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I would bring practical, steady leadership and proven financial discipline. As a CPA who manages public funds for the State of Minnesota, I work with budgets, audits, and compliance every day. That experience—along with years serving our community—has taught me to ask hard questions, communicate clearly, and follow the numbers.

On the board, I’ll focus on academic excellence, safe and orderly schools, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. I will listen to teachers and families, be transparent about trade-offs, and keep politics out of the classroom so educators can teach and students can learn.

1)Raise achievement in reading, writing, and math—set clear goals, track results, and support effective instruction.

2) Support teachers—retain great staff, improve discipline, and give time and tools to teach.

3) Protect taxpayers—prioritize classrooms, control spending, and plan long-term so we can sustain quality programs without surprises.

Start with students first: protect classroom instruction. Use data to review every program line-by-line; keep what works, fix or end what doesn’t. Seek savings through attrition, shared services, competitive bidding, and energy efficiency. Defer non-essential purchases, right-size central admin, and preserve a healthy fund balance per policy. Engage the public early, explain trade-offs plainly, and publish results so trust is earned.

Give every student a strong start by doubling down on early literacy and math with evidence-based curricula, tutoring, and timely interventions. Track results by grade and school to direct resources where they matter most. Strengthen attendance, expand after-school and mentoring, and partner with local groups for extra support. Support excellent teaching, high expectations, and family engagement so every child—of every background—can succeed.

I will focus on listening first. That means being available through school visits, open office hours, and clear communication before key decisions. I’ll invite input from teachers and families, consider it carefully, and explain how it shaped the outcome. The goal is a respectful process where people feel heard, even if we don’t all agree.

I am a lifelong educator with a passion for centering students. I spent 10+ years teaching in South Washington County Schools and care deeply about all students in this community. I will strive to build a collaborative and welcoming environment where both students and teachers can thrive. I am committed to doing the work: listening to students, district administration, teachers, and the community; learning all the nuances of board governance; joining committee meetings and upholding all the responsibilities of the role. I do not shy away from tough conversations or tough decisions but dig in with curiosity and an analytical approach. With your vote, I will work to ensure our schools are places of belonging and innovation for all.

Student Success: Provide every student with resources and support they need to achieve their full potential. Stay focused on growth for each student. Teacher Support: Value our educators and their deep expertise. Provide them with the tools, working conditions, and respect they deserve to do their best work. Fiscal Accountability: Focus on sustainable, transparent, and innovative uses of public dollars on behalf of our students. Use public funds to directly support varied student needs.

Tough decisions in the face of declining revenues require collective decision making with the school board, students, teachers, district administration, and community members. I would advocate for surveys and working groups of diverse stakeholders to generate ideas and facilitate discussions about the difficult decisions ahead. My voice on the school board is to represent students’ needs and maximize district dollars to support as many students as possible and their various needs.

The academic achievement gap in South Washington County demands our focus and persistence. My goal is to continue the long-term work of reducing the academic gap for at-risk and students of color. The district must also invest in diverse hiring practices. It is critical that students see themselves reflected in and can connect with their teachers and school staff. I would advocate for implementation and monitoring of effective diverse hiring practices.

Consensus building is one critical element of decision making in a school board. Stakeholders include students (and their families), teachers, staff, administration, parent advisory committees, and the community. Diverse stakeholders must compromise to build consensus. Consensus building strategies include active listening & stakeholder engagement; analyzing data related to the issue at hand; storytelling to understand impact; and stakeholder input on drafts of policy before going to a vote.

I believe I can relate to our community on level that most other candidates couldn’t. Our family volunteers with local athletics - my wife was raised and graduated from this district - and all 3 of our children attend high, middle and elementary schools within the district. We have a number of friends whom are teachers within the district, and I continually hear that they are afraid of speaking out for the views/policy changes within the district, in fear of losing their job, because of political pressure. Our teachers need empowerment and our students need an advocate - balanced representation - and I believe I am that voice for all individuals.

