‘My Approach Will Be To Create Partnerships’
Cover letter
My name is Wally Hedrick and I seek the position of state superintendent of public instruction. While I am a candidate for the Democratic nomination, I believe the position should be the least partisan elective job in Idaho.
Political considerations mean nothing to our young people in public schools and our young adults attending higher educational institutions. What’s important to them, their parents and the business community, is a quality educational opportunity that adequately prepares them for the future.
My experience, as a 13-year elected school board member, as a state government administrator, and as a private business owner, has equipped me with the management and administrative ability to provide the positive leadership that has been missing in the state Department of Education.
My approach to educational issues and working with all who care deeply about educating young people couldn’t stand in starker contrast to the incumbent.
Unfortunately, for the last four years, the state superintendent has fostered discord where there should be consensus and cooperation. There is simply too much work to be done to have a superintendent who can’t, or won’t, work with the state Board of Education; or who fails to advocate positive solutions to the challenges of education.
My approach will be to create partnerships with parents, teachers, school board members, and the business community to accomplish positive change and improvements in quality. Education in Idaho, at every level, will get better when we have effective leadership from the state’s top school official.
This sidebar appeared with the story: RESUME OF WALLY HEDRICK (DEM) Education: Master’s degree, social science, urban and regional planning, University of Northern Colorado, 1974. Bachelor’s degree, agriculture, University of Nevada-Reno, 1970.
School employment/involvement highlights: Member of Meridian School Board, 1985-present. Chairman 1990-present. Board of Directors, Boise Family YMCA 1993-present. Board of Directors, Meridian Education Foundation 1992-present. School volunteer and member of numerous patron committees, 1985-present.
Other employment/ community involvement highlights: President, Resources Northwest Inc., a Boise resource marketing and management firm, and Hedrick Court Reporting, 1995-present. Executive director, Idaho Lottery, 1989-1995. President/founder, Resources Northwest Inc., 1977-1989. President of Hedrick Court Reporting, 1980-1989. Chairman/Project director, Pacific Northwest Regional Commission, 1975-1977. Associate chief, Executive Office of Budget, Policy and Coordination, State of Idaho, 1970-1975. President of family cattle operation in Magic Valley area, Hedrick Cattle Co., 1995 to present.
Personal: Age 50, married, a grown son and daughter, plus a daughter age 15, one new granddaughter Meridian resident for 26 years.