Shannon Edwards
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Shannon Edwards was a member of the Maize Unified School District 266 in Kansas, representing District 1, Position 1. She assumed office on January 13, 2020. She left office on November 8, 2021.
Edwards ran for election to the Maize Unified School District 266 to represent District 1, Position 1 in Kansas. She won in the general election on November 5, 2019.
Edwards completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. Click here to read the survey answers.
Elections
2019
See also: Maize USD 266, Kansas, elections (2019)
General election
General election for Maize Unified School District 266 District 1, Position 1
Shannon Edwards defeated incumbent Matt Jensby in the general election for Maize Unified School District 266 District 1, Position 1 on November 5, 2019.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Shannon Edwards (Nonpartisan)  | 55.5 | 2,529 |
| Matt Jensby (Nonpartisan) | 43.8 | 1,995 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.7 | 31 | ||
| Total votes: 4,555 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Campaign themes
2019
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Shannon Edwards completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2019. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Edwards' responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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1. Art and music teachers in every building.
2. Qualified mental health support at the district and building level.
Strong public schools create equity and are the foundation of an involved, productive citizenship.
I look up to Malala Yousafzai because she was willing to stand up for her values despite great personal risk. Youth activists like Malala inspire other young people to be involved citizens, and she helps us see that "regular" people can be the change they seek instead of waiting for others to solve their problems.
As an independent, it is hard to pinpoint one book, essay, or movie that captures the totality of my political philosophy.
One of the most important balancing acts for a politician is to represent the values of your constituents and still hold true to your own values. Most politicians are great orators, but they do not take the time to really listen to the people they represent. I think that many people feel that most of our current leaders are out of touch with the needs and values of the average working person. I may not always agree with the constituents in my district, but it is my job to represent them. My priorities will be based on the desires of the voters in my district more than my personal feelings or opinions.
Successful office holders are successful communicators. I consider the thoughts, perspectives, and opinions of others carefully, and I am always willing to examine my own misconceptions. Respectful disagreement is a lost art that I plan to bring back in style.
The core responsibilities of an office holder are to be a responsible steward of community resources and a voice for constituents. Budget transparency should be the rule and not the exception when tax dollars are spent. Sometimes being a voice for constituents means a willingness to engage in difficult, uncomfortable conversations.
I would like to leave a legacy of someone who always did the right thing even when it was difficult.
One historical event that stands out in my early memory was the Challenger explosion. I used to be an astronaut, and people laughed at me and told me that girls can't be astronauts. When Christa McAuliffe climbed in that shuttle, I felt like a piece of me was going too. Even though the Challenger exploded, NASA did not give up on space flight, and women did not stop being astronauts. Now, when my daughters talk about going to space, people don't laugh.
My first job was through a youth employment program when is was 15. I worked at the zoo full time for a summer.
I had an awkward first date with a guy who took me to play video games. It wouldn't have been so bad if we had played some two-player games together, but that is not what happened. He kind of wandered off and left me by myself as soon as we got there. He was probably just afraid I would beat him at Mortal Combat!
I love Halloween because I get to wear a fun outfit and visit all my neighbors.
Picking a favorite book is like picking a favorite food; there are too many delightful options! I found Cloud Atlas deliciously complex, I love the escapism of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, and I enjoy the plain silliness of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
I would be Dr. Who because she can travel through all of space and time.
My favorite thing in my house is my grandmother's jewelry because I think about her every time I wear it.
I was widowed at age 28 with two sons to raise.
The primary job of a school board member is to balance the needs of the students, desires of the community, and available resources.
I think many families move to Maize because of our great public schools. Back to school nights, concerts, art shows, and other school activities are well-attended, which demonstrates our community's commitment to supporting our students.
My experience in the classroom provides a much-needed voice in supporting the diverse needs of our students, faculty, staff, and community. All of our school board members care about students, but they are not on the front lines seeing the realities in our classrooms.
I am interested in making sure we have strong partnerships with WSU Tech and various apprenticeship programs so that all of our secondary students have the opportunity to train for tomorrow's jobs with little to no student debt.
We are fortunate to have outstanding parent involvement in our schools, though the school board meetings are poorly attended. I plan to encourage open communication with parents by making sure they have various platforms (social media, email, phone) to express concerns and ask questions.
My policy to recruit a diverse staff is to promote educational careers to our own students, especially students of color. Even more important than recruiting a diverse staff is the training and support we offer staff once they are hired. Our paraprofessionals want to attend workshops and training with their cooperating teachers, and right now they are denied that opportunity.
A lack of mental health services affects the ability of students to receive a quality education. Trauma, anxiety, and mood disorders impact the entire learning environment, not just the children who are afflicted with these challenges.
Good teaching is hard to measure because quantitative data (such as test scores) are just a small part of the picture. I do believe in measuring student growth, and that requires the right tools. Standardized assessments or teacher evaluation systems rarely give teachers the data they need to make instructional adjustments. We already have advanced teaching practices happening in our classrooms, and we can do more to empower teachers by providing time to collaborate and enough academic freedom to adjust the curriculum to meet the needs of their students.
Students at Maize are already receiving the computer skills that they need for tomorrow's jobs, and the Maize Career Academy is a good start. We need more apprenticeships. Our community has a critical shortage of plumbers and electricians, and our students can train for these jobs with little to no student debt. We also need to make sure that every student has the soft skills needed for a diverse, collaborative work environment. The foundation for these soft skills does not need to be another scripted program with a cutesy name; it starts with more unstructured play in elementary school. Kindergartners can spend a little less time on literacy and a little more time playing, sharing, and taking turns. Skills developed during recess are just as important as skills developed in the classroom.
We are fortunate to have a variety of partnerships with colleges and technical schools so that most students can work towards certification or degree before graduation. A 21st Century diploma should reflect college and career readiness.
I am surprised we do not already have art and music in every elementary school, and I believe these classes form the foundation for creative thinking that is so important in every subject. Expanding the physical education curriculum to include more health topics, including mental health, is another way we can support the whole child. I support the new Maize Career Academy, and I think we need to evaluate if it is meeting the needs of both the students and the local businesses that hire them.
As a school board member, it is important for me to clearly communicate the needs of our district to the legislatures who allocate our funds. It is also my responsibility to advocate for bonds that improve the safety of our buildings.
Schools are safe when students feel connected to the school and they trust the adults in school care about them. The most important component in education is relationships, and it's hard to write policy that enforces positive relationships.
Mental health must be part of the health curriculum. Qualified mental health professionals make our schools safer and our kids healthier. Comcare has started providing mental health support to Wichita Public Schools, and I would like that program to expand into our district. We need to recognize that teachers can only render mental health first aid; they cannot diagnose or treat mental illness. We also need to recognize that working with traumatized students can cause secondary trauma in faculty and staff. I have met many teachers who suffer nightmares, anxiety, and insomnia from their work with children, and they are often ashamed to ask for help.
Maize is already on the forefront of using technology in the classroom, and I think most of our classrooms are using an appropriate balance of technology.
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.
See also
2019 Elections
External links
Footnotes
