Cromwell-Wright School District 2026 Election Guide

KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.

KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.

Incumbent

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Contributed

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Amy Louhela

Age on Election Day: 33

Community: Cromwell

Employment: Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa - Home Care and Assisted Living Director

Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.

As a Registered Nurse, Public Health Nurse and Licensed Assisted Living Director, I bring hands-on leadership experience to this role. I currently direct Home Care and Assisted Living programs for Fond du Lac Human Services where I manage budgets, staff, facilities and regulatory compliance every day. That means I know how to read policy, apply it responsibly, and make sound decisions under real constraints.

My work also requires navigating complex state regulatory guidelines, building and maintaining documentation standards, and leading a team through change - experience that maps well onto the demands of board governance.

Just as important: I am a parent with kids in this district. I see our school through the eyes of both a healthcare professional and a mom - someone who cares about student health, staff wellbeing and safety as much as academics.

Why are you running?

I'm running because I want to see our district grow - not just in enrollment, but in what we're able to offer every child within the district. A growing district should mean more opportunity, resources, and reasons for families to choose to be here.

But growth means little if we're not also meeting kids where they actually are, rather than measuring them against standards that were never built with their individual needs in mind. Every child learns and grows differently, and our schools should be flexible enough to recognize that. I've seen this firsthand as a parent, and it has shaped how I feel about this work.

I believe our district can do both - grow stronger and become more responsive to the students already here. Those goals reinforce each other. A district that serves its students well is a district families want to be part of.

Why should voters elect you?

Voters should elect me because I bring a record of steady, accountable leadership to a role that requires it. Managing budgets, staff and compliance for healthcare programs every day has taught me how to make sound decisions under pressure, follow through on commitments, and keep those programs running smoothly.

I also bring perspective shaped by growing up in this district myself and now raising my own kids here. Supporting my children's education took a lot of communication, patience, and trial and error before we found out what worked for them, and that experience taught me how much collaboration between families and schools really matters. I'm not approaching this seat as an outsider looking in; I'm someone with real, personal investment in the outcome who also has the professional background to follow through on it.

Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.

The school board's primary role is setting policy and direction, not managing day-to-day operations. That includes establishing district-wide goals, approving policies and developing a shared vision for our school alongside the superintendent and the community.

The board also approves the budget and major decisions around contracts, educational programs and facilities. They make sure the district is meeting its financial, legal and reporting obligations and monitoring overall district performance and outcomes.

Name a public leader you admire and explain why.

I admire my dad, who has served on the township board, the fire district board and previously on the school board for many years. What stands out most is how he approaches decisions. He genuinely listens to community members and takes the time to understand where they're coming from, even when opinions differ. He looks at issues from multiple points of view before forming his own, and he thinks through the possible outcomes of a decision rather than reacting quickly.

Watching him serve has taught me that good leadership is about listening well, weighing all sides carefully and making thoughtful decisions that hold up over time. It's an approach I hope to bring to this role myself.

What are your priorities, if elected? Please describe specific goals.

My top priority is growing our district - not just enrollment, but the range of opportunities and resources available to every student who is here.

That is why expanding services like mental health support and special education is central to my priorities. There are what give every student a real chance to succeed on terms that fit them. I have seen firsthand, through my own daughter's experience, how much of a difference the right support and flexibility can make.

Ultimately, I want a district that grows because it serves its students well - one that families are proud to be part of and one every child can thrive in.

What do you believe is the biggest challenge facing your district, and how do you plan to address it if elected?

I feel the biggest challenge is enrollment. Our area is far from major job opportunities, and there isn't much available housing whether to buy or rent, which makes it harder to attract and keep young families here. That directly impacts how many students we have and the resources available to serve them.

We should be proactive about this rather than waiting for enrollment to recover on its own. That means actively promoting our school and the services we provide, making sure families in the surrounding area know what our district offers and why it's worth choosing. Strong schools can be part of the draw that bring families to a community, even when housing and job access are limited. We have to make sure people know what we have to offer.

What is one success in the district that you would offer support for as a board member?

One success I strongly support is the district's increase in school security along with the no cell phone policy during school hours. Safety has to come first, and the added security measures show a real commitment to protecting students and staff.

The cell phone policy has also made a difference. Removing this distraction during the school day helps students stay present and engaged rather than being pulled toward their phones throughout the day.