In this edition of Community Conversations, Sheila Roberts Prior talks about her candidacy for Wayzata Public Schools School Board with Wayzata.com‘s Dan Gustafson. For more information on Prior, visit: SheilaPrior.com. Sponsor: LakeMinnetonkaRealEstate.com
Tag: Wayzata School Board
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In this edition of Community Conversations, Seanne Hanke Falconer talks about her candidacy for Wayzata School Board with Wayzata.com‘s Dan Gustafson. For more information on Falconer, visit: Falconer4Wayzata.org. Sponsor: LakeMinnetonkaRealEstate.com
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Wayzata.com is your source for news and information in Wayzata, MN, 55391, and the Wayzata School District.
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Wayzata.com is your source for news and information in Wayzata, MN, 55391, and the Wayzata School District.
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Click this image to view the results. The Wayzata School board election results are as follows:
Linda A. Cohen: 1576
Cheryl Polzin: 1500
Carter Peterson: 1444
Jay Hesby: 1279
Gregory Baufield: 1019
Joan Curtiss: 999
Nick Roehl: 857Yellow highlighting indicates the candidate was elected.
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Seven candidates filed during the August 2-16 filing period for four open seats on the Wayzata Public School board. Wayzata.com asked the candidates a series of questions so you could make an informed decision. A link below indicates that the candidate answered the questionnaire.
Candidate Roehl did not respond by the deadline.
Stay tuned to Wayzata.com, your Wayzata School Board candidate leader.
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What previous educational experiences do you have? Where did you go to high school and college? What kind of degrees have you obtained?
- Tobe-Coburn School of Retail Management, New York, NY
- Williams College, Williamstown, MA, B.A. in Psychology
- Catlin Gabel High School, Portland, OR
I was fortunate to attend excellent schools and the advantages of that education motivated me to be actively involved in the schools as a volunteer when my own children’s K-12 years and long after they all graduated from Wayzata HS. I am used to high standards and high expectations and have always advocated for policies and programs that create opportunities for Wayzata students to excel at the highest levels.
What professional experience do you have?
- Buyer and Group Sales Manager, Macy’s California, San Francisco, CA
- Assistant Buyer and Dept. Manager, Woodward & Lothrop, Washington, D.C.
My professional business training in retailing has been helpful in board-level budgeting and financial matters, making results measurable, and also in simply evaluating trends.
What do you see as the greatest strengths in our district?
- People: Our students, parents & other family members, our faculty and staff, other community leaders and the taxpayers who support us financially. Everyone plays a role in making this a great district and I look forward to working with all of our stakeholders just as I have for the last 9-1/2 years.
- Sound financial management: Since the district emerged from its financial problems in the early 1990’s, the board and the administration have taken great care in planning and managing the district’s finances on both a short and long-term basis. I believe that we need to continue this culture of conservative financial management in order to preserve our operating flexibility in the face of future funding variability.
- High expectations: I have always advocated that we set the bar high with our curriculum and graduation standards, with our personnel and our financial management which stretches everyone to improve.
What do you see as the most pressing problem in our district?Short-term, it is enrollment management and capacity planning. We are closed to Open Enrollment which is a credit to the district’s quality and popularity but which presents other challenges. In lieu of building another new elementary school to handle what might be a short-term surge, I favor adding some classroom capacity more broadly throughout the district.Long-term, it is the evolving role of technology in K-12 education. I believe that balancing the costs and effectiveness of new technology in our curriculum and classrooms will be a major challenge. The decisions will require both financial prudence and boldness by the board, staff, students and our community. We need to get this right if we want to provide our students with a 21st century education. As Steve Jobs said at the end of his speech introducing the IPAD 2 in March of this year: “Technology alone is not enough. It’s technology married with liberal arts, married with humanities, that yields the results that make our hearts sing.”
What specials strengths do you believe you would bring to the School Board?- I’ve been privileged to serve on the School Board for 9 ½ years and during my tenure, I have served as Chair, Vice- Chair, Treasurer and Clerk. I have also chaired various board committees such as Citizen Financial Advisory Committee (CFAC), Facilities, Curriculum and Instruction and others. My experience as a parent of three WHS graduates and as PTA/PTSO president for Gleason Lake, West Middle School and Wayzata High School has also aided my service on the board as I’ve watched how their academic experience at Wayzata have served them well in their young adult lives.
