter its doors is a complicated challenge requiring experienced, thoughtful, and focused leadership. My experience as the principal of one of our fine high schools will be helpful not only in understanding the potential of proposed programs, but also to balance the benefits against the costs.

As principal, I managed the budget of an organization that involved 130+ employees, 1700 students, and 3000 parents. This organization was focused on a critical purpose, the education of our community's and our families' most important asset, our children. Each year, I worked with a team of staff members to allocate our budget resources to produce the greatest impact on our students. We did not spend beyond what was needed, and every year we had unspent funds that we carried over to the next budget cycle. This practice of conserving resources that do not have a clear purpose, will serve the taxpayers of the Appleton School District well.

A long time interest in financial matters led me to take, and pass, the exams for the Certified Financial Planner designation. This has helped me in my own planning and helped me appreciate what others are facing. I know that taxpayers struggling with their own budgets need to have confidence that expenditures will strengthen our community, attract businesses and families, and effectively prepare our children for the future.

I think my experienced approach to financial decision making will serve the citizens of the Appleton School District well.

Improve Technology Education

Selecting and buying new technology authorized by the taxpayers is only part of the task ahead. Assuring that teachers and students make the greatest possible use of it for learning is the most important challenge.

The use of technology to research, analyze, problem solve, present ideas, communicate, collaborate, design, and create is becoming a part of everyday life and a requirement of the workplace. Ensuring that our students can work with all forms of current technology and be comfortable adapting to the constantly emerging new technologies is a necessity.

I have hired many technology education teachers, overseen the addition of welding and small engine repair facilities at North, purchased and developed new equipment in many departments that have enhanced instruction and opportunities for students. More importantly, I understand what is required to train staff members so they are able to embed the use of these tools in the their instructional practices and in their students' efforts to learn and grow.

This is not to overlook other skills needed by the future citizens, parents, and employees of the 21st century. Reading, writing, mathematics, public speaking, leadership, artistic expression, and interpersonal confidence are also very important. We can and must create experiences that develop all of these in our graduates.

Attract and Retain Quality Staff

I will work to maintain a good relationship between AASD staff and the Board of Education, encourage positive climates in our buildings, and recognize the accomplishments of employees, while maintaining high expectations of myself as a board member and our staff as educators. Finding and retaining top quality educators will be a growing challenge as fewer young people see teaching as a respected profession. Educating children will always be a human intensive effort that requires skills in connecting with and motivating many different personalities. We need to attract the best to this profession and to our school district. [9]

—Barry O'Connor's campaign website (2014)

[10]

See also

External links

Footnotes