I'm Sharon Breen, president of the LWV Minnetonka Eden Prairie Hopkins League of Women Voters. Good evening and welcome to the candidate forum for the Minnotonka School District School Board. We thank the candidates in the audience for attending tonight and our online audience for viewing. The League of Women Voters does not support or oppose a political party or a candidate for office. The League has a long-standing history in our community of providing unbiased candidate and issue information that is widely used by Minnesota voters regardless of political beliefs. We are pleased to be partnering with the Lake Minnotonka Plymouth area league women voters on this schoolboard forum. Sponsoring of this forum is a public service providing you with the opportunity to hear the candidates discuss important issues face tof face. The views expressed here tonight are those of the candidates and not those of the League of Women Voters. Sponsorship of this forum is not an endorsement by the League of Any candidate. There is never enough time to cover all the issues. If you feel that your question was not addressed, please contact the candidate directly after the forum. And now I would like to introduce our moderator, Deb Brinkman, a certified moderator from the St. Louis Park League of Women Voters. >> Thank you, Sharon. Good evening, everyone. We'll start the candidate forum with opening statements. Each candidate will be given one minute for their opening statement and one minute for their closing statement. Opening statements will begin in alphabetical order. The order of answering questions will be rotated. Candidates will have one minute to respond to each question. Please note, our timekeepers have a 15 second sign and a stop sign to let you know when your time is up for your question. Please be sure to pay attention so that each candidate has their full one minute time amount. Five candidates are running for three seats. All candidates were invited to participate. Present are Karen Jordan, Tanya Colbringer, William Schumer, and Megan Selinger, and Chris Fatali. We hope that most, if not all, of the questions will be those submitted by the audience. We also have questions that were submitted by email to the League of Women Voters of Minnitanka, Eden, Prairie, Hopkins. Questions that are unclear, hostile, or are of a personal nature will not be asked. Those that fall into the same general category may be consolidated to allow us to cover as many topics as we can here in this allotted time. All questions submitted become the property of the League of Women Voters um MEP. Let's begin with opening statements. And first we'll start with candidate Jordan. >> Good evening. Thank you to the League of Women Voters for hosting this event and thank you to everyone joining us both in person and at home for taking time out of their day to be with us. My name is Karen Jordan and I'm the been a proud Minnetonka parent and community member for eight years. I have two sons. One is a senior here at Minnitanka High School. The other is out in the working world. I'm running for school board because my children have benefited from excellent public education and now it's my turn to give back. I want to ensure that all students in our district receive the highquality education they deserve, one that prepares them for the future after high school, whatever path they choose. I believe strong schools build strong communities. And that's why I'm committed to advocating for public education funding, focusing district resources on students and educators while recruiting and retaining excellent educators. I look forward to this evening. >> Thank you, candidate Jordan. Candidate Coinger. >> Hi, I'm Tanya Coinger. Thanks for being here tonight and thanks for the League of Women Voters for moderating. Public education is my life's passion and my life's work. As a parent, educator, and advocate, I bring the right experience to serve our community. I'm a Minnitankka parent with two kids in elementary school here in the district. Through the PTA, I have helped organize events, partner with school leaders, and build connections among families to create a positive environment for all students. I've also spent decades as a middle school language arts teacher. I understand what it takes to support all learners, navigate financial realities, and connect policies to classroom practice. I currently serve on the mental health advisory committee in the teaching and learning committee. I'm passionate about student well-being and making sure decisions are student centered. Thanks again for being here tonight. >> Thank you, Candidate Schumer. Hello, this is William Schumer and I just wanted to echo all the thank you and say hello to the audience out there to say thank you for being here. Um, I'm a resident of Minnotonka for 12 years. I'm part of a non-traditional family with two multi-racial children. We've gone through the Minnitanka system from first grade to the 12th grade, a recent graduate. So, we're very familiar with the importance of inclusion and diversity and working through the school system. So I believe that's important as a board member stepping into this role. I come to this with a background as a professional working for 25 years for Fortune 25 companies, overseeing multi-million dollar budgets, building consensus across organizations and diverse perspectives and applying curiosity and working across setting priorities and vision. I will lead with transparency. I will lead with curiosity. I'll lead with respect and listening to parents, students, and board members as we work together to develop policies and procedures that impact our school system. Thank you. >> Thank you, candidate Selinger. >> Hi. Sorry, I wanted to make sure the mic was on. Uh, thank you all for being here. As everybody else has said, I'd echo thank you to the League of Women Voters for hosting this. It's always a great opportunity to get in front of voters and let you know what we're about. So, um I am running for reelection for Minnitonka School Board. Uh primarily really just because I have a vested interest in the success of this district. I'm a parent. I have two sons in two different schools within the district. I'm a community member. I'm a taxpayer and I just fully believe that I will be and or have been will continue to be an asset to the district. Former teacher bring that experience. I've had a variety of roles on the school board now at this point and really my general philosophy is just to be student centered and ensure that every student that comes into our buildings has a positive successful experience that leads them to be prepared for the world beyond Minnotonka. Thank you. >> Thank you. Candidate Vitali, please. >> Just hi everyone. It's uh Chris Vitali. uh just add my uh list of thanks to legal women voters and everyone that's here tonight as well to my fellow candidates. It it takes a lot to put yourself out here and uh I appreciate uh uh running with you. Um I I'm running for school board because I believe that experience matters. I'm in my eighth year on the school board. I've had pretty much every position on the board for uh the clerk for the last two years. I was chair for two years uh and vice chair during COVID um which seems like 20 years uh of living through that um as well as treasurer. So um my wife and I we've been in the district since 2001 uh in Minnotonka since uh 2019 um and in Prairie before before that. We have three kids in the district. Uh well, one a 2021 grad, a senior, and a freshman. And uh I'm running because I think this is one of the best jobs in the world. We get a front row seat to the most amazing district and the most uh amazing kids and families. Thank you. >> Thank you. Now we will start with questions that w have been submitted by the audience and by question with questions that have been submitted by email and candidate fatali we will start with you first with this first question. What do you consider to be the most important duties of a school board member? >> Um thank you. Um for sure uh board governance um it it is the the most important duty uh of of the the school board is setting the goals and setting the overall uh direction and uh governance. So and we do that through our annual goal setting process. Um and so we've established a very robust process for setting the goals for the district and that really drives a lot of the behavior of administration u as well as our one employee uh superintendent law. Thank you. >> Thank you. And candidate Schumer. >> Yes. Um the duties of the board I think um to echo what Chris said is I'd add on to that is I think the first and most important thing is a board member to be a voice listen to both the parents the educators and the students to understand where the needs and the gaps are so we can bring a highquality inclusive education system to our students. Second I would say always look at the data get research insight and findings. Recently, I sat through a board meeting where we looked at all the parent surveys, and it was very insightful to see some of the key themes there that help us build off of uh what I would call our purpose and our mission as we set out to achieve what we're going to do and to help the