Ian Burch

Ian Burch

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Ian Burch was a candidate for District 7 representative on the Albuquerque Public Schools school board in New Mexico. Burch was defeated in the by-district general election on February 7, 2017.

Elections

2017

See also: Albuquerque Public Schools elections (2017)

Four of the seven seats on the Albuquerque Public Schools Board of Education were up for by-district general election on February 7, 2017. In his bid for re-election to District 3, incumbent Lorenzo Garcia defeated challengers Ali Ennenga, Amy Legant, and Charles White. District 5 incumbent Steven Michael Quezada and District 6 incumbent Don Duran did not file to run for re-election, leaving both seats open for newcomers. Four candidates—Annie Bell-Rahman, Rachel Gonzales, Kayla Marshall, and Candelaria Patterson—ran for the District 5 seat, and Patterson won the race. Six candidates—Abbas Ali Akhil, Elizabeth Armijo, C. Douglas Brown, Melissa Finch, Paula Maes, and Paul Sievert—ran for the District 6 seat, and Armijo won. The race for the District 7 seat featured incumbent David Peercy and challengers Ian Burch, William Steinberg, and Brian Tierney. Peercy won re-election to the board. A total of six candidates withdrew from the race before their names were put on the ballot: R. Jason Vaillancourt in District 3, Than-Lan Sena, Alex Villanueva, and Anne Young in District 5, Stephen Verchinski in District 6, and Sina-Aurelia Pleasant-Soul in District 7.

Results

Albuquerque Public Schools, District 7 General Election, 4-year term, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
David Peercy Incumbent	64.04%	4,219
Brian Tierney	26.85%	1,769
William Steinberg	4.58%	302
Ian Burch	4.52%	298
Total Votes		6,588
Source: Bernalillo County Clerk, "APS/CNM School Board Election February 7, 2017," accessed February 22, 2017 and Bernalillo County Clerk, "APS/CNM School Board Election was certified Friday, Feb. 10th, 2017," February 13, 2017

Funding

See also: Campaign finance in the Albuquerque Public Schools election

Burch reported no contributions or expenditures to the New Mexico Secretary of State in the election.

Campaign themes

2017

Burch participated in a questionnaire provided by the Albuquerque school district. The district's questions are shown in bolded text, and Burch's answers follow below.

1. Why do you want to be a board member for Albuquerque Public Schools?

“	The Albuquerque Public School district is large and diverse, and as such needs a diverse set of solutions to better serve our students and fix our struggling schools. I believe that my teaching experience and work with students of all ages makes me qualified to identify and fix problems endemic to education in Albuquerque, as well as create more opportunities for students. My approach to doing this would be through community engagement and schooling, expanding course selection, and implementing modern teaching methods to keep students engaged and excited about learning	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

2. What is your interest in education?

“	I have taught mathematics around New Mexico, always doing my best to impart my love of science, math, and learning to my students. I believe that modern teaching methods such as flipped classrooms, moderated seminars, and interactive work are key to student engagement and success.	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

3. In what ways will you support the mission and vision of the district?

“	Core to APS is support for all students, regardless of background, status, or skills. Through community feedback, teacher support, and new programs I hope to make the district better for students of all ages.	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

4. How will you work with the superintendent?

“	The superintendent has a close connection with the management of the individual schools, just as the Board has close ties with the community. Frequent meetings and discussions with the superintendent is crucial to make sure the needs of both the schools and the community are met.	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

5. What is your past and current involvement with Albuquerque Public Schools?

“	I have worked with APS students in various summer camps and programming events, always finding them bright and eager to learn when the material is presented in fun and interesting ways.	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

6. What should be the relationship between the superintendent and Board of Education?

“	The superintendent and the Board must work closely together to make sure that the needs of families, students, and teachers are all met. That said, the board should be the final arbiter of policies, having been elected instead of appointed.	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

7. What qualities and skills would you bring to the Board of Education?

“	I would bring a passion for education along with a deep understanding of teaching practice, philosophy, and issues of students and teachers alike to the Board.	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

8. What school or community volunteer activities have you participated in related to the community?

“	I have done volunteer work at Explora! and frequently worked with various non-profit organizations to teach programming and game design to students of all ages.	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

9. How do you plan to work with constituents?

“	Keeping in touch with the community is key for the Board to be effective. If elected I would make myself as accessible as possible through social media presence and regularly making myself available at public venues to hear the concerns of people who might not be able to attend the regular board meetings	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

10. What do you see as opportunities and challenges to the district?

“	The APS district contains roughly a quarter of all students in New Mexico. Any change for the better will have an immense benefit for both Albuquerque and the entire state. That said, the sheer amount of students is also its greatest challenge, with no single solution capable of fixing all its issues.	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

11. What do you think is the best way for the district to accomplish the three academic goals?

a. Early learning - Early learning begins with expecting parents, is nurtured as children develop language and number skills in elementary school, and grows with students as they mature in supportive classrooms becoming adept at using these skills in a variety of contexts.

“	Poor early education for students will negatively affect their academic performance for years down the road. Consequentially we need more opportunities for pre-school, an early emphasis on language, and community schools to support struggling families.	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

b. College and Career Readiness - Students acquire skills which support formal and informal life-long learning to adapt and remain productive through changing economic and job market landscapes. All students will be prepared for postsecondary opportunities (college and/or career) without the need for remediation.

“	Key to future success for all students is to have opportunities to practice and learn subjects outside the core curriculum. Schools having courses and extracurriculars varying from the arts and theater, to trades such as carpentry and automotive work, to technology courses such as game development and CAD allow students to both find their passion and gain experience for their future.	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

c. Developing the Whole Child - APS will ensure each child is safe, engaged, challenged and supported through programs and practices focused on removing social, emotional and physical barriers to learning and increased health literacy.

• Safe and welcoming environment
• Whole Child includes ... physical, mental, emotional, social, intellectual
• Remove barriers to learning
• Discover and develop individual gifts and talents
• Use skills to better the community

“	Because the APS district is so large and diverse, encouraging student growth requires many approaches. We need community work to help impoverished students, non-discrimination policies to make all students feel safe and welcome, counseling instead of punitive measures for misbehaving students, and a variety of opportunities so that all students can be enthusiastic about learning.	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

12. If elected, how will you work with the current board?

“	As three of the Board of Education members are not up for reelection, learning from their experience is invaluable for the details and nuances of the Board's work. Furthermore, as every member will have differing priorities, clear communication and compromise will be necessary for every decision.	”
—Ian Burch (2017)

See also

• Albuquerque Public Schools, New Mexico
• Albuquerque Public Schools elections (2017)

External links

Suggest a link

• Albuquerque Public Schools