Jack Heinemann (Nevada)

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Jack Heinemann

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

June 9, 2020

Education

Bachelor's

The University of Nevada, Reno

Personal

Birthplace

Reno, Nev.

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Twitter

Jack Heinemann ran for election to the Washoe County School District Board of Trustees to represent District A in Nevada. He lost in the primary on June 9, 2020.

Heinemann completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. Click here to read the survey answers.

Elections

2020

See also: Washoe County School District, Nevada, elections (2020)

General election

General election for Washoe County School District Board of Trustees District A

Jeff Church defeated Scott Kelley in the general election for Washoe County School District Board of Trustees District A on November 3, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Jeff Church (Nonpartisan)	59.5	29,626
		Scott Kelley (Nonpartisan)	40.5	20,142

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	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 49,768
= 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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Nonpartisan primary election

Nonpartisan primary for Washoe County School District Board of Trustees District A

Scott Kelley and Jeff Church defeated Lisa Genasci, Jack Heinemann, and Terese Huerstel in the primary for Washoe County School District Board of Trustees District A on June 9, 2020.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔		Scott Kelley (Nonpartisan)	33.4	7,503
✔		Jeff Church (Nonpartisan)	23.0	5,171
	Submit photo	Lisa Genasci (Nonpartisan)	21.9	4,930
		Jack Heinemann (Nonpartisan)	11.6	2,601
	Submit photo	Terese Huerstel (Nonpartisan)	10.2	2,292

---

	There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source	Total votes: 22,497
= 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

2020

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jack Heinemann completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2020. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Heinemann's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

My name is Jack Heinemann. I'm 19 years old, and I'm running for the School Board - District A.

I'm a battle born Nevadan, raised in Reno and a recent graduate from the Home of the Mustangs, Damonte Ranch High School.

As the grandson of a veteran and the son of two life-long restaurant managers, I understand what service truly means to others.

My dedication to public service came at age eleven when a neighbor took me to a presidential rally in 2012. The electricity in the air, the energy of the crowd, and the passion my community members shared for the betterment of the silver state ignited my passion for public service. I've been striving to serve our Northern Nevada community ever since.

I attribute my successes and achievements to the education I received within the Washoe County School District. Every single teacher, administrator, and support staff member I encountered, all played a part in my success and the success of all students in the district.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Now more than ever, the school board needs a leader who can bridge the disconnect between our schools, our students, and our school board. I'll dedicate time to making this vision a reality.
• We need a trustee that has a deep understanding of students needs in the 21st century. I'll bring student focused decision making to the board as well as my first hand experience as a recent graduate.
• I understand that in order to provide the best possible education in our community, our school board should be supportive and accessible for students, parents, teachers, support staff, and our community.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

First and foremost, we need to get everyone on the same page. The problem is, we aren't. There is a massive disconnect between our district, our schools, and our community.

My priority would be to bridge that disconnect.



I'd focus on establishing regular and secure means of communication between our students, teachers, administrators, support staff members, and community members. Means such as meetings, town halls, newsletters, etc.



If we can get everyone on the same page - on the same communication level, then at the very least, we can understand each other's needs and wants as we work toward a better future for our kids.

I know I'm not your conventional candidate. I won't act like it. But I don't think our school board needs a conventional candidate. Our board requires someone who isn't afraid of making a splash, who'll fight for what's right, and who's seen the challenges our school face, up-close and personal. I can bring that change to the school board. I hope you can join me in bringing about that change. I invite you to go to JackWH.com to learn more about me and this campaign for change.

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I could probably give a laundry list of people who I look up to. However, my leadership teachers would be at the top of that list.

My middle school leadership teacher taught me that leadership doesn't come from a position or a following; leaders exist in all of us.

My high school leadership teacher taught me that leaders always eat last, that they strive to help others succeed - because others' success is a leader's success.

One day, as I was complaining about the lack of outreach from our school board, that same leadership teacher asked when I was going to stop talking about change and start making change. It was then where I decided to throw my hat into the ring to start making that change.

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

If someone would like to understand my political philosophy, they are more than welcome to call me at (775) 815-4037

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Elected officials should always do what's right, be kind, admit when they're wrong, and see the big picture. Moreover, elected officials should always seek input from the people they represent - that's their job.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I listen, I understand, and I will always put students first. I am the best because every single day, I do my best; for our teachers, for our parents, for our schools, for our community, and for our kids.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

Trustees ought to be able to reach out and listen to the needs of teachers, parents, custodians, administrators, office secretaries, and of course, our kids.

They must have a deep understanding of students' needs and understand that the policies they advocate or denounce will have direct consequences, positive and negative, on our next generation of leaders.

What legacy would you like to leave?

I did the most good I could, for the most people I could, for as long as I could.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

I first remembered Barack Obama being elected President - Nov. 4, 2008. I remember my parents voting for him but expressing their belief that he was going to lose. The night he won, my parents were shocked, they never thought a black man could overcome the systematic racism, but he did, and they were ecstatic. I remember being perplexed at their shocked-ness. At the time, I was eight years old; I didn't understand why it was so history-making. Now, looking back on it, I feel grateful I was in my living room, watching the first African American being elected to the highest office in the nation.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

My very first job was at a local restaurant. I was, and currently am, a food server. If you genuinely want to experience and understand what service means to others, work in the hospitality or food service industry.