- My early business training in retailing is also helpful in board-level budgeting and financial matters and also in simply evaluating trends. I was a strong supporter of the Board decision to require one of the highest course credits needed for graduation both in Minnesota and the nation. Those high standards were based on our long-term view of what students would need to be successful in the 21st century.
What do you see as the School Board member’s role and responsibility in the effective administration of schools?Board service is a collaborative effort among all seven members. Broadly-speaking, our job is to help the administration review and approve the long-term academic, administrative and financial objectives for the district and to monitor the results over time. This process also includes listening closely to all stakeholders who have questions or suggestions for improving our schools.My view is that school boards should set long-term goals and monitor the results rather than try to become an operating committee that supplants the proper day-to-day work of the administrative staff. It’s a fine line and the Wayzata board has done a good job at this sort of governance in recent years thanks in great measure to our highly competent and award-winning staff.
Along the way, we deal with all of the more detailed financial, legal and other regulatory matters that by law require board oversight. We represent the community’s overall interests to ensure that current and future students have the staff and facilities to prepare them with 21st century skills so that they can succeed in higher education, careers and life in a global economy.
If elected, what is the first issue you plan to address?The Board’s first priority will be the finalization and implementation of our new Strategic Plan.Anything else you would like to volunteer?I am proud of the quality of Wayzata schools and the many board-approved initiatives of the past decade. It has been a privilege to serve for the past 9-1/2 years with other dedicated board members. I have also enjoyed working with our talented students, staff, parents, guardians and many community members. They are all partners in the success of Wayzata schools. I would be honored to be re-elected to the Wayzata School Board on Tuesday, November 8th.What is your website address? -
What previous educational experiences do you have? Where did you go to high school and college? What kind of degrees have you obtained?
I graduated from F.J. Turner High School in Beloit Wisconsin and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. After earning my degree, my educational experiences have been through community education classes and by participating in community events, attending speaker events throughout the metro area and participating as a parent and volunteer with our school district, church and greater community. I believe that lifelong learning is an opportunity and a necessity for an individual and for our society as a whole. I have always regarded a strong public education system as the critical link in providing a stable and civil society governed by democracy.
What professional experience do you have?
Through high school, college and until I landed a “job within my field of study”, I worked as a restaurant server, employing all the necessary organizational and “people” skills to succeed working with kitchen and restaurant staff as well as the general public, starting at an IHOP and working my way up to being a tableside Flambé server.
Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, I worked in purchasing at a contract design firm. Here I researched and specified product and suppliers, negotiated pricing packages and helped projects stay on schedule and within budget. Prior to this position, I was the Office Manager at a retail/contract lighting showroom in Minneapolis where I was responsible for all office staff, helped implement software to manage our business systems and was responsible for all office functions.
Of course my most difficult, yet most important and rewarding job is being a good Mom. For the last 15+ years I’ve been the COO and CFO of our household and have acted as liaison between our family and the school district and community. Technically, this doesn’t qualify as “professional experience” as suggested in the question, but I believe that this experience has taught me many skills while highlighting how imperative it is that our school district remains a model of excellence bringing a world class education to all learners progressing through our programs.
My wide range of professional skills, dedication to success of students and the district and commitment to work hard at whatever task is before me, provides a combination of attributes that will serve our community well as it is applied to the position of school board member.
What do you see as the greatest strengths in our district?
