Meet the candidates running for Carlton School Board in 2023

Sep. 14—CARLTON — Two candidates are running in a special election Nov. 7 to fill a vacant seat on the Carlton School Board.

The vacancy opened in June when longtime board member

Tim Hagenah resigned his post.

Hagenah served on the board for 23 years, and his term is slated to go through November 2025.

The Carlton School Board selected Ryan Leonzal

to serve on the board from September until the November election.

Leonzal filed nomination papers, as did Steve Schmidt.

The Cloquet Pine Journal sent each candidate a questionnaire. The candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Their responses have been edited for style and grammar.

Age: 38

Family: Wife, Marissa; two children ages 7 and 2.

Occupation: Children's Therapeutic Support Services for HDC in Cloquet.

Community service involvement:

I am currently a football coach for Carlton/Wrenshall's junior high and high school teams. I also coach elementary, junior high and high school girls' basketball for Carlton/Wrenshall. I coach youth softball and am part of the Carlton Wrenshall Youth Baseball Softball Association Board, as well as my daughter's soccer team. I am also a part of the Carlton School District's District Advisory Board, a group dedicated to coming up with ideas to make Carlton Schools the best they can be. Many of the ideas from Carlton's current strategic plan originated in that group last spring.

Previous experience in elected office: None.

Why are you running for office?

I am very dedicated to enriching the lives of our youth, as well as in love with the Carlton area and community. I am running in hopes of assisting in strengthening our school district, not only now, but for years to come. I have two young children that I would love to keep in the district while also gaining an education that can best prepare them for life after school. I feel as if my willingness to "think outside of the box" and identify strengths, weaknesses and solutions will be an asset for the school board and community. I also feel as if I am a rational thinker, excellent communicator, and would utilize these strengths to be a positive asset to our school system, as well as our community.

What are the big challenges you see facing the community?

The biggest challenge that I currently see is the declining enrollment within Carlton Schools. When enrollment dwindles, so does the state funding our school receives, which directly impacts the education and educational opportunities our students have. I fear that the two school buildings in Carlton are unsustainable from a fiscal standpoint with the number of students currently enrolled in the district. Seeing families move to other surrounding districts and enrolling their children elsewhere takes away from Carlton's charm a little bit for me. Carlton is a tight-knit community that loves supporting one another. The support kids receive at school events, athletic events and in the community from everyone in the community is HUGE not only for students, but the community as a whole.

If elected, how would you work to address those issues?

As mentioned above, thinking outside of the box and identifying ways to not only retain the students that we currently have, but also providing an educational system that is alluring to families in other districts not currently enrolled in Carlton Schools. Being a voice for community members is also very important to me, as I feel as if our community has excellent ideas and rational thought-processes geared toward keeping our school district strong. Those same community members are the fabric of what makes Carlton great, so being a voice for them is of vast importance to me. I am a HUGE supporter of Carlton's recently implemented strategic plan aimed toward providing our students with real-life educational opportunities within a school day.

With that said, I do believe that discussions regarding potential consolidation with other districts, such as Wrenshall, should NOT be off the table. If that is what is best for our students, community and the overall betterment of our schools, I am ABSOLUTELY in favor of that approach going forward. My focus, however, is the students, staff members and Carlton residents that have made this amazing community what it is, as opposed to being a voice for other districts.

What successes do you hope to build on, if elected?

I cannot say this enough, I believe that the hiring of Donita Stepan as principal of South Terrace Elementary, as well as the superintendent was a huge victory for Carlton Schools and our community. She arrived with ideas, surrounded herself with community members to gain insight, and has implemented wonderful changes within the district in a very short period of time.

The current strategic plan that was constructed in the spring 2023 and implemented this school year is a huge needle mover for our schools and community. Offering innovative, real life educational opportunities readies our students for life after school, as well as teaching them skills that will be relevant to their present and future.

Although some of these changes have been already implemented, the list of things to come is extremely exciting. There has been an immediate increased focus on providing mental health services in the school set to take place immediately. Other examples include, but aren't limited to: CNA certification opportunities, money management courses, car maintenance classes, forestry opportunities, potential of welding and fabrication courses, as well as drivers' education courses. Building a greenhouse and learning about self-sustainability as well as offering courses for students to obtain athletic officiating certificates provides them with opportunities they can employ immediately.

The best part about this in my opinion is that it has increased the community involvement and integrated community members that specialize in these areas individually. I find this to be very exciting and a magnificent first step in providing our students with real life, innovative experiences within a school day.

Age: 35

Family: Two children in elementary school

Occupation: Journeyman carman and small business owner

Community service involvement:

Retired firefighter/EMT, youth softball and baseball coach, director for the Carlton County Agricultural and Industrial Association.

Previous experience in elected office: None

Why are you running for office?

I am running for school board because I want to see the district thrive. Not only do my own children benefit from the education, but youth in the community do as well.

What are the big challenges you see facing the community?

Declining enrollment is one of the challenges. If there is no enticement for students to stay or enroll, it will ultimately fail.

Another big challenge is the curriculum. Finding programs that will teach life skills and trades is just as important as the standard classes already being taught.

If elected, how would you work to address those issues?

Continue to pursue all options for furthering education and bringing students into the district. Working towards goals agreed on and set by the community and the board.

What successes do you hope to build on, if elected?

I want to build on the current plan the board has in place, adding more value to it. With this plan there is potential to open up our curriculum to Wrenshall School, who has a similar plan. Weaving these two plans together into one larger plan could allow the growth the districts need.