The District is again publishing profiles regarding the School Board candidates.
Candidates invited to participate included (listed in order they will appear on the ballot): Will Harris (incumbent), Christie Johnston (incumbent), and Alan Schrank.
The election is Tuesday, April 1. Voters will be asked to select not more than two candidates.
The top two vote getters will each receive a three-year term on the school board commencing Monday, April 28.
Thank you to those who submitted questions for the candidates and thank you to the candidates for participating.
WILL HARRIS (Incumbent)
1. Please tell us a bit about yourself, including what motivates you to run for school board and what experience or skills have prepared you to serve.
My family has been involved, one way or another, in education in Mineral Point since the late 1800s. I’m happy to be able to bring my education, work and life experiences to the board for the benefit of the school district, which includes my three children. Besides my last three years on the school board, I bring accounting, finance, human resources, board governance, and management experience to the board.
2. How do you see your role as a board member as benefitting the overall education of students in Mineral Point?
We have a great staff and administration in Mineral Point, and I think the board does a good job of letting them do their job that they are trained to do. We are there when the occasion arises that outside advice is necessary and to be a sounding board for the administration. The board also represents the tax paying public and we seek a balance and good timing for what the district’s needs are, and what we can afford. The board sets the vision for the school district, and holds administrators accountable for achieving that mission.
3. What procedures and processes are most important to making the school board run effectively and what qualities/behaviors should a school board member exhibit?
The school board runs effectively when we have strong governance processes which we honor. We have made it a priority to return to a good governance model the last three years, and the school district and community have benefited from that. School board members need to be prepared, curious, respectful and diligent.
4. What are your thoughts on the teaching of such topics in history curriculum as LGBTQ and civil rights?
I believe Mineral Point has the most capable staff in Southwest Wisconsin which is proved by our academic and extracurricular success. The students and community are best served when they are allowed to do the jobs they were trained to do. The staff are our neighbors, family, friends, church members, and volunteers in other organizations in the community and I trust them to do their very important jobs.
5. There are real security concerns in schools, and Mineral Point is not immune. What is your viewpoint on this topic, and what can we do differently to improve?
When it comes to school safety, there is a lot of research and evidence that says that there is no amount of technology that will prevent a school shooting. The number one solution for security in schools is love, and it far outperforms any other idea out there. If every child in school feels loved, feels seen, and has friends and a trusted adult in the school they can go to, the chances of violence are greatly reduced. The best part of this approach is that it is basically free and simply requires accountability on the part of the staff to make sure that every student is seen and heard, and accountability on the part of students to refrain from bullying, and try to reach out to all kids to include them.
6. What do you think the board’s role is in advocacy? What education-related priority would you lobby the Governor and Legislature to include in the next state budget?
It is important for the board to reach out to its elected representatives. The number one priority is to change school funding so that it increases with inflation, which it used to, instead of via referendum. It is a shame that school funding was made political. The future of our children should never get caught up in politics.
7. What is a need that must be a priority for our district to address? And why do you see this as a need to be prioritized?
I think that our school must prioritize the role of technology in the lives of children and at school. With the advent of AI, there is the capacity for our kids to basically learn nothing, which would be a huge waste of our time and money. Our school district, and everyone in the state, will be challenged to figure out how to reap the benefits from things like AI, while ensuring that children learn how to think, common sense, how to be good citizens and how to prepare for the jobs of the future.
8. What do you consider your biggest accomplishment as a board member to date? And if you haven’t been on the board, what is a goal you have, should you be elected?
I think our biggest accomplishment as a group was to institute a better governance model, which I was involved in given previous board experience. Important issues are debated in committee where we have people with more concentrated experience in the areas of issue, and they can guide the board at the full board meeting to the best decision. We can then focus on the vision, budget, board goals, and employment decisions which are truly our only responsibility of the board, instead of getting caught in the weeds. Everyone is better served by this, including the community.
9. What do you, or would you, find most rewarding about being a school board member?
The friendships I have developed with fellow board members, the opportunity to learn way more about public education than I ever thought I would, the opportunity to meet our students and staff and learn from them and hopefully help them in their goals, the opportunity to be involved in a different way in my children’s lives.
10. What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the district and what are its biggest strengths?
I think the biggest challenge for the board is to “move the needle” in any one area. It is really challenging to come up with goals for improvement and help the entire organization move in that direction. There are a lot of entrenched forces that make change difficult. The community is demanding that the school district be even more connected and involved in our community, and our administration and staff are already overleveraged, so we have to figure that out. We have so many strengths in our district that it is difficult to name just a few, but clearly we are exceeding academically, with life readiness (given our great job and college placement), and in extracurricular activities.
