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Filing for local school board races began Tuesday morning, with four Warsaw School Board candidates at the Kosciusko County Clerk’s office as soon as it opened.
In races for Warsaw Community Schools, incumbents Heather Reichenbach, district 2, and Denny Duncan, district 5, are seeking a fourth and second term, respectively. Ben Rice and Ryan Parker are both seeking their first term in district 7, currently held by Bradly Johnson. District 1, currently represented by Tom Westerhof, is also up for election this fall.
“It has been a thrill to serve the community in this role,” Reichenbach said about filing for re-election. “During my tenure, I feel like we have done a lot of things within the schools to offer opportunities for students. I feel like I have a deep perspective from my tenure in seeing my own children graduate from Warsaw Community Schools and seeing them thrive at the college level and seeing how Warsaw Schools affects them beyond and it’s really rewarding. And I feel like I have things to offer.”
Reichenbach currently serves as second vice president of the Indiana School Boards Association, where she works alongside education leaders across the state to advocate for policies that support Indiana students and schools. She also serves as vice chair of the Bluffton University Board of Trustees and vice president of the Wagon Wheel Center for the Arts Board of Directors, while remaining active in numerous civic and nonprofit organizations throughout Kosciusko County, according to provided information.
She said if re-elected, she can continue bringing a good balanced approach to how the school board serves all students in the community.
When asked why he decided to file for re-election, Duncan said, “I think I’m privileged for the opportunity to serve my community.” He feels like education has been his life’s work and serving on the school board is an opportunity to continue that work.
Duncan retired from Grace College as the alumni director. He taught adjunct classes at the college for at least 25 years. He spent 34 years at Warsaw Community Schools as a teacher, coach and administrator. The last 18 years he was with WCS, he was principal at Jefferson Elementary School.
If re-elected, Duncan said he wants to see the school board provide continued excellence in providing opportunities for all students in everything that is done throughout the school district.
Rice said he decided to file for the district 7 position because he has three children in the school corporation and he believes strong public schools matter to the entire community.
He believes in responsible governance, setting clear vision and police, supporting the superintendent and making fiscally sound decisions that put students first, according to provided information. Tuesday morning, he said he’s also capable and able to work well with others while working on difficult projects.
Rice serves as treasurer on the Warsaw Community Public Library Board of Trustees. He’s also served on the Kosciusko Leadership Academy Board, PFW Doermer School of Business Advisory Committee, Warsaw Education Foundation Board and is a member of the Warsaw Rotary Club.
He talked about the similarities between the library board and school board. He said they are both under that education umbrella, “but they’re more complimentary than anything else.” Students utilize the library every day. “A strong, educated public in general, served by the library and a strong educated community served by the public school system, it all kind of ... flows together.”
Rice said he hopes to bring a unique perspective to the school board if elected, considering he has children in the school system. “And I’ve got a pretty strong track record of public service here in the community and know what it’s like to contribute to board work and work on projects.” He wants to make sure students are at the center of all decisions.
This would be Parker’s first elected position and he thinks it would be a good spot for him to serve in the community. He’s had two children go through the school system and currently has a child at Claypool Elementary.
“Our experience has been great and I guess I want to see it as an opportunity to be involved in the community to support the students,” he said.
He is from the Claypool area and has a farm and has an equipment business/dealership, so he’s “very involved in the community from that standpoint.”
If elected, he wants to be involved in the decision-making and wants them to be as efficient as possible, putting the students and staff in the forefront, he said.
Along with Warsaw Community School districts 1, 2, 5 and 7, the following school board districts are up for election Nov. 7:
• Tippecanoe Valley, districts 3, 4 and 5
• Wawasee Community Schools, districts 1, 2 and 3
• Whitko Community Schools, districts 4 and 5
• Triton School Corporation, districts 1, 2 and 4.
• Wa-Nee Schools, Harrison, Locke and Union townships in Elkhart County.
