Last November, voters selected four members to the school board: Kriston Brighton, Curt Herrman, Katie Allen and Greg Hoyt. With Allen and Hoyt being new to the school board, we wanted the student body and faculty to get to know them better. The following Q&A is from an email interview conducted earlier this week.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, how you got into education, some hobbies, etc.  

Hoyt: I am a lifelong resident of Manhattan, graduated from MHS in 1983, taught math for 16 years at MHS (1988-2004) and then served as principal at Eisenhower Middle School for nine years (2004-2023) and MHS for six years (2013-2019). My wife also taught at MHS, and my three daughters graduated from MHS in 1997, 2009, and 2013 respectively.

Allen: I grew up in rural Kansas, attended a small school with K-12 all in one building and a graduating class of 32. After high school I attended KU, but once I grew wiser I came to K-State and completed a Masters in Public Administration and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership. My husband, Bill, is an Army Veteran who works at the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene and I have two kids who attend Anthony Middle School. When I’m not at work or driving my kids to their activities, I enjoy the outdoors including jogging, hiking, kayaking, and in the winter time, watching birds. When I am at work, I love policy studies, engaging in research, and helping people solve problems of practice through planning and collaboration. I am also passionate about the democratic process and volunteer for different efforts to educate voters and increase turnout. 

What are you most excited about on the school board? 

Hoyt: In my opinion, educators across the country are undervalued and I look forward to supporting not only classroom teachers, but all professionals that serve public schools and their students and families.

Allen: This is my first term as a school board member and I hope to get to know many more students, teachers, and staff as I get involved in various committees. 

What areas of focus/expertise will you bring to the board? 

Hoyt: Having served both in the classroom and as a building administrator I have vast knowledge and experience in school operations from a building level and hope to bring that experience to the board table.

Allen: My entire professional career has centered on creating opportunities for kids. One of my earliest jobs was working with middle school students after school in an arts-based program, and I’ve worked in the areas of early childhood education, youth substance abuse prevention, as well as organizing a community-based back to school fair to provide students and families with supplies and connections to a variety of support agencies. My current job is focused on providing technical assistance to state and local education agencies in a wide range of projects all designed to improve student outcomes. I also teach a course on education research at K-State for master’s level students. 

How will you connect with the student body, staff, and teachers at MHS and across the district? 

Hoyt: I still attend MHS activities on a regular basis, and still have personal relationships with many faculty and staff members so I hope that they feel that they can reach out to me at any time.

Allen: In my role as a board member I will join two school site councils and several committees, including the early learning policy council. My goal is to be a good listener that can help solve problems. While I am in this early phase of my term and still meeting folks, I encourage anyone who wants to connect with me to reach out to me via email at [email protected]. 

What is the biggest goal you want to see the board accomplish during your time?

Hoyt: I have no agenda, and I simply want to help support the district staff to continue to deliver outstanding services for our students and their families!

Allen: I did not run for school board for any one issue or to see a specific change. USD 383 has a long-standing reputation as a great school and students accomplish many great achievements. My goal at this time for my tenure on the board is to support the district’s strategic plan focused on improving academic achievement, particularly for those students who are struggling.