Cole Wright is seeking a second term on the Sweetwater County School District No. 1 Board of Trustees.

His goals for a second term were first identified in the board’s “Letter to Our Community” published as part of the district’s five-year strategic plan. He seeks positive progress for the district’s students and staff, as well as for the community.

“While I believe many school board candidates have the goal of accountability, and I share that goal, I think it’s important to understand my roadmap to accountability. In my eyes, responsibility precedes accountability and a sense of agency precedes responsibility,” Wright said in his campaign announcement.

Wright said a sense of agency is the belief a person can influence events and direct those events to achieve their goals. Wright wants to build and foster a positive culture that everyone, from students and parents to teachers and staff, can be proud of. He sees that culture as a means of building a sense of agency. He said the culture is built on transparent and timely communication in a safe place where everyone can be heard and productive conversations can take place. Working towards consistency from the first day of kindergarten to a student’s graduation day will result in everyone in the district feeling they’re a part of a bigger cause.

“They feel supported, they take ownership in what they do, they create a positive and safe place in which to thrive and therein responsibility is derived, Wright said. “Once responsibility is felt at all levels, accountability falls into place and results drive higher because everyone is taking ownership for their actions.”

He said students will want to work harder and take pride in that work, while teacher and staff morale is improved because they’re supported, leading to higher-quality instruction in the classroom. With the positive culture and sense of agency established, Wright believes parents would be involved and work with staff and their children. At that point in Wright’s view, the community would be involved and would be proud of the district, supporting the work done towards more positive progress.

“We are a community committed every single day to preparing all students for success in life,” Wright said. “This is my roadmap to accountability.”

For Wright’s plan to work, he said the positive culture needs to be developed through consistency, communication, and involvement. Wright views consistency as the foundation students need to build their education on and as an aspect that keeps schools safe and provides students with the best environment to learn in, while giving teachers the support they need to maintain productive classrooms. Wright said good communication is the bridge between confusion and clarity, and failure and success. He said he promises to continue talking through questions, comments, concerns, and disagreements to work towards positive progress. Wright also asks for involvement from the community to continue promoting the positive culture, seeing involvement as what make the community great.

Wright has served on the board for the past two years, serving as the trustees’ clerk and participating on the policy, insurance, and transportation committees. He also serves as a member of the district’s recreation board. He developed the education corner portion of the school board meetings that aims to educate residents so everyone can understand how the board functions. He was also involved in hiring new Superintendent Joseph Libby and believes Libby will lead the district in a wonderful direction.

Wright said he devotes himself to following up with parents and residents after hearing public comments at the meetings in an effort to ensure they feel heard and he refuses to be a rubber stamp for district business.

“It is imperative to me, in this position, to remain level headed,” Wright said. “I strive to understand the concern, problem, or need of the district or community and then approach a solution in a goal oriented way that makes the most sense for the greatest majority.”

Wright works as a professional engineer and volunteers as a coach along with serving on the board. He has three boys, nine-year-old Maverick, seven-year-old Emerson, and Forest, who is nearly two. He has been married to his wife Sarah for 15 years.