With eight candidates running for only three open seats on the Owatonna School Board, local voters will have plenty of choices to make on the ballot this year.
The candidates have a wide range of backgrounds, from current and past board members, former candidates and newcomers. The board has seven elected members, in addition to two non-voting student representatives. Board members are elected at-large to represent the entire school district for four-year terms. Of the three sitting members whose terms are set to expire in December, Tim Jensen and Eric Schuster have filed for re-election, while Deborah Bandel has not.
Nikki Gieseke
Gieseke previously served on the school board and the Minnesota School Boards Association. She received 9.7% of the vote in 2022, falling short of re-election, but is returning to the field because she feels there’s more work to be done.
Gieseke said her main priorities are ensuring that constituents have a voice and staying on budget.
“Whether or not I agree with what you’re saying, I believe you have a right to be heard,” said Gieseke.
She said it’s important to examine the budget line item by line item, but it’s also important to take a big picture view of the budget to ensure money is being spent as effectively as possible.
Gieseke said the role of the school board is often misunderstood, and she’s focused on issues that are within their purview, like budgeting. She said she isn’t running with a list of things she’d like to change, noting that determining curriculum or overseeing teachers is outside the parameters of the board.
Mike Herman
Herman previously ran in 2022, receiving 7.3% of the vote.
He did not respond to request for comment.
Christina Ingvaldson
Ingvaldson was elected to the school board in 2016, but chose not to seek re-election in 2020 due to her responsibilities as a parent and the pressures of the pandemic, including remote work and distance learning. With her kids older, Ingvaldson said this is the right time to run again. She hopes to ensure all students receive the same “fantastic” experiences in the district as her own kids.
Ingvaldson said she’s running because she wants to serve her community, and she feels the school board is a “good fit” for her. If elected, she plans to foster a greater sense of communication and transparency by serving as a point of contact for constituents to voice their thoughts and ideas.
“It’s not about anything I want, it’s about what’s best for the greater community and the kids,” she said.
Ingvaldson said she aims to bring the same sense of approachability to the role that she does as a librarian at Owatonna Public Library.
Tim Jensen
Jensen is running for a third consecutive term on the school board.
“Owatonna is rightfully proud of our schools, and I hope that my continued service on the board can help us maintain that tradition of excellence,” he said.
Jensen called education “an important pillar in our community,” noting he comes from a family of educators and feels he has insight into how hard teachers work for their students. He said recruiting and retaining educators to key to setting students up for success.
If re-elected, his goals are to maintain a solid financial footing for the district, re-emphasize the school-parent partnership and remain a student-centric district that helps each student become a contributing member of society.
Jensen noted the district has avoided the program cuts that have hit other districts, but school finance is “always at the whim of the legislature” and board members must be vigilant and fiscally responsible to keep finances on track.
Ron Kubicek
Kubicek is a first-time school board candidate. He pointed to his 30-plus years of experience in business finance and operations management as qualifications for the role. He is also the parent of four OHS graduates and three current students in the district.
“I am passionate about student achievement and am excited for this opportunity to be a more integral part of our amazing school district,” said Kubicek.
If elected, he said he plans to cooperate with his fellow board members to ensure all students have a safe and academically challenging environment to learn in. He pledged to seek stronger partnerships with parents, connections with students and accountability to taxpayers.
Kubicek highlighted reasonable leadership and responsible decision-making as qualities he’ll bring to the board, and said he will prioritize relationships, conversation and understanding.
Eric Schuster
Schuster was first elected to the school board in 2012 and is running for his fourth consecutive term.
He did not respond to request for comment.
April St. Martin
St. Martin previously ran for school board in 2022, receiving 7.5% of the vote. She said she initially took an interest in the school board due to Critical Race Theory. Prior to that election, she was part of a group of community members advocating at board meetings against the teaching of CRT, arguing that it divides the community.
St. Martin said she is running with similar priorities this year, and if elected her primary goal would be to increase transparency in the district and represent constituents who feel they don’t have a voice.
“I am running because I see a need to be more of an advocate between the parents and the district,” said St. Martin.
She said she wants to make it easier for community members to be part of the decision-making process at the district level. St. Martin said she is interested in the needs of students and non-students alike, and she wants to bring the community together.
Andrea Van Gelder
Van Gelder is a newcomer to the school board race. She said she’s been inspired by the Owatonna community, and is running for school board because she wants to contribute toward a strong future for it.
Van Gelder has been a weekly volunteer at a Wilson Elementary kindergarten classroom for a number of years, and her children attend Wilson, Owatonna Middle School and Owatonna High School. Having witnessed the impact education can have on a student, she said she wants to ensure every child in the community has the resources they need to succeed.
“I want to find effective ways to walk alongside educators to ensure that they have the capacity to continue to innovate, are adequately equipped to do their jobs, and competitively compensated for their expertise,” said Van Gelder.
If elected, Van Gelder said she plans to start her term by listening and learning, a process she’s already begun by attending board meetings.
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