Election Forum 2016
By REED WALLER
Staff Writer
The NRHEG secondary Commons looked like the lobby of a TV quiz show Monday evening, as around 30 guests and staff gathered to interview potential school board members in a public forum.
Five candidates are running on Tuesday, Nov. 8 for three seats vacated by departing members Michele Moxon, Mike Moen, and Lori Routh.
They are Dan Schmidt, Karen Flatness, Robert “Kim” Olson, Richard Mueller, and Neil Schlaak.
Schlaak was unable to attend the forum.
A sixth candidate, Jessica Duffner, has withdrawn from the race, and although her name will be on the ballot, she will not be running.
After a half-hour social time in the Commons, everyone gathered in the media center to hear four candidates — Schmidt, Flatness, Olson and Mueller — lined up panel-style to field questions from organizers Deb Bently and Mark Domeier.
“Why have you chosen to run?”
SCHMIDT: “I’ve got a vested interest in the school and the community, and am hoping to improve the school while my kids are going.”
FLATNESS: “I’ve served on the board before. It was fun, and maybe it will be fun again. I enjoyed my time. Now it will be 14 years before my youngest graduates, so I’m here for the long haul.”
OLSON: “My mother graduated from New Richland High School. My family has been six generations in this area. I have had a 23-year military career, and have experience working with organizations who have facilities, workforce, and administration.”
MUELLER: I’ve lived here 15 years. My kids have gone through the district. I’ve served on the board before, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I’d like to enjoy it again. I’d like to work again to make a better district.”
“Over the last five years or so, what has the district done well, and what needs improvement?”
FLATNESS: “Financing has been well done, but at the same time we need to have more programs, and get more kids to enroll. There should be more trade courses for the high school, such as the nursing program.”
OLSON: We have good students, and a number of very good teachers. But we need to retain those good teachers. Also we’re looking toward a future where there will be more consolidation, more schools working together, and we need to be part of that.”
MUELLER: Financ has been good. Every superintendent we’ve had has run a tight ship, and we’ve worked well within our budget. For improvement, we need more college classes available. My son had a half semester of college classes.”
SCHMIDT: “Our working with colleges has gotten much better. But now trade classes are a big thing. We need more of that.”
“What impact do you see extracurricular activities having on education?"
OLSON: “You have to be able to learn to socialize with other people. Getting people to work together and communicate is important. Band, choir, sports, students who participate in these do outstandingly in real life.”
MUELLER: “Before we get to extracurricular activities we should accelerate in the classroom. Classroom stuff comes before anything else.”
SCHMIDT: “Extracurricular activities like sports, theater and music open doors to the community. They help demonstrate to the community what we’re doing.”
OLSON: “They help the student. If they’re not out for a sport or an activity, their academics slide too. You learn how to work with others, and you don’t have time to get in trouble.”
“What do you see to be the role of the school board with the superintendent, and their relationship?”
MUELLER: The board members are the ears of the community. They repesent the community and communicate back to the Superintendent. They both have to work together. There has to be a lot of cooperation to get the right answers.”
SCHMIDT: “The board has to be the go-between.”
FLATNESS: “The board is the ears for the community. There needs to be a team effort. Working together is key.”
OLSON: “A school district is in the business of raising children. It’s just like any other corporation. The superintendent is CEO; he comes up with ideas and oversees operations. It’s important that lines of communication stay open.”
“There has been a lot of concern about students with behavioral or cognitive disorders. How do you special education?”
SCHMIDT: “Keep looking into what you have coming up. Special Ed is a tough balance, because the situation is always going to be changing every year.”
FLATNESS: “What level of special ed do they need? Is there some way you can streamline it? Put some of them into the regular classroom some of the time? How can you catch them early enough? Every year you’ve got to figure it out again.”
OLSON: “Mr. Stoesz got my boys put into a special ed program. They graduated on the honor roll.”
MUELLER: “It’s a case-by-case situation. What resources do we need? Can we get that here? Or do we need an outside service? That has to be decided for every individual.”
“What ideas do you have on staff retention? Trapping and keeping quality staff?”
