Meet the Sartell-St. Stephen school board candidates
Nine candidates are running for three school board seats in the Sartell-St. Stephen School District. The candidates are Amanda Byrd, Nate Crowe, Ryan K. Dale, Katie Hilger, Emily Larson, Kris Lawrence, Molly McCann, Jen Smith and Scott Wenshau. While Byrd is seeking re-election, current board members, Patrick Marushin and Jeremy Snoberger, are not.
Larson and Smith are the co-founders of Kids Over Politics 748. Their organization’s mission has been to seek "transparency and accountability" in the Sartell-St. Stephen school district since the summer of 2021 following an equity audit conducted by Equity Alliance of MN. The district cut ties with the firm in 2021. Larson, Smith and Wenshau are all part of the "Transparent Leadership" group, according to their shared website.
Amanda Byrd
Byrd, 40, was born in Colorado but mostly spent her youth in the metro area. Although she graduated from Missouri University of Science and Technology with a degree in civil engineering, she has been a stay-at-home mom for nearly 18 years. Aside from volunteer work, she has also been substitute teacher in the Sartell-St. Stephen school district, a stage manager for GREAT Theatre and she currently runs her own travel agency.
When asked why she is running again, she said, “despite the numerous challenges that the school board has faced over the past four years I have really enjoyed serving the community in this capacity… That being said, there is still so much that I would like to see accomplished. I am very excited about the direction that the district is headed, and I would love to be a part of the next chapter.”
Byrd said that over the past 18 months “a lot of really great work has begun” to improve both the educational opportunities and environment in the district. She cited the list of action items from the EESE committee that met last year that are focused on improving the daily student experience, an increase in staff leadership teams and a newly formed professional learning committee.
“I think that the biggest issue that we will face over the next four years is keeping the momentum going… It is important that we focus on our mission and our students and not get sidetracked with political agendas, and I hope that it is not just a catchphrase, but that ISD 748 can truly become 'future minded, student focused,'" she said.
Nate Crowe
Crowe, 49, said he grew up in Mounds View and lived in Sartell since 2007. He is currently an assistant county attorney for Stearns County which allowed him to be a member of the Minnesota County Attorneys Association. He’s also a member of the Sartell Planning Commission, Celebration Lutheran Church and Stearns Benton Bar Association.
Crowe told the Times he’s running for school board to “ bring collaborative and positive energy to support our students, teachers and families.” One of his main focuses, if elected, is to ensure there “are mental health resources to help meet the needs of the students in Sartell-St. Stephen School District. With extra assistance meeting those needs, students can truly thrive in school.” He also wants to ensure that the money being spent by the district is “student focused.”
He plans to win by “sharing how my values and goals align with the mission, vision and beliefs of the district.” Crowe added he believes “a district that values the uniqueness of each individual creates an environment that allows families and our community as a whole to thrive.”
Ryan K. Dale
Dale, 43, grew up in the metro area and attended SCSU where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications. Currently he is the director of vending at Bernick’s.
When it comes to the reason why he is running, Dale said, “I lived with my family in Sartell for the last 11 years and I’m just looking to give back to the community, to get more involved, to really just help out the community that gave a lot to my family.” One of his main focuses, if elected, is going to centered around special education. One of his three children, Rory, is under that program. “The Sartell-St. Stephen school district is a huge reason why he’s been so successful.”
When it comes to his strategy to win, as he is competing for one of three seats with eight other candidates, Dale said he will be “connecting with voters and speaking to anyone willing to talk to him.”
Katie Hilger
Hilger, 44, is a mother of four boys who’ve attended Sartell schools, one of whom graduated. She has a master’s degree in education and a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and she is a stay-at-home mom. In her past, she was a teacher, coach and held other positions.
Hilger told the Times she is a perfect candidate because “personal experience as a classroom teacher, coach, parent and active community member gives me the objectivity and empathy needed to serve as a board member who will effectively communicate with and advocate for students, staff, families, and the community.”
If elected, she said she will focus on building a “positive and healthy climate,” retain “quality teachers,” and maintain and support the “outstanding educational programs that our district offers.” When asked how she will win, Hilger said she has made connections by “volunteering and parenting four boys active in academics, athletics and activities over the last 10 years in the Sartell-St. Stephen community… These relationships give me an exposure that allows me to listen objectively to the concerns of others and to engage in meaningful discussions.”
Emily Larson
Larson, 45, works as an operations team lead for Granite Logistics in Sartell. She says her position allows to “be able to effectively communicate those ideas and solutions to others.”
