Miriah Cassidy, Lives in Long Beach

Briefly summarize your personal background and qualifications. 

I am a Minnewaska parent and child of a past Minnewaska teacher.   I am the VP of Operations for American Solutions for Business and have been a part of the American team for 14 years. My role is focused on leadership, problem solving, and finding creative solutions. While leading a team of over 150 people one of my biggest daily goals is to ensure their voices are heard when we make decisions as a company.  Through my career at American and my previous leadership roles I have established a reputation of the desire to listen and learn.  This approach drives well thought out and sound decisions.

Why are you running for office?  What are your personal priorities as a school board member? 

My desire to be more involved in the educational system drove the decision.  My personal priority is to learn about the top issues for students, teachers, parents, and community members then take that knowledge to drive positive change in those areas. I also want to learn about the successes the district has experienced and help build on those successes.  I am not approaching this office with a personal agenda around specific topics. 

List two education issues that you consider most important to our district.  What would you do to address them? 

Technology in education- Where is the line where we become overly reliant on technology to educate? I would recommend evaluation of the current technology path and work to create a balance between “current” technology options and traditional teaching methods.  It is critical that technology options do not become outdated or their relevancy and impact outside the classroom are greatly reduced.  While important, technology cannot nurture and provide guidance, so a balance is essential.  

Compensation of our teachers, paras, subs, and school staff- This is a top issue in general business outside the education system as well.  I would educate myself on the compensation practices at Minnewaska and other districts that have experienced failure and success.  While working to make positive change to fall more in line with the current economy I would also suggest reviewing benefits that are not financial.   How can we provide additional non-monetary benefits to teachers and other staff that keep them engaged, driven, and happy in their careers?

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our public schools right now and what is your plan to address it? 

The theme that has been present in many conversations is adjustment to learning style.  While our teachers have a strong desire to set up all students for success, this is not always possible due to various limitations. Students are present with the desire to learn but become overwhelmed with lack of success driven by the need for adaptation.  I would love to hear from the teachers, paras, and various parents on this topic and then work with them to find solutions where all parties can take ownership for their part in the process. 

Why should voters cast their vote for you? 

My desire to be a on the Minnewaska School Board comes from the part of me that cares for all children and their right to opportunity.  Setting up our education system for success drives our overall community to success.  I would love to do my part in the process by using the skill sets I have worked hard to obtain. If voted into this role I will whole heartedly use my seat at the table to be the voice of those that are not present. With the goal to make the best decisions possible for our children, district, and community. 

Will Harvey, Lives in Long Beach

Briefly summarize your personal background and qualifications. 

I have worked in manufacturing most of my adult life. Went from shop floor machining, to now working as a mechanical designer. I excel at figuring out problems as they come up and fixing them.

Why are you running for office?  What are your personal priorities as a school board member? 

I am running for school board because I want to get more involved in the community I live in. I have kids that go to school in our district and I’d like to get more involved in my kids’ education.

List two education issues that you consider most important to our district.  What would you do to address them? 

Technology. The way of the world is moving forward with technology. I know that during the pandemic, and all the at home learning, we would have been in big trouble without the investments that had already been made in technology.  Having chrome books for every student and having it all in place already allowed the kids in our district to stay better caught up than kids in other districts. Moving forward, we not only need to continue to stay up to date with technology as it is quickly changing, we also need to continue to expand the resources for our children. I wouldn’t even say it’s an issue, and I’m honestly not sure of any other issues. I think the current school board is doing a great job of addressing issues as they arise!

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our public schools right now and what is your plan to address it? 

The unfortunate thing is that I think some of the biggest challenges that our schools are facing currently don’t even involve education. “Wokeness” and cancel culture are deleting our history, or re-writing it entirely, which is extremely dangerous. The phrase “Those who fail history are doomed to repeat it” comes to mind. There might be some atrocities that have happened in the past, but not talking about them doesn’t change the fact that it happened. This isn’t “whataboutism,” it’s our nation’s history! Whether we like it or not, we have to tell it how it happened. Other issues like critical race theory and gender politics also just plain don’t belong in our schools. The push for same sex bathrooms that is moving across the U.S. is wrong on so many levels and the mental and physical health dangers it’s causing isn’t acceptable for our kids and needs to stay out of our schools.

Why should voters cast their vote for you? I feel like I’ve been called to get more involved in my community and our kids’ education. In a time when people are running away from school board positions, we need people that aren’t scared to make the right decisions for our kids’ future. 

Zach Lagred, Lives in Glenwood Township (Incumbent)

Briefly summarize your personal background and qualifications. 

I was born and raised in Starbuck.  I graduated from Minnewaska in 2005 and received a 4 year business degree from Presentation College.  I have also received a master’s degree in Banking and Financial Services from Northern State University.  My wife and I along with our 3 kids live south of Glenwood.  Quinn (4th grade), Myles (2nd grade), and Madilyn (1st grade) all attend Minnewaska.   My whole working career has been in banking with me working for Eagle Bank the past five years.  The first three years at Eagle Bank were spent in the Glenwood branch and the past two years, I have been managing the Starbuck branch. 

