6 candidates square off for three Superior School Board seats
Mar. 15—SUPERIOR — Six candidates are vying for three seats on the Superior School Board. They'll face off during a live community forum on Wednesday, March 20, from 6-8 p.m. at Superior Middle School, sponsored by the Superior Middle and High School Parent Teacher Student Association.
Sara Snow White, 43, of Foxboro, said she wants to serve as a voice for all children, families and communities on the board. Her family includes four generations of Superior graduates. She was shocked and disappointed at the decision to close Lake Superior Elementary School.
"I hope to serve as a voice for all children, families and communities on our board. I am by no means a politician, but I am a parent, youth advocate, rural resident and proud member of this community," White said.
Emma Sventek, 24, of Superior, has volunteered for and worked alongside Superior School District students, parents and teachers as a mental health professional.
"Hearing the stories of those I worked with, especially of various barriers they have encountered within our district, inspired me to run for School Board. I will use my knowledge and expertise to support the mental health needs of our students and staff," Sventek said.
Nicholas Olson, 44, of Superior, said he is running for School Board to use his experience, leadership and compassion to help the district.
"I feel that the district has so much potential and there are a lot of good people ready and willing to put in the work," said Olson, who was appointed in September to serve the last few months of Steve Stupak's term after he resigned.
Shelly Moen, 49, of Foxboro, said she wants to be the voice of the rural community.
"With the recent closure of a school and teacher layoffs, I feel the need to focus on fiscal responsibility. I would like to prioritize mental and physical well-being of our students. This is crucial in ensuring our students are well prepared for overall life readiness for wherever their path leads them," Moen said.
Sara Schubert McKone, 41, of Superior said she waited until her oldest child was in high school to run for a School Board seat so she'd have an accurate view into the lives she had the potential to impact.
"It's important to notice what works, what could be more successful, and what could be done to make the school thrive. We need to be open to new ideas and new solutions to challenges the district faces daily," McKone said.
Laura Gapske, 39, of Superior, chose to run because she believes in creating a strong future for the children in the community.
"I want to continue to support safe, fair and nurturing environments for them. Our children deserve the freedom to learn, be themselves and pursue their dreams," said Gapske, who also aims to be an advocate for district teachers and staff.
She brings six years of School Board experience to the table at a time when the district is facing fiscal challenges.
"Our school deserves a board member that can serve from day one, and that is what I will bring to the district," Gapske said.
Budget woes
Candidates were asked how they would address budget issues, including the looming financial cliff for the 2024-2025 school year as the district grapples with state funding caps and the loss of federal pandemic funding.
For Olson, a business owner, the top priority is attracting and retaining teachers. He proposes developing a strategic plan for the next year, three years and five years.
"If we do this properly, we will be able to be proactive and make decisions that are not reactionary. We will be able to adjust as needed to minimize disruption for our students, for our teachers and for our families," he said.
White, the Douglas County Drug Free Communities program coordinator, would like to examine how the budget reached this point.
"Moving forward, I would like to prioritize the education of the students. I do not believe that cutting support staff positions, increasing class size and closing smaller schools is the solution," she said.
Moen, a laboratory operations manager at Essentia Health, said she would analyze what is required to be provided by the district versus what is currently being provided that is not essential. She also stressed developing a strategic financial plan.
"I believe we need a renewed focus on the mission of the school district, which should guide us through our decision-making process," Moen said.
Gapske, a child safety consultant at the Minnesota Department of Human Services, said that top priorities are student achievement, closing the achievement gap in math and reading, and retaining quality educators and staff. She advocates a creative approach in addressing budget limitations, collaborating with city and county partners and taking a statewide approach to solving the issues.
"Voters need to put the blame where it belongs; our elected representatives. Wisconsin is facing a statewide devastating budget cut to public education," Gapske said.
McKone, a real estate agent, stressed the importance of financial transparency.
"In my opinion teachers, safety and educational resources should be our priorities going forward. The teachers and staff deserve to have access to the tools to make their careers successful," McKone said.
It's integral to shift the focus to what resources the district needs and assess what finances are currently being spent on, said Sventek, founder and owner of a social media marketing company.
"A proactive approach is essential moving forward as well as transparency of the board in regards to our district's finances," Sventek said.
Challenges and strengths
Candidates were asked to identify other challenges facing the board.
For Gapske, there are student achievement and mental health/behavioral issues.
White listed students' safety, both physically and mentally, and ensuring that the community feels heard by and connected with the board.
The mental health of students, teachers and staff, and standards-based grading are the two biggest challenges identified by Sventek, Moen and Olson.
"It simply is not working and we are failing our students as a result. It is teaching the wrong lessons and is not setting our students up for success after they graduate," Olson said of standards-based grading.
McKone said families are going to need extra care in the wake of the closing of Lake Superior Elementary School and the redrawing of elementary school lines. Creative solutions could involve waiving the fee for volunteer background checks to bring more volunteers into the school. The other challenge, she said, is lack of transparency with declining enrollment and state financial support.
What are the biggest strengths the candidates bring to the board?
Board experience, a career dedicated to community work and in-depth knowledge of district policies and procedures are strengths Gapske said she offers.
"I have an in-depth understanding of district policies and procedures. I have a record displaying my deep commitment to creating safe school environments for all students so they can focus on learning," Gapske said.
