November 7 - Your vote matters! Vote Brad Sells on November 7th!
Frequently Asked Questions
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I believe voters should elect me because I have a unique ability to think outside of the box
while listening for real consensus. I have a broad background of experience and a strong
desire to serve the Louisburg community. I think being involved in my children’s lives is very
important, and I believe school board members should play active roles in the community
and school. Being present shows opportunities for improvement. I am involved in a
voluntary fashion for Coaching at LRC, for baseball, soccer, football, and basketball for 4
years, the Elementary PTO, as well as volunteering in my church. I have a calling to help
others that has led me to a career in people development and have been responsible for
large entities of budgeting that I must be accountable for with my teams. I have a strong
desire to “WIN” at anything I do, with a mindset of doing “Whatever Is Needed”. My “why”
is the kids. These children are our future and knowing that the decisions we make today are
impactful for years to come. It is a very important position that takes much focus, attention, and concern for what matters most- the kids, not personal interests. I am also
willing to learn and grow as the position allows.
If elected, my top priority would be to create a positive and supportive education
environment for students, teachers, and staff that pushes the kids to achieve at the highest
of their abilities. Understanding that our role as a board is to help cultivate the best
environment we can, one decision at a time. This comes with the responsibilities of
understanding and asking questions to learn about what teachers and staff need to support our students. In addition, we should be considering our financial focus, including taxing and protecting the big decisions so the children don’t have to feel these decisions. In a multi-unit career, I am accustomed to the differing challenges for each location and adapting and relating to each situation uniquely to achieve success in the face of varied obstacles. If we keep the focus on the children, and the why, and identify the root cause issues, we then can make for long-lasting success in academia. I believe that by collaborating with the school board members and administration, we can achieve and maintain great things for the next school year.
I think that every budget needs to be addressed and corrected to fit the current needs of
the education environment. Do I think that we are utilizing our budget correctly? I do not
think that we need to increase spending without accountability for where the money is going for each category. In my career, I am responsible for a $27 million portfolio, where I am held to not overspending in all sections. I am not afraid of big budgets and understand the accountability that comes with it. As a member of the community, I acknowledge the
challenges we all face in our own households and we have all had to adjust in the past few
years. Each household has a strong priority to protect our homes, by ensuring we have food
on the table and a roof over our heads. It’s the needs versus wants. School boards and
education should be no different. We don’t worry about buying a new car if we don't have
enough money for food on the table. The same can be said with how we manage our money in the district. We have "must-haves" that we must spend money on, the buildings, the staff, and the supplies needed for our academia. We are living in an environment where we must be more diligent with our money and not give in to the philosophy that we must spend more to get more. We must spend more intentionally to get more.
At USD 416, we have a great culture of striving for excellence in the classroom as seen by the Blue Ribbon Award received. We have a strong community that wants the best for the
school and to see the success of the students who come from our district. We have a strong
culture of strong extra-curricular activities in both sports and academics. I’m in awe each
year at the Graduation Ceremony at all of the accomplishments our students achieve. It’s
neat to see some of the teachers or staff that are still a part of this district and have been for so many years. Our main weakness is that we are trying too hard to be much more like our neighbors to the north and not focusing on the needs of the individual students we have. Another weakness that is concerning is our ability to retain principals; and positions of
leadership within the staff. Unfortunately, 3 out of 4 principals have left in the past 2 years.
We need to be asking why. Consistency in these positions is vital to the success of these
schools and these children. Keeping the focus on the primary needs of the students in the
classrooms will have a long-lasting effect on our students and this community. However,
with my multi-unit leadership experience, I understand overcoming change in leadership
and how to cultivate and return that back into successful and stable positions. Louisburg is
unique in its ability to grow and yet have a small community feel. I hope to continue this
small-town atmosphere while pushing our accomplishments to new heights.
Simply put, it's the kids. Everything is always for them- the taxes, the budgets, the safety, the education, the staffing, and the environment. My greatest accomplishment is that of being a father. I'm driven to serve both in my career and my personal life and being involved with my children's education is no different.
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Positions up for election are 1, 2, 3 and 7 (at-large). Each seat has a four-year term.
Position 1: Rob Vohs vs. Steve Macy
Position 2: Lanny Smith vs. Erin Rigney-Ptacek
Position 3: Jo Erin Stuteville
Position 7: Brad Sells vs. Pat Apple .
Position 7 covers ALL areas of Louisburg. Anyone that's a registered voter can vote for Brad Sells as the "At-Large" position. Also, voters can vote for their areas if it's up for election as well.
November 7, 2023.
The United Methodist Church
249 N. Metcalf
Louisburg, KS 66053
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Yes! 20 days before November 7, 2023. More information here: https://www.miamicountyks.org/255/Advance-Voting
Polling locations are open 7 AM - 7 PM on November 7.
Please visit: https://www.miamicountyks.org/254/Elections
Call Brad at: 913-731-6781
Email Brad: hello@bradjsells.com