ISD 728 needs school board members who are ready for the complexity of a growing district: special education, class sizes, facilities, staff retention, and preparing students for the future.
Serving in the Navy taught me that complex challenges are solved through teamwork, discipline, and a shared commitment to the mission. ISD 728 deserves that same kind of steady leadership.
Public schools opened doors for me. I am a product of public schools, and that education helped put me on a path to work on nuclear reactors right out of school. I want every student in this district to have access to opportunities that prepare them for a strong future.
This issue is personal to me. My family has had to make difficult choices when a Level IV special education setting did not have the resources and support my son needed to make progress.
After time spent homeschooling and a gradual return to district services, he is now a shared-time student receiving special education support for part of his day. Thankfully, he is making progress in his IEP, but families should not have to fight alone for the services their children need.
As a parent of three kids in the southern part of the district, I know class sizes are not an abstract issue. When classrooms are stretched too thin, students get less individual attention and teachers have less room to meet each child’s needs.
Growth has to be planned for honestly. The district should be looking ahead so families are not left with overcrowded classrooms, strained staff, and reactive decisions after the problem is already visible.
Every financial decision should come back to a basic question: are classrooms and students benefiting?
When needed investments are delayed or rejected, the district may be forced to consider options with real tradeoffs, including lease levies, additions to existing buildings, boundary changes, longer bus rides, and higher transportation costs. Taxpayers deserve clear information about those choices before decisions are made.
ISD 728 is the eighth-largest school district in Minnesota. We should be a district that families want to move into and educators want to build a career in.
That means competitive wages and benefits, strong career and technical education, more pathways like apprenticeships, and a practical approach to innovation, including paying attention to how AI will affect education, work, and student opportunity.
Dan’s priorities start with the classroom: students supported, families heard, and staff given the tools to do their jobs well.
Get InvolvedFrom special education to facilities planning, families deserve clear communication and responsible decisions from the board.
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