Supporters

After much consideration, attending a candidate forum, and talking with candidates, I support Amy Austin, Maria Koliantz, George Lyle, and David Purpura for WL School Board. I truly believe these are the candidates that are going to continue to support our schools and community, promote diversity, as well as improve unity among board members.

George’s background in law, willingness to listen, and support for educators is unmatched.

These candidates have been involved in so many ways, for so many years, throughout our school-community and I’m thankful for their willingness to run for West Lafayette School Board!

I voted for George Lyle because he’s invested in our schools, and he genuinely wants all of our kids to be happy. He also appreciates our teachers, staff, and administrators. He recognizes that while we should always strive to improve, our schools are already succeeding and have succeeded for many decades. This corporation is the gold standard for public schools in Indiana, and George Lyle will help to keep it that way. He possesses the leadership and character WLCSC needs. He’ll work hard, listen, and do everything he can to support our continued success.

I met George when his oldest child ran with our local track club. Ever since then I’ve noticed his passion, and his involvement with our schools. I’m glad to support George in his school board bid!

George Lyle ran for the board in 2022 to bring a fresh voice to the conversation. His skills in the law, the media, and technology security will bring valuable experience to the board. He worked hard in 2023 to make sure the YES! referendum passed, which funds crucial parts of our general budget. I trust him to bring his level-headed common sense to the challenges ahead.

We are retired West Side teachers who dedicated our professional careers to this community. West Lafayette and its schools remain essential to us. That is why we need a collaborative, well-functioning School Board that will help us maintain the high quality of our schools. We believe that incumbent Amy Austin, Maria Koliantz, George Lyle, and David Purpura are best qualified to achieve this goal. We strongly endorse these four candidates for election on November 5.

George Lyle has my endorsement for the West Lafayette School Board. Ever since George and his family moved into our District, House District 26, he’s become more and more engaged with our community. George serves on the West Lafayette Human Relations Commission, and worked on the Yes Committee to help pass the most recent school funding referendum. With his previous experience as a journalist, a lawyer and a tech expert, George will help West Lafayette’s schools prepare for the future. As a Board Member, he will bring the same calm demeanor I’ve seen from him many times before.

I am proud to endorse George Lyle for WL School Board. As a parent of three WL students and career professional educator, I understand the importance of integrity, altruism, and dedication and the positive impact they make in the outstanding educational experience of our students. George brings all these values to the table and more. I witnessed his tireless activism firsthand when we both volunteered to engage with the WL community promoting the Yes Committee, working to renew the Referendum that is critical to maintaining the excellent quality of our schools.  George’s expertise in Law, his determined and thoughtful personality, and his exceptional level of personal achievement in education will be invaluable assets to our first-rate school corporation and our amazing students, once he is elected to the board.

As a West Lafayette parent, teacher, and community member, I am excited to support George Lyle for WL school board. I appreciate the visible support George provides our students and schools. He is willing to listen to all the stakeholders and work with the other school board members to make the best decisions for all the students in the WLCSC. As a lawyer, George will provide valuable insights for the school board.

I have come to know George Lyle as someone who is passionate about West Lafayette schools and our community. His varied background will serve him well as a school board member. I appreciate George’s calm demeanor and know he will be a great team member who understands the role of the board. He will not bring a personal agenda and will ask appropriate questions. George has my full endorsement.

I’ve had the pleasure of being a part of the West Lafayette Community School family for over 21 years.  In those decades I have had the privilege of serving the students and community in a variety of capacities including, Social Studies teacher, WLEA president, Dean of Students at both Happy Hollow and Cumberland as well as the Assistant Principal at Cumberland.  Throughout my time in the district I have worked with well over 10,000 students. On any given day some of those students are in the midst of success and others  are experiencing a life-changing crisis.

I have always seen my role as a shepherd, one to protect and guide the students and staff in my charge.  This has been a wonderful experience in nearly every single way.  The staff members whom I’ve worked next to are experts in their field, they love what they do and do what they love every single day.  Let’s not fool ourselves though being an educator is hard, so hard  that not nearly as many people want to become teachers or administrators today.  Today’s job market looks much different than it did in the 1990’s or even the 2000’s.  It is very difficult to recruit and retain good educators.

It has been the tradition at West Lafayette Community schools to hire experts and let them do their jobs, aid them where needed, and always treat them with respect, always.  Unfortunately, some of our school board members have chosen to be counter productive and micromanaging.  These character traits do not create a  conducive environment for educators.  If we want to have the very best educators we must assist them, both professionally and personally.  We cannot make it more difficult to teach tomorrow’s leaders, our students.

How does one best support educators?  

You model respect, inclusivity,  professionalism, creative thinking, effective leadership, collaboration, you work as hard as the educators do to encourage them.

How does a school board lose educators?

By having leaders who micromanage, who create conflict, by acting in a divisive manner, by overlooking internal leadership candidates and by obstructing the business of schools, all which interrupt educating the whole-child, the children who want to be successful each and every day.

Which candidates do I support for this year’s school board election?  

Those individuals who are child-centered, respectful of the professionals who have been hired, promote growth from within, support creative thought and use their leadership skills to make us all better.

I support Amy Austin, Maria Koliantz, George Lyle and David Purpura because they understand what it takes to attract and retain world-class educators. I wholeheartedly encourage you to vote for Amy, Maria, George, and David when you cast your ballot.