Dear Parents and Members of the Community,

When you elected me four years ago to serve on the Olathe School Board, you bestowed in me a trust. I have taken this responsibility very seriously. True leadership requires what I call the 3 C’s - Courage, Capability and Character –regardless of the circumstances. Being a member of the Board is not a position of convenience. It requires honest and facts-based talk at all times.

During this election process there has been a steady stream of false and misleading statements made about me and my leadership. While I have found these comments saddening, I have chosen to remain focused on speaking the truth, adhering to the premise that there is no office in the land worth deception.

My grandfather was a tremendous influence in my life. He was a simple farmer who rose early every day, worked the fields and relied upon God for his guidance. He taught me from an early age that you cannot control what people say, but you can control how you respond. These words remain as relevant today as they were forty years ago.

On Wednesday, March 18th, the Olathe Chamber of Commerce and City of Olathe hosted a forum for Olathe School Board candidates. This was an opportunity to meet face to face and discuss issues pertaining to the District, and to offer strategies and ideas for resolution. All candidates attended this important forum, with the exception of my opponent. Still, I upheld my commitment and conducted the forum, answering questions that are prominent and vital to our community.

The taped forum is now available for viewing at www.Olathe.org and on my web-site www.JimChurchman.com. You will hear me respond with the same information I have consistently provided – our cash reserves lead Johnson County and remain strong, our teachers remain my top priority, and through my proven, effective leadership we be stronger and better able to meet future challenges with our Olathe schools strong and intact. I remain in close contact with state legislators, advocating for real solutions to K-12 funding, and developing funding solutions that will protect the Olathe School District in the upcoming year and for years to come.

As I stated at the top of this note, being your representative on the Olathe School Board requires the 3-C’s:

Courage to do the right thing. Courage to stand alone if principle requires and if it is the right answer for the community. Courage to ask the tough questions and to hold our education system accountable;

Capability to know the detailed facts and work relentlessly to find innovative solutions that best serve the interest of students, teachers, parents and the community – versus simply answering every problem with a tax or fee increase;

Character to be forthright and honest at all times; Character to be transparent with your tax dollars versus using scare tactics and emotional pleas in order to serve special interest groups. The last four years have been a privilege beyond belief in serving you, because I stand beside you in resolving the complicated issues in our schools, and leading our community. Rest assured, when you need me, I will be there. Thank you,