KAXE contacted each candidate at least twice to invite them to participate in our Election Guide, using contact information submitted to the Secretary of State's Office.
Candidate responses have not been edited and are published exactly as submitted, including typos and formatting.
As necessary, our news team added contextual information clearly marked with an "editor's note" and in italics. We will make every effort to make note of inaccuracies if they come to our attention.
Please contact our news team at news@kaxe.org with questions or comments or to report any errors.
KAXE's Election Guide includes contested races in communities with at least 100 people. Visit our full list of who's running for office in Northern Minnesota to see who else will be on the ballot in November.
About this race
The school board is responsible for setting the school district budget, adopting district policies and hiring and overseeing the superintendent.
Jordan Johnson, Nikki Peterson, Ashley Reinier and Sally Roller are the school board members whose seats are up for election this year. All but Roller are running for reelection.
The top four candidates will begin their four-year terms in January.
Click the tabs below to learn more about the candidates
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
Age on Election Day: 45
Community: Warren, MN
Employment: Social Worker Team Leader at Marshall County Social Services
Please share any prior experience and education that you believe qualifies you for office.
I obtained a bachelor's degree in social work from Concordia College in Moorhead and a master's degree in social work from the University of Minnesota. I have been employed as a social worker team leader for the past 22 years at Marshall County Social Services. I have also served as the president of the Marshall County Benefits Committee for the last 10 years. In addition to my primary professional role, I have maintained a part-time private practice in Grand Forks for the past 10 years, providing clinical social work and psychotherapy services to children, adolescents, and young adults. Outside of work, I have taught Sunday School for 15 years and served as the church council president for two years. I currently serve as a parent representative on the WAO Curriculum Committee and on the WAO Comprehensive Achievement and Civic Readiness Committee.
Why are you running?
My motivation for running for school board is simple: I want to provide meaningful support to the student body, to all of the staff employed at WAO, and to the entire community. I can provide support in a variety of ways, and through my ability to listen, connect, collaborate, and work with others, I will be a positive and supportive presence on the school board.
Why should voters elect you?
I believe my experience of working with children and adolescents, collaborating with teams, and leadership roles have prepared me to serve effectively on the school board. I will provide meaningful support to all of the students, faculty, families, and community of WAO.
Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.
A school board member along with the entire school board team is tasked with establishing educational standards and making decisions for the school district that will shape the future of the students and community. The responsibility of the school board is to make thoughtful, informed decisions that have the students, faculty, and community's best interests at the heart of every decision. Finally, the school board role is meant to be that of oversight and not day to day management.
Name a public leader you admire and explain why.
A public leader I admire is Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1993 until her death in 2020. I admire her for her pioneering roles and work. She was one of only nine women in a class of over 500 men at Harvard Law School in 1956. She was the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court. I admire Ruth because she was a fierce advocate for gender equality, women's rights, civil rights, and voting access.
What are your priorities, if elected? Please describe specific goals.
1) My top priority is having solid partnerships by strengthening relationships with the community, student body, and all of the staff of the district.
2) My second priority is to focus on the overall school budget. There needs to be a balance between planning for the future and investing now in the student body and hired staff.
3) My third priority is to ensure that the school board commits to its function of governance or oversight rather than management.
What do you believe is the biggest challenge facing your district, and how do you plan to address it if elected?
One of the biggest challenges facing our district is making sure the budget is balanced and working to not deficit spend. There needs to be a balance between planning for the future and investing now in the student body and hired staff. In addition, we need to keep our eye on what happens with the Blue-Ribbon Commission, which is being charged with proposing an action plan for how to cut $250 million from the state's special education budget for the biennium beginning July 1, 2027, according to the Minnesota Department of Education. At the same time, the Commission needs to maintain a free and appropriate public education for students with disabilities. I am committed to staying informed as this unfolds and to understanding the implications for the education of all students and for funding at WAO.
What is one success in the district that you would offer support for as a board member?
The school district recently passed to have several early-out days for staff development through the use of Professional Learning Communities. An area of focus in the next couple of years for WAO will include supporting the Professional Learning Communities that are being developed for the early-out times. The faculty will be learning how to utilize the Professional Learning Communities during the early-out days so that they can collaborate with peers regarding curriculum and ensure that our academics are robust. It will be exciting to see what the impact of early-out days will be on student learning and academic achievement.
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.
Incumbent
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
KAXE did not receive a response from this candidate.
Still have questions for the candidates? Contact information for all those who've filed to run for office can be found at candidates.sos.state.mn.us.
-
Essentia Health announces merger; Detroit Lake school board introduces 'viewpoint neutrality' policyPlus: Lost hunters rescued near Hibbing. -
Contributed/Bob Dunlap via iNaturalistDuring the Phenology Report for the week of Sept. 29, 2026, Staff Phenologist John Latimer remarks on overwintering butterflies, changing colors, and hummingbirds. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEThe Detroit Lakes School Board rescinded its July 2026 action that prompted an ACLU lawsuit as it prepares to amend its policy on non-school materials. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEThe healthcare companies announced the merger on Sept. 29, 2026. The combined company would include 22 hospitals and over 135 clinics in Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin.
