Tenbrink seeking election to CDA school board

Mother and current Coeur d'Alene School District board member Heather Tenbrink announced her official candidacy.

As Zone 3 trustee for the Coeur d'Alene School District, Tenbrink represents kids, parents and teachers throughout the Landings, Hawks Nest and Coeur d'Alene Place neighborhoods.

"As a mother who has raised her family here for more than 19 years, I understand the impact the school board has on our children," Tenbrink said in a news release. "I am a passionate supporter of educational opportunities for our kids, and believe that good public schools are a key part of the American Dream."

Tenbrink was appointed in 2021 to fill a vacancy on the Coeur d'Alene School Board in 2021. In the years that followed, she has voted to fund school safety, theater, sports, music programs, smaller class sizes and more through fiscally responsible levies, the release said.

"A variety of academic opportunities and extracurricular activities helps our students to thrive," Tenbrink said in the release.

She said she is passionate about rigorous academic instruction because it prepares students well for the future.

"Her record also includes advocacy for parental involvement in schools, backed by a tenacious belief that parents should be the primary influence in children's lives," the release said.

"Parental involvement in schools leads to better outcomes for our kids," Tenbrink said.

All of Tenbrink's children have attended Zone 3 schools throughout their academic lives, and over the past 19 years she has volunteered in numerous capacities at Skyway Elementary, Woodland Middle and Lake City High schools.

Tenbrink said she is committed to the recently adopted strategic plan that is focused on student achievement.

She said she is seeking election "because stability in administrative leadership will help us implement our plan to improve student achievement."

"I have a talent for being a bridge between viewpoints, helping the board make productive decisions that help our kids thrive," Tenbrink said.

Tenbrink said she is dedicated to supporting teachers.

"We need to attract and retain exceptional teachers by offering fair pay in a supportive environment," she said in the release. "Our kids deserve talented and committed teachers."

This support for exceptional teachers is combined with a conservative approach to fiscal responsibility, she said.

"I will work with the administration to make the budget easier for our community to understand, because fiscal responsibility and accountability is a key part of school board governance," Tenbrink said.