students. And most importantly, I think we should always put out there safety and inclusion. And that's really important as our students walk into school every day. We should make sure it's our responsibility, our policy that they are safe and they have a good working environment to thrive and succeed in the next career. >> Thank you. Candidate Jordan. >> I would probably echo a lot of what's already been said. Um at the last four years I've sat through probably 95% of the schoolboard meetings and I would say that um main thing of course is that are setting policies, procedures, the vision, the goals um managing the one employee that the district has which is a superintendent. Um but in these last couple of years I I feel that there is another area that really needs a lot of focus and that is going to the capital and advocating for resources. Um the legislature determines every two years what our budget will look like and I think that the school board has to play an vital role in going there and advocating on a regular basis and bringing along the rest of the community. That's something that's a platform that you can have as a schoolboard member and I think that that's something that really needs to be focused on especially as we're looking at the budget cuts that we've had to make. >> Thank you. Candidate Colinger. >> Uh I don't disagree with what anybody has said so far up here. So um I would like to add that to me the most important job of a board member is to really work on the triad of connecting with the community, the school and then the board. Um and the most important goal to me that the district has listed is safety, belonging and connection. And so I would like to be a listening ear like what William was saying with the community. Um along with that, listening to educators, what's working and not working, especially as we roll out some new standards here and move forward with making sure that our entire student population, all their needs are being met. Thanks. >> Thank you, candidate Zelinger. >> I think I have the distinct advantage of being last on this one because everybody has mentioned um so many of the things that are the responsibilities of board members already. Um, I would really echo I think that both setting and evaluating the district goals is a huge part of what we do as it gives direction to the superintendent to all the administrators in the district. So, I would echo that as a really large part of the job. Um, engagement with the community, be responsive. Um, and I think this is both formal and informal. I can't tell you how many conversations I've had on the sidelines of a soccer field or something where it's been just kind of informal pieces of engagement that I'm able to bring back and kind of share with the board and the district. Um, I think it's really important that the school board comes to all of our meetings, um, having done our homework so that we're prepared to be engaged and interactive, ask questions, make suggestions as appropriate, and really I think um, just keeping the students at the forefront is the most important thing, the best interest of the students in our buildings. >> Thank you very much. Candidate Sellinger, we'll begin with you for this next question and then candidate Vatitali, you will be second for this next question. One of the board action steps is for this school year is to build strong relationships with stakeholders, inform and engage district constituents, including students, families, staff, and the broad community through outreach and engagement opportunities and efforts. So the question is as a board member how would you propose to encourage more engagement from the students other than through surveys and how can the district help give students more agency in their education at Minnetonka. Um this is actually a really important question. I think, like I said, I I really think students have to be the center of everything we do. And so, hearing from those students is of utmost importance. Um, I'm really excited about our pilot this year where we have a student leadership um group that is coming to the board meetings as student representatives. Um, the student forum that we started last year at the high school was a new opportunity. So, we're trying more and more of these student engagement opportunities. Uh we're starting listening sessions next week where we're going and just meeting with each of the classes at the high school to get feedback. Um I actually, like I said, do a lot of informal um interaction. Uh and I'm lucky that I have kids in the schools and so I get to just kind of chat with their friends and their teammates and I feel like I get a lot of feedback that way. So I think both the formal and informal is really important. As for new new opportunities, um like I said, I think we're piloted piloting some things right now and the next step is really going to be evaluating how they work and looking to refine those. Thank you. >> Thank you, candidate Vitali. >> Yes. A a great question and Megan and I have uh and and and the board have been um great advocates for student voice um especially since COVID and um all of the things that we've really tried um uh setting our goals around um getting and and um hearing student voice uh through things like um the the the new pilot that that we have going. Um we've also adopted a class at the at the high school where we meet um a couple times a year with students um in the high school uh two board members at a time. Uh we piloted a new student forum uh uh so that we give them problems and they they met in the black box. Um another thing that we've done to encourage voice is through our vantage strand. So we've recently added the the public policy strand if you have um children at the high school. My son's actually doing it um uh this year and so it brings a lot of opportunities for them to understand about government and policy and some of the things that we deal with on a local level as well as on a national level. So um looking forward to that. Thank you. >> Thank you candidate Coinger followed by candidate Jordan. So, as a teacher, I know that student agency is super important because it increases engagement and it makes this student feel that they have choice and control over their learning and education and they are more involved that way. So, to piggyback off what Vitali and Celinger were saying at the last board meeting, we had um some student reps show up for the first time and that was really powerful. Um, and I loved seeing that because that's showing that Minnetonka's actions are matching the words. If we want to give students opportunities um to have experiential learning and choices in their schedule through new elective classes like um new opportunities that were rolled out at the middle school for students like um the environmental education and things like that. uh the a agency we provide to them and those pathways show that their voices matter. >> Thank you. Candidate Jordan. >> Student voice is very powerful. Um it's amazing the insight that our kids have. You know, some of them are so young and some of the things they say you're just like, "Wow." You know, even at my age, I didn't really put that together. Uh, one of the areas that I think that students can have an incredible voice in is um I'm part of the case committee that advocates uh for resources at at the capital and we I've been there for a couple years, three years and we didn't have a lot of members and as things got more challenging we got more and more members and at one point it dawned on me that probably the most powerful voice that there would be would be a student. So I reached out uh my son was in the public policy strand at the time and I reached out to the teachers and said would you offer you know an invitation to the case committee meeting and some of them came and actually when we went to visit in March up at the capital also came along and I can tell you there is nothing stronger than a student voice speaking with a legislator sharing what the education they're receiving and what it means to them. Um, and I also was able to help organize a shadowing of legislators. So, I thought that was another way to get those student voices out there. >> Thank you. And candidate Schumer, >> thank you. Okay. Um, since I'm last here, I get to echo a lot of the same things that everybody said. I think it's really exciting the exposure I've had to the board is some of the things that they've already been doing for engagement and a lot of that has been mentioned up here. But the thing that I would add to it and I think it was kind of hinted to is the number one constituent to benefit from this is the student. And so when you really want to engage somebody in something is pause for a minute and put processes and steps in place to listen. How do they want to be engaged? Understand where their needs and their interests are. And then you can build plans and ideas around that. and you can kind of pull them into the process and therefore they become the beneficiaries of the work that we'll do together as we listen to them and kind of prepare ways to engage them in addition to the ideas that were already shared here on the table and the activities the board is