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Heather Cloninger
Heather Cloninger was an at-large member of the Academy School District 20 school board in Colorado. Cloninger assumed office on December 2, 2019. Cloninger left office on November 30, 2023.
Cloninger ran for re-election for an at-large seat of the Academy School District 20 school board in Colorado. Cloninger lost in the general election on November 7, 2023.
Cloninger completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Heather Cloninger was born in Provo, Utah. Cloninger earned a high school diploma from Orem High School.[1]
Elections
2023
See also: Academy School District 20, Colorado, elections (2023)
General election
General election for Academy School District 20 school board, At-large (2 seats)
Amy Shandy and Derrick Wilburn defeated incumbent Heather Cloninger and incumbent Will Temby in the general election for Academy School District 20 school board, At-large on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Amy Shandy (Nonpartisan)  | 27.6 | 20,988 |
| ✔ |  | Derrick Wilburn (Nonpartisan) | 26.5 | 20,208 |
 | Heather Cloninger (Nonpartisan) | 23.1 | 17,563 | |
 | Will Temby (Nonpartisan) | 22.8 | 17,355 | |
| Total votes: 76,114 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Endorsements
Cloninger received the following endorsements. To view a full list of Cloninger's endorsements as published by their campaign, click here.
- Frmr. Academy Dist. 20 Sch. Brd. Memb. Vance Brown
- Frmr. Academy Dist. 20 Sch. Brd. Memb. Tracey Johnson
- Frmr. Academy Dist. 20 Sch. Brd. Memb. Doug Lundberg (Nonpartisan)
- Frmr. Academy Dist. 20 Sch. Brd. Memb. Karin Reynolds (Nonpartisan)
- Frmr. Academy Sch. Brd. Memb. Vicki Taylor
- Colorado Education Association
- Everytown for Gun Safety
Pledges
Cloninger signed the following pledges.
2019
See also: Academy School District 20, Colorado, elections (2019)
General election
General election for Academy School District 20 school board, At-large (2 seats)
Will Temby and Heather Cloninger defeated Aaron Salt in the general election for Academy School District 20 school board, At-large on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Will Temby (Nonpartisan) | 40.4 | 17,021 |
| ✔ | | Heather Cloninger (Nonpartisan) | 32.2 | 13,550 |
 | Aaron Salt (Nonpartisan) | 27.5 | 11,571 | |
| Total votes: 42,142 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign themes
2023
Heather Cloninger completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cloninger's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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two incredible boys: Jack (18) and Sam (16). Prior to my current term on the Academy District 20 School Board, I volunteered at every level of opportunity, from PTA to school accountability committees in all the schools my boys have attended. I sat on the district accountability committee for 8+ years, where I co-chaired the accreditation subcommittee twice. II was also awarded volunteer of the year 3 times at two different schools. I was a member of the Say yes for 3A bond campaign, which successfully passed, allowing this district to make improvements in every school in the district as well as building new schools. As a sitting board member, I have enjoyed celebrating the many achievements of our students and staff. I was also part of the board that awarded the highest teacher salary increase in district history. I value the committed professionals, who work tirelessly to make this a district which has been accredited with distinction for 15 consecutive years.
- As a sitting school board member, a continuing priority is academic achievement and closing gaps. Every student deserves an equal opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background or circumstances. I am committed to working with all stakeholder groups to create policies and programs that promote academic excellence and equity. I will continue to support closing achievement gaps and ensuring that every student has the tools and support they need to succeed. While our SPED community benefits from my advocacy, it is equally important that our TAG population also have the opportunities to achieve the high performance they are capable of, and I am committed to ensuring all students receive the attention needed to achieve their best.
- I believe parents & families play a crucial role in their children’s learning journey. One of my top priorities is to strengthen parental partnerships & choice in education. With my extensive experience working with parents & families, I know firsthand how critical it is for schools to engage & involve parents in their children’s education. I am a strong proponent of school choice. I believe that every family should have the ability to choose the educational path that best suits their children’s needs and goals. Whether it’s through charter schools, homeschooling, or other innovative programs such as our CTE. I will work to expand educational opportunities & empower families to make the best decisions for their children’s future.
