Hello, neighbor, friend, community member. My name is Amy Warren and I’m running for school board for District 6 because I understand the importance of a quality public education. It’s personal. I’m raising kids attending WPS along side you. It’s been said “it’s harder than ever to be a parent today because it’s harder than ever to be a kid today.” I’d add that education is a more challenging landscape than before. Wichita Public School students need to feel and see that the city is cheering them on and believes in their future. We do this by continuing to bring together families, schools, neighbors and community partnerships capitalizing on the abundance Wichita has to offer. Together we’ll work for a real education, real connection, and real success for all WPS students.

Connected to Wichita

I was born and raised in Wichita! I’ve called Wichita home most of my life, except for my time at the University of Kansas, a short time in the KC Metro area and an 8-year adventure in the Pacific Northwest while my husband served in the U.S. Navy. My professional experience focused on positions that were largely dependent on building relationships with people (and while I worked at a PNW animal shelter, with dogs. Dogs are almost as amazing as people.) When my husband’s military service was complete, we moved back to Wichita, and enrolled our oldest child in the neighborhood school. I began volunteering with the school Parent Teacher Organization and served for 3 years as the PTO President, among other roles. I greatly value the experience of volunteering in our neighborhood schools and over the years have organized and led parent/caregiver efforts on multiple fundraising events, Fun Nights, elementary school sports leagues, community gatherings, staff appreciation events, and most recently Tech Talk Parent nights. During the recent 2024-2025 school year I also worked as a substitute clerical staff in a WPS elementary school office.

In addition to spending time with my husband and our 3 amazing sons, I enjoy sewing, getting my hands dirty in the garden, running, and reading. I’ve enjoyed working with youth directly over the years as a dance instructor for ballet and tap classes, volunteering at church, and in recent years coaching youth basketball teams with the YMCA.

National advocacy and local participation

In addition to my professional and volunteer experience, for more than 10 years I’ve been navigating challenges around child development and screen-based technology. I have spent countless hours volunteering with Screentime Action Network (a side project of the non-profit Fairplay) over the years, most recently in their Screens In Schools working group for the past 2 1/2 years. Last year our group released a Screens & Learning Action Kit, of which I helped co-author the section on benefits of pen and paper. Currently I serve as the co-chair for the Kansas Coalition for Distraction Free Schools Policy Project, working with a growing number of lawmakers, teachers, parents, educational professionals, and community advocates. Our goal is influencing state-level legislation to advocate for a better educational experience for our children. My commitment to these organizations gives me a view of how Wichita compares in the national conversation and helps me see what solutions are working right now for students across the in other Kansas districts and throughout the U.S.

I’ve been passionate about taking my national work and applying it in our district. I’ve advocated at the school and district level for identifying and eliminating the “low-hanging fruit” with technology that is not living up to its promises. I also address concerns around screen technology that directly manipulates or distracts our students. For example, I advocated successfully for the district to block Youtube Shorts links on school devices. Last fall I was one of the WPS parent representatives on the State Board of Education Blue Ribbon Task Force addressing personal electronic devices in schools. I also serve as a parent representative on the WPS Strategic Planning Committee for Technology. We should ensure technology doesn’t detract from the education and skill-building that can only be achieved in a positive and focused school environment. Let’s reclaim the school day to focus on real education, real connection and real success!