Gregory Deitchler
Gregory Deitchler was a candidate for the Zone 5 seat on the West Ada Board of Trustees in Idaho. The seat was up for general election on May 19, 2015. He ran against Rosemary Demond, Russell Joki and Louis Pifher. Demond lost the seat to Russell Joki.[1]
Deitchler participated in Ballotpedia's 2015 survey of school board candidates.
Biography
Deitchler obtained his bachelor's degree in psychology from Boise State University. He went on to obtain his master's degree in counseling also from Boise State University. He is the owner of Promising Horizons, a counseling center that focuses on marriage and family therapy. He is also a motivational speaker and holds training for non-violent crisis intervention.[2]
Elections
2015
Three of the five seats on the West Ada Board of Trustees were up for election in the general election on May 19, 2015. The seats represent five geographical zones.
In Zone 2, incumbent Mike Vuittonet faced challenger Christine Bitler Whited. Zone 4 incumbent Anne Ritter faced challenger Julie Madsen. The Zone 5 incumbent, Janet Calinsky, did not file for re-election. The candidates for the open Zone 5 seat were Gregory Deitchler, Rosemary Demond, Russell Joki and Louis Pifher.[3][1]
Results
Zone 5
| West Ada School District, Zone 5 General Election, 4-year term, 2015 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Russell Joki |
36.3% | 219 | |
| Nonpartisan | Rosemary Demond | 28.2% | 170 | |
| Nonpartisan | Louis Pifher | 19.1% | 115 | |
| Nonpartisan | Gregory Deitchler | 16.4% | 99 | |
| Total Votes | 603 | |||
| Source: Ada County, Idaho, "Consolidated Election May 19, 2015,," accessed June 2, 2015 | ||||
Funding
School board candidates in this election were not required to file any campaign finance reports, but the election in May 2015 was the last election for which there were no reporting requirements. On April 3, 2015, Gov. Butch Otter (R) signed SB 1072 into law which requires school board candidates in districts with an enrollment of 500 students or more to comply with campaign finance reporting requirements.[4] A majority of Idaho's school districts have an enrollment below this threshold. Of the 149 districts in the state tracked by the National Center for Education Statistics, 74 had an enrollment of 500 or greater in the 2012-2013 school year.[5] The law took effect on July 1, 2015.
Endorsements
Deitchler received no official endorsements for his campaign during the election.
Campaign themes
2015
Ballotpedia survey responses
Deitchler participated in Ballotpedia's 2015 survey of school board candidates. The following sections display his responses to the survey questions. When asked what his top priority would be if elected, the candidate made the following statement:
| “ | 1. To use my expertise to help set policy that allows all students get the support needed to excel behaviorally, academically, and personally. Specifically as pertaining to student suspensions and expulsions that the needs of all involved are being met and that the law is being followed as it pertains to the rights and needs of students with disabilities either physical or mental health.
2. To use my communication and conflict resolution skills to help vet and make sure that teacher discipline be just and not just administration agenda and vendetta or reaction to public outcry; that all facts and due process for teachers be given to the benefit of all. 3. That the district be fiscally responsible and that every education dollar be spent to the benefit of educating our youth; that teachers be given the proper training and resources needed to educate in the best way possible for each student individually and to all students collectively.[6] |
” |
| —Gregory Deitchler (2015)[7] | ||
Ranking the issues
The candidate was asked to rank the following issues by importance in the school district, with 1 being the most important and 7 being the least important. This table displays this candidate's rankings from most to least important:
| Education policy |
|---|
 |
Click here to learn more about education policy in Idaho. |
| Education on the ballot |
| Issue importance ranking | |
|---|---|
| Candidate's ranking | Issue |
| Closing the achievement gap | |
| Expanding arts education | |
| Improving education for special needs students | |
| Improving college readiness | |
| Expanding school choice options | |
| Expanding career-technical education | |
| Balancing or maintaining the district's budget | |
Positions on the issues
The candidate was asked to answer 10 questions from Ballotpedia regarding significant issues in education and the school district. The questions are in the left column, and the candidate's responses are in the right column of the following table:
| Question | Response |
|---|---|
| "Modifications are required before they are implemented." | |
| "We have a great charter system that can be added to if needed" | |
| "No" | |
| "Yes they are a measurment that is helful along with other assessments." | |
| "West Ada has a great infrastructure for identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each student and have magnet schools that will help students achieve well in their areas of expertise. In doing this it helps to ensure equal opportunities for maximum achievement." | |
| "This is a main point of why I am running. I feel it is a combination of all the above but should be done on a case by case basis utilizing alternative schools, and positive behavior supports as appropriate." * | |
| "Make sure that administrators and teachers are given the appropriate training and resources to help turn the school around. Help make sure that the students are given adequate help in making progress toward their success. " | |
| "Yes" | |
| "I am for a combination of training and mentorship." | |
| "Make sure that all meeting are open and available to the public to address concerns in a clear and transparent way." | |
| *Note: The options Deitchler referred to were the following: 1.) Expulsion cases must be viewed on a case-by-case basis rather than the district having an overarching policy. 2.) Expulsion should be used for serious offenses to ensure the safety of other students as well as the integrity of education at district schools. 3.) Students with behavior problems should be sent to alternative schools to remove them from their current environments rather than being expelled. 4.) Practices such as positive behavior strategies should be used before expulsion is considered. | |
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Gregory Deitchler West Ada School District. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- West Ada School District, Idaho
- West Ada School District elections (2015)
- Embroiled incumbents see differing outcomes in May 19 school board elections across five states (May 21, 2015)
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ada County, Idaho, "May 19, 2015 Consolidated Election," accessed May 27, 2015
- ↑ Promising Horizons, "Home," accessed April 28, 2015
- ↑ West Ada School District, "West Ada School District Board of Trustees," accessed February 25, 2015
- ↑ Open States, "64th Legislature, 1st Regular Session (2015): Idaho Senate Bill 1072," accessed April 24, 2015
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed April 24, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2015, "Gregory Deitchler responses," April 29, 2015
| 2015 West Ada School District Elections | |
| Ada County, Idaho | |
| Election date: | May 19, 2015 |
| Candidates: | Zone 2: • Incumbent, Mike Vuittonet • Christine Bitler Whited Zone 4: • Incumbent, Anner Ritter • Julie Madsen |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
