Steve Wallace

Public service has long been on Steve Wallace’s “bucket list,” and, at 33, he figures it’s as good a time as any to get started. Wallace, a teacher, coach and real estate agent, is among 11 candidates to apply for the Lawrence school board seat vacated by Kristie Adair last month.

“Education is important to me,” says Wallace, who has a 7-month-old son and a 2-year-old daughter. “It’s really becoming even more important to me what Lawrence is going to look like from an education standpoint for my little kids. I want to make sure the school district is in the best possible place financially, so when my kids start, we’re still one of the best school districts around.”

Fiscal responsibility is the “biggest issue that needs to be addressed” on the Lawrence school board, in Wallace’s opinion. He’s still a few years away from enrolling his own children in Lawrence schools, but spends every day in the classroom as a social studies teacher at Tecumseh’s Shawnee Heights High School, where he also coaches the boys basketball team. Jayhawk fans may also remember him from his stint as an assistant coach under Bonnie Henrickson for the Kansas women’s basketball team.

Steve Wallace

Wallace, who also works as a real estate agent at Lawrence’s Stephens Real Estate, attended public schools throughout his childhood in Olathe. After graduating from Olathe East High School in 2002, he attended the University of Kansas, earning a bachelor’s degree in secondary education-social studies in 2007 and a master’s degree in physical education-sports studies in 2009.

The Lawrence resident sees his background in education as “advantageous,” but stresses that he brings more qualities “to the table than just being a teacher.” As a father, he serves on the board and financial committee of KU’s Hilltop Child Development Center, where his daughter is currently enrolled.

In his time as a teacher and coach, Wallace says he’s also learned to communicate effectively — an area that he feels could be improved among Lawrence Public Schools leaders. He says there’s been a lack of communication from the district about the application and appointment process for the school board, and, “as a community member,” he feels the board should strive to be open and honest with the public.

“I definitely think communication is so important,” Wallace says. “That’s how I try to be with parents in the classroom or as a basketball coach. I try to be upfront and communicate openly.”

“They might not agree with you all the time,” he adds, “but they’ll understand why you’re doing something.”

The deadline to submit a school board application is 5 p.m. March 6. School board members will review applications at their March 13 meeting and then appoint one applicant to serve the remainder of Adair’s term, which ends on Jan. 8, 2018.