Teachers need a contract - We need to dig into the districts budget and figure out a fair contract for our teachers.

Empower teachers/staff - Classroom disruptions (and phones) I feel are the largest inhibitor of educational progress. We need to empower our staff to correct negative behavior where applicable.

Remove Political Bias/Grooming - Being a kid is hard enough these days. We need to remove adult situations/pressures/grooming, and let the children enjoy being children.

A deep dive into our budget needs to be looked at. However, I am a strong advocate to do everything possible not to raise property taxes - through referendum or levy. We need to review contracts, weigh out programs within the district, and if the budget needs cutting - then we need to make cuts. It’s not a decision anybody likes to make, but wasteful spending needs to be curtailed. And we all need to make the hard responsible decisions if needed.

I believe all humans are created equal, and that racism has no place within our community/district. With that being said - disparities within itself - based on race hold no weight in my view. I don’t believe anyone, based on race, should be given a “leg-up” or “educational standards or opportunities” be easier. Economic disparities flow through that same principle. Today’s standards in obtaining an education - should be based on effort and performance. Not based on economic standing per family.

Public outreach is huge, and for anyone that is concerned with any decision making, needs to attend School Board meetings. That is where you can directly engage with the board itself and give the feedback needed, so we can not only make the decisions - but make the right decisions.

I have held the job of parent, educator, taxpayer, community member and school board director, and I understand they have different roles. As a parent, my job was to advocate for my child. As a teacher, my job was to advocate for my students. As a school board director, my job is to advocate for every student, every teacher, every staff member, every taxpayer and every community member in our district. I have the experience and ability to think about and evaluate educational issues from multiple points of view.

It is the job of the school board to set policy, but it is good business for the school board to understand multiple perspectives and impacts on a logistical level. I can do that.

I want every student to be prepared to thrive in whatever environment they choose, whether that is college or technical school, an apprenticeship, the military, the workforce, volunteerism or travel. To achieve this goal, our priorities have to be student safety, high quality education and closing the achievement/opportunity gap.

Regarding budget cuts, the strategy should always be to stay as far away from the classroom as possible. Budget items such as capital outlay are a starting point. However, we all need to understand that school districts are people-oriented businesses and the majority of the budget is salaries, which will eventually impact classrooms. In light of budget cuts, we need also to look at increasing revenues. Our online school, as an example, can capture revenue from outside our district.

Research shows we must meet our students’ physical, social and emotional safety before learning can take place. I appreciate the priority SoWashCo has placed on these needs. I also know it is necessary to go further. In order to close the achievement gaps, we need to do things differently. Our educators are well trained in best practices and they are committed to excellence. We need to protect their planning time so these practices can be deeply understood and embedded in daily instruction.

In addition to naturally occurring opportunities to interact with and listen to our teachers and families, SoWashCo has established several district committees and advisory councils that invite public participation and input in a variety of focus areas including finance, education and curriculum. Committee members provide input and gain an understanding about the challenges in education. I value the opportunity to serve on committees alongside teachers and families.

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My name is Lori Pecchia Michalski and worked 45 years as a Registered Nurse in Mental Health plus have a Degree in Psychology. I Volunteer at St Croix County Jail doing Bible Studies with the Women. I Live in Woodbury for the past 37 years, and had the opportunity to Raise my Children here and they attended Royal Oaks School. I was involved with their Education and had the privilege of facilitating a Jr Great Books Class. My Children are Adults now, and I have concerns about what is being taught to the next Generation of Children. I have the knowledge and wisdom to know Things must change and this is my Time to Step Up to the Challenge!.

First I want to Encourage Parents to be more Involved in their Child’s Education, and helping them to feel Empowered to speak out with their Concerns. To Provide opportunities for them at School Board Meetings, and also for them to join a Parents Group(District 833 Parents United or Minnesota Parents Alliance). I would address the policy of boys in girls sports and locker rooms. I also want more transparency in what the Children are Being exposed to versus the Basic Core Education.

