Meet the candidates running for North Polk school board
Ian RichardsonSix candidates are seeking three at-large positions on the North Polk school board.
Three of the candidates are seeking a seat with a two-year term, while three are seeking one of two open seats with four-year terms.
Candidates for the two-year term are incumbent David Potter and challengers Melissa Bauer and Maria Mattiace. Those seeking the four-year terms are incumbent Joe Heintz and challengers Travis Davis and Chris Stotz.
The election will be Nov. 5.
Melissa Bauer and Travis Davis did not submit information in time for publication.
Joe Heintz
Age: 52
Place of birth: Waterloo
Grew up: Washburn/Gilbertville, Iowa
Current home: Polk City
Education: Iowa State University, 1989, bachelor's degree in distributed studies
Work history: GuideOne Insurance, risk management and loss prevention, 1998-present; Allied Insurance, risk management and loss prevention, 1990-1998
Political experience: North Polk school board, 2015-present
Civic involvement: Big Creek Ducks Unlimited chapter, committee member, 1997-1999, chapter president, 2000-2003
List your top three priorities for the school district and how you would address them.
Student services. Continue to ensure that North Polk delivers the appropriate level of services in order for all students to succeed and reach their fullest potential. To do so, the board must continually develop measurable goals that will help guide the board in its decision making process. With well-defined and measurable goals in place, the district will be able to provide programs and services to meet the needs of each student and answer the question of “Why do we do what we do?”
Facilities. North Polk has experienced a tremendous amount of student growth and a top priority must be the district’s facilities in order to provide an environment that is safe for the students and conducive to learning. To accomplish this, the board must continually review the facility and buildings plan using current demographic study data, input from the district’s architect and financial adviser. Using these data sets, the board will be able to prioritize building projects based on immediate need and future needs of the district.
Staffing. North Polk has a highly qualified and exceptional staff and it will be a continued priority to make certain that the district retains staff and is also able to recruit other highly qualified individuals to North Polk.
Compared to other surrounding districts, North Polk has limited resources but using financial forecasting models, the board can provide compensation packages that are both competitive and financially prudent. By providing competitive compensation packages North Polk will be able to retain its staff and recruit other highly qualified individuals.
Maria Mattiace
Age: 44
Place of birth: Cedar Rapids
Grew up: Cedar Rapids
Current home: Polk City
Education: Iowa State University, 2004, master's degree in school counseling; Central College, 1997, bachelor's degree in elementary education with coaching endorsement
Work history: Currently student counselor, Mercy College of Health Sciences; formerly high school counselor at Scavo Alternative High School, certified personal trainer for Sands Chiropractic and middle school counselor for Ankeny Community Schools
Political experience: None
Civic involvement: Volleyball clinician/coach for Fellowship of Christian Athletes sports camp in Pella for five years; served on South Dakota Mission Team to Lakota Indian Reservation in 2019; serves with worship team, nursery and youth programs at Lakeside Fellowship Church in Polk City
Twitter: @Fit4AKing4Ever
Facebook: Maria Mattiace Hauser
List your top three priorities for the school district and how you would address them.
My top priority is to help create and write a strategic plan for North Polk’s future enrollment growth. The written plan would address the facility needs, staff needs and supplies/equipment needs to support all staff, teachers and coaches.
My second priority is to raise student achievement. I would begin with ensuring all staff are members of professional learning committees (in home buildings and content areas across the district). For North Polk to raise student achievement, we need to form a committee of parents, teachers, principals, students and do research on standards based/referenced grading with the intent to adopt this grading practice. This group would interview school districts in the state that have transitioned to this system and find out what works and what doesn’t. We are one of the only districts still using the old school grading system. This does not prepare students for higher education. It is amazing to see the use of Bloom’s taxonomy in the classroom instead of students just memorizing content for tests and then forgetting it.
Next, I would make sure there is professional development for all staff that addresses mental health education. Students are whole beings. We were created to relate to one another. Teachers can be experts in their subject, but if they are not educated and skilled in relating with today’s youth then learning does not take place at its highest level. Teachers should be certified in youth mental health first aid (Heartland AEA will do this at no cost). Teachers should have professional development designated toward trauma informed care education.
