In 2026, voters will elect three members of the Centennial School Board. There are five candidates on the ballot:
JOE ACKERMAN
About:
Important Issues:
Goals if Elected:
Endorsements:
Connect with Me:
Candidate Interview:
LAURA GANNON
About:
Laura Gannon is a cybersecurity engineer, small business owner, mother of two, and candidate for Centennial ISD 12 School Board. With nearly two decades in technology, she brings a systems-thinking approach to district challenges. An eight-year Centennial parent, her campaign grew out of kitchen-table conversations with parents navigating IEP meetings for children the system was not built to serve. She knows firsthand what happens when a child has to fight just to exist in a classroom – not because they are not capable, but because the building was never designed for them. Laura lives in Circle Pines with her husband, their two daughters, and a small menagerie of pets. She believes every child deserves a school that was built for them.
Important Issues:
The major issue facing Centennial is chronic underfunding. We spend just $995 per pupil in local operating levy funding, compared to a metro average of $1,519. That gap is the reading interventionist we cannot afford, the special education para burning out by December, and the aging infrastructure we patch instead of fix. Safety means more than locked doors – it means every student and educator feels genuinely seen, supported, and valued. Equity means meeting kids where they are, especially neurodivergent learners exhausted from fitting into rigid systems. Honesty in education means trusting teachers with evidence-based curriculum and accurate history.
Goals if Elected:
First, ensure every child and educator feels genuinely safe – physically, emotionally, and socially – so students can focus on learning. Second, build equity by providing adequate paraprofessional support and flexible teaching practices that recognize neurodiversity as a strength. Third, defend honesty in education by trusting teachers as professionals and preventing the board from second-guessing expertise or censoring reality. Fourth, pass the Centennial Forward referendum to close the funding gap and modernize facilities. Finally, rebuild trust between schools and families through transparent, proactive communication, especially during emergencies.
Endorsements:
- 3.14 Action
- Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund
- MN NOW PAC
Connect with Me:
- Website: www.lauragannon4isd12.com
- Facebook: LauraGannon4ISD12
- Email: lauragannon4isd12@gmail.com
Candidate Interview:
TOM KNISELY
About:
I have lived in Blaine with my wife Bridget for 25 years. Our sons Carl and Michael are graduates of Centennial Schools. I currently serve as Chair of the Centennial School Board, and I also serve on the school board for Intermediate School District 916. I am the past President of the Centennial High School Baseball Boosters, past Board Member, Centennial High School Football Boosters, past Travel Director and League Representative, Centennial Baseball League, and am a former Little League All-Star Coach. I have worked in public relations and communications for over twenty-five years and prior to that was the Producer of TechnoPolitics, a national PBS television program. In my younger, much fitter days, I served as a Sergeant in the Army Reserve and National Guard.
Important Issues:
Equitable funding for property poor school districts like Centennial and unfunded state mandates that drive up costs are major issues facing Centennial. Due to funding inequities, Centennial Schools receive less state funding than other districts of similar size. This forces Centennial to meet the growing needs of the district with less money than others receive. It’s difficult but through sound fiscal management and constant rightsizing we’ve managed. Unfortunately, new unfunded mandates from the State are making this increasingly difficult. New costs for summer unemployment, paid family medical leave, and funding cuts to mandated special education programs are projected to cost Centennial Schools an estimated $2.7 million on an annual basis.
Goals if Elected:
My priorities are improving academic performance, increasing mental health support for children and families in crisis, and maintaining strong programs that serve students. As a school board member, I supported the revamping of our Department of Teaching and Learning and the adoption of new English curriculum to improve instruction and better support our teachers and learners. I also supported the hiring of four new social workers, two for our elementary schools, one for our Alternative Learning Center and one for the Pines to help our students whose personal struggles impact their learning. My hope moving forward is to hire a social worker for the middle school and high school as well. Maintaining strong programs is vital. One good example is the expansion of our new Career Pathways Program from manufacturing to also include computer science, health, and sports medicine.
Endorsements:
Craig Johnson, Centennial School Board
Gloria Murphy, Centennial School Board
Heidi Hanson, Centennial School Board
Suzy Guthmueller, former Centennial School Board member
Chris Bettinger, former Centennial School Board member
Karen Moss Lodico, former Centennial School Board member
Tim Sanders, Mayor of Blaine
Mike Murphy, Mayor of Lexington
Chris Lyden, Lino Lakes City Council
Michael Ruhland, Lino Lakes City Council
Leslie Larson, Blaine City Council
Chris Massoglia, Blaine City Council.
Jeff Reinert, County Commissioner
Rhonda Sivarajah, former County Commissioner
Robyn West, former County Commissioner
Nolan West, State Representative
Linda Runbeck, former State Representative
Michael Keuen, State Senator
Roger Chamberlain, former State Senator
Connect with Me:
Facebook: Tom Knisely For School Board
Candidate Interview:
GLORIA MURPHY
About:
Gloria Murphy is a current Centennial ISD 12 School Board member seeking reelection to continue serving the communities of Blaine, Centerville, Circle Pines, Lexington, and Lino Lakes. She has called Lexington home since 2013, where she and her husband, Mike, are raising their two daughters in the Centennial community. Gloria graduated from Mankato West High School and earned a B.A.S. in Business Management from Southwest State University. For more than 18 years, she has worked in the medical technology industry, helping patients navigate access to specialized medical care. She and Mike also co-own a small business in Forest Lake. Service has always been important to Gloria. Along with serving on the Centennial School Board, she has served on the Lexington Park Board and Planning & Zoning Commission and remains involved with the Centennial Area Education Foundation. Being a mom shapes how Gloria approaches the School Board. She wants every child to have a strong education in a safe school, while making sure families are heard, staff are supported, and taxpayers are respected.
