Endorsements

Eleven former West Lafayette school board members, with 98 combined years of service among them, have endorsed Maria Koliantz in a letter published in the Journal & Courier and The Exponent. They point to four qualities voters should look for: a willingness to learn the role, the ability to work well with others, open communication, and putting students first. They believe Maria brings all four to the board.

Read the full letter →

With 45 years of experience as an educator and coach within the West Lafayette School Corporation, I possess a wealth of knowledge to share on the subject of the forthcoming school board elections. My experience has shown that the most effective outcomes, be it in a school staff or a track & field/football team, stem from a high level of teamwork and mutual respect for each member’s specific roles. Cohesion is key, and any member who prioritizes personal agendas over group unity undermines the collective goal. This is not to suggest that conformity is required; new and innovative ideas are vital. However, it is important to respect the process and acknowledge that the superintendent is charged with leadership.

Maria Koliantz is a team player with one main goal in mind; continuing the excellence in the WLCSC by staff and students. Her background, immersed in diversity and open-mindedness, lends itself to positive results produced through cooperation, not confrontation.

I am very proud to endorse Maria Koliantz for a position on the West Lafayette School Board.

Ronald Shriner spent 39 years at WLCSC, including 16 years in the classroom and 15 as Jr-Sr High School principal. In his letter, he explains why effective school boards matter and why he’s urging the community to vote for Maria Koliantz.

Read his letter →

I’ve been asked many times who I support for the upcoming school board elections. As an educator, I strongly encourage our community to consider the endorsements from WL educators who work in, or have worked in our schools. We see firsthand what works, what our students and staff need, and how decisions impact classrooms and community. Our perspectives are grounded in professional experience and evidence-based practice.

Before you cast your vote, take time to listen to the people who are in our schools every day. Do your research, consider educator endorsements, and make your voice count at the ballot box. The future of our students and staff matters. Your vote is an opportunity to make a difference!

My support (and many other educators’ support) goes to Maria Koliantz, John Robinson, and Laurence Wang.

As a longtime WL resident, parent of 2 alums, and an active alum myself, I am proud to endorse Maria Koliantz for the upcoming WL school board election.  I have gotten to know Maria over the last several years as a member of the WL Schools Education Foundation.  Her participation on that board and the many conversations outside the board have shown me that she would make an awesome school board member.  She is intelligent, professional, fair and understanding.  She comes prepared, does her homework and listens.  She is inquisitive and doesn’t just say yes.  If she has a concern, she shares it.  If she has a different idea, she shares it.  She is not a yes person, but most importantly is respectful in her manner and actions.  Her passion for public education is obvious with her participation with the Detroit Public Schools and the WLSEF.   Maria understands the amazing history of the WL schools and is willing to work to maintain that excellence!  She deserves your vote!

I am happy to endorse Maria Koliantz for West Lafayette School Board. Maria’s commitment to the West Lafayette schools has been evident in her diligent work with the West Lafayette Education Foundation, and prior to that, with the Detroit Public Schools Foundation. I believe she’ll bring her own unique set of talents to board to ensure all students in West Lafayette receive an excellent education.

Having served on the West Lafayette School Board for 13 years, I know that good board members come prepared, ask thoughtful questions, and work collaboratively to find solutions. Maria Koliantz has the judgment and the deep ties to our school community to do this job well from day one. I’m proud to support Maria for WL School Board.

As a West Lafayette parent, teacher, and community member, I am excited to endorse Maria Koliantz for the West Lafayette school board. In my discussions with Maria, it is evident that she listens and has a passion for public schools. She is willing to work with teachers and administrators to ensure ALL students have the opportunity for an outstanding education. With her experiences working with the Detroit Public Schools and the WL Schools Education Foundation, Maria will bring strong organizational and collaborative skills to the WL school board.

Maria Koliantz will bring such great experience to the board. She has faithfully attended meetings for over two years. She deeply understands the work of the board. She has broad experience with various levels of school leadership, both here in West Lafayette with the Foundation, as well as in her previous hometown of Detroit. She is level headed and kind, and is solutions-oriented. She is already and will continue to be an effective advocate for kids. I really look forward to working with her.

Maria Koliantz brought her considerable skills in community organizing to West Lafayette by volunteering on the WL Education Foundation. She has great financial skills as a project manager, while she fosters broad communication across the community to support students and faculty. I am impressed by her cheerful attitude and willingness to pitch in where needed.

I have had the fortune to know Maria as a friend, neighbor, board member of the West Lafayette Schools Education Foundation, and fellow campaigner in favor of our school referendums. She is always willing to listen to the concerns of others and to work hard to sustain and improve our public schools. In addition to her ties to the community and prior experience with the schools in Detroit, her background in commercial construction will provide a valuable perspective with respect to the capital needs of the school and the types of budgets involved in running a large organization. Maria will be a fantastic addition to the West Lafayette school board, and I urge you to vote for her.

I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Maria Koliantz for several years  and I can say without hesitation that she is one of the most dedicated and thoughtful advocates we could ask for on the school board. As a parent volunteer and active member of the West Lafayette Schools Education Foundation, Maria listens carefully to students, teachers, and families, then turns that input into constructive action. Her calm, empathetic approach makes people feel heard and included — a quality our schools need as decisions are made that affect every child.

Maria brings a rare combination of practical financial savvy and deep commitment to public education. In her day job managing large construction budgets, she has developed a clear, disciplined understanding of complex finances and long-term planning; that expertise is invaluable when deciding how to steward our district’s resources responsibly and transparently. At the same time, her long history as an advocate — going back to her work with the Detroit Public Schools Foundation — shows she understands that numbers represent children, teachers, and futures, and she fights for policies that put students first.

For these reasons, I wholeheartedly support Maria Koliantz for election to the school board. She is a listener, a leader, and a problem-solver who blends professional experience with genuine care for our community.

We are retired West Side teachers who dedicated our professional careers to this community. West Lafayette and its schools remain essential to us. That is why we need a collaborative, well-functioning School Board that will help us maintain the high quality of our schools. We believe that Maria Koliantz is best qualified to achieve this goal. We strongly endorse this candidate for election on November 3.

I am proud to endorse Maria Koliantz for WL School Board. I am a parent to three WL students and a career professional educator. I understand the importance of the integrity, curiosity, and collaboration skills that Maria brings and the positive impact they make in the outstanding educational experience of our students. Maria listens to all her stakeholders, including teachers and community members. She participates frequently in local, public forums about issues in education including Indiana’s currently proposed changes to the high school diploma system.  Maria’s experience with larger, more complicated school systems and the way she values the expertise and experience of professional educators will be critically important to our school corporation going forward.

I have worked with Maria Koliantz through community volunteering, and she is a perfect fit for West Lafayette schools. She is precise, an excellent communicator, hard-working, and she is also conscientious about people and relationships. She listens well while being team-oriented and goal-oriented. She will continue to push for rigorous standards and success in West Lafayette schools, but she won’t lose sight of students’ needs and well-being. As a former West Lafayette teacher, I believe Maria brings the skills most needed in this moment, and I am excited to see where she can take West Lafayette schools in years to come!

I support Maria Koliantz because she understands what it takes to attract and retain world-class educators. I wholeheartedly encourage you to vote for Maria when you cast your ballot.