Why are you running for office?  What are your personal priorities as a school board member? 

I am running for school board since I want to be involved in the decisions that will shape the school district in the future.  My personal priority is to make sure the school district remains in a financially strong position.

List two education issues that you consider most important to our district.  What would you do to address them? 

One issue I consider important is making sure that every student who comes out of Minnewaska is prepared to either enter the work force or continue their education.  Since not every student will follow the same path, I think it is important to offer options when they get to higher grade levels such has choosing to do job shadowing or taking higher education classes.  Another issue that is important is to make sure we are keeping up with education standards by offering the most appropriate curriculum for our unique school district.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our public schools right now and what is your plan to address it? 

I think funding will be a big issue for rural school districts in the future.  Class sizes in Minnewaska are not as large as they used to be so future budgets may become tighter.  My plan is to make sure the district continues to make strategic investments so we can be as efficient as possible with the funding we have available.  

Why should voters cast their vote for you? 

I believe people should vote for me since my career as a banker has given me a unique look into finances along with communication skills to be able to handle numerous situations.  My goal for the school district is for it to continue to thrive and offer the best education for all students. 

Amanda Ogdahl, Lives in Glenwood 

Briefly summarize your personal background and qualifications. 

I was born and raised in Starbuck and graduated from Minnewaska in 1999. I was employed with Minnewaska School District from 2011-2019 as a mental health professional. I left the school and eventually returned for the 2021-2022 school year. During my time away from the district I was elected to serve on the school board by the Minnewaska communities and now that I no longer am employed with the district I look forward to returning to a school board role that I enjoyed very much.  

Why are you running for office?  What are your personal priorities as a school board member? 

I am running for a spot on the school board because this community, school, teachers and children are important to me. I want to be a part of the future of the Minnewaska District and working to collaborate with other members of the school board to provide our students the best educational experience possible. My personal priorities as a school board member are to continue to grow our elective classes and remain competitive with other districts in the area. I know each year our enrollment goes up and down and I would like to work to see our enrollment consistently increase over the next several years. I would also like to continue to promote our mental health program of WIN, which is a significant asset to our district and continues to provide top notch care to not only the Minnewaska District but many surrounding communities. 

List two education issues that you consider most important to our district.  What would you do to address them? 

The first education issue that I have is the area of gifted and talented for our students. I feel we could be doing a better job at challenging our higher level students in developing a program (ex. Omnibus back in the 90s) that met 1-2 times a month in order to have high level and challenging topics to discuss. Another education issue that is important to me is the size of the classes that teachers have in this district. I know in the 7-12 they can have up to 30+ students which would make any learning environment difficult with that many students. 

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our public schools right now and what is your plan to address it? 

I think one of the biggest issues that public schools are facing is funding and making sure the budget is being utilized in the best way. Budget cuts are never a topic that I feel any board member wants to deal with. It is best when administration creates and clearly communicates with board members the district’s financial plan and that plan is focused on living within our means.  If that happens, reductions can be avoided because the district has made thoughtful choices.  However, if budget reductions have to be made, I have always felt it is important to reduce the things that add the least value to the educational experience for students.  That generally means reducing expenses first that are furthest from the classrooms and have the least impact on student learning.

  I believe we shouldn’t continue to do things based on personal preference of adults. Rather, we need to do things based on what is the best for our students because that is why we are all here! 

Why should voters cast their vote for you?

I would appreciate your vote on November 8th because I am team player who works well with others and I hope to do so as a part of an elected board member. I feel as though a good school board member is someone who can collaborate well with others, works as a team, respects others opinions, and listens to members of the school district and the communities. The goal of being a school board member should be to work with those around you for the better of the students and support school employees as you are able. You may not always agree with a decision that is being made but understanding that decision is what is best for all involved. 

Ted Reichmann, Lives in Westport Township (Incumbent)

Briefly summarize your personal background and qualifications.

I am a life-long resident of Pope County, the parent of 3 children who have been or currently are in the Minnewaska School District and a business owner in the community

Why are you running for office?  What are your personal priorities as a school board member?  

As a resident of Pope County, a parent and a business owner, I have a vested interest in maintaining a strong school district in our community.  My priorities as a school board member include ensuring all students in our community have access to a high-quality education and that we are fiscally responsible for all dollars that come into the school district.

List two education issues that you consider most important to our district.  What would you do to address them?

One issue that I see as an ongoing concern is how Minnewaska can continue to maintain or grow our enrollment.  One possible solution is to reach out to other local public entities and explore common goals and solutions.  We also have an opportunity to reach out to homeschool families and other students who are not choosing to attend Minnewaska and find out their reasons for their choices.  As a community, we need to have all parties work toward keeping our enrollment strong and steady.

The second issue I see as a concern is how students are prepared for their future.  Whether a student decides to pursue the work force or continue their education, Minnewaska should continue to explore ways to help students decide what fits them so they can be successful after their time in high school.  

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our public schools right now and what is your plan to address it?

I believe the biggest challenge facing a rural school district such as Minnewaska are mandates that are being proposed or placed on districts.  Most importantly how funding can be applied at the local level.  We need to continue to engage other elected officials to allow local districts the latitude to apply funds in the most appropriate way for the district.

