Editor’s note: This story was modified to clarify Werstein’s campaign is not financially supported by the political action committee Ames Deserves Better. The article also includes an emailed statement from Werstein.

Kira Werstein is one of seven candidates running for a seat on the Ames Community School Board. 

Currently, she serves as an associate teaching professor at Iowa State University in the kinesiology department. She has lived in the Ames community since 2009 with her husband. 

Both of Werstein’s parents were educators, and she said she has a passion for education because of it. One of her other motivations is her children, the youngest of whom won’t graduate until 2034. Werstein said over email that she cares deeply about her children’s education, and she believes that all children should be able to have a high-quality education. 

If elected, she is looking forward to improving transparency, oversight of the administration and elevating fiscal responsibility. 

“It is deeply important to me to ensure the next generation is inspired as life-long learners who are equipped to lead and succeed,” Werstein said.   

Another focus of hers is to solve the problem of declining academic performance and the increasing violence and safety issues which she says are some of the biggest problems within Ames middle and high schools. 

Werstein wants to unify the district.

“What brings us all together is much bigger than the things that are different about us,” Werstein said.

Werstein is endorsed by the political action committee (PAC) Ames Deserves Better. Werstein said her campaign is not financially supported by the PAC. Ames Deserves Better is an organization for social responsibility, financial stewardship and academic achievement. 

Ames Deserves Better supports family choice in education, opposed to schools forcing the beliefs of some onto others. They oppose curriculum related to Black Lives Matter and Critical Race Theory. They cite these as a cause for students enrolling out of Ames and losing money for the district in the process.

Werstein said in an email response: “There are some concerns about the ACSD [Ames Community School District] I share with ADB, but not all of them. In order to know what my concerns and priorities are as a School Board Candidate, I encourage community members to learn of my values directly from me and not from a secondary source.”

On its website, the PAC says it wants to improve upon Ames’ declining academic performance. In recent years Ames fell to fifth in U.S. News’ list of top Iowa schools. The PAC wants to do this by sending kids back to school full time and focusing on closing the academic gap, not things like “Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action.”

Werstein said that the next superintendent that is set to be hired in the next few months needs to be able to clearly map out a plan to solve these issues plus being able to retain and bring in high-quality educators to Ames, which is another problem that she said is very prevalent within the system. Werstein also says that she hopes to see the district focus more on things like academics, respect for common humanity and school spirit. 

The City and School Board Elections will be held Nov. 2, 2021. Voters can click here to learn more information about polling locations and voter registration. 

Early absentee voting is available at the following locations

• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 30: Ames Public Library

• Nov. 1: Story County Auditor’s office during business hours