BY RILEY WILSON
Fifteen years ago, Bryan Maring and his family moved to Eudora specifically because of the school system’s reputation.
Maring joined the Eudora School Board four years ago and will run again for a second term to see through projects started during his first term.
“I’m passionate about our teachers, the direction the school’s going in,” Maring said. “All of the projects that we do is such an important part in a town like Eudora because the school is kind of the center focal point of Eudora as a community.”
Maring is one of four candidates running for four open spots on the board. Member terms last four years and are uncompensated.
This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity.
Occupation: Sales manager at Exact Sciences
Ties to the school district:
We’ve been in this community for over 15 years. Both of my daughters have gone through elementary, middle school and high school. At one time, I coached at Eudora High School as an assistant football coach. And then the kids have been a lot of our ties. When we decided to move 15 years ago, we actually moved to Eudora specifically because of the school system and the reputation.
What is your prior relationship with the Eudora School Board?
One term. This is my first four years.
Why are you seeking (re-)election on the Eudora School Board?
I think that we still have a lot of work that we can continue to do.
We have started in the right direction, a lot of different pieces. But I think you want to see things completed and fulfilled and that’s why I’m wanting to come back and making sure that we finish some of the things, we see the completion of some of the things that we’ve started in the last four years.
What makes you the best candidate for this position?
One, I think, experience and understanding all the pieces that go into the School Board. I think we all go in with a preconceived notion of, ‘This is what I want to be a part of in the School Board.’ What you learn is that it is totally different from what your preconceived notions [are] and the things that are the most important in a school system.
And I go back to the Whole Child and that piece, the pre-k. All those things that seemingly are – you don’t think about until you’re on the School Board and you think about how what you do affects from pre-k to not just graduation, but post-graduation. And there are a lot of different factors in there that make that.
So, I think experience is one. I think two is there’s a time commitment that you have to make. You have to be able to make that time commitment and make not just meetings, but extra meetings that go on and involvement. I think the third part is, I’m very passionate about our school system. I’m passionate about our teachers, the direction the school’s going in. All of the projects that we do is such an important part in a town like Eudora because the school is kind of the center focal point of Eudora as a community.
What do you think the Eudora School District is doing particularly well right now?
Two things that we’ve done really well is pre-k and the starting of the pre-k program has really, at least in the start here, has helped to build a bridge so that when they get to kindergarten, first grade, that they have a good foundation and bringing those into the system.
And I think the second thing is the Whole Child.
It’s not just about what happens in the classroom. It’s more about making sure that they have all the securities – clothing, food – all those things play a part in that they have an environment, too. I think that Whole Child piece has been a big part of what we’ve tried to do over the last four years.
What have you achieved so far?
Eudora Schools Foundation is the one I’ve worked with the most as the representative of the School Board, but I continue to be heavily into the athletics, music. My daughter was in choir, so I did a lot of music.
Reach reporter Riley Wilson at eudoratimes@gmail.com.
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