- With 13 years of experience as a parent volunteer, committee member, & now school board member, I understand the challenges facing educators & am committed to making staff retention a top priority. In recent years, D20 has experienced high turnover rates among its staff. The best way to address this issue is to invest in & support our employees. By providing competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, & professional development opportunities, we will create a positive & supportive working environment that fosters growth & success for both staff & students. I know the impact of staff retention & I understand that the success of our students is directly tied to the quality & stability our teaching staff & also our support personnel.
deserves a safe nurturing learning environment. I believe in a parent’s right to choose
which school their children should attend. My husband and I have been parents of
choice for many years I’m grateful for the opportunities our children have had in the
schools we’ve chosen for them. I also strongly believe in our local control over our own
districts. Just as we as parents know what’s best for our children, we as a board know
was an elementary school teacher and principal my entire childhood and he retired after
40 years working in those roles. He was an amazing example of kindness, moral
integrity, honesty, and so much more. His staff and co-workers saw him as a leader and
as someone who was approachable and easy to come to in an emergency as well as
for good advice. He loved working with children and has many children who think of him
as “their teacher”, for life. My dad taught me so much over my lifetime. I’m grateful for
the example he was to me, my sisters and my own children, as well as all those who knew
board members should have a deep belief in the value of quality education and a
dedication to improving educational opportunities for all students. They should be
advocates for student success and work toward providing equitable and inclusive
learning environments.
Accountability and Transparency: School board members must be accountable for
their decisions and actions. Transparency in decision-making processes is vital, as it
fosters trust within the community. Board members should be open to feedback, willing
to explain their choices, and responsive to the concerns of parents, teachers, students,
and other stakeholders.
Effective Communication and Collaboration: Effective school board members are
skilled communicators who can work collaboratively with diverse groups of people. They
should be able to listen actively, communicate clearly, and build consensus among
board members and with the broader community. Collaboration is essential for making
The school board is responsible for hiring & evaluating the superintendent of the
school district. The superintendent is the chief executive officer responsible for
implementing the board’s policies & managing day-to-day operations. School board
members are responsible for the oversight of policies that govern the operation of the
school district. These policies cover a wide range of issues, including curriculum,
student conduct, staff employment, & budgeting.
Budget Oversight: School board members play a crucial role in the development &
approval of the school district’s budget. We must ensure that financial resources are
allocated appropriately to support educational programs and services. As the current
board Treasurer, this has been a focus of mine for the past two years.
Community Engagement: School board members serve as liaisons between the
school district and the community. They must engage with parents, teachers, students,
and other stakeholders to understand their concerns, gather input, and communicate
district policies and decisions.
Advocacy: School board members often advocate for the best interests of the district
and its students at the local, state, and sometimes federal levels of government. They
may lobby for additional funding, educational reforms, or changes in education policy.
Legal Compliance: Board members must ensure that the school district operates in
accordance with all relevant laws & regulations, including those related to education,
finance, and civil rights.
Equity & Inclusion: Promoting equity in education is a critical responsibility. We should work to ensure that all students have access to high-quality.
education regardless of their background or circumstances.
Accountability: We are accountable to the public for the
performance of the school district. We must make decisions in the best interests of the
people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
I hope that my legacy is one where people always remember how I dedicated my life to
1986. I remember watching it in school, I was 10 years old. I remember how we were all
excited and wanted to see Christa McAuliffe, the teacher going into space. Shortly after
This book should be required reading! The book is about the concept of rethinking and
emphasizes the importance of being open to changing one's mind and updating one's
from our students.
A recent favorite:
Why did the student eat his homework?
Academy District 20 Board of Education Member for 12 Years and Former Science
Teacher in D20 for Over 30
Vance Brown
Co-founder and 3 term board member at The Classical Academy Co-founder and past
CEO of Cherwell Software
Tracey A. Johnson
Academy School District 20 Board of Education 2011-2019 Vice President, Academy
School District 20 Education Foundation 2022- present
Jacob T. Stevens
Lt. Colonel (ret), United States Air Force
District Resident and Parent
Karin Reynolds
Karin Reynolds Consulting, Academy District 20 Former Deputy Assistant
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.
Other survey responses
Ballotpedia identified the following surveys, interviews, and questionnaires Cloninger completed for other organizations. If you are aware of a link that should be added, email us.
2019
Heather Cloninger completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Cloninger's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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- We are raising our children in a complex and challenging time. Their social emotional needs are much different than even those 10 years ago. I am and always will be an advocate for finding better mental health services and understanding for our children.
- Our teachers and staff are another of my concerns. I think we need to offer better benefits for our staff. We need to think outside the box and come up with a way to keep and retain our great teachers. I will always be a voice for teachers and their needs.
- As a member of the ASD20 Bond Campaign in 2016, and having been the co-chair for the Citizens Bond Oversight Committee I have come to understand this district in a unique way. I have been to every school in this district. I also have the perspective of a current mom "in the trenches" , parents can relate to me and look to me for being transparent and holding those in charge accountable for their decisions and their actions.
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
2023 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on September 13, 2023
