Voters have excellent choices in Winfield Elementary District 34

In a matter of weeks, the Winfield Elementary District 34 board expects to complete its hiring process and welcome a new superintendent to the community.

Before then, school district voters must pick three school board members who will spend the next four years working with the next superintendent. Two incumbents, Susan J. Gillespie and David Hempe, and two challengers, Thomas Doell and Robert G. Nickrand, are running for three seats on the District 34 board.

We believe the new superintendent, as well as district voters and school children, would be better served with experienced volunteers close at hand, which is why we highly recommend returning Susan Gillespie and David Hempe.

The third choice is more difficult to make because both Doell and Nickrand are willing volunteers who want to offer whatever help they can. Each has children in the school system and has expressed a willingness to be a good listener and consensus builder without a single-issue focus. What each lacks, however, is considerable experience on school board committees or other governmental boards. Neither appears afraid of the challenge, however, and for that we commend them for stepping up. If we have to split hairs - and this is minuscule - we give the slightest edge to Thomas Doell for his involvement at recent board meetings.