Voters will decide between first-time candidates Eric Heid and Casey Shaw for the Yelm Community Schools District 2 director position in the upcoming Nov. 7 Thurston County general election.
Heid and Shaw discussed with the Nisqually Valley News why they think they are the best candidates for the seat and their goals if they are elected to the position.
Eric Heid
Eric Heid, who attended Army and Navy professional development schools and Campbell University, has been a Yelm resident since 1992. He became involved in the community by spending 10 years on the Prairie Elementary School PTA/PTO boards, by serving in Yelm Crossroads Community covenant Church outreach programs and more.
“I’m running because I have the opportunity and time to serve the Yelm community. I put three children through school with the help of the Yelm community. This is my chance to pay back the community for the education that my kids received,” Heid said. “The position was available, and I feel that I can bring community to the Yelm schools and have the time and the opportunity to do so.”
Heid said education is changing within the country, and YCS is doing a good job of adjusting. He added, if elected, he’d aim to provide more opportunities for students within the district.
“The vision I have for Yelm community schools is to provide literacy opportunities for all students. I’m a firm believer of when the opportunity meets desire, my goal is to bring opportunity to the students and the parents,” Heid said. “The ultimate goal of mine for students is graduation. Our students need to be prepared to move out into the trades, national service or colleges and universities. If we don’t prepare them now, we will pay the bill for it later.”
Heid said he loves Yelm, and has liked Yelm schools since he first moved here. He has three children who attended and graduated from Yelm schools and credits the district with setting up his children to succeed.
“I’ve been a Yelm community member for a long time. I’m very happy with the Yelm community and the schools. We all want more, but there is a balance. I’m blessed to have three kids that are very successful, and all of that was because of the education they’ve received in Yelm,” Heid said. “I feel there is nothing more important than children’s education. It’s much more important than prisons or other state-supported programs because children are our future. They’re the next round of taxpayers. They’re the next people to sit on the board. They’re the next people to be governor. If we don’t give them an opportunity, we’re cutting them short.”
The candidate said the community aspect of YCS is extremely important, and it includes every individual — young, old, new families and families who have been here for decades.
“Everyone you see inside of Walmart, Grocery Outlet, wherever we’re at in this community, we are the community. Community isn’t just those in the stands when Yelm football wins the 3A state championship. It’s those who also support theater, FFA, 4H and other activities,” Heid said. “We are Yelm. Everyone here is Yelm. Every community member has an equal voice and with that becomes the responsibility to be that voice you want heard.”
Heid said school district improvements can often be a long process and that nothing changes overnight. He said, if elected, his goal is for his voice to be heard but to also work with others to make the best decisions for students.
“I’m truly a believer in opportunity,” he said. “Our job as adults, parents, community members, is to provide opportunities for our youth. If we don’t do that, we open up the ability for someone to have an excuse. We have to take away excuses. We need to look at our children and go here’s the opportunity in front of you; there are no excuses.
“We need to listen,” Heid continued. “I look at things from my perspective. Every member of the board looks at something from their perspective. Hopefully we have voters that vote for us in line with that, otherwise why would they vote for me? That allows me to represent the district and the Yelm community.”
Casey Shaw
Shaw, who graduated from Yelm High School in 2006 as valedictorian, said he’s all about providing choices for the community.
“What I’ve heard from parents, as I do a lot of coaching within the community, is they feel like they’re not being heard. They feel like their voices don’t matter and that they don’t get a say in their kids’ education,” Heid said. “I initially put my name into the hat because they know I’ll listen to them and represent their needs regardless of what their political views are. I’m there to give people an option to represent what they want.”
Shaw said he was inspired to run for school board by Yelm residents and the kids he coaches. Shaw is a coach with the Nisqually Basin baseball team and Prairie Soccer club, as well as an assistant coach with the Twisters.
“I have good relationships with a lot of the kids and their families, and I feel they need someone in there that represents what they want. They need options,” Shaw said. “I’m there to be a representative to what they want, and to be their mouthpiece.”
Shaw said the school district is currently doing a great job of developing “really great kids.” He said he doesn’t want to shake up what YCS is doing in education currently; he just wants to help.
“I think transparency is the biggest thing they can work on. I don’t think the current school board tries to not be transparent, but there are some parents who feel that way,” Shaw said. “I think there needs to be conversation outside of school board meetings to hear the parents and their concerns, and then to bring action to these concerns. The board works for the parents. It’s their job to be the parents’ voice.”
Shaw said, if elected, he’d be an asset working with the school’s budget. He said he currently works as a lead estimator for a bridge construction company.
“I’m used to managing jobs as large as $75 million, to date. I have to be responsible with money, or else we aren’t making money,” Shaw said. “There needs to be some serious looks at the budget in where this money is going. I think we need to keep a close eye on the budget, what’s necessary to spend money on and what isn’t. We need to be responsible with those taxpayer dollars.”
Shaw said he’s always been active within the Yelm community and feels this is the next step for him in giving back.
“I’m not a politician, and I have no aspirations to be one. I’ve got experience working in the politician realm, but my aspirations are to be there working with the kids and their families,” Shaw said. “This means a lot to me. The board is just another avenue to get involved. Kids are my heart, and in my mind I’ve been able to reach a lot of kids through coaching. That’s been terrific for me. Being on the board is the next step. You’re able to help out and foster more kids with a position on the school board. It’s a gradual progression.”
Shaw said he believes Yelm has two great options for the YCS district 2 position and described his opponent as a great individual, adding “Yelm can’t go wrong.”
