Nathan Hunter
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Nathan Hunter is running for election for an at-large seat of the Goddard Unified School District 265 school board in Kansas. He is on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025. The primary for this office on August 5, 2025, was canceled.
Hunter completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Nathan Hunter was born in Wichita, Kansas. Hunter served in the U.S. Navy from 2012 to 2021. He earned a bachelor's degree and a graduate degree from American Military University and a Ph.D. from Walden University.
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Elections
2025
See also: Goddard Unified School District 265, Kansas, elections (2025)
General election
Nonpartisan primary election
The primary election was canceled.
Endorsements
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2025
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Nathan Hunter completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Hunter's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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Dr. Nathan Hunter is a father of five, a Navy veteran, and committed advocate for transparency and student well-being. He has a Ph.D. in public policy and administration, with a particular focus on policies being backed by data-driven insights. Dr. Hunter is running to be a voice for families, ensuring transparency and accountability, and prioritizing students over politics.
- Nathan is passionate about education and believes that every child deserves access to quality education from a young age.
- Nathan wants to promote better transparency in government decision-making and ensure that the USD 265 School Board—who represent the parents in the district—is accountable and transparent.
- As a parent who has seen his child suffer from bullying, Dr. Hunter is committed to ensuring that each incident and child receives the time and attention of elected officials, and that we work to create a safe and supportive environment for all students
1. Education
2. Government Ethics and Anti-Corruption Measures
3. Bullying The Federalist Papers have deeply influenced my personal philosophy. These articles and essays written by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison highlight the importance of not only checks and balances, but also transparency in government.
Integrity, transparency, courage, humility, and leadership. Elected officials should have an uncompromising moral compass that guides their decision-making abilities.
It is hard to answer these from a humble perspective, but my passion to improve the lives through education.
School board members are advocates for parents and students. Every decision that is made by board members should be for these stakeholders. These elected officials should be great listeners and understand that a one-size-fits-all approach for certain policies is not always the answer.
My first job was in the Navy as a search and rescue swimmer. I had this job for approximately 8 years.
The primary job of a school board member is to ensure that students are prioritized beyond metrics. This means they act as policymakers to ensure safety, well-being, and education. The gap between the community and classroom is also bridged by a good school board member.
All parents in the district.
Again, we must recognize that one-size-fits-all solutions are not the answer to every issue. Every student, teacher, and family is different, and they are presented with different challenges. Being able to speak publicly at board meetings is one key method that ensures stakeholders have a voice in the policy process.
Being an active presence in the community and not just at board meetings. This begins with sharing my email for all constituents to contact me (a process that is currently not in effect in USD 265). Open communication with parents, teachers, and support staff is also crucial. Families often attend sporting and community events, and these are great ways for a school board member to be present and active.
Good teaching needs to include more than test scores, memorization, or metrics. We all have that one teacher that we remember from grade school or high school that we loved. They were a good teacher because they cared about their students. Measuring this entails student/parent feedback, professional growth opportunities, and the resources to make teaching each unique student possible.
If given the opportunity, I'd push for more after-school opportunities with local partners, particularly as high schoolers are nearing graduation. Robotics, coding, cybersecurity, and the like are very pertinent fields for students to transition to.
Parents play a huge role in this. Engaging with parents to understand student needs will ultimately drive what areas need more funding.
As a parent of students in USD 265, safety is a top concern of mine. Clear reporting systems, properly trained staff, mental health support (and removing the stigmas surrounding it), and strong, zero-tolerance bullying policies.
Mental health is part and parcel to learning. It is also foundational for faculty and staff. Parents must also take an active role in their children's lives, encouraging open communication in the home. While mental health looks different for each person, understanding that it is now critical for good education only etches its importance even deeper.
1. The complaint process in general. Section KN of the USD 265 Goddard Public Schools Board of Education Policy lacks transparency and forces complainants to work with unelected officials.
2. Board member emails are not available on the district website for the public to contact. Emails for board members in every other district within Sedgwick County (USD 259, USD 260, USD 261, USD 262, USD 263, USD 264, USD 266, USD 267, and USD 268) are publicly available on each district's website.
3. The central office for the district retains far too much power, and relies heavily on the attorney that has been hired by the district in the past for actions. The Board should be the clear governing body of the district.
4. Constituents should not have to submit a form to the central office to speak to the Board, relying on the superintendent's permission. The ability to speak directly with a government body is arguably the purest form of citizen participation, and a public forum should be allowed.
5. The district's definition and handling of bullying needs to be completely reshaped. Incidents of bullying in the district have been brushed under the rug, and parents of bullied children should not be threatened with the Kansas Department for Children and Families being called on them. The ideal learning environment for me and my children is likely different than the ideal learning environment for the next family. However, the underpinning qualities of a good learning environment encourages students to be engaged, one that prioritizes safety and curiosity, and one that allows teachers the flexibility to teach creatively.
Admittedly, I do not recall how the district handled COVID-19, and I understand there is no perfect solution. Still, if there were a similar pandemic in the future, the discussion regarding what to do as a district should include parents, transparency, and consider the needs of those with special circumstances/needs.
As a parent myself, I understand how frustrated this can feel. Sometimes, parents simply want to be heard, respected, and included in the education of their child(ren). Attending school events and open lines of communication are two such ways.
While I am not an expert at hiring or retaining faculty, staff, and administrators, I believe that outreach to universities and transitioning veterans are a realistic way for the district to attract talented professionals.
These are non-negotiable, particularly in public education. Taxpayers deserve to know where every cent is being spent.
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See also
External links
- ↑ Information submitted to Ballotpedia through the Candidate Connection survey on June 8, 2025
