Candidate profiles: State Superintendent

STATE SUPERINTENDENT

Tony Bennett (R)

Age: 48

Education: B.S., M.S. in Secondary Education from IU-Southeast; EdD and Indiana Supt. License from Spalding University

Experience: Currently superintendent of Greater Clark County Schools; former asst. superintendent for operations at New Albany-Floyd County Schools; Former principal, coach and biology teacher at various schools.

Web site: www.DrTonyBennett.com

Top priorities if elected: “Restore discipline to the classroom; drive more dollars into the classroom, rather than to administrative overhead; recruit, hire, train, evaluate and compensate our teachers like the top-notch professionals they are.”

Why are you running? “Despite having some of the most highly regarded academic standards in the country, Indiana’s educational achievement is in the middle of the pack nationally.  We can, and must, be the best educational state in the country so that our kids are well prepared for their chosen career field, so that families move here so their kids get high quality education, and so that businesses move here because we have the best-trained and educated workforce in the country.”

Richard D. Wood (D)

Age: 55

Education: Ed.D. from IU-Bloomington (’89); Ed.S. from Butler University (’80); J.D. from IU-Purdue University Indianapolis (’79); M.S. from IUPUI (’73); B.S. from IUB (’72)
     
Experience: Tippecanoe School Corporation: superintendent; Metropolitan School District of Warren Township: assistant superintendent, director of personnel; Northwest Allen County Schools: principal-Carroll High School; Metropolitan School District of Decatur Township Marion County: assistant principal and social studies teacher – Decatur Central High School

Web site: www.Richardwood.org

Top Priorities if elected: “Our first priority should be that we finish the work we have already begun, including making optional full-day kindergarten a reality and renew our commitment to fully funding Project Prime Time which ensures reasonable class sizes in primary grades.”
      
Why are you running? “Our state’s most valuable natural resource is the untapped potential of the children of Indiana. . . I believe that success in college and the workforce greatly depends on a strong K-12 foundation. By changing our schools to meet today’s demands, we can make a difference for our children’s future.”