Palacios challenges incumbent Albright for Dayton School Board

Marty Palacios and incumbent Kraig Albright are vying for Position 1 on the Dayton School Board in the May 20 election.

Also running are Roger Webb and incumbent Terri Paysinger for the Position 7 seat, and incumbent Larry Ringnalda, who is unopposed for Position 4.

Voters will receive ballots in the mail soon after April 30. They have until 8 p.m. on May 20 to return them to the Yamhill County Clerk’s Office or local drop boxes.

Albright is the facilities logistics manager for Rivermark Credit Union. He graduated from Dayton High School, earned an associate degree at Chemeketa Community College and in 2016 graduated with a bachelor’s in business project management from George Fox University.

He previously served as facilities manager for Hazelnut Growers of Oregon and for Grey & Company in Dayton, as well as working for Daimler Trucks North America.

First elected in 2021, Albright has been vice chairman of the Dayton School Board and has represented Yamhill and Polk counties as a director for Region 13 of the Oregon School Boards Association.

He’s also been a director for Dayton Little Guy Football and has volunteered for other local organizations.

He said he has a “deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within our schools,” and is dedicated to improving educational outcomes, fostering a supportive environment for students and staff, and ensuring that schools are equipped to meet the needs of every child. He also focuses on accountability, transparency and responsibility.

He did not respond to the News-Register’s request for a photo and more information.

Palacios is a retired educator who worked in the McMinnville School District from 1989 to 2005 as a teacher and 2005 to 2020 as an administer; he also returned as a substitute middle school administrator last year.

In addition, he was dean of education and associate professor at Warner Pacific University in Portland for two years after leaving MSD. He helped the school earn national and state accreditation for programs to prepare new teachers for Oregon classrooms.

He now supervises education students at Linfield University, where he earned a degree in elementary education. He continued his education with a master’s degree in education from Western Oregon University, then received his administrative certificate and doctorate in education from George Fox University.

He also serves on nonprofit boards that focus on helping kids in school, and he has helped launch a charter school in the Portland area.

Palacios said his work with education, teachers and students puts him in a unique position to serve as a board member.

“I have a proven track record of serving students, schools, families and communities,” he said. “My professional expertise and common sense commitment to serving others will positively support Dayton schools to find increasing success for our students.”

He also wants to contribute to the city where he and his wife settled more than seven years ago. “It made sense to me to bring my focus local,” he said.

During his career as an educator, Palacios said he “routinely encouraged those around me, both colleagues and community members, to give their best to students and recognize the value of supporting the future of Oregon by doing our best for students.”

Palacios said educators follow the Latin phrase “in loco parentis.” The phrase doesn’t mean take the place of the parent, though; it means to “act in the way a parent acts” — in the best interest of the student.

“This puts a heavy burden on school leaders since this view of responsibility demands that we seek to understand the needs of students and families by listening to them,” he said. “School leaders must hold a high value for those we serve as we make decisions that are informed by their needs, respects their wishes and adheres to the law in order to find the best outcomes for students.”

He continued, “Having a ‘North Star’ approach to the work that board members face will consistently lead to outcomes that center students, whatever the task or decision that is faced.”

Palacios said local schools must find a way to remain relevant as they support students to build foundational knowledge and develop critical skills that make them lifelong learners. “The ability to apply those skills and knowledge as adults that are prepared for life in the world that they are inheriting is our goal,” he said.

Teachers, support staff, administrators and board members all are a part of preparing students for life, he said. To do this effectively, they must cooperate, collaborate and commit to focusing on kids.