Why I'm Running

Trusted Leadership

Sartell-St. Stephen has earned a stellar reputation as one of the best school districts in Minnesota. Almost everyone I have met in the community says “the schools” are why they came to town or stayed here. During my first school board term, I've worked hard to be a good steward of our schools by being diligent in gathering information, listening to all voices in our community, and making thoughtful and reasoned decisions. I'm running for re-election because I value our schools, and believe my record on the school board over the last three years shows that I’ve done good work for the district and that I’ve become a trusted leader in the school district and greater community.  

Independent of Special Interests

I’m running an entirely independent campaign. My candidacy is not tied to any other candidate, political party, or special interest group.  I will happily receive endorsements from community groups to help spread the word about my campaign, but for fundraising I’m only aiming to receive money from individuals with ties to the school district to help cover the costs of yard signs, flyers, etc. When I first ran for school board in 2020, I accepted $0 in donations and simply paid for my 20 yard signs myself.

Hard Working, Pragmatic and Reasonable Approach

I believe my approach of being hard working, pragmatic and reasonable is the best way to maintain (and build) the community's trust in our schools in today's politically divisive atmosphere. As part of this approach, I strive to consider the best interests of our student body in all matters before the school board. I also generally trust and promote our public school system here in ISD 748, but at the same time realize that no system or school district is perfect and that there is always room for improvement.  

In addition to gaining trust, working hard and handling school board issues with reasonableness and pragmatism is, in my opinion, the best way to show our administrators and staff the continued support they deserve. I believe that the employees in the Sartell-St. Stephen schools overall do outstanding work for our students and families – especially considering the wide range of services that school districts are expected to provide. I am deeply thankful for our hard-working staff and the care they show to our students on a daily basis across our district. Without them we wouldn't be ranked as the top out-state district in Minnesota!  

Non-Partisan Philosophy

To me, it is very important that non-partisan elected positions such as school board, city council, judicial office, and others remain just that: non-partisan. There is good reason why such offices have been that way for many decades, if not centuries: they have a product to put out, and their ability to do that while maintaining public confidence and trust is hindered by partisan political posturing and strict adherence to party platforms. I’d like to see partisan politics stay where it’s meant to be: mainly, in the legislatures at the state and federal levels. Legislative bodies mainly hand out laws, directives, and funds, and for the most part do not provide direct services and products to their constituents. On the other hand, a school district (governed by a school board) is directly responsible for providing a very valuable product to most of the school-aged children within its borders – regardless of theirs or their families’ politics. School governance driven by partisan politics, and the conflict that often results, hurts a school district’s ability to provide a quality product – mainly because it tends to divert attention and resources from students. It also lessens public confidence in the organization.

I want to be clear that I am not saying there shouldn’t be differing opinions among board members or healthy skepticism of matters brought before the board. Those things are vital to a fully functional board. However, such disagreement and skepticism will only be beneficial to a school board if (1) it is constructive and presented as a way to improve the organization, and (2) those in the organization, as well as stakeholders, perceive it as well-intentioned and focused on the students’ best interests, as opposed to being driven by outside forces. 

Analytical and Leadership Skills

School boards are best served by members who have the analytical and leadership skills required to work through problems on a case-by-case basis, without pre-conceived notions, while balancing (primarily) the needs of the students and their families, as well as other important factors such as fiscal responsibility, community/stakeholder interests, and administrative goals. My approach to school board work has and will continue to fit this description.

I would be honored if re-elected to serve on the Sartell-St. Stephen ISD 748 School Board.