Gilbert school board has 5 possible candidates so far

• Two seats are up for election in November
• Board member Jill Humpherys is running to retain her seat
• Board President Staci Burk hasn't decided if she will run

Five people so far say they will run for two seats in the Gilbert school board election Nov. 4, hoping to change the board's divisive dynamics.

Others continue to pick up candidate paperwork from the Maricopa County election offices. Those considering a run can file paperwork and the required 400 signatures with the county between July 7 and Aug. 6.

Serving on the school board is an unpaid post that carries a four-year term. The five-member board works with administrators to set policy, approve annual budgets and create a vision for the district.

Incumbent Jill Humpherys will seek to retain her seat. Board President Staci Burk, whose seat also is up for election, said she hasn't decided if she will run again.

Humpherys and four others who came forward at a recent forum to say they would run include Thomas Jones, a software support director whose wife, Teresa, will be leaving her teaching position at GPS so he can run for the board; Reed Carr, a GPS parent and chief financial officer at a real-estate investment firm; Charles Santa Cruz, a retired GPS principal who was with the district for more than 30 years; and Adam Turner, a GPS parent and director at Arizona Central Credit Union.

A sixth person, former GPS teacher Michaela Husa, attended the forum at Highland High School, but has since decided not to run.

About 150 people attended the forum, which was hosted by recently formed political-action committee Rebuild Our Gilbert Board in late March.

PAC organizer Blake Sacha, who served in 2012 as a temporary replacement on the board, said the PAC had chosen to endorse Humpherys and would endorse another candidate to take Burk's place.

All the candidates at the forum said they supported Humpherys' candidacy.

Many of the candidates said they were running because they were frustrated with the current climate of the school board.

Jones described it as "consistent bickering and anger" among board members.

Santa Cruz said that "recent board meetings have convinced me that there's an alternative way for us to do business."

Carr in an e-mail to The Republic referenced what he called "the current discord" and said the board could "end the growing frustration" by "implementing policies that empower teachers ... and focus on building up our district."

During the forum, Carr said he had spoken with Town Council members who say when they are speaking with businesses considering a move to Gilbert, "the first question we get is: 'What is happening with your school system?' "

The situation is impacting economic development, he said.

Turner told The Republic he is frustrated with the perception of Gilbert. He said a negative perception about the school board "puts Gilbert in a bad light both for me personally, and economically it affects recruiting high-wage jobs."

Humpherys said the current board needs training on the role of a school board.

"Part of the problem with this board is we have not set a vision for this community," she said.

Several candidates said they thought board discussions had shifted from education to political ideology.

Santa Cruz said to work together, board members needed to "park the politics at the door."

He said politics had crept into the board's decisions.

Santa Cruz said one example of politics was the board's decision last year to cut ties with the teachers union.

Election deadlines

• School-board candidates can file nomination paperwork and signatures with the Maricopa Education Services Agency beginning at 8 a.m. July 7.

• The deadline to file paperwork and signatures is 5 p.m. Aug. 6.

More information: education.maricopa.gov/Page/254.

In Higley

As of April 8, six people had pulled paperwork for the Higley Unified School District's school board election in November, according to the Maricopa Education Services Agency.

Board members Kim Anderson and Venessa Whitener's seats are up for election. Both plan to run again.