Anna Dirkswager was elected with 51% of the vote.
In 2017, residents in the Anoka-Hennepin School District will elect a board member in District 4 to serve a four-year term. The candidates are:
About: Anna Dirkswager is announcing her candidacy for the Anoka Hennepin School board for which the election is this November 7th.
“As a parent of two daughters who will attend the AH schools for years to come, I am committed to ensuring that our schools maintain their academic rigor and that all kids in the district are set up to be successful.”
Dirkswager, an 8 year resident of Andover and active community member, is a working parent with experience in the private, government and non-profit sector. She earned her BS from Saint Mary’s University and an MS from the University of Minnesota where she focused on natural resource economics. She has nine years’ experience with the Minnesota Legislature and she serves as a Commissioner on Andover’s Open Space Commission.
When asked why she decided to run in this year’s election, Dirkswager said, “Look, my kids are going to go to school here and my community’s kids go to school here. There isn’t anything more important than being involved in my child’s education and rather than trust that someone else will make good decisions on our behalf, I decided I would run and do it myself.”
Important Issues:
- Safe Schools
- Ensuring our kids’ safety during the school day is my top priority
- Our kids deserve to learn in an environment where they feel safe and respected and is not in the form of portable trailer
- I will develop solutions to removing the portable classrooms
- Reducing Class Sizes
- The average high school class size for AH high schools is 40
- Overcrowded schools shouldn’t rob our kids of their education
- 21st Century Technology
- Our children need knowledge and skills to compete for jobs in changing economic sectors
- I support STEM curricula and investments that fully utilize 21st century technologies – and not at the expense of the arts
- Fiscal Transparency
- The AH School District is one of the state’s fastest growing school districts
- Responsible and transparent planning should accommodate our growing district, support teachers and make efficient use of available financial resources
Goals if Elected: My vision for the AH School District is to be a known state leader not only because of our size, but because of the way we maintain academic rigor and equip every child in the district to be successful. I envision a school district where all teachers and staff feel valued and proud to tell our story of academic achievement. I envision a school district where every child feels safe, respected and equipped with the knowledge and resources for success.
This is a challenging vision to aspire to but one that our children deserve. As a fellow parent, I know it’s going to require the development of challenging and complex solutions and I welcome my neighbors to reach out to me with their suggestions. The success of our school district depends on the participation of all of us and a willingness to work together to achieve greatness.
Endorsements: Anoka Hennepin Education MN Union
About: Brian Herda lives in Andover, MN (for 21 years), with his wife Pam, who is a teacher in the school district and their two sons; Luke who has graduated from Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, AZ, and JT, a sophomore at Mankato University. Brian graduated from Spring Lake Park High School and earned his accounting degree from Bethel University in 1991. He has enjoyed a 28 year career at Voya Financial and has held various accounting and finance related positions. Currently, he is the Director of Ceded Reinsurance. In addition, he has passed the CPA exam. Brian has been actively involved in his sons’ school activities; has enjoyed 20 years volunteering for the Andover Youth Sports and served as the volunteer Treasurer for Andover Youth Football and as Treasurer for Andover Traveling Basketball. Brian and Pam also volunteer at Eagle Brook Church in Anoka.
Important Issues: Running as a Conservative, Brian believes the public school system should provide a solid academic curriculum. He believes this will help whether the student goes onto college, a technical college or a trade. He supports the current school board position on Trans-Gender issues (Pro-Privacy for all students). With 28 years in the accounting and finance field, Brian will help the Anoka-Hennepin School Board maximize taxpayer dollars.
Goals, if elected:
Student academics remain a top priority.
That test scores continue to rise.
Provide safe and secure schools.
Carefully review and understand the impacts of new policies that come before the board.
Endorsements:
Locally recommended by the Senate District 35 Republicans.
