Steve Gaasch, (Liz Macias, Central Nebraska Today)
KEARNEY — Incumbent Steve Gaasch is running to maintain his seat on the Kearney Public School Board of Education during this election season.
Steve Gaasch is the current president of the Kearney School board.
Gaasch said he has been a resident of Kearney for the last 35 years and noted he is the father of three girls who attend Kearney Public Schools, (KPS).
His daughters have taught him to be a good listener, role model, motivator, patient teacher, cautionary break as needed and consensus builder, Gaasch said.
Gaasch also said he has spent three decades overseeing commercial construction projects and facilities management. He has been the Facilities Director for Buffalo County for the last nine years.
When asked about his time on the board since being elected in 2020, Gaasch said they have been more challenging than he initially anticipated, citing the COVID-19 pandemic and discussions over comprehensive sex education, critical race theory, transgender sports participation and challenges over certain library books.
Gaasch also noted the board had to name a new superintendent during his tenure, as well as a number of changes in KPS administration and selecting new board member Amy Barth to replace Dave Brandt, who stepped down to teach at Kearney High School.
All of this has taught Gaasch how to be open minded, to be a better listener, doing research when needed and building a consensus.
When asked how he got involved with KPS, Gaasch said it goes back to before he had children when he was in construction management and worked on several projects for the district, including the addition for Meadowlark Elementary and the former Kenwood Elementary, now the location of Bright Futures Preschool.
He said this work gave him some vision into the KPS facilities.
After he had children, Gaasch said he wanted to be an active parent and to be a help to them and their education. He was involved with the parent teacher organization at Emerson Elementary and when his daughters reached middle school, that’s when he decided to run for the Kearney school board.
When asked why he is seeking to continue serving on the board, Gaasch said he enjoys helping to guide the direction of KPS and wants to continue being involved as his daughters make their way though high school, one is set to graduate this year, he said.
Gaasch said the district does face challenges in the next several years and he wants to be there to ensure the district is pointed in a good direction.
Citing his experience the last three and a half years, Gaasch said he could provide continuity for the board. “I see a lot of things in the near horizon that I would like to be involved in,” he said.
When asked about those issues that he sees, Gaasch cited staffing as the first concern saying it is key to a good educational experience for students.
Gaasch said he wants the district to have a good system in place that can bring in quality staff, retain them and give them an opportunity to thrive.
When asked about any achievements he would like to note, Gaasch quipped, “It given me thick skin,” but then noted how the district was able to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic but students were able to return the next fall and were able to stay in school since.
“We kept the learning environment very strong for our kids,” Gaasch said.
Taking a board look at the district, Gaasch said that the board has had to make some tough decisions and good decisions.
Speaking to how he has made decisions as a school board member, Gaasch said the first thing is always considering what is best for the students, what is best for the staff and the community.
“I try to base my decisions not just on today or tomorrow but also five years, ten years down the road,” Gaasch said.
This is especially pertinent when discussing facilities, Gaasch said, adding that it’s important to stay on top of this area and not to let it slide. He said some of the elementary schools were built 70 years ago and are serving the needs now but may need careful consideration in the future.
Budgetary concerns are always considered, Gaasch said, noting that he doesn’t want to spend money that the district doesn’t have.
Gaasch added that he also wants to make sure the decisions the board makes are morally sound as well.
In closing, Gaasch said discourse in society has become polarized with opinions held strongly by both ends of the spectrum. “Nobody wants to meet in the middle and cooperate,” Gaasch observed.
Gaasch said people come from all walks of life and have different viewpoints. He said the differences can make things stronger or drive things apart.
“I want to do my best to make us strong,” Gaasch concluded.
Editor’s Note: Steve Gaasch appeared on 1340 KGFW and this article was written using information provided during that interview. The full interview can be found here.
