Q&A With Nathan

1. Why do you want to be a member of the Board of Education?

I have been involved in the Wyoming City Schools since I was a student myself. I graduated from Wyoming High School in the class of 1999. I was proud to go to Wyoming, where I could feel the entire community supporting the schools and the learning environment. We all shared common values around education. At Wyoming High School, I founded the Wyoming High School Thespian Society Troupe #1804, and the Wyoming Latin Club, which is still going strong today.
In 2019, my family moved back to Wyoming, and my daughter began school at Vermont Primary, before moving to Elm in first grade. From the beginning, I was happy to get involved with volunteering in the classroom and at the school. It began with volunteering at the Halloween party, then lunch and recess duty, then with PSA. I saw the value in contributing, and how it adds to the excellence of our schools.
I then began volunteering with May Fete, where I have run the Pretzels and Nachos booth for four years. Three years ago, I joined the Board of Education’s Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC), where I was part of a group assigned to evaluate gifted services in the schools, then in the following year, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). One of the recommendations of the CAC panel on AI was to form a panel to develop a set of policies and recommendations for AI use in the schools. I was invited back to serve on that panel in 2024.

• You can read the gifted services report here.
• You can read the AI report here.

Our schools are exceptional because of this exceptional community, and people getting involved.
I believe Wyoming knows what is best for Wyoming City Schools. Serving on our Board, and preserving the values of this community is what I am called to do.

2. Why should people vote for you?

In my many years here, I have come to deeply understand the values of Wyoming. My family has lived in the city since 1991, and my parents still live here today. This community values educational excellence, and practices that in and out of the schools. That’s why we have been successful, and why we have the potential to remain successful.
I have been working with the Board of Education for several years on the Citizens Advisory Committee. In that time, I have gotten to know our board members and developed a productive working relationship with them. In addition, I have gained their trust to be a thoughtful and purposeful partner. I have also developed a good working relationship with Superintendent Tim Weber and Treasurer Ronda Johnson.

My goals for the Board of Education will be to:

• Support the excellent progress our Board has made, ensuring the continued excellence of Wyoming City Schools.
• Work to retain Wyoming City Schools’ local control of finances and curricula.
• Ensure the three Primary Schools are built on time and on budget.

3. What is your personal approach to conflict resolution? Please provide an example where you used this approach.

Conflict resolution begins with listening. In most cases, I find that conflicts become exacerbated because different parties cannot hear each other, or are not understanding each other in a way that can be productive.
In my professional life, I manage a team of people who interact daily with sales people who have very large personalities. I recently had an instance where a sales manager and my team member had a nearly broken relationship. Their trust had broken down because the manager felt like he was never getting the service he needed, and my team member never felt like she was respected or listened to. They were supposed to have weekly meetings, and they had completely stopped. I needed these two to be able to work together, because the sales team wouldn’t be able to function effectively without my team’s services.
I ended up taking a three step approach: First, I met with each of them separately, so we could have a candid one-on-one conversation. I began with listening to what was wrong, and listening to what each of them needed. Then, I met with each of them again to share some simple proposed steps we could take together. It was a list of three things each of them could commit to doing together: having a meeting, sharing their factual needs together, and including me on a summary of the outcome of the meetings. Finally, I followed up with them one and two months later to check on the progress. By the second month’s check in, the sales manager had no concerns left. The clarity of communication he was getting from my team member was exactly what he needed. And my team member was completely satisfied that she was being respected and listened to. The relationship was on a positive trajectory because we had taken a step back together to listen to each other, clarify our needs, and follow up.
On the Board of Education, there will be five people elected to serve in the office. These five will not agree on everything, and will not have the same views on everything. It will not be my job to agree with everyone, but it will be my job to support and carry out the decisions we make together as a board. More importantly, it will be my job to listen and to understand.
That applies to the community as well. This Facebook group, and all people who come together because they care about our schools, embody the way we can work out conflict. This group identified concerns around how changes to the Primary Schools could affect this city. It identified a need for effective communication around the planning for those schools, and demanded community input and collaboration. That effort, and the community collaboration that followed, is how we listen to each other and understand each other. We then had a successful levy passed to build three new primary schools. The planning for those schools continues, and our community members bring their concerns and challenges to the planning meetings, which results in schools that will better serve our kids and our community.

4. What are the biggest challenges to the school system remaining financially viable in the future? What steps should the BOE take to address those challenges?

