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Kevin Walsh
Kevin Walsh is an at-large member of the Kyrene Elementary School District in Arizona. He assumed office in 2018. His current term ends on January 1, 2027.
Walsh ran for re-election for an at-large seat of the Kyrene Elementary School District in Arizona. He won in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Walsh completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.
Elections
2022
See also: Kyrene Elementary School District, Arizona, elections (2022)
General election
General election for Kyrene Elementary School District, At-large (2 seats)
Incumbent Kevin Walsh and Triné Nelson defeated Kristi Ohman in the general election for Kyrene Elementary School District, At-large on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Kevin Walsh (Nonpartisan)  | 37.2 | 31,263 |
| ✔ |  | Triné Nelson (Nonpartisan) | 33.7 | 28,318 |
| Kristi Ohman (Nonpartisan) | 28.7 | 24,107 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.4 | 358 | ||
| Total votes: 84,046 | |||
| = 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. | ||||
2018
General election
General election for Kyrene Elementary School District, At-large (2 seats)
Margaret Pratt and Kevin Walsh defeated David Hoye and Michael Middleton in the general election for Kyrene Elementary School District, At-large on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Margaret Pratt (Nonpartisan) | 31.3 | 26,818 | |
| ✔ | | Kevin Walsh (Nonpartisan) | 26.8 | 22,994 |
 | David Hoye (Nonpartisan) | 25.0 | 21,449 | |
| Michael Middleton (Nonpartisan) | 16.8 | 14,421 | ||
| Total votes: 85,682 | |||
| = 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
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Kevin Walsh completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Walsh's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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This is my 4th year on the Kyrene Governing Board and my 2nd year as Board President, which gives me invaluable experience that sets me apart from others. Students are my top priority with every decision.
I regularly visit each of Kyrene 26's schools and meet with principals, teachers, support staff, parents and students, both to celebrate their achievements and to learn more about their challenges. Over the years, I've had countless conversations with our diverse Kyrene community, which have given me a deep insight into the needs of our students and staff.
I'm running for re-election because it's so important to keep strong public schools in our Kyrene community, and I believe that my experience and proven leadership make me uniquely qualified to ensure that our Kyrene students are given the best opportunities to learn, develop and thrive.
- My son was in Kindergarten when the pandemic upended his education, and his classroom moved to virtual learning. To say it was difficult would be an understatement (try learning handwriting over Zoom). I’m grateful that Kyrene properly prioritized the health and safety of students and staff during the height of the pandemic, but I also recognize that, notwithstanding our amazing teachers’ best efforts, the data demonstrates what many of us already knew - many students understandably experienced less academic growth over the last two years. It’s now imperative that the Board supports putting targeted resources in the classroom that provide the individualized academic support that our students need.
- Arizona is seeing a mass exodus of teachers leaving the profession, and Kyrene is feeling the impact. Our teachers are amazing, and if we don’t keep skilled educators in the classroom, our students won’t reach their full potential. Arizona has tried to address the teacher exodus by lowering teaching standards, but that solution isn’t best for students. It’s essential that we retain the best and brightest teachers in the classroom. Competitive salaries are key. I’m proud that our Board has increased teacher/staff pay by $10.5 Million in recent months. Kyrene spends its money wisely, and the Arizona Auditor General has consistently recognized Kyrene for being among the best at keeping dollars in the classroom.
- The pandemic disrupted many students’ social and emotional development, as they missed out on opportunities to interact in-person with others. During the last school year, we saw a dramatic increase in students acting out, and we know that students who are emotionally deregulated are rarely able to focus in the classroom and succeed academically. I commend Kyrene’s ongoing commitment to mental health. While I’ve served on the Board, we’ve funded counselors at every school. They provide immense support to students, but their caseloads are full. I support hiring more counselors to ensure that our children are thriving mentally, emotionally, and academically.
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.
2018
Ballotpedia biographical submission form
The candidate completed Ballotpedia's biographical information submission form:
| “ | What is your political philosophy?
My name is Kevin Walsh, and I would be grateful to earn your vote for Kyrene School Board. I am a Kyrene dad with two children in our Kyrene schools and strong ties to our community. My children come from a family of teachers. As an involved parent, an active community member, and a business attorney with financial experience, I am uniquely qualified to serve Kyrene by working to ensure all students receive a quality education. My family chose to make our home in the Kyrene community because of the quality education that they would receive in Kyrene schools. I am committed to keeping strong public schools in our Kyrene community. Is there anything you would like to add? At my children's neighborhood Kyrene school, I serve on the PTO Board and oversee all PTO funding requests. I actively volunteer in my children’s classroom and help with school events, like spring carnival. I am a member of the Kyrene Business Alliance, a group organized by the Kyrene School District to engage the Kyrene business community. My children are second generation Kyrene kids. Their grandma teaches in Kyrene, their grandpa teaches in Tempe Union, and their mom is a school resource officer in Phoenix. I understand the important role that our teachers and support staff play in the education, development, and wellness of our children. I am the Chairman of JAG Arizona, one of the largest and oldest student mentoring programs in Arizona. For nearly 40 years, JAG has been delivering remarkable education outcomes, closing the achievement gap, and helping youth stay in school. JAG serves more than 1,200 young people in Phoenix, Tempe, and other communities through Arizona. As Chairman, I see how teachers make a lasting impact on our children every day. My experience as a local business attorney gives me a tremendous advantage to confront the financial hardships facing Kyrene. As a business attorney with the law firm of Quarles & Brady in Phoenix, I partner with clients to find creative solutions to difficult challenges. My background in finance will enable me to make sure that the District's budget allocates our resources in a way that benefits students the most. I serve as the President of Phoenix One Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting the needs of students and families in the community beyond the classroom. The Foundation has provided hundreds of primarily low-income students with technology, sports, and arts programs. I recognize how important it is for all students to have these opportunities. As an instructor with Junior Achievement (JA), I have volunteered with students in the classroom to help them plan for their future and make smart academic and career choices. JA hosts BizTown in many of our Kyrene school every year. On the Kyrene School Board, I will work to make certain that Kyrene continues to prepare our students for success in high school and beyond. I promise to be a tireless advocate for our students and teachers on the Kyrene School Board. I would be grateful to earn your vote this November. [1] |
” |
| —Kevin Walsh[2] | ||
See also
2022 Elections
External links
|
Officeholder Kyrene Elementary School District, At-large |
Footnotes