McKone said she has a passion for positive change and creative solutions, and the ability to dig into research and listen.
"I fight hard for what I believe in, and I justify my decisions with reasoning and understanding," she said.
New to politics, White said she brings a new perspective and is easily approachable.
"I am not afraid to ask the tough questions and think outside of the box for solutions. I also strive to be empathetic and caring in the work I do," White said.
Sventek said she has had the opportunity to listen to many students and parents share their experiences, concerns and needs.
"I am capable of speaking up for quieter voices, and I also have the ability to listen to and analyze situations," Sventek said.
An open mind and willingness to listen to all sides of an issue are strengths that Olson noted.
"I can work with peers in a professional and respectful way, which I feel is paramount when making decisions that affect many people in many ways," he said. "I truly care about our students and the positive impact they can have on our community."
Moen said she is detail-oriented and brings strong organizational, budget management and prioritization skills to the table.
"I am able to determine common sense solutions and I am a critical thinker with the capacity to analyze complex issues," Moen said.
Three of the candidates — Sventek, Olson and Moen — made the decision to campaign together. They have shared objectives on key matters and have strengths that complement each other, the candidates said.
The other three candidates — Gapske, White and McKone — said their campaigns reflected their individual perspectives and strengths.
Name: Laura Gapske
Age: 39
Residence: city of Superior
Family: Landon James, 20, and Mannix James, 14
Occupation: Child safety consultant at the Minnesota Department of Human Services
Civic and community engagement: Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE) Union 201, League of Women Voters, City Planning Commission (2023), City of Superior Mayor's Human Trafficking Task Force Commission, Chair and Member (April 2021-2023), Center Against Sexual and Domestic Abuse (CASDA) board member (October 2020-April 2021), Superior School District Board, Board Clerk and Member, at large position, (April 2017-April 2023), Cooperative Educational Service Agency (CESA) #12, Board of Control Member and Delegate, (July 2020-April 2023), Co-Chair St. Louis County Health and Human Services MDT/Mortality Review Team, (May 2015-October 2019)
To learn more:
Laura Gapske for School Board Facebook page
.
Name: Emma Sventek
Age: 24
Residence: city of Superior
Family: I have been married to my husband, Ja'lon Sventek, for three years.
Occupation: Founder and owner of a social media marketing company
Civic and community engagement: Many years of volunteer work for various nonprofit organizations: Boys and Girls Club, the Encounter, and Lifehouse. I have also volunteered for many years at my church.
To learn more:
Emma Sventek, Shelly Moen, & Nicholas Olson for Superior School Board Facebook page
.
Name: Nicholas Olson
Age: 44
Residence: city of Superior
Family: Wife, Robyn; children, Matthew, 24, and Hattie, 12.
Occupation: Contractor, owns Anderson & Hammack Construction.
Civic and community engagement: Spent 10 years on local builders association board, including president in 2014. I am in my 12th year of serving on the state builders association's board of directors. I volunteer at my local church for various functions.
To learn more:
Emma Sventek, Shelly Moen, & Nicholas Olson for Superior School Board Facebook page
.
Name: Sara Snow White
Age: 43
Residence: Foxboro
Family: My husband, Allen, daughter, Daisy, two dogs and two cats.
Occupation: Douglas County Drug Free Communities program coordinator
To learn more:
Sara Snow White for Superior School Board Facebook page
Name: Sara Schubert McKone
Age: 41
Residence: city of Superior
Family: Spouse, John; children, Abby 14, Wyatt 12, Deacon 7.
Occupation: Real estate agent with RE/MAX Results
Civic and community engagement: Former Great Lakes PTA president for five years, former SMS PTSA treasurer, current Superior Area Lacrosse scheduler for six years, current MSLAX board member, current Zion Lutheran Church council vice president, founder Superior project. I have also coached lacrosse and T-ball at the youth level.
To learn more:
Sara Schubert McKone for Superior School Board Facebook page
.
Name: Shelly Moen
Age: 49
Residence: Foxboro
Family: Husband, Joe; children, Chloe, 18, and Caleb, 16.
Occupation: Laboratory Operations director at Essentia Health
Civic and community engagement: Secretary for the Douglas County Beef Improvement Association for the last eight years. Organized teams for the Relay For Life Cancer walk for multiple years, graduate of the Leadership Superior/Douglas County program, and volunteer at our church.
To learn more:
Emma Sventek, Shelly Moen, & Nicholas Olson for Superior School Board Facebook page
.
Candidate forum
The Superior Middle School and High School Parent Teacher Student Association will host a School Board Candidate Forum from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 20, in the cafetorium of Superior Middle School. This marks the third annual forum organized by the group.
No questions will be taken at the event, but members of the community can submit questions ahead of time. More than 100 questions are typically submitted via a Google form. Submissions are anonymous and
can be submitted online
. A link is available through the
Superior Middle & High School PTSA Facebook page
.
The format will run as follows:
* Each candidate will be allowed to give an introduction.
* Questions submitted from the Superior School District community will be asked.
* Each candidate will be allowed to give a concluding statement.
The Parent Teacher Student Association is partnering with iFan.tv this year to livestream the event. It will be available in the iFan archives until the election. The link to watch the forum is
https://www.ifan.tv/event/show/549205671
.