Why should voters cast their vote for you?

As a current school board member, I feel I have brought my conservative fiscal and social background to the boardroom.  I have served with the best interest of our students and community over the last 4 years and would be honored to continue for another term.

Randall Sander, Lives in Glenwood Township

Briefly summarize your personal background and qualifications.

After graduating from New Ulm High School in 1998 I traveled the country working as a technician for the railroad. In 2006 I met my wife and put away the traveling boots, returned to college and attained an Electrical Engineer/Computer Science BS degrees and continued on to complete Project Management/Organizational Leadership MS degrees. Later I founded a software company “InLokality” which focused on connecting members of the community through local chamber offices for services. Like many people, in 2020 I found myself in a transition. We shutdown InLokality, and moved to Glenwood where my wife is a nurse, and I am Senior Industrial Controls Engineer. The entire family loves the move and has quickly made strong connections to the community. I truly believe Minnewaska is an excellent school system.

Why are you running for office?  What are your personal priorities as a school board member?

I have seen a lot of school districts in the past. I have attended, worked at, or sent my children to dozens of schools and I believe Minnewaska school district is one of the best. The culture here is one to be proud of.

I am not running for school board to affect major change. It’s the exact opposite. The next four years will have two issues that no district will be able to avoid. The first challenge will be the economy. We will have to find ways to maintain an excellent educational experience with less resources. The second will be maintaining a strong culture of family and community with changes being pushed from the federal, and state governments.

List two education issues that you consider most important to our district.  What would you do to address them?

Over the last 20 years we have seen a strong push towards technology and universities. 

Having founded a software company, I believe technology is an effective tool to support teachers, but it needs to be carefully implemented with continuous review. A safe space for our children does not include allowing big tech into schools to create psychological profiles of our children. Second, universities are not the path for every student. Over the last decade we have seen a skills gap resulting in a lot of high paying, in demand jobs that can be apprenticed rather pushing every child into a university track.

 What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our public schools right now and what is your plan to address it?

Up till 2019 we saw a time of growth and abundance which often creates inefficiencies. As we see the economy shrinking we will have to focus on “getting small.” This will not be easy, but we will have to identify priorities and build a path to remove anything that is not essential. I view priorities as safety, family and community, along with a strong education.

Why should voters cast their vote for you?

We will see a lot of challenges over the next four years. We need strong leadership that will prioritize safety, family, and the community while we search for solutions. I have a wide background that allows me to see issues from multiple angles to help find solutions. 

Justin Zavadil, Lisa Martin are candidates for two-year position on MAS board

Justin Zavadil, Lives in Glenwood

Briefly summarize your personal background and qualifications. 

I am a graduate of Minnewaska Area Schools and received my bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota. I serve as the current President of American Solutions for Business in Glenwood. My position within American has given me the opportunity to work with and develop relationships with 1,100+ employees and thousands of supplier partners around the country. I’m committed to the success of our community and school district. I have been married to my wife Alisha (Lien) Zavadil (also a Minnewaska Alumni) for 16 years and we have an 8-year-old daughter, Willow, who is a 3rd Grader at Minnewaska Elementary. 

Why are you running for office?  

As a current board member for the past 4 years, I want to continue to serve the students, teachers, staff and MAS community. 

What are your personal priorities as a school board member? 

My priorities remain the same as they have been from the start – doing what is best for our district’s students, teachers and staff. The school is the most important resource to our community. A strong school system is what makes the Minnewaska area such a desirable place to live.  I want to continue to better that legacy. 

List two education issues that you consider most important to our district.  What would you do to address them? 

I believe that there are no issues, only opportunities. 

One of our biggest opportunities is curriculum. We have done a good job of addressing this over the past four years, but this will need to remain a core focus in the future. The current teachers and staff are doing a wonderful job of working together to make this happen.  

The next opportunity is early childhood development. Finding childcare can be difficult for many families – especially in rural communities like ours. I’d like to lessen that burden by trying to expand preschool options to include full-time preschool with after school care options. I recognize there are funding issues and other barriers, but these are the types of opportunities that are exciting work through with collaboration and innovation.

What do you think is the biggest challenge facing our public schools right now and what is your plan to address it? 

If you asked 10 different people what the biggest challenge for the district is, you’d probably get 10 different answers.  Public schools have always had and will always have challenges like classroom size, underfunding, bullying/behavioral issues, special-ed needs, gifted and talented needs, technology needs, building upgrade needs, etc.… I don’t think we know what our “biggest” challenge is. A board member’s job is to make sure that we listen and provide the resources as best we can to overcome these challenges for the students, teachers and the staff. The current team at MAS is creating a culture of success and it’s our responsibility as board members to help provide resources that will allow that culture to grow.

Why should voters cast their vote for you?

I’m running for our students, teachers and staff and have their best interest at heart. I don’t have a personal agenda and consider the school board as a nonpartisan role. Engage every student, every day! #WaskaPride.

Candidate Lisa Martin did not respond to the questionnaire.