Meet Ashley Newton: South Beloit School Board candidate

On April 1, voters in the South Beloit school district will choose from five candidates, mostly write-ins, to fill four open school board seats: Jeff Becorest, Sherry Hogan, Adam Neblock, Ashley Newton, and Devon Pilz.

Ashley Newton

(current board member, 2021-2025)

Tell our readers a little about yourself.        

I’m a South Beloit alumni. I graduated in 2007. I then went on to college to become a nurse. I have my bachelor’s degree in nursing and recently became wound care certified. I am a single mom of 2 (a 9 year old and 5 year old). My oldest is in 4th grade at Riverview and my youngest is in preschool at Clark. I am running for my second term as a school board member. I became interested in the school board after seeing my dad on the school board since 2007 and the passion he has for our district. I enjoy being on the school board and am excited to see what the future holds for our district.

What motivates you to run for a position on the school board?          

Seeing the longevity on our board and striving to be a long term member is a big motivator for me. I am also proud to be a Sobo and want to give back to my community. Another motivator is seeing how far the district has come and see where it goes. I feel that Mr. Fisher has brought our district a long way during his time as superintendent. I am proud of all he has achieved. I am excited to see what the future holds for our district as Mr. Butenhoff takes over as superintendent. As a mom and board member, the biggest motivator of all is to see where these students go and all the things they can achieve with an excellent education from South Beloit.

If elected, what are one or two things you want the district to continue because it does them well?      

I believe college and career readiness is one of our strengths in the district, especially for our junior high and high school students. I also would like to see the extra help offered to all students continued, from the littlest to the biggest students, to set them up for success in their education and future lives.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing our school district, and how would you address them?

We are a financially unique district, which can be challenging. I am only one voice out of seven, but we all try our hardest to be fiscally responsible while giving our students the best opportunities and a healthy learning environment.

How do you plan to ensure transparency and accountability in board decisions?  

I feel the board is very transparent and accountable. We speak with one voice so the message is consistent and honest. We plan to continue this practice.

What have you been hearing from your constituents about what the schools in the district do well and could improve on?    

I have heard that we do well setting our students up for success, whether their path leads to college or not. I have not heard specific things that the district could improve on.

What are your views on the role of parents, teachers, and administrators in shaping school policies?     

I feel that we all play a vital role is shaping school policies. Administrators develop the school policies based on mandates or recommendations from the state/federal government. Teachers help the administrators teach and enforce the policies while the students are at school. Parents then help reinforce the policies while the students are at home. Parents and teachers can also offer suggestions on how the policies could be revised to better suit the needs of our students. As long as we all work together to send the same message to our students, we can successfully create and enforce school policies.

How do you propose to address achievement gaps and support students from diverse backgrounds?        

I am only one voice of seven. Individually, I cannot address achievement gaps and support students from diverse backgrounds. However, as an individual, I can bring forward concerns from parents to the appropriate staff members to help those in need or bring up concerns to the board to get different input on how to best support those students. I feel the district has the best leaders and support staff to help those students. We, as a district, are constantly evolving and trying to come up with ways help those students.

What experience do you have that prepares you to serve on the school board?        

I have served on the board for 4 years now. I have done extra training and went to the school board conference in Chicago every year since being on the board to gain more knowledge from other districts that could potentially be helpful in our district.

How would you collaborate with experienced board members while bringing fresh perspectives?   

We do a great job at incorporating different viewpoints and listening to new ideas because it helps us create a well-rounded response to any situation we are handling at that moment.

What are your biggest accomplishments during your time on the school board?        

Making sure that all my intentions put the education of our students and our students’ well-being first and foremost. Also listening to everyone and offering my perspective/experience when necessary.

What lessons have you learned from your tenure that will shape your next term?          

Continue to be an open mind and offer my advice so others may learn a different perspective.

If elected, what is one policy or initiative you would champion to improve our schools?        

As an individual, it is not up to me to champion any policy. It is up to the board as a whole to help give the staff the resources needed to champion those policies.