Letter to the Editor: Chinn a good school board candidate

Dear Editor:
Few elections in Rio Blanco County seem to leave one with the feeling that his or her vote was important and counted for something. The exception is often elections involving local offices with well-known candidates having lots of ties to the community.
The upcoming school board election involves three open seats and some of the best-known board members have decided not to run.
One candidate has a very strong belief in public education and a life on the Western Slope, but he has only lived in Meeker for four years.
Dan Chinn grew up in Cedaredge with an older sister and two older brothers. They were dirt poor and hard-working. Their father was a mechanic , therefore, the four children were largely responsible for running their three small fruit orchards. Their mother, who did not have an opportunity to complete a high school education, insisted that all four children attend and complete college. All of them worked their way through college and eventually received a bachelors degree and eventually a masters degree.
Dan has worked in three different school districts for a number of different principals and superintendents. With his biology major, he has taught science to fifth- through 12th-grade students. After 10 years of successful teaching, he served as a guidance counselor, assistant principal and part-time athletic director. In addition, Dan coached all the major sports and sponsored numerous clubs.
More significant to me is Dan’s pleasant character and easy personality. It would be a shame to lose him in what appears to be a good school year.
Dan has two small children. Tucker just started preschool this fall and Dexter will enter preschool next fall. Dan said his children are the highlight of his life and that they give him added incentive to help out the school system in any way possible.
When I asked Dan to summarize the highlights of his education career, he replied without hesitation, “The relationships with the kids; its all about the kids!”
I feel it would be beneficial to the school system if one of the board members was a seasoned educator. Therefore, I would like to ask that you vote for Dan Chinn to fill one of the three vacant seats.
Frank G. Cooley
Meeke