South Tama County School Board Candidate: Nikki Kemper Pansegrau

District 1 (vote for one)

Age: 37

Residence: Toledo, District 1

Profession: Social worker at the Iowa Veterans Home

Education: BA from Iowa State University

Family: I grew up in the Tama/Toledo area. My mother, Melanie Kemper has been in the school district for 31 years. My dad, Tom Kemper worked in management at Pioneer for 28 years. I have 2 children. Layla is 11 and in 6th grade. Brecken is 6 and in 2nd grade. My brother and his wife, Derek and Amelia Kemper live in Toledo as well. They have a newborn and 4 yr old.

What motivated you to run for this office?

Being born and raised in Tama County, I have gone through the STC school system. I am invested and passionate about the community and the school. My family is invested in this community. I want to help be a voice and an advocate to all STC families.

What qualities and behaviors should school members exhibit?

I think that as a school board member, one should be approachable. I like to gather my own viewpoints from research and hear input from those that it affects (ex: constituents) before addressing issues head on. I am not afraid to go against the popular vote of a board. I will encourage dialog from board members and community members. I will be reliable and accessible.

What do you see as the primary roles and responsibilities for the position you are running for?

My primary role is to encourage people to become engaged. I want to hear from the community. I want to have a school board atmosphere where people feel welcomed and comfortable to come forward about issues at hand and have some dialog.

How would you handle requests if approached by an individual? Special interest group?

I will listen to anything brought forward. I would encourage them to take it to the primary parties that it concerns and then on to the board if needed. I would also do my own research before taking a stance, but overall listen to the majority of those that the topic at hand would affect.

What do you feel are the three most important issues the school board will face during your (anticipated) term as a school board member? How do you plan to address those issues?

1. COVID has and will continue to be a huge part of our lives moving forward. I believe in research but unfortunately with any topic, one is able to find viewpoints that support their thoughts. As a parent and school board member, I want to ensure safety measures are present while allowing for individual choice by parents as appropriate for whatever the current course of the pandemic.

2. I am in support of a new school being built. I want to thank the current task for all of their extensive research and time on this topic. I would like to see different options based off of the research they have done for the pros and cons as well as location, logistics and financing. I would like to see a few options presented that as a community, can be narrowed down to the best option for the STC School district. I want to be as up front and transparent about the monetary portion of a new school and how the money will be utilized.

3. The overall safety and support of the children and teachers in the district. I want to hear from all of issues and hurdles that they face as well as any suggestions as to how to improve. Communication is key. I feel it’s important to routinely visit the schools and talk with the staff. It is important to know what is going on in our school and how to make it a safe and productive learning environment.

Why should people vote for you on November 2, 2021?

The voters have the ability to go to the polls and make a choice and a change. The fact that so many people are running for these positions is already a win for our district with increased involvement. I want to see that involvement continue. If they choose to place their trust in me, I will work hard to keep that trust and respect while striving for a “Grade A” school district.