I am Brad Welsh and I am running for the Wentzville School Board in 2024. The strength of our community depends on the success of our public school system. As a dedicated advocate for public education, I believe that every child deserves access to a high-quality, inclusive, and equitable education system.

My mother was an elementary school teacher and media specialist in the Kansas City and Hickman Mills school districts for over 40 years. My wife, Kalie, was a secondary English teacher in the Dunklin R-5 and the Independence School districts. I have seen first hand the transformative power of a strong public school system. I am committed to ensuring that our schools are safe, nurturing and equipped to meet the diverse needs of our students.

Parents play a vital role in our children's development, and it is so important that they are involved in their child’s educational process. We must ensure we are consistent with our communication across the district and value that involvement so that together, we can get the best out of our children's education.

Our children spend 8 hours or more a day with our teachers, administration and support staff during the academic year. This makes it of the utmost importance that we must attract, retain and develop the best teachers, administration and support staff. We need board members, like myself, that will support our teachers and help to provide them the tools they need to feel impactful.

I have been in sales for over fifteen years and am currently a business manager where I oversee over millions in revenue and expenses annually. I have expertise in managing large scale budgets, reviewing and analyzing return on investments for expenses and working with multiple teams. My career focus is on strategy, collaboration and teamwork. I have gained experience in collaboration, negotiation, objective setting, data analytics, complex budgets management and mentoring. The backbone of my job is helping to build a positive work culture where everyone is holding each other accountable.

We need board members that are focused on the real issues we face as a district. Increasing our academic performance, getting the most out of our tax dollars, increasing the safety of our schools for all students and staff, and addressing bullying to name a few. These are real issues with complicated answers. We need the board to work together with input from our experts, and the community as a whole, to help provide the best solution for all.

My goal is to be a part of the positive change in the Wentzville School District. I look forward to working collaboratively to ensure that our public schools continue to thrive. Together, we can build a brighter future for our children and community.

Follow Brad on Facebook at Brad Welsh for Wentzville Board of Education and at www.welshforwsd.com.