Meet the candidates for St. Cloud school board

ST. CLOUD – Seven candidates — including several familiar faces — are vying for four seats on the St. Cloud school board, the nonpartisan body that oversees the district of about 10,000 students, its policies and its superintendent.

All four incumbents who are up for re-election — Scott Andreasen, Al Dahlgren, Shannon Haws and Monica Segura-Schwartz — are in the mix, along with former school board member Bruce Hentges. Other candidates are Yoanna Ayala-Zaldana and Diana Fenton.

The elected candidates will join Zachary Dorholt, Natalie Copeland and Heather Weems on the board. Members serve four-year terms.

The Minnesota Star Tribune asked each candidate the following questions in advance of the election to help the voters decide. Answers may have been slightly edited for length and clarity. Candidates are listed alphabetically. Ayala-Zaldana did not respond to requests to return the questionnaire.

Age: 75

City of residence: St. Joseph

Educational background: Bachelor’s degree in social studies education and a minor in business administration from Minnesota State University, Mankato

Occupation: Licensed private detective, owner of Scott Investigations

Family: Married with six children who graduated from Apollo High School

Experience: Former member of the district’s strategic planning committee, high school solutions committee, community education advisory committee and board finance committee. Current board treasurer, delegate to Minnesota School Boards Association, and member of the finance committee and the board development, policy and governance committee.

Why are you running? I am an incumbent. I have a good understanding of the issues and players. I am fiscally responsible. We have a balanced budget unlike most school districts in the state. I lead in reviewing and setting board policy. I am a small-business owner. I am an Eagle Scout — a man of integrity and good character.

What are the top issues facing the school district? The safety of students and staff; I have voted for secure entrances to our schools and to support school resource officers. Also, unfunded mandates for special education and English learners. This reduces the general fund, meaning less money for regular students. Equity between high schools is needed. Tech is new. Apollo is 50 years old and needs remodeling: A new law requires storm shelter for all students. Charter schools are stealing our students and most provide an inferior education.

What are your plans to address those issues? I will continue to vote for policies for safe schools. I recently participated in an active-shooter drill with police. I support a referendum to remodel Apollo High School. As delegate to Minnesota School Boards Association, I support lobbying the Legislature to provide more money for special education and English learners. Also, lobby to hold charter schools accountable.

Age: 65

City of residence: St. Joseph

Educational background: Bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota

Occupation: Owner, Once Upon a Child

Family: Four adult children who attended St. Cloud schools

Experience: Three terms on the St. Cloud school board, with two years as chair, four years as vice chair and four as the district representative to the Minnesota School Boards Association. Also serve as finance committee chair.

Why are you running? I continue to be motivated to provide a quality education for all students. I believe we should keep schools free from the friction of politics and activism and focus on learning, and I feel I am influential in helping keep our district’s focus on education. I am a small-business owner and bring an entrepreneurial perspective to the board. As chair of the finance committee, I am very involved in budgeting and spending decisions, and we have proudly delivered 12 balanced budgets without asking local taxpayers for an excess operating levy.

What are the top issues facing the school district? Improving student and staff safety while reducing classroom disruptions. The needed renovations at Apollo High School, including bringing career and technical spaces up to industry standards, improving science labs, installing a permanent safe and secure entrance, and adding a state-mandated storm shelter. We also need to do a better job of sharing the district’s countless success stories. The internet and social media have made it too easy for anonymous degradation from people with no investment in, or knowledge of, our school community. The work we do is critical to the future socioeconomic and employment needs of this community, and we need to find a better and louder way to communicate our incredible story.

What are your plans to address those issues? Create a focus group to look into stronger policies for safety and classroom disruptions. Ask the community to support a bond referendum to upgrade Apollo. And better share our story: Our district is home to an extraordinary group of experienced educators and unmatched programming. We offer exceptional talent development at the elementary level and the area’s largest selection of Advanced Placement courses. We integrate with four local colleges, provide three unique immersion programs and offer extensive career and technical education supported by local employers. As a regional center, we also provide phenomenal support to students with diverse needs, including a high number of special education students and English learners. Additionally, we face high levels of poverty, homelessness and student turnover, which often mask the incredible achievements we deliver.

Age: 52

City of residence: St. Cloud

Educational background: Bachelor’s degree in biotechnology; master’s degrees in plant breeding and genetics, and in interdisciplinary teacher preparation and leadership

Occupation: Associate professor of education at College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University

Experience: Former member of the Minnesota Science Teachers Association board, a volunteer at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Minnesota, and a member of CSB/SJU committees on curriculum, rank and tenure, and faculty development and research.

Why are you running? With 24 years of experience in education, I’m running to leverage my deep understanding of our educational system for the benefit of our community. Over my career, I’ve witnessed the evolution of teaching methods, educational technologies and student needs. This long-term perspective will be invaluable in making informed decisions in the district. I’m committed to supporting teachers, enhancing student achievement and ensuring our schools adapt to prepare students for an ever-changing world. My experience has shown me the importance of collaboration between educators, families and administrators. I want to serve the community.

What are the top issues facing the school district? The decline in academic performance, attendance and graduation rates. I understand the challenges with funding but these three issues are connected and affect a family’s decision to stay in the district — and we are losing students.

