Proctor School District 2026 Election Guide

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Contributed

Age on Election Day: 40

Community: Midway Township

Employment: Duluth Public Schools, Speech-Language Pathologist

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

I’m seeking election on the school board with my experience as an educator, a small business owner, and most importantly, as a parent to elementary aged students in Proctor Schools.

I’ve worked in public education as a speech-language pathologist for 16 years and my experience has shown me the complexity of operations and fiscal responsibility needed to run a school district. I understand education terminology and the complex issues facing school districts as they seek to provide exceptional educational opportunities. I see the importance of advocacy for public schools not only at the district level, but at the state level where funding decisions and mandates are made that impact the school district’s annual budget and ability to deliver high quality instruction and activities our community expects.

I’m proud to live and work in our Proctor community and I look forward to shaping Proctor’s educational excellence into an outstanding legacy.

Why are you running?

I’m running for school board to keep our students at the front of every policy and decision. If elected, I believe all students need to feel safe at school in order to engage with their innate curiosity and drive for learning. I believe in fostering a school workplace that attracts and supports high impact educators and keeps them in the district. I will work to develop and support policies that promote student achievement for all student groups so our students graduate with the skills and knowledge needed for the workforce or secondary education.

I believe our schools perform at their best when parents, teachers, staff, and community members have voices and input in the decision making process and are empowered to be involved throughout the district. I will work to foster relationships between these groups and encourage collective problem solving.

Why should voters elect you?

With my own young children in the district, I’m present and involved in the school buildings and district and community events. As a parent and educator, I bring relevant experience and knowledge about students’ daily experiences to the board. My top priority is always our students and I’m invested in public education and the longevity of success for Proctor Public Schools.

Voters can trust that I will engage in the following:

Use my educational background knowledge to ask difficult and specific questions to ensure that our schools are operating with forward planning for both student achievement and fiscal responsibility

Encourage transparency through the successes and challenges our district faces.

Develop strong collaboration between district administration, school board members, district staff, families and community members to create meaningful progress in achieving district goals that brings lasting success for our Proctor students and community.

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

The roles and responsibilities of a school board are to use the district vision and strategic plan as a framework to develop policies, balance the district’s budget, and determine how the district is performing towards their specific goals. In addition, school board members work collectively to evaluate the performance of the superintendent. Our role is to support public education and advocate for our students in the district through advocacy at the district and state level. School board members foster relationships between the community and school district by providing transparent information about the district’s performance and plans.

Name a public leader you admire and explain why.

I admire Minnesota AFL-CIO President, Bernie Burnham, who inspires me to look at how you can make a difference starting right in your own home, neighborhood, and community. She has modeled service towards others as a mother, educator, and union leader passionate about helping to improve the lives and community right around her. She embodies positive civic engagement and the continued belief that collectively, we can provide students with outstanding public education.

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

My priority is to keep student success at the center of each decision and policy.

Student safety - All students should feel safe and supported at school. Our schools must provide mental health support to students and be a welcoming place for all people.

Diverse academic and skill development opportunities- Students should have access to multiple pathways to investigate their interests and explore career opportunities

Staff recruitment and retention- Negotiate staff contracts that provide liveable wages, workday protections, and support for our staff to do their work to inspire our students

Transparency about financial decision making - Ensure that data drives decisions and voices from many stakeholders are included before approval from the school board.

Community participation and engagement- Encourage participation and involvement in committees to have representation and input from a variety of stakeholders

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

The district is completing a facilities study to determine the cost of upgrading and maintaining current district buildings and analyzing the outcomes of considering new construction. With aging facilities across the district, there is significant cost in any plan moving forward to care for our buildings and plan strategically for our students. These plans would likely require community support in the form of a referendum. I plan to engage and participate in community meetings to gather input from all voices, listen to experiences of students and staff in the buildings, and consider our long term goals for student achievement while balancing the financial impacts on our community. I will work to support our district’s efforts to strengthen our facilities to create safe and engaging learning spaces for our students and community.