The Wayzata School district is fortunate to be experiencing steady or slightly growing student population. Steady or growing student numbers, combined with careful and skillful financial planning keeps our district in good fiscal condition. I believe that our schools are in high demand because of the stellar overall quality of the educational experience that our district provides to students and their families. This comes from having a talented and dedicated staff, administration and board. Parents and the community in general are also committed to supporting this district with financial support through local levies and by donating personal time and talents to myriad programs and volunteer opportunities. As a board member, I will work tirelessly to maintain and build upon this combination of strong people, strong programs and keeping our fiscal house in order.What do you see as the most pressing problem in our district?Our most immediate need is to relieve over crowding in some elementary sites. Our programs and staff cannot function at optimum levels if the current number of students remains too high in some buildings. A forward-thinking, long-term solution must be agreed upon and implemented as quickly as possible without sacrificing quality decisions. The other pressing issue is not necessarily a “problem” but is a constant concern that must be consistently considered: responsible fiscal management, especially in these challenging economic times. Our district has excellent Financial Administrators as well as a committed Citizen Financial Advisory Committee who work diligently to keep our fiscal house in order. I will support the continuation of our approach to solid, smart financial management.What specials strengths do you believe you would bring to the School Board?I have a strong combination of skills and experience:- Three children in Wayzata schools (6th, 8th & 10th grades)
- Varied and sustained district leadership and committee membership experience (please visit my website http://www.votepolzin.com for a complete list).
- Strong, collaborative relationships with administration, staff, parents, community members, district legislators and other members of committees upon which I serve.
- Solid understanding of legislative issues/process and how State action/policy affects our district.
What do you see as the School Board member’s role and responsibility in the effective administration of schools?
A strong board will work together to get and keep the right, great people in administrative positions and let them do their jobs. Problems and concerns should be openly discussed and an agreed upon plan of action should be implemented by administration and staff. A collaborative atmosphere of idea sharing and good communication between board, administration and staff is critical. This “working hard together to improve our endeavor” approach is what I do. I’ve forged many strong relationships with parents, staff, administration and district legislators over the years and I intend to continue to work hard to continue and strengthen those relationships.If elected, what is the first issue you plan to address?I will first learn how I can best help to implement our district’s new Strategic Road Map which I believe is a guide to bringing our district to an even higher level of educational excellence. I will also work hard to address the facilities use issue so that student population in our buildings is better distributed.Anything else you would like to volunteer?My experience as citizen co-chair of the District Legislative Action Committee has allowed me to participate in and carefully observe the legislative process in St. Paul. I have good working relationships with legislators who represent our district and understand how the many issues tacked at the State level are interconnected. Having a solid understanding of the process and knowing how seemingly unrelated legislative decisions filter down and affect our schools is important. I can bring this pragmatic and reasoned approach to the table and would be honored to serve as a board member of this excellent school district.What is your website address? -
What previous educational experiences do you have? Where did you go to high school and college? What kind of degrees have you obtained?
I graduated from Edina West High School, and have a Bachelors of Science, Business Adminstration from University of Minnesota business school.
This educational background will be utilized as a foundation of my knowledge for the Wayzata School Board.
What professional experience do you have?
I have over 20 years of experience working at four different companies in the Twin Cities including work at General Mills and I am currently the Vice President, Human Resources at Waycrosse, Inc. Waycrosse is located in Wayzata and at the Cargill Office Center.
My skills and experience working in a leadership role in the business community will be instrumental in the work necessary on the Wayzata School Board, from reviewing budgets, consensus building and driving solutions to difficult problems.
What do you see as the greatest strengths in our district?
The greatest strength are the collection of people in the district from the students, parents, staff, Superintendent and his administrative team, to other community members.The key will be building and growing the effective partnership withing and between each of these groups for the best interest of all students and the community at large.
What do you see as the most pressing problem in our district?The most pressing problem in our district is to finalize and implement the strategic road map so that future decisions are aligned with it.The current Board may get this implemented, but the most difficult work is to make it an effective roadmap for future decisions. There will continue to be change in the district and to provide a world-class education to all students in the district there will have to be laser-focused and there will tough decisions ahead.
What specials strengths do you believe you would bring to the School Board?I am bring a collection of strengths to the Wayzata School Board including:- My 20 years of experience in a leadership role in business
- My role as a parent to 4 daughters who have successfully graduated from Wayzata schools including participating in 4 varsity sports (soccer, hockey, golf and tennis) and have been fortunate to go to 8 state tournaments and be part of a team that has won 2 state titles.
- My involvement in the community as a Site Council member, PTA Vice President and President, Senior Party Co-chair, Sunday school teacher and Confirmation Guide, Guardian ad litem
What do you see as the School Board member’s role and responsibility in the effective administration of schools?