Lastly, with the help of our teaching and learning director, we would perform annual subject/department curriculum reviews and allocate money to make sure teachers have access to the books, supplies and technology they need to teach every subject including specials and electives.
My third priority focuses on supporting the two high school counselors and having them do less scheduling and more career and college readiness counseling with students. I would like North Polk to purchase a high quality platform, such as Naviance, that all students, counselors, teachers and parents can use to help support students make the transition from high school to college, apprenticeships, certificate programs or the world of work. An educational institution's job is to prepare its students to be productive citizens who are serving and giving back to their communities. I want to make sure our students and parents are aware of the partnership North Polk has with Ankeny Schools and Des Moines Public Schools to offer dual-credit Des Moines Area Community College classes. Finally, I want to look at the possibility of paying for all of our juniors to take the ACT once at no cost. This would remove a barrier for many of our students/families.
David Potter
Age: 51
Place of birth: Casper, Wyoming
Grew up: Gillette, Wyoming
Education: University of Wyoming, 1992, bachelor's degree in accounting
Work history: Controller at Excell Marketing, 2017-present; previously worked as controller for Affiliates Management Company and director of accounting for The Members Group
Political experience: North Polk school board, 2015-present
Civic involvement: Treasurer, North Polk Athletic Booster Club; former youth leader and treasurer at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Ankeny, and youth basketball coach
Twitter: @Potter4NP
List your top three priorities for the school district and how you would address them.
Growth. It is my expectation and should be the expectation of all that the students in the North Polk Community School District receive a first-class education. Due to the significant growth our district is experiencing, there will be important decisions to be made in not only how to maintain our current high standards, but also how to best lead our district forward. School population projections indicate we will need to build new or enhance current facilities in order to keep up. We have recently engaged an architect/consulting firm to assist us in these strategic efforts.
Fiscal responsibility. Our district is unique in its makeup of rural and urban areas and is challenged by the lack of an extensive corporate tax base. It is true that we have to make more with less. I believe we do a good job of being fiscally responsible and very aware of the tax impact on our constituents and I want to see that continue.
Staff compensation. North Polk is blessed to have caring professionals; principals, teachers and staff that together deliver quality education and opportunity to our youth. In the four years I’ve been on the board, it has been a priority to compensate our staff competitively in order to award, retain and recruit the brightest educators we can. I believe we have made progress in this area and it will be a goal of mine to see that continue.
Christopher Stotz
Age: 39
Place of birth: Sioux City, Iowa
Grew up: Western Iowa
Current home: Polk City, Iowa
Education: Buena Vista University, master's degree in curriculum and instruction. Wayne State College, endorsement in industrial technology. Northwest Iowa Community College, endorsement in industrial technology. Morningside College, bachelor's degree in art education.
Work history: Currently in third year at Ankeny Community Schools as an industrial technology teacher. Previously taught at Sheldon High School and Remsen-Union High School.
Political experience: Served on city council in Granville, Iowa
Civic involvement: Volunteer firefighter for eight years.
Facebook: Stotz for North Polk School Board
List your top three priorities for the school district and how you would address them.
Giving teachers a voice. Teachers are the experts in our child’s education. They know where our children are currently and what it will take to get them to reach their goals. Because of this, teachers should be able to make decisions in the direction of curriculum, professional development, etc.
Expansion. North Polk Schools is growing very fast. We are proud of our school and its small class sizes. To keep these class sizes small we need to be looking towards the future and preparing early. With so many students moving into the district I feel we need to set ourselves up so we are prepared for more students and do not become overcrowded in our schools.
Safety. Our world has changed drastically since I was in school. We need to look at policies, facilities, and training to help keep our kids safe in school. We need to give our staff, students and parents training in mental health to help our students get the help they need to be successful. There should be policies in place to keep crime, drugs and alcohol out of our schools and make sure the consequences for these prevent kids from trying to bring it into our schools.