Candidate Q&A: Kate Henson, Chelsea School Board

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Kate Henson. Courtesy Kate Henson.

Note to readers: The Sun Times News has made its media outlet available to candidates running for public office. Articles published do not reflect an endorsement by the STN. Submissions are from candidates who responded within our guidelines. In order to be as fair and equitable as possible, candidates can submit their responses to four basic questions.

  1. Who are you?
  2. Why are you running?
  3. What issues do you think are important?
  4. Why should we vote for you?

Candidate’s responses are printed as submitted.

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I’m Kate Henson, candidate for Chelsea School Board. I am a Chelsea High School graduate, class of 1999, and live in town with my husband and 2 young daughters. I am the Director of Programs for General Systems Consulting and earned my Masters degree in Business Administration in 2007. I’m responsible for partnering with client companies to customize and facilitate leadership development and strategic planning initiatives. I am also proud of the assertiveness, leadership, and influence programs I developed and facilitate specifically for girls and women.

My perspective as a CHS graduate and now a parent of a current elementary student in the district along with my open mindedness, ability to problem solve and work well on a team make me an outstanding candidate for the Chelsea School Board.

A K-12 education is a child’s foundation for the future. I am running for school board as my way of helping my children and yours continue to receive a first-rate education that sets them up for success as adults in our ever-changing world.

This election will bring a huge turnover for the board, the skills I’ve cultivated over my 20-year career around building strong teams, gaining consensus, being a good listener and my systems approach to problem solving will add great value to the cohesiveness of the new board.

I am a passionate advocate for mental health and support efforts to bring this timely issue to the forefront. Making services more available is an initiative I will champion. I proudly stand behind the Every Bulldog Counts campaign and will be dedicated to creating a safe and welcoming environment for our students of color and our LGBTQIA students.

I was a substitute teacher in the district last year which gave me a front row seat to the struggles, challenges, and joys our teachers were experiencing. The way the staff rallied to cover shortage of paraprofessional and substitute teachers was nothing short of miraculous. The relationships I cultivated with the teachers and students were an unexpected joy and I love to hear my friends shout “Hello Mrs. H” or run up for a hug when I see them around town. Our teachers are one of the most important assets we have, and I want to make sure they have the resources, tools and support they need to provide an excellent education.

I look forward to bringing a positive spirit to our board while supporting and working with Mr. Kapolka to meet the needs of our students, teachers, and staff, and continuing the excellent tradition of education that our district has built.

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