Tax payers are funding the Education of our District 833 Public schools, and Parents need to Demand Academic excellence toward every Child’s Future! I would take it to the Legislature and scrutinize where the money is being spent!

Every Child’s Ethnic Background should be Celebrated and there needs to be accommodations where necessary to ensure every child can learn to Read and be assessed to stay with the class, and get assistance if necessary from Teachers Aids and Volunteers.

Answered above

My 12 years of dedicated board service have given me deep institutional knowledge and proven leadership experience. Throughout my tenure, I've consistently championed both students and teachers, understanding that their success is interconnected and essential to our district's excellence. My track record includes successfully balancing budgets during challenging economic times while maintaining educational quality and programs. I'm committed to evidence-based education practices grounded in research and data, ensuring decisions lead to measurable student outcomes. This combination of experience, fiscal responsibility, and dedication to sound educational practices makes me qualified to continue serving effectively.

If elected, my top three priorities will be school safety, equity, and responsible budget management. Ensuring our students and staff feel safe and have a sense of belonging creates the foundation for learning. Promoting equity means every child receives the support they need to succeed. Finally, I'll work to provide fair compensation for our dedicated staff while being mindful of taxpayers and navigating uncertain funding levels to maintain fiscal responsibility.

I'd prioritize protecting classroom instruction above all else. First, I'd examine administrative costs and non-essential programs for savings. Next, I'd renegotiate vendor contracts and seek operational efficiencies. I'd engage the community in transparent discussions about difficult choices, ensuring we maintain educational quality while living within our means. Every decision would focus on student outcomes first.

I'm committed to eliminating barriers that prevent all students from succeeding. This means ensuring equitable funding across schools, expanding access to advanced courses and extracurricular programs in underserved areas, recruiting diverse educators, and implementing teaching methods that connect to students' backgrounds. We must also address basic needs like nutrition and technology access, while creating safe, inclusive environments where every child can thrive regardless of background.

I engage teachers and families through multiple accessible channels to ensure all voices are heard in our decision-making process. My approach includes maintaining open email communication available to anyone at any time, being readily available for one-on-one conversations when community members reach out, actively promoting participation in open forums and comprehensive surveys, and maintaining visibility by attending school events to foster informal connections and dialogue.

I am a candidate running for SWC School Board. My experience spans over forty years serving students in an academic environment. I bring a unique perspective, and a wide range of experience and skills, providing me with the understanding required to contribute effectively to our district.

I respect, welcome and invite the community’s contribution. As a parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, aunt, and foster parent, I know the importance of building, developing, and supporting a strong school district. We must join-together in this endeavor if we are to be successful.

Continue supporting academic programs that are student-centered, unique, dynamic and benefit our children.

Support programs that focus on wellness, and mental health resources, link awareness between health, education, and social services programs, promoting student well-being and wellness.

Build a strong financial portfolio, ensuring our tax dollars support and benefit the education of all children. Work closely to make sound, ethical and fiscal decisions.

I would first focus on cuts that have the least negative impact on student achievement and success. To support budget cuts, I would focus on increasing communication and transparency, using town hall meetings, public surveys, exploring cost saving strategies, and evaluating shared services. I would also look at identifying opportunities to possibly share resources and services. It is important to monitor expenses and eliminate waste to ensure funding is used efficiently.

I support the need to implement and support equitable, inclusive, anti-racist, anti-bias educational environment. The Racial Equity and Inclusion Plan, Policy 102.1, mandates that equity is merged into all district policies, procedures, and the curriculum. A student’s cultural identity is acknowledged, affirmed and validated when we provide spaces to share their racial, ethnic, and cultural identities. Open dialogue from students, parents, and community members brings transparency to the table.

I would encourage teachers and parents’ participation with the understanding that we will use open, flexible communication to create a diverse platform, using committees and surveys to gather suggestions and feedback. We must value and ensure our parents’ contributions and teachers are recognized. Through collaboration and inclusion, we build trust by acknowledging and recognizing their participation.