Emily Leonhardt (Not Applicable)

184 S 1st Street West
Cowley, Wyoming 82420
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My name is Emily, and I am originally from a small town in Colorado. I graduated from the University of Wyoming (go Pokes!), where I met my husband, Austin Leonhardt. We have two ornery little boys, Calvin & Marcus. Calvin just started preschool at RMES, and Marcus is a year old. We have been officially living in Cowley for a year, settling our roots down in my husband’s hometown. We always knew we wanted to end up in Cowley and wanted our boys to attend Rocky Mountain, where Austin graduated. I am a physical therapist assistant in the therapy department at North Big Horn Hospital. I am hoping for your vote this November for the Cowley seat on the Big Horn County School District School Board.

I have been surrounded by educators my whole life, and have seen the importance of the school board. I am incredibly organized with a keen eye for detail. I’m very Type A, and love a good list. I have excellent communication skills, empathy, and the ability to parse information for specific situations. My therapy job has honed my ability to listen and learn from others. I plan on bringing competency and will adapt quickly to this new position if granted the opportunity.

I received by Bachelor's of Science in Kinesiology and Health Promotion at the University of Wyoming, followed by an Associates Degree of Occupational Studies in PT. I am licensed in both Colorado and Wyoming to practice as a PTA. I continue to complete education courses every year.

I am involved in our community often through my job at the hospital. I often represent the therapy department in community events, and participate in local activities.

I have a passion for education; I love learning, I love school, and I find it important. My dad was in education in Colorado, and I saw from a young age the impact that our educators can make on youth. I had planned on getting involved in the local community once we came to Cowley, and an opportunity to run for a local seat presented itself. My boys will be in the Rocky schools, giving me a personal interest in how the Big Horn School District runs. I want to help make school a fulfilling experience for all students, and ensure they feel prepared for what lies ahead post graduation. When I started to consider running, I had several of my former teachers and admin reach out with the belief that I could do a great job on our local board. I think I could be a good asset to the board and bring a different skillset to the discussion.

1. Support school staff and teachers!

2. Keep students successful in the district through the finish line of graduation. Whether it is through traditional school learning or finding an alternate way, it's important to make sure every kid meets their goal of graduating and being successful beyond.

3. Appropriate funding allocations. Examining the budget and seeing which areas could be trimmed, and which areas need a little extra for the upcoming year.

I believe a big priority for school districts is maintaining student enrollment through graduation. The recent implementation of the CAPS program is an excellent example on how to keep learning relevant and keep students interested in school. In a rural area, it is important to support the public schools and their programs while simultaneously preparing them for life after school. With more people looking at homeschooling, it is just as important to keep kids involved in activities or extracurriculars provided through the district. Keeping a well-rounded curriculum that includes improving state test scores while maintaining student interest in learning is valuable.