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- Meet the 2023 Board Candidates
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MEET THE CCA SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES
We reached out to the school board candidates to provide our community with information regarding the 2023 election. There are nine candidates including two incumbents.
The candidates were asked the following: Please provide a bio i.e. family, length of residence in the district, occupation, board experience, other experience, etc. Include why you want to run for the Clear Creek Amana School Board of Education and what qualifies you for this position? What do you see as top priorities for the District?
School Board Candidate Forum - learn more about the candidates.
The public school board candidate forum was held on October 24 at 6:00 PM at the High School Performing Arts Center. All participating candidates had the opportunity to answer the same questions as presented by the school board.
Recording link: https://youtu.be/LmcaZf5FxSA
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Nine School Board Candidates Running for 5 Member Positions
The Clear Creek Amana Community School District has 5 School Board positions up for election this November 7, 2023. The candidates and districts are listed below:
- At-Large: (two to be elected, four year term)
- Abdouramane Bila
- Joe Burns
- Sarah Rivera
- Gabe Schaapveld
- District 1 (one to be elected, four year term)
- Allison Momany
- April Schmitz
- District 2 (one to be elected, two year term due to two incumbents in district)
- Jennifer Downes
- Pat Higby
- District 3 (one to be elected, four year term)
- Jennifer Bollers
Selecting a School Board Candidate: Five Key Considerations PDF
Directors serve the students and citizens of the school district and they serve four year terms*. CCA CSD registered voters can vote for all districts and at-large seats. At-large directors can live anywhere within the CCA school district boundaries and district directors must live within the boundaries of their district.
*School Board Director District 2 (one to be elected, two year term due to two incumbents in district)
- At-Large: (two to be elected, four year term)

Phone: Candidate for At-Large
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Abdouramane Bila
I'm Abdouramane Bila. Emily, my wife, and I have been residents of this district for over 11 years. We are proud parents to three wonderful children who attend CCA, a 9th grader, a 6th grader, and a kindergartner at NBE. By profession, I'm a Test Engineer in the semiconductor industry. In addition to my career, I am actively involved in our local community, serving on various boards such as the North Liberty Community Food Pantry, North Liberty and Coralville Baseball and Softball Board, North Liberty Neighborhood Ambassador, Tiffin's AYSO Soccer, CCA Superintendent round table contributor, and the CCA Education Equity committee member.
My family has been engaged in the CCA community since our children's first year attending school. We've dedicated our time to volunteering in numerous PTG events, contributing to the enrichment of all students and staff at CCA. When I'm not involved in school activities, you'll often find me on the sidelines of youth sports events, coaching Softball, T-ball, Soccer, and Basketball in the North Liberty, Coralville, and Tiffin areas.
My top priorities for the district are:
Safe Learning Environment: Prioritizing the physical and emotional well-being of students and staff for academic success.
Inclusive Growth: Managing district growth while recognizing its challenges and embracing diversity, ensuring a sense of belonging for all.
Equity and Inclusion: Addressing disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes, providing high-quality education for every student.
Community Engagement: Building strong connections between the district and the community, fostering a board-staff-students-parents/guardians collaboration for mutual benefit. My community involvement, previous board experience, and dedication to public education uniquely qualifies me for this role. I'm committed to enhancing Clear Creek Amana Schools for our students and families, ensuring a bright and inclusive future for all.
Go Clippers!!

Phone: Candidate for District 3
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Jennifer Bollers
I am running for school board because I know that providing support to school staff is an essential foundation to student and community success. Two of my children currently attend Clear Creek Amana Middle School, so I can truly say I have a vested interest in the betterment of our school district. I have a passion for education. I feel I can give valuable input to the board. The new school being bulit in Coralville is a huge project, and with it comes many new opportunities I would love to be involved in. I feel this would be a great way for me to contribute to the growth and success of my community. Investing in our youth and community is essential. It is my top priority to ensure that each student is served in the best capacity based on their individual needs.
Goals:
- Make sure every student is on a path to graduate and educationally equipped to lead a successful life.
- Provide highly competitive pay for classroom teachers
- Ensure the community provides the resources to protect and enrich students when they are not on campus
- Implement a strong response to bullying
- Pursue financial policies which provide an outstanding return on the communities’ investment in their schools.
- Develop a sense of happiness and moral value in students and faculty as a result of their interaction with the school district.
About Jennifer:
- Resident of Johnson County since 2008
- In the CCA District since 2008 with our 4 kids all attending.
- Bachelor of Science Degree from Southern Illinois University in Workforce Education and Development
- Small Business Owner - Software Business and Full Non Profit - Sports and Leisure
- Substitute Teacher for the last 4 years - CCA
- Volunteer Positions include - Vice President of North Bend Elementary Parent Teacher Group, Co-Director for CCA Youth Sports Foundation Football Program, President of the CCA Booster Club, School Volunteer
- Married to my husband, Trevor for 25 years, we have 4 kids, 2 who went to North Bend Elementary, the middle school and the high school and have moved on to college at University of Wisconsin and Iowa State University. Our other 2 who attended Tiffin Elementary, Oak Hill Elementary and are now at the middle school.
- We, as a family, have been involved in sports, band, speech, choir, musical theater and the musical. My husband is a football coach at the high school and we have been involved with all aspects of the school as well as youth programs for many years.

