Richard Wood, Democrat candidate for state superintendent for public instruction met with Avon community schools’ staff, teachers, and administrators during a meet and greet reception on Tuesday.

Wood was invited to Avon Middle School, 7199 E. U.S. 36, by Jeff Osterman, president of the Avon Federation of Teachers. Osterman said the purpose of the reception was to introduce him to Avon.

“The position (for state superintendent) gets overlooked and doesn’t get a lot of publicity,” Osterman said. “Being in the education business, it is important that we draw some attention to him. On behalf of the federation, I am happy he came and spoke to the Avon community. We are excited to have him come and share his views with us.”

Tim Ogle, superintendent of Avon schools, was among the few that attended the event.

“We were very honored Wood elected to come to Avon,” Ogle said. “We were happy to be able to host the event and get some name to face recognition. I thought the meet and greet was great for people of our school community to be able to interact with a statewide candidate. It was unfortunate his opponent couldn’t be here so both candidates could be represented.”

Wood answered questions and talked about issues people had within their school community and the Indiana school system in an effort to gain support from the Avon community.

He is running against Republican Tony Bennett.

Although this is the first time Wood has run for office, he said he knows he is an excellent choice for the state superintendent position.

“I am committed to working with the people of Indiana to ensure that our children are able to attend schools that foster responsibility, respect, and opportunity,” he said.

Since he began campaigning in June, he has traveled around to talk to individuals at different schools across the state.

“It’s been a great experience and I am honored to be a candidate,” he said. “Win or lose, I am happy I engaged in this process.”

Wood says if he is elected, he will try to make sure the Indiana Department of Education is friendly and supportive to local school districts. He said he will also work collaboratively with classroom teachers, administrators, parents, patrons, students, school board members, community and business leaders, and state and local officials in raising the bar for student achievement, initiate high school centers for advanced studies; will expand staff leadership development; increase learning opportunities; and will successfully negotiate three-year teacher contracts.

“I am a firm believer in local decision making within the Indiana schools,” he said. “I want to finish the work the state has started and enforce full days for kindergarten, continue to have ISTEP testing, and support high school enhancement state reform.”

Wood also would like to reduce class size, focus on minority issues, encourage the employment of quality teachers that can give the best and brightest teaching skills, keep public funding to schools that are open to all students without restrictions, and encourage families to choose the school their child goes to and not have the schools choose families.

Wood said he has been interested in politics and elections for quite some time and was interested in education at a young age. He completed his bachelors degree in social studies education at Indiana University in less than two years and began his teaching career at Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis.

He then worked as a social studies and psychology teacher at Decatur Central High School in Indianapolis for four years. He completed his masters degree and became assistant principal of Decatur Central High School for five years.

Wood also graduated with an educational specialist degree from Butler University in Indianapolis, graduated from Indiana University at Indianapolis Law School, and graduated with his educational doctorate in school administration from Indiana University.

He left his assistant principal position at Decatur to become principal of Carroll High School in Fort Wayne for three years. He was the assistant superintendent of Warren Township Schools for four years before he became the superintendent of the Tippecanoe School Corporation in West Lafayette. During his 19 years as superintendent, he served as president of the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents and was a charter member of the Indiana Education Roundtable.

Wood retired after 36 years in education after the 2007-08 school year.



andrea.hirsch@flyergroup.com