Laura Schad
Laura Schad was the Area 7 representative on the Rapid City Area Board of Education in South Dakota. She was appointed to the seat in October 2011 after then-officeholder Doug Kinniburgh left to take a new job.[1] She won election to a regular three-year term in 2012. She lost her bid for a second full term on June 2, 2015.
In March 2015, Schad and the other six sitting board members unanimously approved an opt-out to allow the district to raise an addition $6 million a year in property tax levies for five years. A citizen group gathered sufficient signatures to place the board's decision on the 2015 ballot. Supporters of the opt out also organized to campaign for its approval at the polls. The opt-out measure failed.
If Schad had retained her seat, she would have joined the other board members in the process of selecting a new superintendent for the 2016-2017 school year, following Superintendent Tim Mitchell's announcement of his resignation.
Biography
Schad is the program information coordinator for the National Relief Charities. Her work focuses on the American Indian reservations of the Great Plains and the Southwest. She also runs a consultant business for tribal Head Start programs.[2]
Previously, she worked as a federal contractor for the Academy for Educational Development and American Indian Institute at the University of Oklahoma. She worked in training and technical assistance for American Indian Head Start programs. Schad serves on the board of directors for Rural America Initiatives (REI), which she was employed with for 10 years.[2]
Schad grew up in South Dakota and moved around the country before returning to the state. She initially worked for an American Indian-owned engineering firm, before applying for her position with REI.[3] She earned an associate degree in early childhood from Oglala Lakota College. She is a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Schad's three daughters with her husband, Ralph Schad, graduated from Rapid City Central High School.[2]
Elections
2015
Opposition
Three of the seven seats on the Rapid City Area Board of Education were up for election on June 2, 2015. Area 1 incumbent Matthew Stephens, Area 2 incumbent Sheryl Kirkeby and Area 7 incumbent Laura Schad sought re-election. Stephens defeated challenger Richard Kriebel, and Schad lost to her challenger, Katharine Thomas. Kirkeby won re-election unopposed.[4]
Results
| Rapid City Area School District, Area 7 General Election, 3-year term, 2015 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Nonpartisan |  Katharine Thomas |
52.1% | 625 | |
| Nonpartisan | Laura Schad Incumbent | 47.9% | 575 | |
| Total Votes | 1,200 | |||
| Source: Pennington County Election and Voting Information, "June 2, 2015 Combined City/School Election (Rapid City/Hill City): Unofficial Final Results," June 2, 2015 These election results are not official and will be updated when certified results are available. You can submit certified results by contacting us. | ||||
Funding
Schad reported $1,655.00 in contributions and $1,285.40 in expenditures to the Rapid City Area School District, which left her campaign with $369.60 on hand in this election.[5]
Endorsements
Schad received no official endorsements in this election.
2012
Results
Schad was unopposed in the 2012 election. Due to the lack of opposition, the election for her seat was canceled, and she was automatically elected.
Campaign themes
2015
Schad provided the following responses to questions from the Rapid City Journal. The paper's questions are in bold.
| “ | Why are you running for this office? I made a commitment four years ago and would be grateful to continue my service. As a parent of three daughters graduated from our schools, I understand the challenges faced by students and families. I have enjoyed working one-on-one and collectively with parents, staff and students to find solutions together. I try to remove the barriers that may exist so students have access to all the opportunities the district offers. It’s a good day to shake the graduates’ hands and give them their diplomas, but it’s a better day when these students become active participants in our community.
What strengths do you possess that qualify you to serve on a governing board? I believe my employment and educational background in programs that work holistically through family involvement, staff development and community support strengthen my ability as a board member. I am familiar with state and federal regulations tied to many of the district’s initiatives. I listen and actively participate in my responsibilities.[6] |
” |
| —Laura Schad (2015)[7] | ||
2012
In 2012, Schad discussed the ongoing issue of budget cuts in the district. She emphasized that the decisions to cut over $4 million from the budget in both 2011 and 2012 was not an easy choice. Beyond the budget, Schad noted, “I would really like to see a decrease in the drop-out rates.” At that time, the district's drop-out rate was 3.8 overall while it was 10.63 for American Indian students.[1]
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Laura Schad Rapid City Area School District. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
See also
- Rapid City Area School District, South Dakota
- Rapid City Area School District elections (2015)
- Incumbent & opt-out defeated; Rapid City school district's funding uncertain (June 3, 2015)
- What's on your ballot? (June 2, 2015)
External links
Additional reading
- Indianz.com, "Native Sun News: School board member advocates for Natives," March 19, 2014
- Rapid City Journal, "Schad determined to stick budgeting process out," May 25, 2012
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Rapid City Journal, "Schad determined to stick budgeting process out," May 25, 2012
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Rapid City Area Schools, "Board of Education Members," accessed May 20, 2015
- ↑ Indianz.com, "Native Sun News: School board member advocates for Natives," March 19, 2014
- ↑ Margaret Koenig, "Phone conversation with Kathy Lewis, Rapid City Area Schools Business Office," April 1, 2015
- ↑ Margaret Koenig, "Email correspondence with Kathy Lewis, Rapid City Area Schools Business Office," June 2, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Rapid City Journal, "RCAS Board, Area 7 incumbent Laura Schad," May 29, 2015
| 2015 Rapid City Area School District Elections | |
| Pennington County, South Dakota | |
| Election date: | June 2, 2015 |
| Candidates: | Area 1: Incumbent, Matthew Stephens • Richard Kriebel
Area 2: Incumbent, Sheryl Kirkeby Area 7: Incumbent, Laura Schad • Katharine Thomas |
| Important information: | What was at stake? • Key deadlines • Additional elections on the ballot |