taking. Thank you. >> Thank you for this next question. Um, candidate Schumer, we will start with you, followed by candidate Jordan. And the question is, do you support the referenda questions that will be on the ballot? >> Simple answer is yes. Um, I'm a firm believer in it because I think if you look at the work that was done, the audit was done that included parents, teachers, a number of people and advocates for our schools, um, you will find out that there was good discipline there and prioritization of the work. And I think it's really important for us as a community to step up and continue the quality education that we have with that referendum and improve the quality of our schools. If you would look at it, some of our schools are 70, 65 years old. They need improvement. We have teachers that still don't have kind of easy access to a bathroom or a restroom. Um we need more forums and community groups and events at the um schools. So, it's really expanding the school to create an environment where our kids can thrive and actually have them learn in the way they want to learn and have the interest that they want to have. So, I'm a firm believer in it. Yes. >> Thank you, Candidate Jordan. >> Uh, yes, I do support the referendum that's on the ballot um this November. I served on the facilities committee. Um, we visited every single school, the high school twice because it's so big. Um and we were given a presentation by the principles. They had surveyed the staff and the teachers. So they brought their main concerns to us. We toured the buildings and some of the buildings. Although we've done a great job in Minnetonka and I think we could be an example to many districts in the state. We have taken great care of the buildings. Our buildings are all over 50 years old with the exception of the Vantage Momentum building near Clear Springs. Um but some of the rooms are tired. There are science room, science classrooms that need updating for sure. There are staff bathrooms that that need to be brought in there. You know, you can't stand 10 minutes waiting to go to the bathroom. Um, and something like Deep Haven needing a second gym to be like the rest of the district, you know, school, elementary schools is important, but yes, I support it. Um, also knowing that there will be some security enhancements that would come with that, which I think in this time is of course is always critical. >> Thank you. Um, candidate Sellinger followed by candidate Vatitali. >> Uh, I absolutely support the referendum. Uh, like Mr. Schumer mentioned, it was a very robust process with a task force that led us to where we are right now. Uh, the original list was very lengthy. It had a lot of things on it. Um, and it would have come at a really high cost. And I think through the lengthy process, we got to a point where we're being very responsible with taxpayer money and we're able to give the buildings the things that were prioritized highest and that have been asked for for years without actually increasing the tax burden on community members. So, I think we found a really good balance of being able to add the things that we most need while also being responsible with uh everybody else's money that is being paid in taxes. Thank you. >> Thank you, candidate Vatitali. >> Yes. Uh um will absolutely echo um a lot of what was already said. Um and I fully support the referendum that we have um going out this fall. Um like candidate Celinger said, it was a very robust process. It actually started a couple of years ago when we started looking at um our curriculum and understanding what the curriculum for today's learners and tomorrow's learners and also looking at those physical spaces. So as you walk around and if you are in the classroom or in the schools um education is um much different than than it is uh than than we were there. So the emphasis on small group spaces and flexible furniture and and um uh uh you know all of those things are very important. Uh one of the things that I uh personally pushed for was looking at the middle school uh and so the curriculum there as well as the physical spaces there. So, I'm very happy that um all of the schools are going to be touched, but there will be quite a bit uh of investment in the middle schools. Thank you. >> Thank you. And candidate >> Colinger, can you hear me? >> Hi. Okay. 100% I support the referendum. Um, I've been at the last few board meetings where, um, who I would call financial genius or expert Paul Bugeois has explained it really well, the work that's gone into getting this ready for the community to vote on. So, I really appreciate that. As a teacher, I'm really, really excited to hear about the small group classrooms. that's going to add space for the teachers to do some intervention intervention work and have that space for small group um so we can support those learners in different ways. Also excited to hear that there's bathrooms added uh as one per a school is uh not not ideal. The middle school science classrooms, the gym um but yeah, I for sure support that and appreciate all the work that's gone into being thoughtful about this process. Thank you. And candidate Cole bringing Binger, we'll start with you with this next question, followed by candidate Selinger. And the question is, oh, we'll focus we'll start focusing these next couple questions on the kids. So the first question has to do with bullying. What can the district do to combat bullying at all academic levels? Again, candidate Colinger. Uh good question. Bullying is uh a social emotional learning uh topic and I think that when we talk about bullying at the different levels I've seen from the district different social emotional curriculum rollouts for the elementary level, the middle school level and the high school level. And so within those different curriculums, they are addressing bullying specifically along with other social emotional needs. Um, and they have worked really hard to target it towards different grades. Um, I also have worked in a district where they've had different kind of reporting systems. So, I would like to ask more about that and see if there's a way for families or students to do that as um we experience more online bullying with middle and high schoolers. Um so, that's something I would like to inquire about. >> Thank you, candidate Selinger. >> Thank you. Is it on now? Okay. Um like uh Miss Cole Binger said uh the social emotional learning curriculum uh we're kind of piloting some new versions or not pilot they were piloted already. Now we've adopted new curriculum that's going into u multiple levels at our schools. And so hopefully what we're going to start to see is kind of common language for some of these um they really are you you have to know what bullying is to be able to reduce it. And so I think just making sure that everybody is understanding of uh you know what bullying is uh needs to be really easy to report so that when it does happen that the school knows about it and can take action because we can't have tolerance for that. We need to continue to gather data. This is one of the things we ask about every year in the survey and uh I think it's going to be just really important to continue what we've bullying has been around forever and we're never going to totally eliminate it. But what we have to do is educate our students and our families how to address it when it does happen. >> Thank you. Candidate Vitali. >> Um yes. um agree um there's no tolerance for bullying um uh in our schools. Uh I think for my eight years on the board, bullying has been part of a the school board goal every every year. Um and this year in our well-being colle connection and belonging um you know bullying continues to to be a part of that because um we know that that it's it's happening and and and we need to continue to reduce it. Um uh like candidate Celinger said um you know communication is key. So really um informing families about what we are doing defining bullying uh working in the classroom uh with common language and the new curriculum um that that we will be rolling out as well as re reporting. Um, and one piece, uh, that, um, I'm looking forward to is in our new middle school programming, uh, we have a block schedule that will allow, uh, for advisory where a lot of these lessons in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade. Um, and so some of our immersion students really weren't having that. So, um, and I ran out of time, but thank you. >> Thank you, candidate Schumer, followed by candidate Jordan. >> Thank you. Make sure this is on. Um, I think some of the comments have already been made on bullying is as parents, as a school system, and we reinforce inclusion and diversity, bullying should not be accepted at all. Period. But what I really wanted to add was a short little story because it reminded me when I heard this question. In the middle school, my daughter had an opportunity to participate in a program which I thought was best practice and could be shared in multiple grades. It was called the women of color. And what that really was about is where groups of girls got together that were from the same different nationalities to help work through different experiences that they were having in