Unfortunately, our biggest financial challenges are likely coming from the State of Ohio. The most recent state budget drafts threatened to significantly disrupt schools’ ability to hold balances and plan for the future. Until the budget was passed, it wasn’t clear how much money Wyoming was going to get from the state. Our state funding remained relatively stable this time, but the next budget comes in two years and the same risks are likely to arise. Unfortunately, the elected officials currently in the statehouse have demonstrated a hostility to public school funding, and this district needs to be ready for disruptive reductions to our funding.
Because of the good work of our Board and Treasurer, Wyoming City Schools has healthy balance projections, with adequate cushion for some disruption. The Board and the Treasurer must continue to carefully manage that budget and our balances so that we can prepare for any disruptions, whether caused by changes in state funding or simple volatility in tax proceeds.
Additionally, the State of Ohio’s voucher program continues. This program takes Wyoming tax dollars away from Wyoming City Schools, and sends them to private entities that operate without oversight. I fully support families who choose to send their students to private schools. That’s the right choice for some families, and we have some excellent private schools in Cincinnati.
The vouchers, however, do not provide money to only the highest-need families, and they do not require oversight of how the money is spent or the quality of education provided by these private entities that receive our tax dollars. Over the next two budget years, Ohio is going to spend over $2,400,000,000 of our tax money to pay for vouchers.

5. Some parents have pointed to slipping academic performance of Wyoming schools. What improvements, if any, can BOE make to ensure we stay academically competitive?

I have been watching public school rankings since I was a student at Wyoming in the 1990s. This is always a focus for our community, and it demonstrates the fact that we demand and expect excellence from our schools.
The Board does not set curriculum, hire teachers, or select textbooks. The Board does select and oversee the Superintendent, who hires the teachers and oversees the academic standards for those teachers and our schools. In that oversight, the Board must continually evaluate that the actions of the Superintendent are supporting the academic excellence of the schools.
Furthermore, the board, along with the Treasurer, must ensure the financial health of the district. We can’t provide an excellent education without the financial resources to do it. That includes providing adequate budget for teachers, for instructional materials, for equipment, and for facilities. That includes reaching out to the community and to our taxpayers when needed, like the primary schools levy. Our academic excellence relies on having safe, inclusive, appropriate facilities that meet the needs of our kids and our community.

6. Communication with the community seems to be a particular challenge at times for the school board. What steps, if any, do you think the school board should take to improve how it communicates with the community?

I don’t see a problem as much as I see a passionate community who cares about our schools and is determined to ensure the Board is doing the right thing. I have only been encouraged by the passionate community involvement we see around the planning for the new primary schools. I have attended those planning meetings, and I see community members bringing forth ideas and providing feedback. Those are all captured by the architecture and construction partners at the meetings. It is amazing to see those ideas become real in the followup meetings, so we can see the community feedback becoming part of the schools we are building.
I would like to see continuing programs in the future, not just about facilities. We are at our best when we are collaborative and participate together. That could be through more meetings, more community conversations, more groups like the Belonging & Inclusion Collaborative, and the Citizens Advisory Committee.
The Board must continue to listen to the community and the community must continue to be involved, educate itself about what is going on in the schools, and both must continue the dialogue.

7. Outside of official school board meetings and events, how will you connect with Wyoming community members who are outside of your personal social and professional networks?

I will continue to be involved with the community through PSA, WSMA, and school programs. I will continue to attend the primary school planning meetings, where I will be listening and conversing. And I’ll always be listening and reading on Facebook. We’re pretty good here at being honest about our concerns.

8. One of the primary responsibilities of the board is to select the superintendent. In general, what criteria do you think should be used to evaluate a superintendent and measure their success?

The superintendent must be serving the mission of Wyoming City Schools, and adhering to its values. The mission of WCS is “In partnership with families and community, Wyoming City Schools cultivates innovative student-centered educational programs and opportunities that foster the academic growth and personal development of every child.” That must be done while we adhere to our values of

• academic excellence
• character & integrity
• belonging & community
• the whole child
  https://www.wyomingcityschools.org/about/our-strategic-plan

We will measure that by looking at statistics like test scores and graduation rates. But it’s also going to be measured by how connected the Superintendent is with the community, and how well our school is serving every child. Hiring quality teachers, keeping our standards high, keeping our environment supportive are all part of the job, and will be part of the evaluation.

9. Recently, WCS published the results of the 2025 Intervention and Special Education Equity Audit. If elected, what steps will you take to hold the district accountable for implementing and the audit’s recommendations? How will you know that progress is being made?

