News : School Board candidate profile: Mike Timmermans

Mike Timmermans, will recite the oath of office for the third time in one year next month.

Editor's Note: This is the first in a series of profiles of the seven candidates for Vinton-Shellsburg School Board.

Mike Timmermans of Vinton, the former Vinton-Shellsburg Middle School principal, has been on the Vinton-Shellsburg School Board since December. He recited the oath of office then, as well as after the special election to fill a vacancy in February. Now, Timmermans is running unopposed for his first full-term on the school board.

Below, in Mike's own words, are his thoughts about serving the school district in this capacity:

I’ve been a resident of Vinton since 1980. My wife, Eileen, and I have raised 4 kids here and we have 4 grandchildren who live in the Des Moines area. I spent 34 years in public education in 3 school districts - Ottumwa, Spencer, and 30 years in Vinton/Vinton-Shellsburg. During my career I served as a teacher, coach and administrator at the secondary level, the last 11 as principal of the middle school. Since my retirement from VSCSD in 2010 I’ve been the Director of the Virginia Gay Hospital & Clinics Health Care Foundation.

In addition to my work, I’m a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and the Lion’s Club and I stay connected with the students of our district as a volunteer football coach. In my spare time I enjoy visiting my kids and grandkids, fishing and reading. I’m a big fan of college football and basketball and enjoy keeping up with what’s going on with the teams in our state.

I’ve filled Todd Wiley’s seat on the school board since he resigned in November and have gained valuable experience working from “the Board side of the table”.

Our job as educators and board members is to help students find what they are good at and what they love to do. We need to enable them to do, create, and get involved – to be active participants in their education, not to sit passively and let their educational opportunities slip away. Our district took a huge step in that direction with the 1:1 computer initiative. The challenge is to learn how to maximize their use. The other big thing we need to teach our young people is to respect each other's abilities and differences. Our world needs bridge builders, not roadblocks.