Important Issues:
My priorities are strong academics, safe schools, supporting our teachers and staff, and being responsible with taxpayer dollars. As a mom, I want excellent schools for my children and for every child in Centennial. That means strong foundational skills, academic opportunities, and classrooms where students feel safe, supported, and ready to learn. It also means taking care of the teachers and staff who show up for our kids every day. I support both Centennial Forward referendum questions because I believe our long term facility, maintenance, capacity, and security needs are real. I voted to place both questions on the ballot. At the same time, I know families are feeling higher costs everywhere. I feel that too. Voter approval is not a blank check. We have to be transparent, accountable, and careful with every dollar while planning ahead so we are not pushing bigger, more expensive problems onto families later.
Goals if Elected:
If reelected, I want to keep Centennial strong, safe, and focused on students. I will continue pushing for strong academics and measurable student achievement, supporting and retaining teachers and staff, and making sure our schools are places where kids feel safe and ready to learn. I also want families to feel heard. Parents should know what is happening in their schools, staff should know their voices matter, and taxpayers should be able to see how decisions are made and where their money is going. If Centennial Forward is approved, I will take seriously the responsibility that comes with those dollars. I will work to make sure the district follows through on what voters were told, spends carefully, and communicates openly. I will keep asking questions, listening to families and residents, and making decisions with one question in mind: is this helping our students and keeping Centennial strong for the future?
Endorsements:
Mike Murphy – Mayor of Lexington
Brandon Winge – City Council Member for Lexington
Kim Devries – City Council Member for Lexington
Randy Rennaker – City Council Member for Lino Lakes
Leslie Larson – City Council Member for Blaine
Tom Knisley – Centennial School Board Member
Craig Johnson – Centennial School Board Member
Heidi Hanson – Centennial School Board Member
Jeff Reinert – Anoka County Commissioner
Linda Runbeck – Former State Representative
Roger Chamberlain – Former State Senator
Suzy Guthmueller – Former Centennial School Board Member
Chris Bettinger – Former Centennial School Board Member
Connect with Me:
Website: www.gloriamurphy.com
Facebook: Gloria Murphy for Centennial School Board
Email: gloria@gloriamurphy.com
Candidate Interview:
JESSICA SCHWINN
About:
My name is Jessica Schwinn. I attended the Centennial School District throughout the entirety of my K-12 schooling. I graduated from Centennial High School in 2009. I’ve lived in Centerville, Minnesota since 1995, when I moved here with my parents and younger brother. I attended the “little school” for Kindergarten, Centerville Elementary for grades 1-5, and then Centennial Middle School and Centennial High School. I have loved growing up in this community and school district.
I have a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, a K-6 Teacher’s License, and a Master of Science in Teaching. I have been in education since 2013. In 2020, I started my own tutoring business so I could help students and support them in their learning.
As a licensed K-6 teacher with a Masters in Teaching, along with my experience on the Centennial School Board, and my time as a student in the district, I have indispensable knowledge about education and the district that allows a unique and invaluable contribution to the community and district.
Our school district is the center of our community and brings us together. As such, it needs to be a place that supports, includes, educates and guides our kids.
Important Issues:
Education funding in Minnesota has not kept pace with inflation. There is a big lack of funding for Centennial, especially compared to neighboring districts. To fill this gap, districts rely on taxpayers via operating levies. The metro average for districts with operating levies is more than $1500 per student. Centennial’s current levy is about $996 per student. Nearby districts like White Bear Lake ($1668 per student) and Mounds View ($2204 per student) receive significantly more in operating levy per pupil. Unfortunately, this funding gap affects everything from class size and student support to what kind of electives and specialist classes can be offered to students. Until the Minnesota Legislature fixes the funding formula, Centennial will have to continue to make due with what we get and be good stewards while also planning for a rainy day.
Goals if Elected:
One of my priorities is continuing to work on communication and transparency in the district. Being clear in communication and including all necessary information is the best way to build trust in the district. Another one of my priorities is working on making the district a welcoming, inclusive, and safe space for ALL students. School should be a place that ALL students feel welcome. Not a space they should have to worry about bullying or other unwelcoming behavior. Lastly, lunch for students has become a major concern of parents. In both the middle school and high school, the timing and length of lunch is an issue. Some students at the middle school are eating lunch as early as 9:51a. District wide, a number of students won’t eat lunch or throw much of it away as they don’t like the taste and/or appearance of what is being served.
Endorsements:
Moms Demand Gun Sense Distinction
Connect with Me:
Website: www.jessicaschwinn4isd12.com
Facebooke: Jessica Schwinn for Centennial School Board
Email: jessicaschwinn4isd12@gmail.com
