Art Gutierrez, a member of the Emporia USD 253 Board of Education, serves as President starting January 2023. 

Art provides Systems and Technical Services and is an associate professor at Emporia State University. Gutierrez’s knowledge and experience with technology makes him a great advocate as the school district improves student achievement through the use of advanced technologies.

“That’s something I know about and can contribute to,” Gutierrez said. “At the college level, we are having these same discussions about student readiness and strategies we can employ to help students be successful and I was already thinking about those things, so I thought I could have a voice.”

As a lifelong Emporian, Gutierrez also serves as an example. He grew up in a low-income Hispanic family and says that serving on the school board shows students from similar circumstances that they can succeed.

“I wanted to serve as a role model for those students,” he said.

Gutierrez said there needs to be more diversity among teachers and administrators in the district, which is about 45 percent Hispanic and where 60 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch.

Putting together a more diverse school district staff is a huge challenge, Gutierrez said.

“Everyone agrees that is a great idea, but we have a hard time making progress on that goal. We have to grow our own,” he said.

And like any other parent with children in school, Gutierrez wanted to become more involved in district policies. He has two daughters, one in sixth grade and one in eighth grade.

“That was a big impetus to get involved. A lot of parents are nervous about middle school,” he said.

Gutierrez was elected to the school board in 2015 and is a graduate of the KASB Leadership for Tomorrow class of 2016-17.

He has a master’s degree in Library Science and bachelor’s degree in computer information systems.

At ESU, he teaches classes on research skills, information technology and information literacy, in addition to serving on numerous committees. He also serves on many community committees.

He said the community is an enthusiastic supporter of the public schools. “There is always some organization giving a grant to the school district,” he said.

Currently, he says state funding and school security are two major issues for the district.

He agrees with the Kansans Can vision of leading the world in student success, but says it will require additional funding.

“We have lofty goals with Kansans Can; we have to fully fund it now. I see a lot of push back and that is why we have to advocate for public education,” he said.