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Barry O'Connor
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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
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
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 |
 Diane Barkmeier Incumbent |
36.32% | 5,702 |
| Barry O'Connor Incumbent |
33.99% | 5,336 |
| 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
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
O'Connor ran against incumbents Diane Barkmeier and Sharon Fenlon and challenger John DeVantier during the general election on April 1, 2014.
Results
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nonpartisan | Sharon Fenlon Incumbent |
27.3% | 4,183 | |
| Nonpartisan | Diane Barkmeier Incumbent |
27.2% | 4,172 | |
| Nonpartisan | Barry 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) | ||
See also
- Appleton Area School District, Wisconsin
- Appleton Area School District elections (2017)
- Appleton Area School District elections (2014)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity, "Our Board of Directors," accessed January 27, 2014 (dead link)
- ↑ Elisabeth Moore, "Email exchange with Kimm Smith, Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent and Board of Education," January 5, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin State Legislature, "11.0104 Reporting exemptions: limited activity," accessed December 15, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin Ethics Commission, "Filing Deadlines and Reporting Periods," accessed December 15, 2016
- ↑ Wisconsin Ethics Commission, "Campaign Finance Checklist," accessed December 16, 2016
- ↑ Elisabeth Moore, "Email exchange with Kimm Smith," April 3, 2017
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through e-mail from Kimm Smith on March 26, 2014.
- ↑ Wisconsin Government Accountability Board, "Campaign Finance Overview: Local Candidates," May 2010
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Committee to Elect Barry O'Connor, "Issues," accessed February 24, 2014
| Appleton Area School District elections in 2017 | |
| Outagamie County, Wisconsin | |
| Election date: | April 4, 2017 |
| Candidates: | At-Large: Incumbent, Diane Barkmeier • Incumbent, Barry O'Connor • Alvin Dupree |
| Important information: | What was at stake? |