CHRISTIE JOHNSTON (Incumbent)
1. Please tell us a bit about yourself, including what motivates you to run for school board and what experience or skills have prepared you to serve.
I moved to Mineral Point in 2011 with a strong background in education, in both teaching and leadership positions. I am passionate about creating safe, student-centered environments for students and staff to thrive.
2. How do you see your role as a board member as benefitting the overall education of students in Mineral Point?
I believe my role as a board member is to support the superintendent and their administration so that in turn, they can provide the best opportunities for all students. With data that the administration has provided and hearing from staff and students, I make informed, student- centered decisions that positively impact students and our district.
3. What procedures and processes are most important to making the school board run effectively and what qualities/behaviors should a school board member exhibit?
I believe that strong board governance makes our current school board run efficiently. We are most effective when we feel safe to share our thoughts, listen to opposing opinions and have civil, productive conversations. We stay informed of current situations surrounding educational policies; we take the time to learn more about school finance and best practices.
4. What are your thoughts on the teaching of such topics in history curriculum as LGBTQ and civil rights?
Every student and staff member has the right to see themselves represented in our curriculum. When we teach human rights, we can create a school environment where everyone feels valued and seen. Civil rights movements are essential parts of our history and the more we understand these topics we can prepare students to be informed, compassionate citizens.
5. There are real security concerns in schools, and Mineral Point is not immune. What is your viewpoint on this topic, and what can we do differently to improve?
As a school board member, and a parent, this is a top priority for me. I believe the Mineral Point Unified School District has taken steps at multiple levels to ensure the safety of everyone in our district buildings, from prevention programs such as Sources of Strength to intervention such as different avenues for students to share what they see or hear. Best practices are researched, discussed, implemented and practiced finding out what is working within our buildings and where we need to make improvements. As a district, there is always room for improvement, and I believe that our administration and building staff have an open mind about learning those strategies and putting them into place.
6. What do you think the board’s role is in advocacy? What education-related priority would you lobby the Governor and Legislature to include in the next state budget?
I think our latest referendum is a great example of the school board’s role in advocating for education. We, as a board, had an opportunity ourselves to learn more about the complex system of public-school finance. We talked about the effects that continued lack of funding would have on the current student body, teaching staff and the future of the district. We discussed what ways we can share what we learned, utilizing our Communications Director to create materials to share that information. We supported the Superintendent in meeting with local groups to share the process of funding public schools and what effects that would have on the district and our community. By taking these steps, I believe that we were able to shed light on a difficult issue to various community members, demonstrating the impact it would have on the Mineral Point Unified School District.
7. What is a need that must be a priority for our district to address? And why do you see this as a need to be prioritized?
We need to continue to address the ever-changing demands that are put on teaching staff. As a board, we made teacher recruitment and retention a priority to ensure that quality education is constant in our district. We must continue to focus on a school district that is welcoming, where all students and staff feel safe, valued and that they belong here.
8. What do you consider your biggest accomplishment as a board member to date? And if you haven’t been on the board, what is a goal you have, should you be elected?
I think our biggest accomplishment as a board is that we have put board governance in place. We have expectations of how we work together and conduct board meetings. This has led to a cohesive board, constructive committee meetings, and trust in each other. I also think that we listen to community members, teachers and staff on what their needs are and respond appropriately. For example, a group of parents came to the board expressing a need for childcare. In return, we worked with the parents to create and implement Pointer Kids Club. PKC is a before and after school program that parents can utilize to ensure that a safe and engaging environment is available for their children.
9. What do you, or would you, find most rewarding about being a school board member?
I find that learning from the administration, staff and students about what the needs are and being able to provide support, engage with others to find solutions is the most rewarding.
10. What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the district and what are its biggest strengths?
I believe our biggest strengths are the students and staff, working together for shared success. I believe that the success of our students is not just about academics but also overall wellbeing. I think our strength is in staff who provide supportive and engaging learning environments, where all students feel seen, heard and are valued. And, I believe there is always room for improvement. By keeping an open mind, listening to all students and learning, we can ensure that students thrive. Funding, dated buildings, and growing expectations for teaching staff are some of the challenges that I think we are facing now. I anticipate that more challenges will present themselves. I feel confident in the Mineral Point Unified School District that we will face those challenges head on, with student well-being and success at the center of decisions.
ALAN SCHRANK (Did not respond)