Retired Science Teacher Announces Sioux Falls School Board Bid

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota – Retired science teacher Stuart Willett has announced his candidacy for the Sioux Falls School Board. A graduate of Texas’ Rice University holding a bachelor’s degree in Geology and a Master’s degree in special education, Mr. Willett has a long history of teaching, including teaching English as a Second Language in Taiwan and science in the New York City public schools.

“I taught for about 15 years in the New York City schools, which are some of the most challenging teaching environments in the country. Over the last couple of years, I have been a substitute teacher for the Sioux Falls public schools, and the difference is night and day. I want to help prevent the negative trajectory we see in schools in other parts of the country and keep Sioux Falls Schools great,” said Mr. Willett. “I have found the teachers in Sioux Falls to be very professional and the students to be very responsible and mature. I would love to take up the challenge of helping make the Sioux Falls School District the best in the nation.”

Mr. Willett is committed to being the voice at the table for families, teachers, and taxpayers. On the school board, he will consider and represent all families, which includes public school, private school, and homeschool families. He will empower teachers by advocating for autonomy through reduced micromanagement, support with classroom management and increased teacher input on professional development content. He will leverage his experience to evaluate return on investment for taxpayers by scrutinizing the budget and working with teachers to determine what investments will truly help them and their students succeed.

“Once our District is the best in the Nation, we can set an example for the rest of the country. Education needs strong leaders to help stave off the collapse we are about to find ourselves in, and the great teachers and students of Sioux Falls will need to be those leaders,” said Mr. Willett.  “I want to help develop those leaders, and the best place for me to do that is on the Sioux Falls School Board.”

The Sioux Falls School Board election will be held April 9, 2024.