It’s election season in Skagway and there are currently two members of the school board that are up for re-election on October 5. With two open seats, both candidates look to be shoe-ins. As part of our Candidate Profile Series here’s Cory Thole who has served on the board since late last year.
There are six members of the Skagway School Board, and Cory Thole is the newest, he was appointed last October to fill a vacant seat after a former member left town. He first came to Skagway from Minnesota in 1998 and now works for the National Park Service as a facilities supervisor at Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park.
Thole says he has two children in school and wants to remain engaged.
“Being on the school board is a very important position for anybody to have, I think just the school board in itself is an entity that has the ability to directly impact the quality of life in Skagway,” said Thole.
He says the exceptional quality of educational opportunities at Skagway school is one of the top reasons many people choose to live here.
“It is part of the quality of life and Skagway that makes this place so unique. And my background in education, and being a former teacher at the school I feel makes me uniquely qualified to be a part of the school board,” said Thole.
He says COVID is one of the biggest issues the school is facing and he’ll continue to work on effective strategies to deal with its impact.
“Keeping all students and staff safe, so to speak as much as possible with COVID still out there and on the rise with new variants. And supporting teachers and students and parents and maintaining the Skagway school as a safe place,” said Thole.
He’s also excited about new educational opportunities that the school is exploring.
“What I am very interested in, of course, being a former science teacher is the new science curriculum. I look forward to being a part of that development and review if given the opportunity,” said Thole.
He says that the new science program is a more progressive and less commonly used approach to learning that will be an exciting addition to the current curriculum.
“Being a part of the school and representing the community and listening first and speaking second kind of approach to being on a public board and is something that can directly impact the quality of life and make it attractive for people to not only stay here but to move here,” said Thole.
The other Skagway school board candidate is John Hischer whose profile has already aired as part of this series. To access all candidate interviews click on the 2021 Municipal Elections link in the dropdown menu of the news tab on the homepage at KHNS.org.
Skagway municipal elections will be held Tuesday, October 5. Early voting starts on September 20. The candidate forum for the School Board, Assembly, and Mayoral races will be held at 7 p.m. on September 20th in Assembly chambers. Listen live on KHNS FM or stream at KHNS.org.