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

The Jedlicka Middle School Travels Group leads students on a variety of domestic and international travel opportunities. These trips provide excitement for younger learners looking forward to travel and lasting memories for students as they learn how to navigate new places, become stewards for the district, and engage in new cultural and learning experiences that build confidence and skills needed for life after graduation.

Additionally, I support the REA3D(Rails Endowment for Academic, Arts, and Athletic Development) which provides grants and financial support to enhance a variety of student activities and enrichment opportunities throughout the district.

Contributed

Incumbent

Age on Election Day: (Field left blank)

Community: Proctor - Bay View Heights

Employment: Proctor Public Schools, District Assessment Specialist/Drama Director

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

I have a master's degree in education, taught high school English, worked as the staff development/Q-Comp curriculum coordinator, and was the family liaison at Bay View Elementary under the SIG grant. I have served on the board for the past eight years and held the offices of clerk and chair. During my tenure on board, we hired two superintendents, and in conjunction with community input the board upgraded our strategic plan. I am active on the policy, curriculum, staff development, wellness, community education, and operations committees. In my current position, I am in classrooms and buildings on an almost a daily basis. I advocate for teachers, staff, and students. With community support, my husband, Ted, and I refurbished a retired bus into a early learning bus filled with books that will be utilized with our early learners through community education. I understand the value of early learning.

Why are you running?

This is an exciting time for education, and with community support, I want Proctor to continue to support all students to help them reach their highest potential. This year our district will implement the MnMTSS multi-tiered system of support. By identifying student needs, the district can support students through interventions and enhancements. This past year the board hired a firm to assess our facilities. We received their findings, and once the community task force is in place, we can move forward and determine how to best invest taxpayer dollars. At my core, I am a teacher, and I want every student to have the best possible learning environment as possible; I want teachers and staff to feel supported. I want to give back to a community that has been so generous to my family and me.

Why should voters elect you?

My husband and I have lived in the district for more than 40 years. Our four children graduated from Proctor Public Schools and received a quality education. Currently, our granddaughter attends Pike Lake Elementary. I am a passionate educator who will continue to work for students, staff, and the greater Proctor community.

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

The primary roles of a school board are to hire a superintendent and set policy. A school board member is a public servant who represents the people in their district. A school board member must be able to communicate with a variety of individuals and make decisions that best serve the needs of our students, teachers, staff, and constituents. Working with constituents, school boards set strategic plans that guide education goals to promote student learning and to align resources that best serve the district. A school board member must monitor goals and objectives found in the strategic plan.

Name a public leader you admire and explain why.

I recently read a book about Frances Perkins who was Secretary of Labor under the FDR administration. She was a woman who worked tirelessly to end child labor, to stabilize working conditions for workers, and she was a driving force behind the New Deal under the Roosevelt administration. She was not afraid to roll up her sleeves and combat injustices regardless of obstacles. Although she is a woman who is relatively unknown, her mark on history is present today.

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

My priorities are to put student learning at the forefront of all decisions. Our strategic plan was updated last fall, and it outlined what the community felt was most important. We adopted the vision and mission statement of "Driven by Purpose - Powered by Community to Educate, Engage, and Inspire." Given that direction, this year we will continue to focus on student learning through the MnMTSS process and take information from the InGensa evaluation to make informed decisions regarding facilities. Monitoring the district budget is vital as a board member. Another goal is to continue to listen to teachers, students, staff, and the greater Proctor community to ensure we "live" our vision and mission statement.

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

Determining how to address our aging facilities is perhaps the biggest financial challenge in our district. As previously stated, we had an audit of all facilities this past school year. Although we have been given estimates of the costs to either upgrade or build new facilities, our next step is to work with our task force and community to make a decision that will impact students for decades. I plan to be an active member of the task force.

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

I was the school liaison when Bay View Elementary was identified by the State of Minnesota as a school that needed to increase student achievement. As a result, we were awarded a School Improvement Grant. During the duration of the SIG grant, I saw a transformation in student achievement and teacher practices. We are now embarking on districtwide implementation of the MnMTSS process. I am excited to see what this plan will do to increase student learning at all levels.

Incumbent

KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.

Incumbent

KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.

Incumbent

KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.