Election 2025 – Get to know your School Board Candidates

PACE contacted all school board candidates and requested a short bio and goal description.  The following questions were provided for consideration: 

• What do you think the biggest opportunities for the District are?

• What are the needed improvements for the District? What resources are needed?

• What are the District successes that you would like to amplify and magnify?

• What are your areas of concern in relation to the District?

Following are the responses received from each candidate. Responses are provided in the order received.

Jillian Heisler

I have lived in Bailey for 11 years and have three daughters: two currently in Platte Canyon schools  (12th and 6th grades) and my oldest, who is grown, married, and raising a family of her own. Through the years my younger daughters have been involved in theater, numerous sports, Boys & Girls Club, running club, and more. Because of the size of our district and the dedication of staff, they’ve had the chance to participate in many activities simultaneously. That encouragement of student involvement is one of PCSD’s greatest strengths.

I work for Evergreen Park and Recreation District as the HR Manager, where I’ve had the opportunity to observe a wonderful board of directors in action and to appreciate the importance of thoughtful governance. Unlike many who run with a single agenda, I am running to support the district as a whole. 

Our staff—from custodians to cafeteria workers, paras to principals—are second to none, and they deserve strong resources and support. Parents need clear, ongoing communication, and I believe it is important to continue strengthening transparency and accountability across the district. Our close-knit community offers opportunities for even stronger partnerships, and above all, I believe we must stay focused on what unites us: doing what’s best for our kids, staff, and community. 

Kathryn Puseman

My name is Kathryn (Kathy) Puseman, and I have been a resident of Bailey for over 25 years. I currently own my own small business, Paleoscapes Archaeobotanical Services Team (PAST), LLC, identifying plant remains from archaeological samples. As a parent of two Platte Canyon High School graduates, I’ve seen firsthand the positive impact this district can have on students. I’m deeply grateful for the support and opportunities given to them, and I view this candidacy as a way to give back to the community that gave so much to us.

I applaud the ACE (Alternate Cooperate Education) program in place at PCHS for students whose educational needs are well-suited to contextual, work-based learning. The Husky Hut (school store) is a big hit and provides students the opportunity for career-related experiences. I would love to see expansion of CTE (career and technical education) classes that can be offered. I also believe a top priority should be to hire and retain quality teachers.

Like many other school districts, our district is facing financial challenges from declining student enrollment, rising operational costs from inflation-driven price increases, and a limited property tax base. I don’t claim to have all the answers, nor do I come with my own personal agenda I want to see implemented. What I do have is a desire to see the district thrive and provide a safe and healthy learning environment where every student can succeed. My experiences in leadership, community service, and as a parent have prepared me to listen thoughtfully, ask pertinent questions, and work collaboratively toward solutions.

Heather Linne-Speidel, Incumbent

Heather Linne-Speidel grew up in Bailey and attended Platte Canyon School District from Kindergarten through twelfth grade. She currently resides in Bailey with her husband and two children, who also attend Platte Canyon School District. She is a small business owner, manages a local storage facility, and was appointed in January 2025 to fill a vacant position on the School Board. She also currently serves as the Assistant Director for the Theatre Troupe. She worked as a sign language interpreter for many years and has a passion for supporting students from all backgrounds and needs in the school district. 

What do you think the biggest opportunities for the District are?

The biggest opportunities for the District would be to continue to communicate with the community to ensure all community members understand the challenges the district faces throughout the year related to funding, legislature, and decision-making. 

What are the needed improvements for the District?  The needed improvements for the District include a  constant need to hire staff to fulfill the demand of teaching our youth. The District has taken steps to be seen as a desirable place to work, and further focus on improving employee retention will help support our students and their success in the classroom. 

What resources are needed?  The resources needed to seek District improvements include funding from any and all resources. As the political landscape shifts and laws change, funds for the District can also be affected. 

What are the District successes that you would like to amplify and magnify?  The District's successes that I would like to amplify and magnify include a focus on improving employee retention and student success through adopting curriculum to help support their needs. My goal is to continue supporting the school district in employing staff members that support student success inside and outside of the classroom and maintaining curriculum and class offerings that encourage students to fulfill their potential. 

What are your areas of concern in relation to the District?  My concern in relation to the District continues to be parent and community involvement to ensure our students have the support of the District AND the home to be successful in all aspects of school and life. The District currently communicates effectively with the community and employs capable staff that have the interest of the students at the forefront of all decision-making. However, the education of our youth continues to require the support of the home and community to be successful. 

Ryan Cantu did not respond to the PACE request.

PACE would like to thank:

Frank VanDeHey for his EIGHT years of service.  Mr. VanDeHey joined the board in 2017.

Melissa “Missy” Winefeldt for her FOUR years of service. Mrs. Winefeldt joined the board in 2021. 

Since 2021, the Board has accomplished the following:

• Streamlining schedule to a 4-day week

• Obtaining voter approval for the issuance of General Obligation bonds of $14.5 million with repayment cost of $25.6 million

• Combined District reserves with bond proceeds to renovate the buildings at the Platte Canyon campus and consolidate all schools to one campus near Shawnee on Highway 285

• Overhauled District policies with the use of a sub-committee:

  • Replaced the Community led Financial Oversight Accountability Committee with the Finance Committee composed of mostly District employees.

  • Adopted more restrictive Public Participation Guidelines 

• In June 2025 the Board authorized the District’s participation in the State Treasurer’s Interest Free Loan Program for school districts. The program is designed to alleviate temporary cash flow deficits and ensure schools can continue to operate smoothly.

After observing and participating in PCSD Board meetings for a decade, PACE has taken this opportunity to answer the questions posed to the candidates:

• What do you think the biggest opportunities for the District are?

The District has the opportunity to capitalize on its size and create customized solutions for individual students. This would contrast the District with other Districts which can only offer a one-size fits all solution.

• What are the needed improvements for the District? What resources are needed?

The District needs to complete the alignment of its curriculum with state standards. After obtaining the Atlas Rubicon resource, the District has failed to realize the system’s potential. This has resulted in the roll out of programs without full lesson planning that includes associating content to state standards.

• What are the District successes that you would like to amplify and magnify?

The Elementary School improved its academic achievement and growth ratings in English and Math from 2024 to 2025. The District should strive to adopt the methodologies employed at the elementary school and scale the techniques to create improvement at all grades, in all subjects and for all students.

• What are your areas of concern in relation to the District?

The greatest area of concern is the continued declining enrollment.  Since FY2017 enrollment has decreased by 271 or 30%.  While enrollment has declined across the State, the District’s decline well outpaces the State enrollment declines of 3.3% and the National public school enrollment rate decline of 2.6%.