CANDIDATE PROFILE – Samuel Gibbons, Kellogg School District Trustee, Zone 3

Full Name: Samuel H. Gibbons

Birth Date: 7/29/1966

Profession: Retired District Fire Management Officer US Forest Service – Currently still participating on Complex Incident Management Team 3 as an Operations Section Chief.

Highest level of education completed: College – Boise State University

Degrees and professional certifications: Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and a Minor in Economics. Also graduated from Technical Fire Management through Colorado State University.

Civic organization or nonprofit board service: Coached Little League Baseball for 10 years, Junior Tackle Football for five years, Youth Basketball for three years, and was an assistant High School Football Coach for three years. I have been a trustee for Kellogg Joint School District Board of Trustees for eight years. I am currently on the Shoshone County Planning and Zoning Commission and am one of the Shoshone County Fire District 2 Commissioners.

How long have you lived in Idaho and in your city? 53 years in Idaho and 31 years in Pinehurst.

Marital Status: Married to Beth Gibbons

Family: Daughter Jessi and Son Tyler, both of whom are graduates of the Kellogg Joint School District.

• What experience has prepared you for this office?

I have been on the KSD School Board for eight years. This includes passing three levies, hiring two superintendents, and balancing every budget. I have been on the auditing committee and curriculum committees. I have managed a high-reliability fire organization for over 20 years. I am a complex Incident Management Team Operations Section Chief. I must communicate with several employees, the public, and the agency that we are working for.

• What is the No. 1 issue/problem you believe you will face if elected, and how will you resolve it?

Balancing the district’s resources with the district’s needs to best serve our students and community is our main issue. One of the main duties of a trustee is setting the budget each year to effectively and efficiently deploy the constantly changing funding that is made available to the district via local, state, and federal tax sources, often with many, many strings attached. I will continue to be active in trying to get more local control of how this limited funding can be used to ensure the district can continue to be focused on providing our students with the absolute best, well-rounded education possible to become successful community members. A big part of providing exceptional education for our students is the ability to recruit and retain good teachers and staff who are properly supported to interact positively with our students daily. The district must balance staffing needs with maintaining and utilizing aging buildings until new facilities can be supported by the community. The district’s buildings are under increased pressure from recent moderate growth in student population, not only causing increased maintenance needs and costs but also less than ideal class sizes in our elementary schools.

• What do you consider a top responsibility for the position you’re seeking?
  

A top responsibility of a trustee is to ensure transparency of district operations to the patrons of the district while governing appropriately and within the laws established by the state. A big issue we will continue to face is the public’s perception of what an Idaho public school board trustee is able and required to do within Idaho laws vs. what the public thinks a trustee can do. Failure to follow current laws will cost the district time and money that are not covered by any contingency line item in the budget and take the focus away from education. The district provides a lot of information via its website, social media posts, and information submitted to the state for publication and we need to better direct the patrons to this information to keep informed.

• Why should voters choose you?

My personal education and career experiences are what set me apart and provide an excellent foundation for serving as a Kellogg Joint School District trustee. Being a Silver Valley native, having attended Idaho public schools at the primary, secondary, and college levels, as well as putting my own children through the same Idaho school systems, I have a great appreciation for the challenges and rewards of being part of the public school system where I live. My career has allowed me to travel around the country and interact, coordinate, and communicate with many agencies, including public school districts, as well as community members in incident management. I am fortunate in my retirement phase to be able to serve the community on the Shoshone County Planning and Zoning Commission, Shoshone County District 2 Fire Commissioner and as a Kellogg School District Trustee while being active on my Incident Management Team. Because I have lived here most of my life, as has my wife, I am very connected to the community and will be very accessible to patrons and staff.