school and actually a peer-to-peer mentoring approach with this teacher overseeing the program. And I found many times my daughter came home and really shared and vetted through different stories and activities that she was experiencing and was finding solutions and partnership with her peers in school. So, I just wanted to share that story that we have the opportunity to use that as a best practice and add that to various programs that are happening today across the school. Thank you. >> Thank you. Candidate Jordan, >> is it on? >> Come here. Okay. Um, yeah, I I would echo so a lot of what's been said here. Um, bullying is something that should absolutely not be tolerated. Um, there's nothing worse than feeling belittled or mistreated by someone. Um, and it's heartbreaking to think that it can happen to kids, but I believe C candidate Celinger said it that it's never gets to zero, unfortunately. I do know that the school board um year after year has reports on this. Um, parents are given information. There is a reporting tool uh in the district. I believe it's called Let's Talk uh where you can report something to the district that's happening and it can be you can leave your your name if you want. It can also be reported anonymously and I would encourage anyone who's experiencing anything like this to use that tool because they take it seriously in this district and there will be actions taken and you can report anonymously um if necessary. I know our teachers are on top of this issue and I I would call on all of us parents to you know be vigilant and and that um I worry about social media which is you know is a tough area and I am also being told to stop so I'll stop. >> Thank you candidate Jordan and you will start first with this next question followed by candidate Fatali. So the question is um having to do with learning styles. The biolog there are biological differences in the way that girls and boys learn and there's um evidence indicating that boys are failing because of the way that um because we're not teaching to some of these learning styles or strengths. Do you share this concern and how could the Minnitanka school district do better? You know, I I do think there are different learning styles and I must admit for a while I I didn't always realize that and I used to hear about experiential learning in Minnetonka and I wondered what that was and then I started going up to the capitol and sitting in committee meetings and sitting in schoolboard meetings and going places and talking to people and I realized it's um being firsthand there and seeing for yourself. Um, I think Minnetonka does a great job. Um, we have the best and brightest teachers and there are different learning styles, but I have to say that my experience has been that our teachers work with the different learning styles. Um, we really do have some of the most amazing teachers u in I would say the state and quite likely the country. So, I defer to the fact that I think they do a great job um and support them. If they feel that there's some learning styles that they need more assistance with or more training, I would want to hear from them about that um because I view them as the experts in that area. >> Thank you, candidate Vitali. >> Yes. Um uh learning style is is uh very important u when we're looking at educating 11 over 11,000 students. Um I look at my own household and um my daughter growing up u definitely learned much different than than my my two boys but even my two boys um have different learning styles. So um when you talk about uh experiential learning and individualized learning it's something that Minnotonka thrives at. And so we start differentiating our learning uh very early on and um so that we can have a class and a curriculum that meets the students needs uh uh at whatever level that they are and then we provide the supports um that are necessary for those levels. And so and then um all the way up to the high school uh all the different pathways. One of the biggest things uh that or things I'm proud of is our momentum program where we've really taken shop class and brought it back to the high school and and uh supercharged it with all the different um opportunities in automotive and construction aviation and providing um different pathways for people who learn different and have different um ways of learning. Thank you. >> Thank you candidate Selinger followed by candidate Schumer. Um so yes there are many different learning styles. Um I don't personally think that gender determines the learning style of any any individual person because as Mr. Vitali said, you know, in any household there are people who learn better by listening, people who learn better by working with their hands, people who learn better um engaging with somebody face to face, some otherbody, some other person who might prefer to just read in a book. So, there's a lot of different ways that humans learn. Um, and the thing that's really cool, um, I think just in general about Minnotonka is that we have something for every student. Um, not only do we have programming where students can kind of self- select into things that they're in engaged in and interested in, um, like automotive or, uh, the Vantage program. We have a lot of different learning pathways, but within classrooms, teachers are, uh, teachers are taught how to teach to different learning styles. Every teacher preparation program out there talks about, you know, if you deliver curriculum in a multimodal way, it's better for every student in the room. And so, I think we have to trust that our teachers are well trained, and I think they are. Um, we also have the MTSS, which is a really robust process for seeing if students are un underperforming, if they need uh if they need enrichment, if they need support. And so we have uh that in place as well to address if there is a concern about under underperformance. >> Thank you, >> Candidate Schumer. >> Okay. Um I too echoed the same sentiment that I've heard from my other colleagues up here is um I don't think it should be a boy girl thing. I think everybody I do have a a daughter and a son at home and I get to observe different learning styles there at home and I think really we need to step back and think about it as personalized learning. Find out the child's way of what their interest is where their strengths are and then apply different unique ways of how you can approach them. Um, I'm running on a campaign theme which I've kind of really like to champion which is a Ford Ready learning pathways. And really what I want to do is actually kind of make sure we instill listening to personalization and having unique learning styles. Second, connecting them to the real world, helping them learn about problem solving, collaboration, teamwork, which are important ingredients as they step out into the real world and then applying that. And I think a daughter or a son, a girl or a boy in those conversations will learn from each other because when we go out into the real world, we're going to have to interact with those two different um different ideas of boy and girl. So I feel like that's a good way to start and creating the foundation and principles. Thank you. >> Thank you. and candidate Colinger. >> Like like everybody else up here, I also uh agree and know that there are many styles of learning. As a teacher in a language arts classroom, I've seen even within one child, their learning style can be different when they approach reading, writing, speaking, and listening. And so a way that to echo what Megan was saying, a way that we figure that out is data connection, communication, getting to know our students and know what's works best for them. And when we see that maybe this particular pathway didn't work in this situation, we pivot and try another one. And that's what a good educator does. And I've seen that happen in our district with our teachers. I know that they are working hard to learn every child's learning style and really taking their expertise and applying it to each and every kid. Um, yeah, thank you. Candidate Cole Binger, we'll start with you for this next question. We'll start uh talking about school safety now. And so the question is and again we'll go co candidate Colinger followed by candidate Schumer. The question is, what measures would you support to increase school safety? Candidate Coler, thank you for asking this question. In the light of what happened last week, this has been really heavy on my heart. Um, I know that uh I agree with a lot of what Minnitankka is doing. They're investing in more physical preventative software. Um the systems and exterior hardware is being increased. The proactive response and efforts with supports and threat identification and staff training is happening. And they're also in contact with local law enforcement and national school safety experts. One thing that I would be curious about doing is similarly to the case um group that goes to the capital to advocate for funding for public schools. I would like to see something like that. Uh another group created with teachers and educators in mind um going to the capitol to talk to legislation about um different uh gun laws and fixing that problem because what we're really doing is putting this issue on the kids. Um and I think as adults we could come together and figure it out. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Candidate Schumer. >> Thank you. Um, I think this is really an important topic. Um, so I'd really say first of all, safety for our children should always come first. And I put some notes together even for this because I think it's a really relevant topic that we're all talking about at home. We're seeing in the workplace, we're seeing at school. So I put some thoughts and I said, I will advocate for both security, emotional, and well-being. Curriculum at school that will help kids understand safety. So, safety drills, basically having visitor and entry management that basically has guidelines of how people can get in and out. But then the other thing I wrote down is as parents and as a community, we've got to come together and put our voice out there outside the school to get our legislators and people to take action on gun safety and create better school environments. That's how we're going to make it happen is working together. We can work internally and we're putting a lot of things in place. I've seen those in actions in the schools that I go to with my kids, but I think we need to take that subject matter broadly and as parents and community talk more with our state and federal legis legislator to make this happen. Thank you. >> Thank you, Candida Jordan, followed by Candidate Singinger. >> School safety is top of mind for me. As parents, we all want to know that our children are safe when we drop them off at school. When that horrific incident happened in Minneapolis, I went down there to a vigil to comfort the parents and to offer my condolences. It was something I've never experienced and never hope to experience again. And then I came back to Minnitanka and I sat down with our head of security to know what are we doing to keep our children safe? While he couldn't share every detail with me for security reasons, he did reassure me and it was reassuring to learn that all of our staff is trained in what to do during a a crisis. Significant steps have been made to ensure that our buildings are safe and entrance is not easy for someone who shouldn't be there. There's also a strong emphasis on building student connection and community so that a student would feel comfortable speaking up if they thought something was wrong and not happening right. There's always a balance so to strike between creating a warm welcoming environment where our children feel that they want to come every day and learn and ensuring that students are safe and secure. Minnetonka, I believe, after speaking with everyone, including law enforcement uh officials, is doing a good job to maintain that balance. And with the referendum that I hope will pass in November, there will be additional security enhancements that are very important. But when it comes to safety for of our children, we can and must always do more. >> Thank you, Candidate Selinger. uh safety is of utmost importance. I mean I have two kids that I send into our buildings every day and I am very confident in the measures that Minnotonka has t taken thus far. So the measures that I would support are to continue doing what we're doing building the robust systems that we have in place. Um the referendum does include some more safety enhancements. Um, and I think that there's been a lot of great work done with Scott Gerlicker around training the staff, making sure that the uh appropriate systems are in place. Um, I would add the other piece of it too is just the personal safety piece. Um, I think we need to continue like we just talked about addressing bullying. Um, and make sure that students feel safe as individuals as well as in uh the building space. >> Thank you, candidate Patali. Yes. Um um echo everyone up up here. Um safety and school safety and the safety of our students and staff uh when they're inside of our our buildings are of the utmost importance. And yeah, when things happen so close to home, uh it makes us all think and and wonder. Um, I was talking with a neighbor who was send sending their first off to to kindergarten and started talking about some of the things that we've done, some of the things that you can see, some of the things that you can't see. And um, you know, uh, safety has been a journey for Minnetonka for every year. Uh, um, we're always making improvements and, um, so there isn't really, um, anything that administration um, uh, supports that I wouldn't take a look at from that standpoint. So, um, the referendum includes, uh, some more money for, uh, safety measures. Um, we've added a school safety expert on staff that we didn't have before. Um, and so, uh, I I feel very comfortable sending my kids and, um, having my neighbors send their kid to to to any of our schools. So, thank you. >> Thank you. And our next question, candidate Fatali, we will start with you, followed by candidate Schumer. Again, we'll stay focused on school safety. There is a decreasing number of students are who are taking the bus or walking or biking to school and an increasing number who are being driven by their parents. This creates significant congestion in the neighborhoods around the schools. It delays the school buses arriving at to the school on time and makes it dangerous for kids biking and walking. What would you do to address this problem? And then the second part of this, what policies would should Minnetonka school districts have for electric bikes? >> Oh, we could talk about that last one uh for longer than a minute. Uh um yes. Uh as a district that um relies on um over a third of our enrollment uh from open enrollment, uh congestion and traffic has been something that's uh been in front of the board uh for as long as I've I've been on the board. And um we continue to look to seek improvements uh whether it's staggering uh our our um arrival and uh dismissal times across the different schools um uh to making physical improvements to each one of our schools. Again, part of the referendum uh is uh some improvements at some of our schools to help with uh traffic flow and traffic management. Um uh and switching to ebikes before I run out of time. Um, yes, there's there's really only so much that that the district can do uh to um from that standpoint. Um, and so really allowing them on our district property and but we can't really control what happens out out out in the neighborhood. So, it's definitely a um an interesting topic that doesn't really have a clear answer, but thank you. >> Thank you, Candidate Schumer. Um I think um as I've learned recently that u this year we the school system already started implementing some areas to address this. Um we're looking at different start times with the elementary, middle school, and high schools. That'll help um with the transportation of the buses. It'll help possibly reduce some of the congestion still to be monitored and evaluated. And then on the ebike thing, um right away I kind of smile because that becomes a household topic I think in most households anymore. But I feel like as a school, we're going to be on the board of talking about safety. And I feel like then we should say ebikes are not permitted within the school foundations or the the um parking lots of the schools and then let that be at home conversation to have if there's going to be out on the street or in the neighborhood and if they're going to use it themselves. So I kind of support kind of putting guidelines and requirements around that. And I think we've already taken some initial steps on the congestion. And I like the idea with the high school where they give out the permits to the students and they also encourage them to actually do buddy up and go as car pooling. So I think it's being addressed and we need to monitor those activities. Thank you. >> Thank you candidate Cole Binger followed by candidate Jordan. Um, I agree with the staggered times that will be helpful in um getting the kids to and from school in a safer way. I do know that uh the buses are also doing some changes. Just with my kids bus, they've changed the way that they come home so that they are dropped off on the correct side of the street and that's just wherever the the door is for the to the road. So, I've even seen a change already um in the first week of school. Uh I think we can collaborate with the city. I know that part of the referendum bill is to help change the parking lots and the bus corrals at both middle schools. So, that will alleviate some of that traffic and congestion. Um and then the ebikes. Uh if you know me, I don't love ebikes, but um I think that we could start with following what the guidelines are for that. So, you have to be 15 years old wearing a helmet. And then I agree with William that perhaps we could set in some guidelines around when and where they can be used on school property because I've seen kids on ebikes going through baseball practice and things like that. And so maybe a conversation at home is helpful too. Traffic around the schools is always uh a hot topic with um we have open enrolled students. We also have a lot of district students who maybe write don't ride the bus and we can encourage them to ride the