What are your plans to address those issues? One way to address the problems of academic performance, attendance and graduation rates is to allocate funding for training on high-impact teaching practices that balance the use of technology, policies and programs for students who are not attending regularly, and alternative education opportunities to keep students engaged in school and prepare them for careers.

Age: 59

City of residence: St. Cloud

Educational background: Bachelor’s degree in business management and human resources from St. Cloud State University

Occupation: General manager, Comfort Keepers Home Health Care

Family: Significant other Tim and four children

Experience: Two terms on the St. Cloud school board, the last four years as board chair.

Why are you running? I am seeking re-election because I deeply value the role of a strong public education system, both as a business manager and as a parent in our community. Over the past four years, I have had the privilege of serving as board chair, during which I have worked to foster a balanced and respectful approach to governance. In a time when many school boards face division and contention, my ability to listen, understand and respect diverse viewpoints has been crucial in maintaining a high-functioning board.

What are the top issues facing the school district? St. Cloud schools face a significant cross-subsidy due to underfunded mandates for special education and English learner programs. This forces the district to divert funds, affecting resources for other educational programs. Unequitable funding formulas mean we have fewer resources for students and staff. Also, district data shows we need to work on closing the achievement gap and increasing graduation rates. However, data alone doesn’t capture the challenges being overcome and the remarkable work and progress within the district.

What are your plans to address those issues? We need a collaborative and knowledgeable school board to support the district in expanding targeted interventions and resources, ensuring all students have what they need to succeed. Early intervention is critical. I will continue to prioritize small class sizes in grades K-3 to help students achieve reading and math foundational skills needed for successful middle and high school learning. We also need to continue to educate and advocate for equitable funding formulas. Too often, school boards are becoming divided and overstepping their governance role. I am committed to maintaining a respectful and collaborative board environment that supports staff to improve student outcomes.

Age: 74

City of residence: St. Cloud

Educational background: Bachelor’s degree in social science and teaching from St. John’s University; master’s degree in educational administration from St. Cloud State University

Occupation: Retired executive director of the nonprofit St. Cloud Local Education and Activities Foundation (LEAF); former employee of the St. Cloud school district, serving as a teacher, coach, activities director, transportation, administrator and elementary principal

Family: Wife Colleen, two sons and several grandchildren

Experience: Founder and member of the LEAF board for 30 years, retiring in April after 15 years as executive director. Also served two terms on the board, from 2008-2012 and 2014-2018.

Why are you running? My career has been education-focused. My passion is public education and the opportunities it brings to all students. Having just retired as executive director of LEAF, I have the time, energy and passion to continue doing what I can to support the great teachers and staff in the district so they can continue to deliver a quality education for all our students. I believe talent is distributed equally among groups but opportunity is not. Public education gives all students the opportunities needed to find success in their lives.

What are the top issues facing the school district? Among the biggest issues facing public education is adequate funding to meet the needs of students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. St. Cloud school district has a disproportionately large number of students who have special needs, come from families in poverty or are new-to-country. I want St. Cloud to be the example for the rest of the state on how to provide an education that meets the needs of all students. The special education cross-subsidy is unacceptable and needs to be eliminated by the Legislature so that all districts receive adequate funding. Another issue is attracting and retaining the highest-caliber teachers to our district so that the needs of all our students are met.

What are your plans to address those issues? I will work with my colleagues on the school board to develop policies that support a quality education for all students and a quality work environment for all staff. I have testified several times before the Minnesota House’s education finance committee regarding the special education cross-subsidy. I testified in the 2022 session in support of Rep. Dan Wolgamott’s bill that would have eliminated the cross-subsidy, and will again work with our legislators to address the unequal and inadequate funding of our public schools. I will also support efforts to attract and retain quality educators who can help our students realize their talents. I will be an advocate and champion of the great programs our district offers and the great staff that we have.

Age: 52

City of residence: St. Cloud

Educational background: Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Pontifical Xavierian University in Bogotá, Colombia; master’s degree in social responsibility from St. Cloud State University; master’s in advocacy and political leadership from Metro State University

Occupation: Bid manager at Entrust Corp.

Family: Married

Experience: Two terms on the St. Cloud school board. I have served on several other nonprofit boards throughout my life in St. Cloud. I directed after-school and community programs in nonprofits for about 15 years before moving to a for-profit organization.

Why are you running? I am one of the most experienced members of the board and continue to add to the diversity of opinion and life experiences. This is very important when one of our priorities is to update Apollo High School: We continue to work towards excellence of education in a diverse environment where all kids have the same opportunities. Today’s board is much more diverse than when I started. That diversity has been healthy and has made us resilient in one of the hardest times for school boards around the nation.

What are the top issues facing the school district? Equity in our high schools; we need to support and pass a referendum to fund improvements at Apollo. The cross-subsidy caused by an underfunding of special education services, which translates into lack of adequate funding to support education and a lack of equity among school districts in our state. Issues around school climate and perceptions in the community.

What are your plans to address those issues? We need to continue to advocate for fair and adequate funding with our legislators. As board members we continue to educate them and our community about the specific challenges and disparities we suffer in our school district and how that can be addressed. I am working with the administration and my fellow board members about the school climate. We are practicing listening (it sounds simple but needs mastering) and turning people’s input into organized strategies. We have made strides. Our families are feeling a better sense of belonging and we have better supports for our kids and staff. We need to continue working on this.

The League of Women Voters of the St. Cloud Area also held a candidate forum for school board candidates. It’s available online here.