Phone: Candidate for At-Large
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Joe Burns
I was born and raised in the Clear Creek Amana school district and have been a lifelong resident of the district. My wife Kati and I have two daughters, Kyndall and Kennedy. They go to school at CCE & Oak Hill. I work for the Iowa Department of Transportation and specialize in the field of Highway Construction. I am involved in high priority and high profile road construction. This work experience has proven very beneficial as this district is constantly under construction and preparing for future construction. The general public has a vested interest in the what, why and expense of these projects.
I have served the last two years as the School Board Vice President. I initially became interested in running for the school board two years ago as schools were navigating uncharted waters. Now that passion has grown and I feel a responsibility to this district to do my part in helping keep the school district I attended be the best it can be.
I believe we need to continue to focus on handling the growth of the district while providing students and staff with the safest learning environment possible. I believe we need to continue to focus on the schools' responsibility of providing an academic experience that prepares our youth for the future, not strictly for college but into their adult life as well.

Phone: Candidate for District 2
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Jennifer Downes
I was born and raised in Northwest Iowa. I have been a Johnson County resident for 27 years, living within the Clear Creek Amana district for 22 years. My husband Chris is a 3rd generation Clipper. We have three sons, Jack, Lincoln, and Flynn, attending CCA High School, CCA Middle School, and Mount Mercy University. I graduated from the University of Iowa with degrees in Communications and Sports, Health, and Recreation Studies. I have previously worked at the Iowa City Press-Citizen and for Marriott International, ultimately leading to owning and operating my own business, Clear Creek Kitchen. I have been volunteering and serving on committees in the district for almost 14 years, dedicating a lot of time and energy for the benefit of our students and educators. Some of my efforts worthy of mention are; CCE PTG Fundraising Chair, CCA Booster Club, Building and Facilities Committee member, Classroom Volunteer, YSF Volunteer, Youth Basketball Coach, and CCAHS Baseball Booster.
Since 2021, I have been delighted to serve on the Clear Creek Amana School Board of Directors. Serving additionally as a chairperson on the Policy, Equity, Athletic Advisory, and Superintendent Roundtable Committees. My board work has ignited my passion to continue to work to make Clear Creek Amana one of the best districts in the state. Our top priorities should include, the management of our growth, while remaining fiscally responsible in our planning. Fulfilling an obligation to our students to provide a top notch education with rigorous standards, while also providing the best resources and facilities to reach those standards. Finally, we should prioritize the partnership that makes a district flourish , the partnership between staff, students, parents/guardians, and our community. I believe we are just scratching the surface on our potential as a fast growing district. I am excited to see CCA move into the future.

Phone: Candidate for District 2
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Pat Higby
With a lifelong passion for education and deep ties to the Clear Creek Amana community, Patricia (Pat) Higby is eager to serve on the School Board of Education. She moved to Tiffin in 2019 to be closer to her daughter's family and has relished living within walking distance of her grandsons’ schools.
Pat brings over 15 years of experience as the energy education coordinator at the University of Northern Iowa. She also worked as an adjunct instructor for the UNI Physics Department, education coordinator for the UNI Museum, and a science and math teacher at Union Whitten and East Waterloo high schools. Her diverse professional background also includes co-owning a small engine sales and service store with her late husband and running her own craft business.
Actively involved in the community, Pat volunteers at Safe Haven of Iowa County and is a member of the Craft Guild of Iowa City. As a member of the Clear Creek Lions Club she helps organize blood donor drives and transports eye tissue for the Lions Eye Bank. She serves as president-elect of the Iowa chapter of the American Association of University Women. She has served on numerous boards and committees, including the Iowa Consumer Advocate Advisory Panel, Iowa Renewable Energy Association, Iowa Chapter of US Green Building Council, and the Iowa Wind Energy Association. These roles allowed Pat to develop critical skills in leadership, budget management, and working collaboratively.
If elected to the school board, Pat is committed to ensuring an exceptional education for all students in the district. Her priorities include nurturing academic excellence, using district resources wisely, and preserving the freedom to learn and teach. Using her extensive experience as an educator and community leader, Pat will work with parents, teachers, staff, and fellow board members to empower teachers, provide an enriching learning environment, and help every child thrive.
Phone: Candidate for District 1
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Allison Momany
Allison Momany, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in child and adolescent development and mental health. She lives in Amana with her husband, Tyler Stockman, and two sons. Allison and Tyler both grew up in the district (Allison in Amana and Tyler in Oxford) and attended school at CCA from preschool through high school graduation in 2007. This is Allison’s first time running for a school board position; however, she has extensive experience serving on a variety of professional and community committees.
Allison has specialized training in child and adolescent development and mental health, and this knowledge and experience will be important to informing district programs and policies to best provide for the district’s youth.
She is passionate about identifying the unique benefits each community (e.g., Amana, Oxford, etc.) brings to the district and finding ways, opportunities for all communities to provide unique, high-quality educational programs for students (e.g., internship with agricultural corporations, seminars with small business owners and entrepreneurs, etc.). Allison believes in making sure all students and employees feel safe and included. She will consider important data, such as state testing scores, while also acknowledging that specific circumstances may affect student scores from year to year. She highly values input from students, teachers, and community members, and will make sure to consider such input in her decision-making process.
Allison’s top priorities for the district are to (1) Address the increasing rates of mental and behavioral health problems in youth by increasing prevention and intervention efforts in the district; (2) Ensure safe and inclusive environments for all students and employees; and (3) identify and offer unique, community-specific training and educational opportunities.