In high school, which was just a year ago, I was the Student Body President, where I worked closely with numerous teachers, administrators, support staff members, parents, and students. Whether it was planning events, expanding social, emotional learning, or getting students involved in extracurriculars, this work led me to value the importance of communication and listening.

What is your favorite book? Why?

The President's Club. An amazing book that tells the story of how former presidents advised current presidents and how effective bipartisanship is.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Josiah Bartlet from the West Wing.

What was the last song that got stuck in your head?

Landslide by Fleetwood Mac

What is something that has been a struggle in your life?

Speaking. When I was young, I had a speech impediment. I took several years of speech classes in elementary school.

Now that I'm older with several public speaking awards, I can confidently say that it is no longer a struggle.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

The job of a school board trustee is both a very challenging and honorable one. School board trustees aren't figureheads; they are representatives-stewards- of students, teachers, and community members. Honestly, they must set aside their own views, their own beliefs and be ready to do one thing and one thing only-and that's listen.

Who are your constituents?

Every single person that lives within Washoe County. Our schools have ripple effects on our community and its future. Trustees are accountable to everyone.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

At one of the board meetings, I saw a man speaking about pedestrian safety and his concerns for the new Hug High School. As he talked, none of the trustees looked up; all of them had their heads down. He finished speaking, sat down next to me, and said: "They didn't listen, they didn't care."



As a Trustee, I'd make sure that would not happen. I'd use every tool in my toolbox to ensure I'm talking to every stakeholder. 


I'll emphasize the use of social media and be sure to serve both as a messenger and as someone who is there to listen.


I'll host both virtual and in-person town halls.


And I'll encourage newsletters to be sent out to both our educators and our students/parents. 


I understand that to provide the best possible education in our community; our school board should be supportive and accessible for students, parents, teachers, support staff, and our community. 



Day One: I'm reaching out to our stakeholders and setting up those means of communication - you can hold me to it!

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

First, I'm not going to be specifically targeting anyone. As a trustee, you ought to walk and chew gum at the same time - meaning that you should be reaching out to everyone.

As previously mentioned, I'll emphasize the usage of social media, set up regular means of communication, and work with our schools to get newsletters out to the public.

What will you do to build a better relationship with parents in the district? What plans do you have to be inclusive of parental involvement?

We can empower our PTO's and tap into that resource by asking for their input. We should also be reaching out to our parents, through our students, to get them involved in the district.

Do you believe it is important to intentionally recruit with the aim of diversifying the district’s faculty, staff, and administration? If so, what would be your policy to achieve this?

Something that is barely addressed in our community is the vast disproportion of suspension of black students. As a Trustee, I'd aim to do the following:



Reach out to parents and our PTO's and ask for their opinion on how to build a more welcoming and inclusive WCSD. 

Equip our school administrators with the tools to educate and talk about the disproportionality of discipline and how educators can create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all students.

Reach out to organizations that champion people of color and religious minorities and ask for guidance. 

Recruit educators from marginalized communities and make our schools reflect our students.

What issues get in the way of quality education? How would you address these obstacles?

There are plenty of barriers that prevent our kids from receiving a quality education, many I've mentioned before. However, the first step in addressing every single obstacle is by reaching out and asking what our community would like to see accomplished.

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

A school district is successful when its graduates are fully prepared to take on the world as an educated adult. We pride ourselves too much on graduation rates - let's pride ourselves on preparing our kids for the future.

Let's measure this through adult preparedness courses like financial literacy and civics.

What type of skills should students be learning for success in the 21st century?

Students should be learning more in financial literacy, civics, and CTE.

How might you improve the value of a high school diploma? What should a 21st century diploma reflect?

Along with my previous responses, we should reach out to the employers in our district and ask for their input. What are our students not learning and what needs to change?

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

Along with my previous responses, let's also reach out to our teachers. Do they feel like the curriculum is at its best?

What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?

The legislature controls funding - not the board. I'll continue to push for more resources that our state sends.

As a trustee, my goal would be to stretch every dollar and every penny to ensure our kids have the best chance of succeeding.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

School safety is personal to me. I know what it's like when the fire alarm goes off, and the creeping feeling of fear a student feels. That feeling that their school is just going to be another name on a long list of school shootings this year.



I think we've made great strides on securing our schools, credited to the great work of the Safe and Healthy Schools Commission, chaired by Fmr. Trustee Lisa Ruggerio, who's endorsed this campaign.


However, I think we're missing a significant aspect of school shootings - students. The vast majority of school shootings are done by current students. Meaning that first-point-entry-ways and school fencing isn't going to make a significant impact if the assailant is already inside the building.



School safety is a two-part issue - School Security AND Student Mental Health. I believe we ought to heavily invest in students' mental health as it is the gateway to school shootings. Ensuring that our kids are mentally healthy will have lasting effects..

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

Let's heavily invest in programs that educate our students on what mental health resources they have access to. Let's also invest in the number of school psychologists our schools have.

What role do you imagine technology playing in (and outside) the classroom in the future? How would you prepare the district for this?

Technology is already playing a big part in students' education. The goal must now be to find the inequities in our district and make it equitable.

As a Trustee, I would push for tech partnerships with both UNR and TMCC. With the sharing of equipment on both ends, we can try to decrease this tech inequity.



At the state legislature, I'd advocate for more funding for our schools so we could appropriate that money to schools that are stuck in the middle. 



With the appropriate funding, we can achieve what other districts are doing, which is the checking out of technologies at our libraries. Whether that's an iPad or a Laptop, all kids will be able to take a piece of tech home. 

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.

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