The Wayzata School Board member works for all members of the community and needs to work with each group effectively. Specifcially, the Board makes policy and oversees the district’s budget, curriculum, personnel and physical facilities.With my experience in the community, as a parent and as a leader in the business community, I can be an effective listener and consensus builder to help bring the best ideas forward for the district.
If elected, what is the first issue you plan to address?The first issue is to address the most pressing issue. For now, I see that as the strategic roadmap implementation. But as I talk more with parents, staff and other community members, there may be other pressing issues that emerge between now and January 2012.Anything else you would like to volunteer?I encourage everyone to vote November 8, 2011. It is important to our community and school district to have the best School Board members.I ask for your vote – it will be an honor to serve as a Wayzata School Board member.
What is your website address? -
What previous educational experiences do you have? Where did you go to high school and college? What kind of degrees have you obtained?
Graduated from Wayzata in 1975. Attended Augsburg College – Completed majors in Finance and Economics.
What professional experience do you have?
•Board member – International Education Center
•Former board member – Wayzata Public School District (11 years)
•Former head of Wayzata Youth Football (19 years)During my years on the Board, I served in the positions of Chair, Vice Chair, Treasurer and Director. The board committees I served on were Finance, Superintendent Evaluation, Curriculum, Facilities, and several negotiation teams with the bargaining units. I also helped to create the original Citizens Technology Advisory Group.
I am employed as the Director of Business Development at TIES – an education technology collaborative located in St. Paul. I am in contact with school districts on a daily basis, and I am in school district buildings every day. My days are focused on what the future of education, and more specifically, technology in education, will look like particularly in the areas of Curriculum and Instruction and Operational Systems.
Currently, there are no board members that visit school districts throughout the state of Minnesota on an daily basis. Through my job, I see wonderful things going on in districts around the state that we should be doing here in Wayzata.
What do you see as the greatest strengths in our district?
We have a good school district. It is known statewide as being a district with high performing students and high achieving parents.Good is the enemy of Great.
We need to move from Good to Great….some of the work we will be doing will be disruptive if we are going to create to proper instruction for 21st Century Learners.
We can wait for change to happen to the district or we can initiate it and lead. I believe we should lead.
What do you see as the most pressing problem in our district?We need an effective Strategic Plan that will focus on students, their families and the needs of the citizens of Wayzata Independent School District #284. The plan must focus on what we want the district to look like in 10 or 20 years.The Board will craft a plan that provides for moving the district’s instruction into the 21st Century.
What specials strengths do you believe you would bring to the School Board?I have passion for educationI have Perspective – My mother graduated from Wayzata in 1953. I graduated from Wayzata in 1975. Three or our children have now graduated from this district. I understand the history but I know that we must now begin to reform our instructional and operational systems to meet the needs of 21st Century Learners.
I have Balance –The best board representation comes from a balance of talented men and women, from various backgrounds, that have a passion for education. The current board needs more balance.
What do you see as the School Board member’s role and responsibility in the effective administration of schools?1) Hire and Fire the Superintendent
2) Set policy that will guide the conduct of the district
3) Direct and Approve the District Budget
4) Approve the curriculum as required by state statue
5) Communicate with parents and other interested citizens on ho to work with district staff.
6) Represent community issues to the superintendentI have performed in the school board role for 11 years….
If elected, what is the first issue you plan to address?The district needs to begin to move forward. We have been stuck in “neutral” for several years now. We must reform the current industrial age education model.I would like to see the district focused on building a Framework for 21st Century Learning (as outlined by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills) namely:
•Life and Career Skills
•Learning and Innovation Skills
•Information, Media and Technology Skills
•Core Subjects – RigorTo do this we will need reform in the areas of:
•Standards and Assessments
•Curriculum and Instruction
•Professional Development
•And we will need to reform our learning environments
I short order, I would like to see every student in our district enjoy the benefits of a Personal Learning Plan. Other districts in the metropolitan area have already started to move in this direction.Anything else you would like to volunteer?I think that this district needs more men to serve on the school board that have an interest in community service and a particular interest in education.What is your website address?
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