FLATNESS: “That’s not quite a board issue. It’s about what items we have to offer. We have a small community and we’re surrounded by bigger, wealthier communities, Owatonna, Mankato. They’re coming out of college looking for a job, they may not have decided what they’re looking for yet.”
OLSON: “What does keep them? Ask them what it is they need to keep them here.”
MUELLER: We have had many good teachers who have been here many years. What kept them? We should pick their brains about why they stayed.”
SCHMIDT: “As much as we’re in a good area, we’re also in a tough area. We need to follow up with the ones who are leaving. Why are they leaving? What can we do to make it better?”
How can we enrich support for bond issues?
OLSON: “Suddenly there’s 9 inches of water in the basement. There’s always an emergency, stuff that comes up. You should get professionals. People who say “Here’s how to sell an idea to a school district.” You can use a hard line. ‘We have two choices: we can pass a bond issue tonight, or we can use the equity to build a prison. Your choice.””
MUELLER: “What is the best way? That’s the question.”
SCHMIDT: “All you can do is continue to sell the taxpayer base. You have to reach out to them somehow.”
FLATNESS: “The job is educating the public on what a school does. Going door-to-door doesn’t work. You have to get them to us.”
OLSON: “I asked people about the referendum, and they didn’t know there was a vote!”
“What do you see as our greatest capital need?”
MUELLER: “Our buildings are in good shape. But are our classrooms overcrowded? What do we do to alleviate that?”
SCHMIDT: “Classroom space is the biggest. We have a beautiful high school, but it’s old. Eventually we’ll have to upgrade. We need more classroom space in Ellendale. That keeps getting kind of forgotten.”
FLATNESS: “A secure entrance in Ellendale should be the top priority.”
OLSON: “I agree. Ellendale needs work. There’s a fine line between what you can do with capital and what you can do with operating money. You can buy technology but not facilities.”
“How would you become involved in the district?”
SCHMIDT: “I’m already involved in extracurricular activities here. Basically, be visible at your school functions.”
FLATNESS: “Before, I got to visit with staff and students. I like to keep a close eye on what’s happening at both schools.”
OLSON: “It starts at home. I told my sons, while they were in high school football, to go to the 7th grade game. The younger kids were elated to get praise from their upperclassmen.”
MUELLER: “When our last child was in 5th grade, my wife got involved in the PTO. Through those elementary years we got very involved in the elementary school. Get out to the community.”
“What do you want to work on?”
OLSON: “We cannot find enough of the crafts. Employers are begging for craftsmen. Many two-year trade classes are held, and many of their students don’t even graduate, because they’re snapped up by employers.”
MUELLER: “Trades is a big thing. Elementary also, keep working with the kids and see what’s best.”
SCHMIDT: “I work in an industry where there’s a heavy, heavy shortage of skilled workers. I don’t want to sell education short, but kids need to be informed about their choices.”
FLATNESS: “How to get more pre-school, and special ed.”
“What are the greatest challenges today, and what are the greatest advantages?”
OLSON: “Advantages — in school we struggled with the Dewey Decimel System. If you didn’t learn that, you were lost. Now you can look up anything instantaneously. The disadvantage is when things come too easily, kids give up too easily.”
MUELLER: “State funding is loosening up.”
SCHMIDT: “Enrollment. There’s only so much to do about that. Advantage is technology. So much more information available.”
FLATNESS: “Technology is both an advantage and a challenge. The challenge is to keep up with the technology. Also it’s a challenge teaching today’s instant-answers kids problem solving. They just don’t get it.”
Closing statements
OLSON: “I want you to know I will be approachable, first thing. And having the courage to do the right thing. I promise I will do that.”
MUELLER: “I kind of know what’s happening in this district. I’m very open, and listen to everyone, and search for all possible answers.”
SCHMIDT: “I have experience handling multiple parties. I’m always in town. My office is four blocks from here. I’m always reachable. My kids are young; I’m not going anywhere.”
FLATNESS: “I’m here for the general public as well as the administration. I’m home by myself, and always available. I’m here for the long haul.”