Tom HeutteCandidate for Ketchikan School Board
|
||||
 |
I have a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s in geography. I worked ten years as a laboratory technician in HIV/AIDS and crop virus disease research. I was a plumber for three years. I spent ten summers working at Boy Scout camps ending that career as director of a high adventure base. I had a brief career as high school science teacher, just four months. I loved it but I lacked the certification needed to continue on that path. I am now geographic information systems manager for the Tongass National Forest and am proud of my 25 years of federal service. I have served two appointed terms on the board.
My mother and father were motivated by their love of the fine arts and humanities like literature, history and philosophy. They taught me that these things can help make us better people. Their memory is what inspires me to serve on the school board.
We all know how tough this year has been for our families. This spring’s disruption of our schools may come to define this generation. I worry about young children left home without supervision. I know private daycare cannot take on thousands of children. I worry about interruptions to athletics harming our children’s healthy physical development. For a few kids, school is the only safe space they have.
This has to be balanced with the concern is that our schools could become centers for spread of COVID-19 in our community. Our teachers are on the front lines and are risking their own health for us.
Despite all that I am hopeful for the future. Ketchikan’s children are resilient and surrounded by a community that cares about them. Our parents love their children and want to see them grow. I am so proud of how our school district has responded to this crisis. I am thankful for the hard work our administrators, teachers, paras, maintenance, cooks and bus drivers have done in the face of so much change, and uncertainty. They, and our fantastic, resilient children are my heroes.
Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.
Send your letters of support for the candidates of your choice to editor@sitnews.us
SitNews ©2020
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska
Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews are considered protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper freelance writers and subscription services.
E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us
Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.