2023 Pikes Peak Region
D12 – Cheyenne Mountain
School Board Candidates
Candidates presented in Alphabetical Order
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Mobile-Friendly D12 Candidate Listings
THE TOPICS
& QUESTIONS
click each box to read
Candidate Information
Campaign Website URL:
Email Address:
Occupation/Vocation:
Military Background (if any):
Resident of Colorado Springs:
Political Leanings
As a candidate in a nonpartisan School Board election, you are not officially associated with any specific political party. How would you describe your political leanings (socially, fiscally, etc.) and why do you define yourself in this way?
Your Experience and Vision
Improving Schools
Curriculum
What types of curricula, including library books and materials, do you believe should be added or removed from your district’s schools? Why?
Financial Stewardship
Depending on the size of their district, School Board Members decide how to spend $10s of millions of dollars, or even $100s of millions, in taxpayer money each year. How would you seek to prioritize the funds being stewarded by your district’s School Board?
Securing Constitutional Liberties
In recent years, established freedoms, including that of speech, peaceable assembly, exercise of religion, and medical autonomy, have been impacted by various mandates adopted by schools across America. As an elected representative of the citizens of your district, how would you seek to secure the Constitutional liberties of your schools’ students and staff?
Parental Role
What do you consider to be a parent’s role in a child’s education? Do you believe that any information about a student should ever be withheld from a parent?
Sex Ed
Why do you support or oppose comprehensive sexuality education, including LGBT health and relationship information, in public schools K to 12? What are your positions regarding age appropriateness, curriculum transparency, and opt-out policies?
Gender Issues
Explain your positions regarding teaching and discussing gender issues in the classroom, including the use of “preferred pronouns”?
School Safety
As a School Board member, what will you do to help assure a safe and secure environment for both the students and staff of your district?
School Board Meetings
What do believe is the correct balance between the authority of School Boards and the rights of the public to present their views during School Board meetings?
CELESTE FITZPATRICK
Candidate Information
Campaign Website URL: www.ElectCelesteFitzpatrick.com
Email Address: CelesteFitzpatrick77@gmail.com
Occupation/Vocation: Retired
Resident of Pikes Peak Region & District: 25 years
Political Leanings
As a candidate in the Colorado Springs nonpartisan municipal election, you are not officially associated with any specific political party. How would you describe your political leanings (socially, fiscally, etc.) and why do you define yourself in this way?
I believe in Faith and Family. I define myself this way because God and my family are most important in my life.
Your Experience and Vision
What experience (personal, professional, other) would you bring to your role as School Board Member that will benefit your district? What is your vision to help ensure the highest quality education for your district’s students?
I moved here in 1998 as a Military Spouse. My 4 children all graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School. I worked as the Health Aide at Cheyenne Mountain Elementary School for 16 years and now I have 4 of my grandchildren in the district. Cheyenne Mountain has a reputation for excellence and I vision to continue that.
Improving Schools
What are the primary strengths and weaknesses of your district’s schools? How can your district make public school a more attractive choice for local families?
The strengths are high academic achievement and parental involvement. To make public school more attractive to local families our district should offer successful outcomes for all students.
Curriculum
What types of curricula, including library books and materials, do you believe should be added or removed from your district’s schools? Why?
There are none that I’m aware of at this time. All materials in the library and curriculum should be available to all parents.
Financial Stewardship
Depending on the size of their district, School Board Members decide how to spend $10s of millions of dollars, or even $100s of millions, in taxpayer money each year. How would you seek to prioritize the funds being stewarded by your district’s School Board?
The priority of a school district is the education of our children and their safety. Our students must be prepared to face the challenges after graduation.
Securing Constitutional Liberties
In recent years, established freedoms, including that of speech, peaceable assembly, exercise of religion, and medical autonomy, have been impacted by various mandates adopted by schools across America. As an elected representative of the citizens of your district, how would you seek to secure the Constitutional liberties of your schools’ students and staff?
Our country was founded on free speech, discussions should be conducted in a respectful manner in an appropriate forum.
Parental Role
What do you consider to be a parent’s role in a child’s education? Do you believe that any information about a student should ever be withheld from a parent?
Parents should be informed in children’s education. Parents have been the soul provider for their child since birth. Parents should be informed in the development of their children
Sex Ed
Why do you support or oppose comprehensive sexuality education, including LGBT health and relationship information, in public schools K to 12? What are your positions regarding age appropriateness, curriculum transparency, and opt-out policies?
I believe parents have the right to prescreen the curriculum before their student is taught the material and they can opt their student out.
Gender Issues
Explain your positions regarding teaching and discussing gender issues in the classroom, including the use of “preferred pronouns”?
This is something that should be discussed in the home. Possibly the school nurse or guidance counselor could have a class and the parent would have to approve it.
School Safety
As a School Board member, what will you do to help assure a safe and secure environment for both the students and staff of your district?
Over the last 10-15 years, Cheyenne Mountain School District has implemented a buzzer system where you have to be known at the school to be allowed access. The High School has security guards and they patrol all of our schools. As far as emotional safety, Cheyenne Mountain School District policy would expect respectful dialogue to insure the emotional safety of students and staff.
School Board Meetings
What do believe is the correct balance between the authority of School Boards and the rights of the public to present their views during School Board meetings?
The public has the right to present their concerns to the school board.
RICK GILLIT
Candidate Information
Candidate Chose to Not Participate
Campaign Website: www.ElectRickGillit.com
Email Address: Rick@electrickgillit.com
MICHAEL GRANGE
Candidate Information
Candidate did not confirm receipt of our Questionnaire, though we sought to contact her multiple times and by various methods. Therefore, we do not know if the Candidate is even aware of the opportunity to participate in the Voter Guide, or whether she is aware and chose not to participate.
Campaign Website: None Found
Email Address: MJG2563@gmail.com
BETSY KLEINER
Candidate Information
Candidate did not confirm receipt of our Questionnaire, though we sought to contact her multiple times and by various methods. Therefore, we do not know if the Candidate is even aware of the opportunity to participate in the Voter Guide, or whether she is aware and chose not to participate.
Campaign Website: www.ElectBetsyKleiner.com
Email Address: BetsyKleiner@gmail.com
SUSAN MELLOW
Candidate Information
Candidate did not confirm receipt of our Questionnaire, though we sought to contact her multiple times and by various methods. Therefore, we do not know if the Candidate is even aware of the opportunity to participate in the Voter Guide, or whether she is aware and chose not to participate.
Campaign Website: www.SusanMellow.com
Email Address: ReelectSusanMellow@mellownet.com
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Christian voting
Voting is a simple, yet significant way to do something about public policy in our country. As people of faith, we will be held accountable for our actions, as well as our lack of action. (Luke 12:48)
Biblical worldview
By diligently learning, applying, and trusting God’s truths in every area of our lives, we can begin to develop a deep comprehensive faith that will stand against the unrelenting tide of our culture’s non-biblical ideas.
Vote your values
The issues of the day change. Political parties and platforms change. God’s Word never changes. The vote of every Christian should be based on the principles of Scripture and not persuasive personalities.
Electing righteous leaders
Bad governance and our loss of freedom is the direct result of the church’s failure to disciple. When the citizenry do not seek to be obedient to God’s Law, they vote in wicked and corrupt candidates, who then trample underfoot the God-given liberties of the people.