Larson said she is running “to restore principled practices to our district.” Some the items she listed on why she is running include restoring “transparent leadership that welcomes accountability,” endorsing “curriculum that is apolitical” and “prioritizing common sense safety protocols at every building.”
She said after knocking on doors to learn from her fellow members of the community “it really is evident that the vast majority of members of the Sartell-St. Stephen community value transparency and accountability from district leadership… As long as I remain steadfast in my commitment to improving these issues, and continue to share that message with the community, I am confident I will earn the support needed to win.”
Kris Lawrence
Lawrence, 48, is an adult rehabilitation physical therapist. She attended both CSB and SCSU for her bachelor’s degree in biomedical science and then the University of Minnesota to study physical therapy.
Lawrence listed off her reasons for running as promoting a safe and healthy environment “where children are supported mentally and emotionally in their educational pursuits while having freedom to learn and express themselves.” She said she wants a "future-focused" learning model to prepare students to be “capable and competent global citizens as they pursue their post-secondary experiences.” She also wants to pay attention to funding and to see “every dollar is spent in a way that benefits our students.”
When asked how she plans to win, as she is competing with seven other candidates, she stated in an email: “There are many candidates, that is for sure… I am just a very straight forward person. I have nothing to hide.” She also said she is willing “to work with shareholders to build and make the district as excellent and optimal that it can be.”
Molly McCann
McCann, 40, grew up in the north side of St. Paul and earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology at UW-River Falls. Before becoming a substitute teacher, she said she was the coordinator for St. Cloud Area MOPS, a non-profit that aims to educate and support mothers from all walks of life. McCann also spent time volunteering with Feeding Area Children Together, food banks and serving on the council at Celebration Lutheran Church.
She said she considers herself “moderate and open minded. I feel that I could be a bridge between different ideologies and opinions in our community and I would work to bring our school district together towards open dialogue and understanding.” She also asks voters to “carefully consider not only the ideals but the temperament and character of each name on the ballot. Does this person have the experience to sit on a board, work with people with whom they may not agree and make rational decisions based on the good of all our kids in the district? Does this person have an even temper and can they work well under pressure and remain respectful?"
In an email with the times, she said: “If you have kids in the district under the age of 12, I’ve probably given them a band aid, taught them how to play the flute or joined in on their dance party. I love our Sartell-St. Stephen kids and would find it a great privilege to work for their best interests.”
Jen Smith
Smith, 36, said she is a sonographer at a local healthcare facility. In 2016, she and her husband, Nic, moved to Sartell because of the academic standing of the school district and the overall quality of the community.
When asked why she is running, she said she believes the district is “moving away from traditional education. Children should be educated in an apolitical learning environment with resources available to foster proficiency in reading, writing, math and building critical thinking skills.” Her listed issues for running include ensuring “accountable and transparent leadership,” creating “actionable policy and protocols to address bullying,” restoring “apolitical classrooms,” promoting “parental rights” and improving “safety and security in all district buildings.”
Smith said she plans to win enough votes by engaging in conversations with parents and community members to “find common goals and begin establishing a partnership based on trust. As well as encouraging the community to vote for the candidates that best aligns with their goals.”
Scott Wenshau
Wenshau, 52, said he has lived in Minnesota his whole life, except for when he lived in Fort Bragg in North Carolina serving in the Army. He has lived in Sartell for the last 14 years and is an area police officer. He said he is running “to serve my community,” and listed his top issues for running as “safety, transparency and parental respect.”
In his career as an officer, and as reported in 2021 in the Times, Wenshau was found to have violated two law enforcement policies in January 2020, the Conduct Unbecoming to a Police Department Employee policy and a policy for Mobile Video Recording Equipment. This resulted in a supervisor meeting and he was issued a written reprimand in April 2020.
When asked about the incident, Wenshau stated in an email: “Citizens deserve to have their day in court, and to have their complaints investigated when dealing with law enforcement in our official capacity. As peace officers, who are humans like everyone else, we simply pray that a thorough and honest investigation occurs, and that in high stress and dynamic moments, we are found to have acted worthy of the responsibility entrusted to us by our community. It can be an uncomfortable process, but a necessary one to keep public trust.”
Also in his email he said, “the issues facing the Sartell-St. Stephen school district deserve the attention of our local media as the citizens and parents of the district decide on Nov. 8 the path we choose to take.”
This article originally appeared on St. Cloud Times: Meet the Sartell-St. Stephen school board candidates
