Service on the local school board is perhaps one of the most thankless jobs in public service. Consider this: of all the elected offices one can choose to run for, a seat on the school board is the only one that doesn't come with a salary. Instead, it oftentimes comes with a plethora of complaints! Class sizes are too large. The teachers are mean. The administration makes awful decisions. Why on earth are they teaching 'that' in math class? The list goes on and on, and if you ask your school board members, they may have even more examples.
But at the same time, in my opinion, there is no better example of seeing our democratic form of government in action than the local school board. How much of what happens in Washington truly impacts your everyday lives? Now how much of what happens at your local school district impact your daily lives? I contend school board service is rich, rewarding, and an enormous responsibility. Indeed, it is a very exciting time for our school district as we execute plans and prepare for a future that includes projected enrollment growth, significant improvements to our facilities, and the opportunity to cement our place as an educational destination in the Cedar Valley. We are on our way! It is within that context that I introduce to you the following candidates for the school board. Your vote counts. Don't forget to vote on November 5!
Dave Ball, (Incumbent President of the Board) Candidate for School Board
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| Dave Ball |
Dave and his wife Lisa moved to Hudson 11 years ago and have three adult children. Ryan is an administrator for Humana Insurance Corporation, Emily is Associate Director of Economic Development for the City of Marion and Drew is an attorney in Chicago.
Mr. Ball has prior service on a school board for several years in a district much the same size as Hudson. He feels this experience is of benefit to the District. Hudson is a great place to live and he believes it is his responsibility to get involved in the community.
Dave believes equitable and sustainable funding continues to be a challenge and one that doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. Integrating technology into the curriculum continues to be a topic schools districts need to stay on top of as well. Dave hopes to offer an objective and unique point of view, he has experience working with numerous K-12 schools across the state. His overall vision and agenda for Hudson schools is to support and advocate for our teachers, administrators, and most importantly our students.
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| Kala Featherstone |
Mrs. Featherstone began her tenure on the Hudson Board of Education a year ago when she was appointed to finish the term of Karyn Finn who resigned due to a move to Missouri. Kala is now honored to be running for a full term.
Originally from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Kala and her family are proud to call Hudson home! Her parents still live in Sioux Falls and she has a sister who lives in Minneapolis. Mrs. Featherstone attended Iowa State University and earned degrees in accounting and management information systems. After obtaining her CPA license she worked for an accounting firm in Des Moines which gave her great insight and experience in multiple industries including school district auditing.
Kala currently works in the risk management division of Wells Fargo bank. She has been with the bank 15 years holding positions in financial planning, accounting controller, and technology/risk divisions. Mrs. Featherstone feels her position is a great fit for her young family because it provides the opportunity to work from home so she can be with her children before and after school.
Kala and her husband Joe have been married for almost 12 years and have 3 children who currently attend Hudson schools. Their oldest, Katie is in 5th grade, Chase is in 3rd grade, and Brooke 1st grade. Kala wants to point out they moved into the district prior to Katie starting kindergarten so their children would be in a community with great schools and people. Their children are very active, love school, their teachers, and all the friends they have made at Hudson Elementary!
Mrs. Featherstone is interested in board service out of a desire to ensure the needs of our elementary children are considered in all decisions. She is attuned to the fact that new neighborhoods are under development which will lead to an increase in enrollment in the district. Within that context, she wants to ensure class sizes don't become too large, particularly in the elementary school where studies suggest student achievement is impacted by class size. Kala also believes her skill set will be a great fit for the board and a way to give back to the community, ensuring Hudson Schools is a top district in Iowa! At the same time, she recognizes the challenges that schools in Iowa have with regard to funding and other legislative requirements and mandates.
In Hudson, Kala believes the greatest challenge facing our schools is the ability to provide diverse offerings and extracurricular activities to meet the needs of multiple student interests and remain fiscally responsible. At the same time, it is important to consider the additional costs that parents must contribute in order to participate in these activities. She is also a proponent of new cutting-edge technology and wants to ensure Hudson remains a leader in this arena. Kala is excited about school board service and would look forward to working with school stakeholders to make Hudson a premier school district in Iowa. She feels her perspective and skill set would be a valuable asset to the board and points out that with young children, she would be able to be a voice on the board for years to come.
Originally from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Kala and her family are proud to call Hudson home! Her parents still live in Sioux Falls and she has a sister who lives in Minneapolis. Mrs. Featherstone attended Iowa State University and earned degrees in accounting and management information systems. After obtaining her CPA license she worked for an accounting firm in Des Moines which gave her great insight and experience in multiple industries including school district auditing.
Kala currently works in the risk management division of Wells Fargo bank. She has been with the bank 15 years holding positions in financial planning, accounting controller, and technology/risk divisions. Mrs. Featherstone feels her position is a great fit for her young family because it provides the opportunity to work from home so she can be with her children before and after school.
Kala and her husband Joe have been married for almost 12 years and have 3 children who currently attend Hudson schools. Their oldest, Katie is in 5th grade, Chase is in 3rd grade, and Brooke 1st grade. Kala wants to point out they moved into the district prior to Katie starting kindergarten so their children would be in a community with great schools and people. Their children are very active, love school, their teachers, and all the friends they have made at Hudson Elementary!
Mrs. Featherstone is interested in board service out of a desire to ensure the needs of our elementary children are considered in all decisions. She is attuned to the fact that new neighborhoods are under development which will lead to an increase in enrollment in the district. Within that context, she wants to ensure class sizes don't become too large, particularly in the elementary school where studies suggest student achievement is impacted by class size. Kala also believes her skill set will be a great fit for the board and a way to give back to the community, ensuring Hudson Schools is a top district in Iowa! At the same time, she recognizes the challenges that schools in Iowa have with regard to funding and other legislative requirements and mandates.
In Hudson, Kala believes the greatest challenge facing our schools is the ability to provide diverse offerings and extracurricular activities to meet the needs of multiple student interests and remain fiscally responsible. At the same time, it is important to consider the additional costs that parents must contribute in order to participate in these activities. She is also a proponent of new cutting-edge technology and wants to ensure Hudson remains a leader in this arena. Kala is excited about school board service and would look forward to working with school stakeholders to make Hudson a premier school district in Iowa. She feels her perspective and skill set would be a valuable asset to the board and points out that with young children, she would be able to be a voice on the board for years to come.
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