bus. But I have heard from parents who drive their kids that that's the time that you hear what's happening in a ch with a child is in that car ride, that 10-minute car ride, your child may tell you what you would never hear. Once they hit the door at home, they're they're not going to, you know, share that information. So, I struggle with with saying, you know, make your kid ride the bus. Um, and I and I and I understand that we have safety concerns with so many, you know, people driving. I think we need to continue to do what we've done. Our our principles are always letting, you know, parents know the correct way. Um, at MMW, there's there been some improvements. They're going to there are going to be improvements with the referendum um for the drop off at the middle schools. Um, I think just reminding everyone to be safe and the ebike bikes, um, running out of time here, but the ebikes are definitely a, you know, real challenge and I think they're a challenge throughout all of the cities. So, I I would think that we could partner with some of the cities and maybe even the legislature to talk about um, safety because, you know, that is definitely a challenge. >> Thank you, Candidate Sellinger. I'd echo a lot of what people have already said. Uh, you know, we can't, uh, control whether or not families choose to ride the bus. Um, one thing we could do perhaps is do a better job of educating families about what their options are for open enrolled families. They can always drive to a bus um, within the district that's a bus stop and take a school bus to school that way. So, I think maybe we could do a better job of just um, educating families about those different options. Um, we have and will continue to improve traffic flows around the school. Uh, we've changed some of the bus corrals. We've gotten more of the cars off of the main roads and into kind of back parking lot areas. Sorry, I talk with my hands all the time. I can't stop it. Uh, so I'm illustrating for those who are looking at me. Um, but maybe there are some more creative ideas out there like a a park and ride or something like that that we could explore. Uh, in terms of ebikes, um, like everybody said, they're not legal until 15. So, uh that eliminates the option at elementary and middle school for the most part. Um I'm kind of of the notion that maybe there are some creative ways that ebikes could be used at the high school that would kind of minimize some of the traffic congestion um as a practical solution. if we can come up with some uh safety procedures and make sure that there's a way to do it safely and have a place for them to park safely. Um that might actually be something to explore. I'm not sure. >> Thank you, candidate Selinger. And we will start with you with this next question followed by candidate Colinger. And the question is um the topic is DEI. So the question is, how can the school district implement one of the DEI initiatives? Again, candidate Selinger. Yep. Do can you speak to how the school district could implement one of the DEI initiatives? Um I'm going to admit I'm a little bit uh confused by this question um only because I'm not sure which what it's referring to when it says DEI initiatives. Um, if we're just talking about diversity, equity, and inclusion, I think that is um, something that's really important. We have to be inclusive of all of our students in our district. We have to make sure that uh, value, all voices are valued, all students feel welcome in our buildings, that we're making sure that we are meeting students where they are, so that then when they come in, they feel comfortable, they see themselves reflected in the curriculum. Um in terms of specific initiatives, I'm not um sure what that is referring to. Uh you know, we have inclusion and we have uh belonging as part of our district goals as it is. Uh so we're always working on that enhancing belonging for every student in every building. >> Thank you. Um and candidate Colinger and yeah, I should have specified diversity, equity, inclusion. So sorry I could have clarified that a little bit better. So, candidate Colinger, >> uh, DEI is very important as it encompasses belonging of all students and families with our district. So, as we think about incorporating that, um, we want, like, um, Miss Collinger was saying, the students reflected in the curriculum, that's really powerful. Um, I know language arts curriculum, they do revamping of books and stuff to make sure that we are making sure that all voices are heard and they're authentic voices so that we're hearing from people of many different cultures and backgrounds. Um, equity, we want to meet kids where they're at. For kids that need more, we give them more and we give them what they need. Kids who need challenges um, need to be challenged more, we give them what they need. And so I think the district provides that by giving many different pathways to that learning and inclusion. Making sure that we're repeating this message, teachers, leaders in our school, everyone is included, everyone is welcome, and that um when families don't feel that way to make sure that they feel comfortable, that they can go to someone and speak up so that we can fix that problem. >> Thank you, candidate Vitali, followed by candidate Schumer. Yes. Um, you know, diversity, equity, inclusion, um, uh, those premises are are really embedded in a lot of what we do. Um, uh, when you look at the high school, um, um, just, uh, the makeup of of the the students and kind of echoing what what everybody has said that they're reflected in the in the curriculum, they're reflected in in the staff. I know one of the things that we've been looking at and and trying to recruit um um more diverse staff members whether it's um in administration, in teachers or in counselors uh from that standpoint. So um students can find someone that looks like them uh that that because we know that when they have a trusted adult, it's it's very important. Um inclusion is uh such a big piece of of our belonging goal. Um and and our connection and belonging goal. Um, so we know that when students feel like they belong or that they're included, uh, it sets up a better environment, uh, for learning and allows them to achieve more. So, thank you. >> Thank you, candidate Schumer. >> Thank you. Um, DEI should be an important thing that we always address. Um, I'm very big proponent of that at home and at school that we talk about it and we share and have open dialogue with our students and our children at home around DEI. Um, I'm going to echo one of the examples I said earlier in a response is I thought a good way of doing that is making sure in schools and I think elementary, middle school, and high school they do different initiatives internally based upon the experience I've had with my son and daughter is that they have opportunities for people to interact and find out and learn about different cultural differences. So for example, I used the example I had from my daughter who went to Middle School West and basically was in women of color and it was various diverse cultural differences of girls together at the same age sharing experiences and acknowledging what was happening to them at school. So I say how do we plan that forward and make sure that we have more programs like that. So the biggest thing for us to ensure that this happens is encourage both through education curriculum of understanding different culturals differences and how we can approach those and work with them uh as opposed to not understanding them. Thank you. >> Thank you. Canada Jordan, >> is it on? It's on. Okay. When I hear a question like this, um I'm also a little confused. Um, but I'm wondering if somebody's writing this question because they don't feel like they have a place or they belong here or there may be students who don't feel like they are part of the community. And I would say that we have 11,500 unique learners in this community. And I would certainly hope that as a school district, we are making sure that every student realizes that we are glad you're here. We want to make sure that you're able to learn. we want you to know that you have a place here. You're welcome. Um and I I think a way to initiate that and it would be to model it. Um as adults, I think it's very important to always show our students um and parents uh if we're in the leadership here that we're glad you're here. We you have a place here. You belong here. And we're here as a team. We're all Minnitonka skippers and proud to be that. Thank you. The next question we will start with candidate Schumer followed by candidate Jordan and the question is the annual parent satisfaction survey shows a drop in parent satisfaction at the middle school level. Do you have any thoughts as to why this may be or any ideas to improve parent satisfaction? Well, first I'll I'll kind of approach that from um I was exposed to the survey results for both elementary, middle school, and high school when I sat through um the recent board meeting and observed that. Um what I would say is if there's dissatisfaction in the middle school and the very first thing you need to do with survey results is dig deeper. Um, so really what you need to do is take it a next level