Note to readers: Robin Griffin-Lohman is one of five candidates for three USD 257 Board of Education seats. You can read our profiles on the other candidates, Lisa Wicoff, Nathan Cunningham, John Masterson and John Wilson.
When Robin Griffin-Lohman talks about her work on the Iola USD 257 board of education, she doesn’t start with numbers or policies — she starts with people.
Whether it’s helping students find their footing or backing teachers as they adapt to new challenges, she sees education as a living, breathing collaboration built on care and community.
Now, as she seeks a second term, Griffin-Lohman hopes to keep building on the progress she’s witnessed firsthand and to continue fostering an environment where students and staff alike feel supported and heard.
Griffin-Lohman, who earned a bachelor’s degree in English with a minor in political science from Emporia State University, says her experience on the school board has deepened her appreciation for the district’s adaptability and its commitment to students.
“I just think we have an amazing superintendent who is such a great leader,” she said. “Our administrators do a good job, and the district as a whole really listens, learns and adapts.”
IN ADDITION to her school board work, Griffin-Lohman serves on the ANW Interlocal board, which provides special education services to area schools. She said she’s proud of the progress being made there.
“Our director is doing a bang-up job,” she said. “She digs in and asks, ‘Why are we doing this this way?’ and if there’s no reason, she finds a better one. That kind of attitude benefits the whole district.”
She’s currently the director of Tri-Ko, a community developmental disabilities organization that covers Miami, Linn and Anderson counties. The position, she said, has strengthened her understanding of how community partnerships can make education more inclusive and responsive to all students’ needs.
A longtime advocate for mental health, Griffin-Lohman said she’s especially passionate about the district’s partnership with the Zero Reasons Why suicide prevention campaign, currently funded by the Southeast Kansas Mental Health Center.
“I would absolutely support the district continuing that program if funding ever became an issue,” she said. “I’ve worked in recovery and I’m also on the ACMAT board, so I’ve seen firsthand how important prevention and support are. The loss of a young person just tears me up inside.”
She also wants to see stronger education around sexual assault awareness and consent, noting that students today face issues previous generations often didn’t.
“When I was in school, I don’t even think I knew what sexual assault was,” she said. “I’d love to see more programming in partnership with Hope Unlimited or other organizations — something that helps kids understand boundaries and respect.”
ON THE TOPIC of school safety, Griffin-Lohman said she’s not in favor of enclosing the high school campus — an idea that would prevent students from crossing Cottonwood Street between buildings.
“Personally, I don’t like that idea,” she said. “I think it could create a culture of fear. I understand safety concerns, but we also have to be mindful of how those measures make students feel.”
Instead, she supports smaller, proactive improvements such as landscaping and facility maintenance. “I was actually the one who suggested trimming and removing some of the trees near the schools because of storm damage concerns,” she said. “Stacey Fager (USD 257 superintendent) had it lined up within a month. That’s the kind of responsiveness I appreciate.”
