Weston County School Board #7 Election: Donna Kennedy

 
NLJ: Please tell us why you want to hold this office, and what you intend to accomplish if elected. Please be specific about your goals and objectives, so our readers can measure your progress over the course of the term. Also tell us what qualifications and characteristics you possess that will help ensure that your stated goals can be achieved. (The same question was posed to all candidates for the General Election.)
Donna Kennedy 
My name is Donna Kennedy and I was born and raised in Wyoming, mostly in the Upton area. I am the mother of four home-grown kids and the grandma of 15. 
I’ve had people ask me why I’m running for school board when I have no children or grandchildren in the Upton school system. My response is, that is exactly why I am running for school board, no one can accuse me of having an agenda, making a policy or getting rid of a policy just to benefit my kids or grandkids. 
I feel I’m qualified on many levels. I have owned and operated several successful businesses in my lifetime so I have an extremely good head for business and finances, and the understanding that you don’t spend money you don’t have. 
I’ve worked with teenage youth groups for 24 years so I have a real love for, and understanding of, teenage kids. I worked as a teacher’s aide for 10 years in one of the Gillette Christian schools, then became a substitute in the Upton and Moorcroft schools for several years. Hence, I understand some of the struggles teachers go through, and the necessity for an administration that stands strong during conflict, whether it be with a defiant child, an over bearing parent, or even a teacher who might’ve stopped giving their all because of tenure. This strength and character pertains to our principals, our superintendent, and the Upton School Board as a whole. 
I have zero tolerance for bullying, and if I am elected that will be a priority for me. I also believe that if a teacher or administrator is extremely confident and trained in carrying a firearm they should be allowed to do so, for added protective measures in our schools. In the mass shootings we’ve seen over the years on TV, they stress that every second counts. When you call the Upton Police Department if they don’t happen to be in the office, then your call is forwarded to Newcastle dispatch, who sometimes have to put you on hold because they’re already on an emergency call on the other line. Often by the time they have radioed our police department, and our officers arrive, far too many seconds that count have passed. So if there was at least one individual in each school who is trained and competent in carrying a firearm, they could possibly save many lives. 
In the ‘90s we had to fight very hard to keep Upton school system from being consolidated with Newcastle’s. Consolidation of our school would mean the death of our small town. When the Weston County Gazette reported there was a potential for losing 44 students from our schools if the learning system didn’t change, I feared having to fight being consolidated once again. 
It’s imperative that we keep our teachers and administration happy with the job they’re doing, but also keep parents on board when they have concerns about their child’s education. I would greatly appreciate your vote on Nov. 6. 
Thank you, Donna Kennedy.