I support the six recommendations of the Intervention and Special Education Equity Audit. These recommendations are:

• Ensure Consistent Implementation and Communication of MTSS (Multi-tiered system of support) Frameworks Across All Schools
• Establish Clear, Standardized Documentation and Eligibility Practices for Special Education
• Evaluate Behavioral and Academic Support Resources to Optimize Staffing to Meet Diverse Student Needs
• Provide Comprehensive, Ongoing Professional Development Tailored to Staff Roles and Needs
• Strengthen Parent Engagement and Communication with Accessible Resources and Collaborative Practices
• Foster Equity and Belonging Through District-Wide Inclusive Initiatives
  https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1738184469/wyomingcityschoolsorg/wwnaareqjg0mxor95w44/WCSInterventionandSpecialEducationAudit.pdf

Now, with Dr. Gina Kirchner (our former primary schools principal) leading pupil services, we have a proven leader who has the administrative experience and development background to support the improvement of our special education services. I have already heard positive feedback regarding her work in the position. As a board member, I will continue to evaluate the progress towards the six recommendations.

10. What role, if any, do you think DEI should play in the WCS functions and practices, including hiring, curriculum development, pedagogy, and the support of student organizations? For example, how should the schools implement HB 8 or the “don’t say gay” bill?

Political forces have intentionally used the “DEI” acronym to sow fear and doubt. As a result, its meaning has become distorted to such a degree to make answering a good question like this needlessly tricky. With that in mind, I will state my beliefs, and how they relate to the values of Wyoming City Schools.
The Board of Education is responsible for hiring the Superintendent and the Treasurer. The qualifications for those two positions are based on the needs for those jobs. As a board member, I will expect the Superintendent to hire the right teachers and run the right academic programs to support our mission and values as a school. It is impossible to serve all of the children in our schools without recognizing their diverse backgrounds, needs, and abilities. Simply put: every child is different, and public schools must serve every child. Furthermore, our children can not grow as a whole child if they do not feel included. We need to ensure that every child has the opportunities and support to grow.
Curriculum development and pedagogy decisions are outlined at a very high level by the Board, and must abide by requirements of the Ohio Department of Education. I support the curriculum development policy as it is currently written, and it directs the Superintendent to develop the curriculum and prepare courses of study. The Superintendent must hire and manage teachers who teach our children appropriately so they can grow and learn. Those educational decisions are best made by educators, not by statehouse legislators.
Student organizations are there to support the learning, development, inclusiveness, and belonging of the children in the schools. Those organizations serve our students’ needs by giving them focused and interest-based places where they can get additional experience beyond the classroom. It is an important way to enhance the belonging our children feel in school.
School districts are required to follow state laws. I am a strong advocate for the safety and inclusion of LGBTQIA+ children, and will not vote for any board policy that threatens that safety and inclusion.

11. Any thoughts on the school system’s plan regarding the new elementary schools including both schedule and costs? Is there anything about the planning and execution you would’ve done differently?

The progress has been encouraging so far. I am delighted to see the community partnership Wyoming City Schools has made with Friendship United Methodist Church, and with the Presbyterian Church of Wyoming to hold our classes while the primary schools are under construction. That, along with the partnership with the City to prepare Friendship UMC for new traffic patterns shows we are at our best when we work together and collaborate.
I have seen community input at the primary schools planning meetings become realized plans in architectural drawings. It shows that the architects are listening, and responsive. I am looking forward to some beautiful schools that are going to last us for decades.
The best news may be that the schools are so far on track and on budget. This is an enormous investment for our schools and our community, and those projects need to stay on track. We never know what will come next, especially as the machines dig into the earth. Constantly changing tariff announcements and economic disruption threaten to put these plans at risk, and we will need the Board of Education ready to make decisions about the project and honor the trust put into the school district when the levy was passed.
A change I would like to see is one that can still be addressed: I want to see more people attending the planning meetings. The first Elm Design Workshop was exciting, and we got some great feedback from community members who live near Elm and have their kids in school there (or will soon). I’d like to see more people attend the second design workshop on October 15. We’re going to get a better result when we hear more voices.

12. Do you think the BOE uses community resources, including findings from the Citizen Advisory Committees (CAC), appropriately? If not, how could the BOE better use the CAC or other resources in the community?

Yes, the Citizens Advisory Committee and Belonging & Inclusion Collaborative are both good ways the Board, administrators, teachers, staff, and community members get to talk to each other and make our schools better. I have seen the policies recommended and explored by these groups get developed and executed in our schools. I would like to see more activity like this.
If you’re interested enough in our schools to participate in this Facebook group, I encourage you to join the Citizens Advisory Committee or the Belonging & Inclusion Collaborative. These groups are some of the best ways we can get community involvement with the schools, and get our community voices heard.