We would like to introduce you to Alana Kimball. On election day, she was elected the newest school board member from Wards 8-10. We’ve known Kimball for some time now and if her ideas for the school district are anything like the ones she’s had for the Insider, you’re in good hands.
Why did you decide to run for the school board?
Days prior to the filing deadline I kept reading online that no one had signed up to run for Wards 8-10 so I decided to find out more about the position and process. After talking with a few board members, I decided to run. I made it to the lawyers office on the day the application was due with minutes to spare. My daughter made herself right at home in the waiting room while I filled out the forms, taking her shoes off and sitting in the most unladylike way in a dress. It was so embarrassing! After graduating with my master’s, in a quite conceited way still having that new graduate glow, I told my husband by the time I am 35 I am going to be more than a teacher. Now that I am 35, which is old, just ask my current student teacher she’ll tell you, it was time to make that a reality. I have learned over the past few years that if you truly want to do something you just need to do it. You don’t know how long you have to experience everything you want to in life. If you want to jump out of an airplane (trust me “perfectly good” does not describe the airplanes used for skyping), take a hot air balloon ride, go zip lining, ride in a seaplane your husband is learning to fly (don’t forget to locate the barf bags during your preflight inspection), or run for school board just put your big girl panties on and do it.
How did it feel once you realized you won?
I was ecstatic! When I saw the call from the Concord Monitor on my caller ID, I had a feeling it would be good news. Iain Wilson broke down the votes in each ward and gave me the totals. I was so excited I probably sounded like such a spaz on the phone. He managed to turn my gibberish into decent quotes for the article the next day, though.
Were you surprised that that many people knew who you were?
I’m not sure that many people really know who I am, but the articles in the Monitor, the letters to the editor, the awesome endorsement by the Concord Monitor, my super cute signs, visits, chats and endorsements with important organizations, communication with fellow candidates, and door to door campaigning certainly helped let people know who I am. I feel so fortunate to have made the connections, and I hope life long friendships, with people who supported me throughout this process. Concord has so many wonderful, upstanding people who took time out of their busy lives to help guide me and support me throughout the election process. For that I am forever grateful.
What kind of changes would you like to see happen?
I would love to see an option for full-day kindergarten, but there is a lot to do before that can happen. There are already so many changes happening right now I feel the district needs to focus on the big changes like the search for the new superintendent, competency grading, the change to the Smarter Balance Assessment, the implementation of new schedules and PBIS at the elementary schools and the new contracts. I would like to see PBIS in all of the schools so that there is consistency in the language and understanding of behavioral expectations throughout the district. I would also love for the cameras that are used to tape the board meetings to take off 10 pounds not add it!
As a teacher, do you feel you have a better understanding of how decisions affect the classroom?
I have schema for how decisions a board makes affect the staff and students. I know I will learn a lot more throughout my years on the board. Making decisions for schools is an incredibly difficult job, I promise to keep an open mind and really understand why decisions have to be made prior to making them.
What are some of the most important issues facing the schools right now, in your opinion?
School funding and budgets are huge issues. I wish there was a way to decrease class sizes and make all school buildings conducive for the 21st century learner and educator without increasing property taxes at all. Differentiating instruction to meet all students’ needs is still a challenge. Instilling internal motivation for students to demonstrate stamina, or “grit” as CHS likes to use, is another important issue. The major curriculum shifts with Common Core Standards, the Smarter Balance Assessment and competency grading is going to take time for everyone to understand and plan for properly.
Would you ever consider a policy that provides free pizza to students on Fridays? How about to Insiders?
As much as I would love to see the district serve free pizza once a week, I don’t think that will ever happen due to budget constraints. I suggest sending the Food Snob to do a review of the district’s lunch program. When I worked in the district, I was highly impressed with the school lunches. I have read several articles about how they are using local meat and local companies in the school lunch program. I am excited to learn more about how much the students love the lunches.
Do you have an action plan in place to keep ebola out of our schools? How about the bubonic plague?
I’ll have to leave those action plans up to the medical professionals.
Be honest: how much help did you really get from super PACs during your run for office?
Oh tons! Didn’t you see my commercials one after another on every station? Honestly I had to pay for everything for my campaign, so I researched the best prices and got what I could afford.
Do you get a corner office and comfy couch with this elected position? Any other sweet perks?
I did not get a corner office yet, but I did get to sit in the corner chair at this week’s meeting about competency grading. I’m actually looking forward to getting my name plate in January, maybe I’ll Be Dazzle it a little. The only perks so far have been increased knowledge of several educational topics and the political process.
Was it weird seeing all those signs around town with your name on them? And did you have to pick them all up yourself when it was all over?
I loved seeing my signs all over the city. I must say they were the cutest of all of the political signs with the apple on them. We often played find Mama’s sign while driving around my wards. We went out as a family to put them up and take them down. After the polls were closed we went and got most of them. One very nice gentleman returned two we had forgotten near the airport, I wasn’t able to thank him personally so if you are reading thank you! Quite a few disappeared over the few weeks between the time I put them out and the election. I hope they were recycled, but I fear they are in the political sign graveyard where ever that may be.
Guilty pleasure?
Oh where do I begin . . . I love television shows that are referred to as “crap” by my husband. (Not that I enjoy watching football now on multiple nights a week, thanks NFL.) Most shows on Bravo, Girls and Sons of Anarchy. Ok I’ll be really honest there are quite a few shows on MTV, like Awkward, that I have gotten sucked into. Anything that involves Channing Tatum, I even received a one of a kind Channing pillowcase for my birthday this year. So “crappy” television shows, Channing and chocolate those would be my top three guilty pleasures.
Hidden talent?
My family insists that I make an apple pie every Thanksgiving, so I guess I make a good apple pie. I don’t care for it myself, but I guess that could be one of my hidden talents. Another that requires much skill is that I can touch my nose with my tongue. I am also a bargain hunter extraordinaire, I know how to stretch a dollar and find great deals.