Phone: Candidate for At-Large
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Sarah Rivera
I was born and raised in New London, Connecticut. I graduated in 2007, from Norwich Free Academy, with a class of over 500 students. I acquired four years of Early Childhood Development experience at Bright and Early Learning Center. As an educator of children ages 6 weeks to 5 years old, I created curriculums based on Connecticut’s Early Learning Development Standards. The curriculum focused on social/emotional development, cognitive skills, and creative arts. I have always had a passion to work with children. Collaborating with other teachers, and developing relationships with the parents of our children, in order to achieve the common goal of growth and development, is what attributed to my success in this field.
For over ten years, my mother has lived in Iowa. This year, my family and I are proud to call Iowa, home. Upon our arrival, both my husband and I have been involved with our local church and have dedicated our time to learning about the CCA district by attending all board meetings and speaking with current board members and administration. We have two children in the CCA district, a preschooler at Tiffin Elementary, and a sophomore at Clear Creek Amana High School. I have a vested interest in the success of our schools and I share the same desires and concerns as any member in our community. Equipping our children for college and/or the workforce, while also providing them with an equal, quality education, is my priority. Our CCA family is continuing to grow every day, including families with different perspectives, belief systems, and cultures. I believe it is essential that school boards reflect their communities, in every demographically diverse way imaginable. Supporting students, families, teachers and administration, and maintaining an open line of communication is the most important way we may realize a better future for our children. If elected, I will be the bridge between our community and the district.

Phone: Candidate for At-Large
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
Gabe Schaapveld
Growing up in the Clear Creek Amana district, I have witnessed the significant growth that the district has experienced over the last 30 years. I have seen that such expansion brings with it unique challenges to solve, as well as opportunities to unearth. I watched my father, Dan, serve on the CCA school board for multiple terms when my sister and I were students in the district. From him, I understand the patience, compassion, and energy that the role of school board member entails.
After graduating from CCA, I obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa, and then graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in 2008. Since, I have held various roles within the Iowa Department of Correctional Services, including the last 5 years as Supervisor of the Probation and Parole High Risk Unit. My wife, Elizabeth, and I live on the Eastern edge of the district and have two children currently attending North Bend Elementary. I enjoy volunteering in the community, especially coaching my children’s various sports teams and serving on the board for the Oxford Little League, where we continue to keep small town baseball fun and thriving.
I aim to enrich our student environment, to position all students to learn in a way that will best suit them and prepare them for the next level in their lives; whether that is the next grade, college, or a trade. I intend to levy for competitive practices in our district in order to attract and retain educators, support staff and coaches.
My parents were honored as CCA Foundation Hall of Fame inductees last year. I am grateful that they fostered in me a passion for volunteering and bettering our community. At the risk of resembling a Progressive insurance commercial where I “become my parents,” I am anxious to pick up the torch and continue their work. I want to assist this community to navigate, not only the issues in front of us today, but also help posture the district for the future.
Phone: Candidate for District 1
Email:
Degrees and Certifications:
April Schmitz
I was born and raised in Northwest Iowa. I have been a resident of Johnson County since 1998 and of the CCA CSD for 10 years.
I obtained my BSN from the University of Iowa College of Nursing, my MSN from Rush University and DNP from the University of Iowa.
I have worked at the University of Iowa for 21 years, currently as a pediatric nurse practitioner. I served on Unit Council, co-developed a retention plan for nursing years of experience, and continue to provide lectures for nursing staff.
At CCA, I am a CCA Booster Club member, was a Clipper Baseball Club Board member and classroom volunteer.
I have been married to my husband, Matt Schmitz, for 16 years. We have 3 children attending CCA, all at different buildings.
I am running for school board for my children and yours. I am passionate that we provide our students with necessary tools to experience confidence and success in the classroom and as they enter the work force, learn a trade or further their education. It is imperative to identify educational gaps to provide students with targeted interventions to improve their academic success, that the district and community are a safe place for all students to be able to learn and engage without fear of bullying or exclusion, and to partner with the community by nurturing the relationship between the school and the district to provide students with a team approach to excellence. It is my goal to continue to recruit qualified teachers and financially invest in measures to retain those current teachers who have been dedicated in fostering student growth and academic development. Their level of dedication and commitment is obvious, and it is crucial we retain them in our district. Our district has embraced major growth and as a result is challenged with changing demographics and providing necessary facilities for fine arts and athletic growth in a district our size.