Kami Dupree for BESD School Board

About Me

My husband Mark and I made Box Elder County our home in 2016 after marrying in 2012. We are the parents of five amazing kids, three of whom have attended Box Elder schools. We reside in Mantua, Utah, and love the rural/suburban blend found in Box Elder's communities. Mark runs his own landscape design company (My Place Landscaping), and I am an assistant principal at Whitesides Elementary in the Davis School District.

I began my career in education in 2000 and taught mathematics for 11 years at Bountiful High School. I then served two years as the K-12 District Math Curriculum Specialist for Davis School District. After meeting and marrying Mark, I taught math and statistics for Utah State University at their Salt Lake, Vernal, and Brigham City campuses. In 2020, I joined the staff at the Utah State Board of Education as an Educator Development Specialist, and in 2023, I returned to the schools to work as an elementary school administrator.

I have a Bachelor's Degree in mathematics education, two Master's Degrees in Business Statistics and Educational Leadership, and a PhD in Curriculum and Instruction.

Why I'm Running and Other FAQs

Please reach out at dupree.4.besdschoolboard@gmail.com if you have a question not seen here.

Why are you running for school board?

I am passionate about education, and my diverse experience within education has taught me the value of listening to the perspectives of all stakeholders. Box Elder is at a crossroads. I believe my experience as an educator outside of the district and my residency within the district provide me with a vested but unbiased perspective. It is this perspective that will allow me to make unbiased decisions to positively impact the direction of education in the county while bridging the fiscal conversations that currently divide us. Students, educators, and taxpayers must all have a voice in shaping the future of Box Elder School District, and I believe I am uniquely qualified to understand these varied voices and bring fresh insight to resolving complex problems.

Why should I vote for you over other candidates?

No other candidate has the depth of experience within education that I do. I have lived the life of an educator at all levels for 25 years and do not need to rely solely on others' experiences to understand the educational landscape. I live it every day. At the same time, I am uniquely aware of the lenses through which education is experienced by teachers, administrators, district staff, and community members. I can therefore listen with empathy to concerns and see issues from multiple perspectives. Years of experience have taught me to value each stakeholder's perspective and to navigate difficult decisions through compromise.

What are your thoughts about the Board's decision to raise taxes?

Nobody "wants" to see increased taxes, and I am generally opposed to extreme tax increases that place significant burdens on taxpayers. In my view, the most effective means of funding capital projects in schools is to (a) save money a little at a time to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances; and (b) use a cycle of securing and replacing general obligation bonds over time to minimize or negate the need for future tax increases.

In my view, the unprecedented tax increase levied this year is a downstream symptom of an upstream problem. Poor planning and inadequate communication led to the public voting down the 2024 general election bond. This put the board in a position of needing to address significant and real needs without the funding to do so.

For me, the real issue here is less about whether a tax increase was a "good" or "bad" idea and more about how we ensure that this doesn't happen again. We need better planning mechanisms to ensure we know what the needs are and better communication mechanisms to ensure that taxpayers understand why a general obligation bond is needed. Then, we need to demonstrate wise fiscal management to ensure we prioritize needs over wants.

Kami Dupree for Box Elder
School Board

Preparing today for a brighter tomorrow.

About Me

Why I'm Running and Other FAQs

Blog

Campaign Contributions

Contact Me

Drop me a line!

Kami Dupree for School Board

Kami Dupree for Box Elder School Board

Preparing today for a brighter tomorrow.

About Me

Why I'm Running and Other FAQs

Blog

Campaign Contributions

Connect With Me

Contact Me

Drop me a line!

Kami Dupree for School Board

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Kami Dupree for Box Elder
School Board