down and understand what the key drivers and factors are of dissatisfaction because if we try to go solve it quickly without understanding what the key factors and drivers underneath that um, dissatisfaction are, we're going to kind of maybe miss the mark. So I would kind of apply what I've learned in my business world is when we ever find out dissatisfaction with our customers or patients, we always go a level deeper and find out what the key drivers and factors are so we can actually bring solutions forward and then approach it that way. So that's what I would approach it. Thank you. >> Thank you, Canada Jordan. Well, I will say that for the most part, um, Minnetonka, I've sat through many surveys that have been presented, um, the results and it seems like most of the areas were ticking up. Um, there was a drop after 2020 in COVID and I think that the areas are ticking up. Um, some dissatisfaction with the middle school. I would say it's you know it's a tough time in the life of a student and also which tr can translate to making it a tough life you know time in the life of the parents a bit I think that things are being addressed by the changes that are being made at the middle school there haven't had a revamp for about I think could be uh 15 15 to 17 years there really haven't been any major changes made in the middle school so I think that the changes that are made will go a long ways towards addressing any dissatisfaction. I think that they will um kind of tonka up the Minnetonka the middle school experience and I think that we'll see um in the future here that there will be an uptick in the satisfaction at the middle school. >> Thank you. Candidate Vitali followed by candidate Colinger. Um yes uh uh the the annual survey um it's a packet that that's about that thick uh with all of the comments that that we get and um I can tell you it's um uh it's something that each board member uh reads and takes very seriously. So we we we you know the first thing is to dig deeper and I can tell you that um as the board takes it seriously our administration and staff take that those comments and that survey even more seriously. So um we will definitely be digging in into the results and understanding that as far as addressing obviously at first it's listening um as other candidates have said um and try to get to the root and the understanding but I would also say that I think we have heard this um over the years um and and we're already acting so moving to the block schedule so we can address some of the schedule scheduling conflicts and be able to have more electives and now uh with the referendum and if it's passed uh being able to invest significantly in those buildings and help improve the level of um education that that can happen there. So, um thank you. >> Thank you, candidate Colinger. >> I'm going to echo the digging deeper into the data in order to find out what parents, students, and teachers are feeling. Um so doing that through listening sessions. What are things that are what is the school doing to provide agency for the kids? How are they feeling? What could we do as a community to provide more connection and belonging? Middle schoolers, uh, if you've worked with them or know them, can be a unique breed. And so, it's really, really important that their voices are heard and they're feeling seen by their peers and the adults. Um, and so I would like to offer that as a suggestion um, the listening sessions to hear what they say in order to dig deep. >> Thank you, Candidate Selinger. >> Um, I agree with everything that's been said already. Uh the only things that I could think to add is uh one thing that we see with surveys is that sometimes we'll see one of these drops and then it turns out that it was just a blip and the next year it comes right back up. And so I think looking longitudinally at the data is going to be really important to see is this a continuing ongoing problem where we're seeing the concern from this specific group or was this just a one-off in the data and next year it rebounds. So I think that's always important to keep in mind with the survey data. Um I think also is something that Mr. Vatitali addressed earlier is we've also had some programming inconsistencies. Uh you know at the middle school the immersion students didn't get the same advisory curriculum that the Englishonly students did. And so I'm hoping that we're addressing some of these things by implementing the new uh programming this year where where they're going to have both advisory and um the course that is really designated for some of that like the social emotional learning curriculum um that the immersion students didn't used to get to do on a regular basis. So >> thank you. All right, we will we have time for one more question. And um we will start with candidate Jordan followed by candidate Cole Binger. The question is um what is the impact of reduced federal funding and do you have any ideas for how the district might raise additional revenues or areas where the district should reduce spending if the budget demands? Uh would you mind repeating that? Did you say there has been reduced federal funding? >> What would be the impact if there is reduced federal funding? >> Um I would say that finances are probably the top concern um in in public education right now. Um at this point it looks like the federal funding is not going to be reduced in Minnetonka and it is 2% of the budget as it is. But what I will say is strong schools require a strong f financial foundation. Minnitank has maintained a strong f foundation for the last 18 years but that has changed. In the past two years 40 teachers and 40 paras have been laid off due to budget cuts and those were done at the that was money at the state level that was cut. Those losses affect every classroom, every student and every program that makes minnotonka exceptional. As an engaged parent, I spent one to two times a day a week at the state state capital during the legislative session advocating alongside our representatives and senators on behalf of Minnitankka. If I'm elected, I will continue that work tirelessly for our students, educators, and families to preserve the excellence we've built and create new opportunities that every student s can succeed with. In addition to the that advocacy, I believe we must think creatively and plan for the long term. That's why I'd like to explore the creation of a Minnotonka Legacy Endowment, a sustainable funding source designed to help fill financial gaps, funding for for staffing, and preserve the programs that define Minnotonka. >> Thank you, Kennedy Colbinger. So, I've worked in a system where in districts where um budget cuts are constant, so I know what questions to ask and what to be curious about. Um, one thing that I know is that I trust our financial-minded folks like Paul Bajgeois. I've been really impressed with his expertise and I would continue to look to him for creative ways. Uh similarly uh he talked a lot about the bond and the referendum and I've learned a ton at the school board meetings about how he is finding ways to just find pennies in every little spot and it is amazing. Um we need to collaborate with other experts in the community. This is a community effort. I think we all can come together to figure this out. Um, and because of my experience in districts with budget cuts, I can provide reassurance that even in these times there are solutions. I have been in schools that have had enormous cuts and we've we've figured it out and made it work. >> Thank you. Candidate Schumer, followed by candidate Selinger. >> Um, this is a good question. Um, I put some notes together if everybody would be allow me to reference this. I broke down some three key points that I think we should do because I think funding is been a really relevant topic even in the national news and things like that of the teachers, the education department and various things. So, it really got to my mind of thinking about it. So, I put down three key points that I'd like to give to the audience here. Protecting the classroom first. Um, what we need to do is keep cuts away from core instructions and quality teachers. Second, be transparent and community involved. What I wrote down is engage family, staff, and communities early in the process to le use the collaboration of ideiation to see if there's new ways and then put long-term planning together. Don't be cut off with this every once in a while. These cycles going up and down is possibly look beyond quick fixes and look at possibly exploring partnerships that can basically find other sources of revenue to support some of the backlog that we might experience in the up and down fluctuations. So, I appreciate you allowing me to share those three key points that I put together before I came here tonight. Thank you. >> Thank you, Candidate Sellinger. Uh to echo what Miss Jordan said, uh I think we're actually fortunate in our district that the federal funding is a very small portion of our budget. So in terms of that specific piece, I think we can weather that. Okay. Um but that said, budget is at the top of everybody's mind. We've already been through a round of cuts. I too have taught in a school district where it was cuts