Six candidates are running for the United School Board. Five are new faces and you may recognize one from a previous board position.
Three positions on the board are on the ballot: director at-large, district 1 director and district 2 director.
United Schools cover Jordan, Luther and Napier, and the rural areas between Ames and Boone.
The Voice sent out a questionnaire to all school board candidates to find out who they are, what they do and why they want to be a member of the United School Board.
Candidates were not required to answer every question or provide a photo. Questions they opted to not answer have been marked as such.
The general election is Nov. 4. Find out your polling place here, register to vote online, find out who else is up for election here and keep up with Story County election information right here at the Ames Voice.
Director at-large
Voters will select one on the ballot for director at-large.
Lora Weyhrich
Residence: Boone
Day job: veterinary assistant
Education: B.S. and an M.S. in agronomy from Oklahoma State University
School-age children: had 3 daughters who all went to United K-5.
Fun fact: I was born in New Jersey and raised in Oklahoma before moving to Iowa for a job when I graduated college.
Director of District 1
Voters will select one on the ballot for director of District 1.
Ryan Arndorfer
Residence: District 1, a few miles from United Community School
Day job: Laboratory Supervisor for the chemical and biological engineering department at Iowa State University
Education: B.S. in Molecular Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a M.S. in Genetics from Iowa State University, where I studied developmental genes in corn.
School-age children: One child currently enrolled at United Community and have two more that will be enrolled when they are old enough.
Fun fact: I grew up on a farm in southern Iowa and spent the first six years of my adult life enlisted in the U.S. Air Force.
George Mosby
Residence: In the country north of United
Day job: Iowa Army National Guard, 28 years of service
Education: M.B.A. from Upper Iowa, business management degree from Iowa State
School-age children: Two daughters in the district
Fun fact: I have deployed to three countries (Saudi Arabia, Kosovo, Afghanistan)
Rachael Gross
Residence: Boone
Day job: Director of finance services at Iowa State University
Education: Masters in Accounting from Iowa State
School-age children: Four kids in the school district
Fun fact: I love to travel. My husband and I have a goal to visit all seven continents. We have made it to four so far: Asia, Europe (Where we found out we were adding a fourth to our family while exploring the Mediterranean with our kids), North America (born and raised in small-town Iowa) and South America. Africa is next on our list, and then we will start planning for Australia and Antarctica!
Director of District 2
Voters will select one on the ballot for director of district 2.
Samantha Perry
Residence: Rural Boone County
Day job: VP & Cashier at Boone Bank & Trust Co.
Education: B.S. in finance from Iowa State University with a management minor
School-age children: Two boys — one in kindergarten and one in second grade
Fun fact: I attended United Community as a child and helped plant the prairie and trees that make up the outdoor classroom
Ben Hershey
Residence: Madrid
Day job: Country Landscapes, landscape manager
Education: B.S. in horticulture
School-age children: One son in the school district
Fun fact: Currently President of the Madrid Lions Club.
Why are you running for United School Board?
Weyhrich: I am running for school board of United to continue the work the board has been doing to improve student learning, retain our quality staff and teachers, and ensure the future of our school as a destination in the Ames/Boone area for quality elementary education.
Arndorfer: I would like to ensure my children get the best education available. I want to make sure the teachers and staff are getting the resources they need, in order to retain our hardworking educators.
Mosby: I held the District 1 School Board Director position at United for four years (2019-2023) and thoroughly enjoyed my time working with everyone there and finding ways to help the school thrive.
Gross: I’m running for school board because I care about our schools, our teachers and our kids. With four children in the district, I want to be part of ensuring every student has the support they need to succeed and every teacher has the tools to do their best work.
Perry: I’m running to help our school thrive and to ensure our students get the best education they can while still being kids.
Hershey: I would love to see more of a diverse background on the board, which includes parents with kids in the district. The school board is essentially the community voice. Helping connect community members, parents and teachers is a great way to strengthen the community.
Why should residents vote for you?
Weyhrich: I have proven over the last seven years that this district and its success is very important to me and I am willing to work together with other board members and our administration to do what’s best for our students, staff and patrons.
Arndorfer: I will ensure our tax dollars are being well spent, that our children are well educated and our school and grounds are well maintained. I have been attending school board meetings regularly for the last two years; so, I am familiar with the board, the staff and the jobs they perform.
Mosby: Over half of the school district is open-enrolled, which means that our school depends on leaders of character. Leaders of character provide balance to the district by inspiring and motivating the faculty within to promote student growth. Our entire district benefits from this balance by keeping our property taxes low in an economic environment that continues to find ways to raise them.
Gross: Residents should vote for me because I bring both personal commitment and professional experience to the role. As a parent of four children in the district, I’m committed to helping every student reach their full potential and ensuring that teachers have the resources they need to make that happen. My background in finance and organizational leadership has taught me how to use limited resources effectively and leverage data to make informed decisions. I’ll bring a collaborative approach to the board, focused on using resources wisely, supporting teachers and making decisions that reflect the best interests of students and families.
Perry: I believe in school spirit and building community. I also want to ensure our kids get a great education including STEM activities. In addition, I want to ensure the school is appropriately monitoring and addressing bullying issues to ensure the safety of our kids.
Hershey: In a landscape where complex topics or issues are always changing and evolving, being able to see the big picture is critical. From my life experiences and positions on other boards, like Madrid Lions Club and Childserve Advisory Board, I believe I would be a great addition to the school board.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Weyhrich: United Community School is a unique place; small class sizes, large outdoor prairie/classroom, top notch teachers and staff and a therapy dog who visits regularly. These are just a few of the highlights of our amazing learning center and I am committed to maintaining these attributes and exploring other areas to continue to make our school a place parents choose to send their students.
Arndorfer: I’m well acquainted with teaching environments through my own work and through my family. Two of my sisters are elementary school teachers and two of my sister-in-laws are teachers as well. I regularly hear the hardships they experience and would like to support my local teachers and the students they educate.
Mosby: During my four-year term holding this position at United, I fought to dramatically improve the school’s HVAC system for student health, update technology in the classrooms for our teachers and remodeled the north kindergarten building for everyone. There’s more work ahead and I look forward to serving in this capacity for our local community.
