Election 2023: Democrat Kimberly Winnick For Council Rock School Board

Candidates running in the Nov. 7 general election are providing background about themselves and their positions on the issues to voters in these profiles, which will run in Patch individually for each candidate.

COUNCIL ROCK — Democrat Kimberly Winnick is seeking election to the Council Rock School Board in Region7. Two candidates - Winnick and Republican Anne Horner - are vying for one open seat on the board in Region 7.

Biographical Information

Name: Kimberly Winnick

Age: 61
Town of residence: Holland (Northampton Township)
Position sought: School Board Director, Council Rock Region 7
Are you an incumbent? No
Party affiliation: Democrat
Family: Dan and I live in Holland with our three adult children. Twins Rose and Joe and Eli are all graduates of Council Rock South. We also have a four-year-old rescue dog
named Rumi Skye.
Education: I am a Graduate of Council Rock High School and earned a BS from LaSalle University
Occupation: Marketing Executive

Questions

Why are you running?

My ties to this community run deep. I’ve lived in Northampton Township for 40+ years. I graduated from and raised my kids in Council Rock schools, I have nieces and nephews in the district, and I own property here. I am strongly motivated to protect our schools from radical partisan policies, book censorship, and biased historical narratives as we’ve seen in other districts. Candidates like my opponent from Moms for Liberty, the nation’s leading book-banning organization, put our Board at risk of adopting extremist measures that would harm children, destabilize schools, erode trust, and devalue the community. I am running to ensure Council Rock continues to be recognized for and focused on outstanding academics and student outcomes. As School Board Director I will prioritize student needs, respect for educators, and the integrity of our curriculum, while safeguarding value for taxpayers.

What do you see as the top issues facing the district and how do you plan to address them?

My top priority is maintaining educational excellence in Council Rock schools while addressing the critical issues that parents in my region tell me they care about including learning loss, mental health, and safety. To tackle these challenges as School Board Director, I want to collaborate with our team of dedicated teaching professionals along with external leaders in education, employing evidence-based practices to develop effective solutions for our schools. We must also continually draw from the insights of parents as we work to ensure the well-being and success of students.

What policies would you change, revise, delete or retain and why?

For children to learn and thrive they must first feel safe and accepted in their classroom. I’ve spoken with numerous parents in recent months who have expressed deep levels of frustration and concern about bullying in schools. While there are policies in place that may look solid on paper, if they aren’t solving the problem, it’s imperative to revisit them. We must determine if the breakdown is in their implementation, unintended consequences, or a lack of alignment with resources and education goals. Engaging with stakeholders — parents, teachers, and students — will help identify specific issues and inform decisions to amend, replace, or maintain these policies effectively.

If elected, what would you fight to change or keep the same?

Listening to parents, it’s clear that they want a better understanding of our school operations and a stronger connection to the Board’s activities. I believe how the Board functions is as important as the decisions it makes. I see an opportunity to revisit how the Board communicates with stakeholders and work on rebuilding trust and engagement with the community, ensuring everyone feels respected and heard. Fostering a school community where parents, teachers, and students all feel supported and valued is vital to Council Rock’s future success.