every single year and it's very stressful. It's stressful for families. It's stressful for teachers. stressful for the students that are hearing about these things. So, uh you know, we can't really increase revenue. Um revenue is tied to the pupil count. And so, uh we don't really have the capacity to keep adding students and adding students. We can continue to advocate at the capital for more funding. Um we are like they say all the time at our meetings uh 88% of our budget goes directly into people and so we're already really good at funneling the the money right into the classrooms. Um we have a really good financial department. We have a finance committee. So we do have to lean on those for recommendations and for ways to be creative because I agree we need to keep the budgets out of the classroom as long as we can. At some point we have to think about the programming and really evaluate and I hope we don't get to the point where we have to make those kinds of hard choices. >> Thank you. And candidate Fatali. >> Yes. Um candidate Celinger stole all my answers. Um so I'm just going to cheat off her test a little bit. So yes, I we're very lucky um uh in Minnetonka that um the federal funding is such a small percentage. So that portion of the question isn't is is isn't something that um Minnotonka necessarily has to address. We can we can do that fairly easy. Some of other districts in the state um aren't. But um yes uh when you look at um budget has been a huge topic the last couple of years. um I think we were on a 15-year run where we didn't have to to cut um to cut budget at all when it's really a regular one or two-year cycle for for most districts in the state. And so uh we're kind of getting back to that. But we have uh really innovative ways um again 88% of our budget is in people in um um that really affect the classroom. So, but we have to continue to look at innovative ways to to deliver the curriculum to using technology. We have to advocate for um um our legislature and our local um uh uh our local community for for funding and um continue to work at it. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Now, candidates will have one minute for their closing statement. We will progress or do um our closing statements in a random order. This will give you an opportunity to summarize your qualifications and your positions and the first candidate will be candidate Selinger followed by candidate Colinger. Thank you. Uh first I'd just like to thank you for taking the time to listen tonight. Um whether you're watching now or if you're watching it on the uh recording later, thank you for taking the time to become an informed voter. Uh November 4th, please vote. Um I hope you'll consider voting for me. Uh I'm experienced both as a board member uh like Mr. Vatitali, I have been the chair, the vice chair, I've sat in a variety of committees. Um and I'm also an educator. So, I bring that lens to the board and can can contribute in a little bit of a different way because of that. Um, I'm engaged. I'm responsive. So, if you didn't hear enough today, please reach out. I'm happy to have a conversation, uh, have an email exchange. Um, my website is reelectmegancelinger.com. Megan with an H, and Celinger only has one L. So, there is also a QR code out in the lobby if you want to do a quick scan to reach my website, but feel free to reach out. Um, happy to answer more questions or uh engage more with anybody that's listening. Thank you. >> Thank you, candidate Coler. >> One of my favorites co quotes is by the late Senator Paul Wellstone. We all do better when we all do better. I believe this to my core. As both a parent and an educator, I'm committed to elevating community voices and ensuring every child has the support they need to thrive. During this campaign, I'll be out in the community knocking on doors and hosting meet and greets to connect with you personally. I really want to hear your story. What's going well for you? What would you like to see changed? If elected, you can count on that same engagement, accessibility, and responsiveness as your school board member. I look forward forward to earning your vote on November 4th. Early voting begins September 19th and you can learn more about me or correspond with me via email at tanya kobbinger.com. Thank you. >> Thank you candidate Jordan followed by candidate Batitali. >> Thank you again to the League of Women Voters for putting on this forum and thank you to everyone in the audience who took time to be here and or who is listening online. Um, our community deserves a school district that is financially strong with safe schools and a world-class education for every student who walks through the front door. I commit to making this my full-time focus. I will work tirelessly on behalf of all students, educators, parents, and community members. And I will go up to the cap along with the people I'm recruiting. And I'd like to recruit you now. We will go up to the capitol and we will ask the legislators to send the resources to Minnetonka that are needed because our biggest asset is the teachers and the paras that we have in the classroom and there is nothing that replaces a great education for a student. We must do everything that we can to get this next generation ready to go out in the world and be successful. And I would ask for your support in that. I appreciate you listening to our thoughts tonight. Um, but I also want to hear from you. What is important to you? What's going well? What's not? Um, hopefully mostly is going well, but I also want to hear um if there's anything that's not going well. Um, please take time to sh to share your thoughts with me on my website, jordanfforta.com. I hope to earn your support and your vote for Karen Jordan on November 4th. Thank you. Thank you, candidate Vitali. >> Yes. Uh thank you to the League of Women Voters for hosting this event and thank you uh for everyone showing up and um everybody listening online or streaming this later on. Um I come from a a family of educators. My stepdad, my mom, my sister, uh we're all in public education. I'm a huge believer in public education. I think it's one of the greatest institutions um in our country. I think there's no uh greater investment uh that we can make as educating our young people. Uh over the last eight year years, I've had a front row seat uh to some amazing things from shaking 900 plus hands at graduation in June uh to seeing the little kindergarteners walk in and within a few weeks they're speaking another language. It it just there's just amazing things that um we are doing in our district. Um, I would say it it's been my honor to serve um this district, uh, this community, all of you, the past eight years, and I'm I'm really hoping that you will support me in representing you, uh, for another four. Uh, please reach out. Um, my website is reelect chrisvatitali.com. Thank you. Appreciate you being here. >> Thank you, Candidate Schumer. >> So, I get to do cleanup here. Um, basically I just want to say thank you to the League of Women Voters, the people in the audience, my fellow candidates up here for the two-way exchange. I think that's been really important and I think that really sets the stage of how this board should operate is working with both parents, educators, and students to get dialogue and conversation. The next thing I wanted to really say is I'm very civic-minded and I have a passion to give back. And with that passion to give back, Minnetonka School has been really good to us as a system since we moved here 12 years ago. And I got to see firsthand my children going through elementary all the way through graduation. And I want to take that experience as a parent, my experience with the school system and my professional experiences bringing smart money management to the table, actually being curious and lead with respect and listen for those that will have a voice to help us build a community and a school together. I ask you to visit my website at williamshumer4 minnotonkaschoolboard.com and learn a little bit more about my plans and the ideas that I want to bring forward to help us even enrich the school system more than it is today. Thank you. >> Thank you. I got everybody right and I didn't miss anyone. Good. Okay. I'd like to remind everybody that the views expressed in this forum are those of the candidates and not those of the League of Women Voters. Sponsorship of this forum is not an endorsement of any candidate by the League of Women Voters. And now for our closing. >> Thank you very much to those in the audience um from the League of Women Voters uh Eden Prairie Minnotonka and Hopkins and also the Lake Minnotonka Plymouth area league of women voters and also our online viewing audience. We'd especially like to thank our candidates for being part of the democratic process by running for office and for being willing to serve our community. The league researches issues important to our members and to the health of our communities. If you're interested in finding out more about what we do, how you can make a difference, um go to our website at lwvmn.org. Membership is open to anyone 16 or older. And again, thank you for coming and remember to vote on November 4th. [Applause]