Greg Wright, a Fishers dentist and the Republican candidate for the District 1 seat on the Hamilton Southeastern School Board, says he wants to give back to a school system that shaped his family.

Wright talked about his campaign in a new podcast with LarryInFishers.com.

All three of Wright’s children went through HSE Schools from kindergarten through graduation. The youngest graduated this year. His wife, Charron, has been active in the HSE High School community, and Wright has coached junior varsity lacrosse.

“I do not have a hidden agenda,” Wright said. “I’m doing this to give back for all the wonderful experiences.”

He said an HSE administrator and community leaders encouraged him to run. He added that Superintendent Dr. Matt Kegley’s appointment was “the icing on the cake.”

This is the first HSE board election in which party labels appear on the ballot. Wright calls himself “a very moderate Republican.” He said he chose the label on the advice of people he trusts in a heavily Republican county. “You have my word that I will not make decisions based on politics,” he said.

Wright said the Hamilton Southeastern Education Association told him it did not endorse him only because he runs under a party label. He said there is “no bad blood.” His parents are retired teachers from Anderson.

Wright supports the HSE funding referendum on the November ballot. He estimates it will cost the average homeowner about $20 to $30 a year. “No one lives in Hamilton County because of the beaches and the mountains,” he said. “You live in Hamilton County because of the school system.” If the referendum fails, he said, cuts should protect classroom instruction and teachers first.

On cash reserves, Wright said the district should keep more than the state minimum because the legislature is “unpredictable.” He also said the district cannot rely on reserves to cover recurring costs.

Wright wants HSE to be a destination for teachers statewide and nationally, and he wants the district to “tell our story” better to attract students as enrollment shifts. He pointed to the Fishers AgriPark, the partnership with Conner Prairie, the South Eastern Sports Network and HSE hosting the Chipotle Nationals high school basketball tournament on ESPN.

He sees the board’s role as oversight, not day-to-day management. “We only have one employee, and that’s the superintendent,” Wright said.

The general election is Nov. 3.

The LarryInFishers.com podcast is sponsored by Citizens State Bank.

Listen to the full podcast with Greg Wright using this link or the link below.