10/06/2023
My name is Mark Thornton, and I am running for the Fairfield Community School District Board of Directors. My wife, Amber, and I are 2002 graduates of Fairfield High School. After completing college and starting our family in Cedar Rapids, we chose to move back to Fairfield 12 years ago to raise our children in this community. We have a 14-year-old son who is a freshman at FHS and a 12-year-old daughter who is in 6th grade at FMS. I have worked in the IT department at Cambridge Investment Research for 12 years and have served the community as a coach, church leader and volunteer.
Recently, I have been led to engage deeper to better understand the strengths and opportunities for improvement in our district. My wife and I believe that FCSD was an important part of our foundation that prepared us well for college and our careers. Many factors contributed to the positive experience we had during our time at FCSD, including impactful teachers, a wealth of activities, influential leaders and an effective academic environment. All of this was made possible through the work of the school board and staff at that time. Thanks to the Fairfield community, we were able to make lifelong friendships while learning the essential skills needed to succeed in college and beyond.
I care deeply about this community, and what has happened in our district this last year has been disheartening. The frustration among teachers, declining enrollment and lack of leadership at the administrative level have raised significant concerns. To learn more, I started attending board meetings to gather more information. After attending several board meetings and being involved in the hiring process for a new principal at the middle school, I observed several broken processes, as well as a lack of follow up, accountability and transparency. These concerns have led to a decline in trust from the community โ and this trust needs restored.
I want to be a part of the solution, and I am excited for the potential opportunity to serve our community and help lead our district in creating a positive culture where our students and staff learn, grow and succeed. If elected, I would be eager to make a meaningful impact in three key areas: the selection of a new superintendent, the vision and development of physical building plans, and the enrichment and empowerment of our staff. I believe these three areas are instrumental in creating and maintaining a more positive and safe learning environment for students.
I bring to the table a range of experiences and skills, such as recruiting and supervising personnel, creating and optimizing processes, and strategically managing budgets to ensure fiscal responsibility. I would apply the knowledge gained from those experiences, as well as my even-tempered personality, to ask questions, listen and promote accountability to help improve our current school board and make informed decisions.
I believe that an informed and engaged community is essential for the success of our schools. I humbly ask for your vote on November 7th, as well as your support in ensuring that our schools provide the best possible education and experience for our children that will prepare them for a successful future.
