Five local residents will vie for four Sauk Rapids-Rice School Board seats this November. They are the following: Ryan Butkowski, Mark Hauck, Tracy Morse, Tracey Fiereck and Jan Solarz. Four of the five responded to questionnaires sent out by the Newsleaders. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 8.
Ryan Butkowski
Name (and family information, if you wish):
Ryan L. Butkowski. One son, Gavin Butkowski in fifth grade at Mississippi Heights Elementary School.
Please give a brief biographical background:
Born and raised in Sauk Rapids. Married in 2000 and had started a career in project management. Gavin was born in 2006 and moved back to Minnesota in 2010.
Please give highlights of your education, jobs you’ve held, memberships, honors received, special skills and knowledge:
Attended preschool at Trinity Lutheran in Sauk Rapids, Riverside for kindergarten, Pleasantview Elementary grades 1-4, Hillside for fifth grade, Sauk Rapids-Rice Middle School and Sauk Rapids-Rice High School and graduated in 1997. Attended SCSU post-secondary program while at Sauk Rapids-Rice High School junior and senior years. I then chose North Dakota State University to pursue computer engineering. When I left NDSU for Las Vegas in 1999, I enrolled at University of Nevada-Las Vegas. My professional career started as an intern at Bankers Systems in St. Cloud, which is now Walter Kluewers Financial Services. After the internship, I moved to Las Vegas and began work with an airport-services company, ServiceTec. After ServiceTec, I partnered with a small group and owned several franchises, including Cold Stone’s and Schlotzsky’s. After the partnership dissolved, I went to work for Best Buy to roll out their recent Geek Squad acquisition nationwide. I was approached by a software company, Compressus, in the radiology field for project management. I left Best Buy and spent six years with Compressus. After leaving Compressus, it was time to focus on family. It has allowed me the time to focus on my own litigation consulting firm while putting my family first.
Why are you qualified to serve as a school-board member?
With all of the professional, small-business ownership and personal experience I’ve gained, nothing compares to being involved in the local community and the Parent-Teacher Advisory Council at Mississippi Heights Elementary School. For the last five years, I’ve been on the board of the PTAC as treasurer to president. This has given me a unique involvement with the school, the administration, the parents and most importantly the students. As a parent of a fifth-grader at Mississippi Heights, I have a keen eye on the operational and day-to-day function at the school. The last two years I’ve also been on the Community Education Advisory Board that guides Sauk Rapids-Rice Community Education progress forward. Being engaged and active in the community from several points of view best summarizes my qualification for service to the community on the school board.
What do you see as the chief function of a school-board member?
As an elected official, the job is to ensure the community, parent and student needs are met. Sometimes the decisions are not easy and take a great amount of deliberation, but to be able to serve the best interests of all comes with great pride. Community members want to be heard and I will gladly engage all to ensure understanding and progress is communicated.
Everyone’s fear, of course, is the unthinkable: violence in schools. Do you think the district’s security measures are adequate? If not, which ways could they be reinforced?
The idea of security isn’t a new one for Sauk Rapids-Rice School District. With the introduction of the intercom systems, locked doors and lock-down drills, the district as a whole is security-aware. It’s not about adequacy, it’s about relevance and perseverance. The district’s security measures are fluid and will remain fluid to ensure the safety of our children. I firmly believe the district will do and continue to do what is necessary to keep our kids and staff safe. That being said, there are real struggles to ensure our buildings are safe. The biggest challenges are budgetary and understanding.
The city and district plan to do the joint field-house project. When completed, will that satisfy the sports needs for the schools?
Being father of an active 10-year-old boy, we’ve seen firsthand how booked our facilities are as of today. Community Education gets a huge call out here in being able to juggle the facility scheduling with what we have currently available for facilities. Once the final details are worked out on the field house, I do believe it will help Sauk Rapids-Rice become a great host to local and regional activities.
Are sports over-emphasized in the district, and do students spend too much time involved in them?
Growing up, I was not involved in sports after elementary school. I enjoyed going to the games and attending pep rallies, but there were other things the schools offered. Sports aren’t for everyone, and I think Sauk Rapids-Rice has always had a lot of options for the students. From classes with Community Education to after-school clubs, the opportunity for our kids is there whether or not they are into sports. There’s a lot of good that comes from school sports from team-building, elevated fitness levels and time management. But of course for every benefit there are those negative comments as well. I feel Sauk Rapids-Rice does everything it can to walk the balance wire on sports.
Have you examined the district’s policy regarding bullying? Is it adequate or does it need improvements? How would you change it?
I have examined the district’s policy on bullying. The policy today isn’t what it was three years ago, nor is it the same as 10 years ago. This is again, much like security, something that is a fluid policy that will need to be changed as time goes on and the district grows. New insight and community feedback is essential to ensure the policy remains relevant. I do feel the district does put forth its best effort to prevent, engage and stop bullying.
Some people complain schools should get back to the ABC basics and too much technology and “frills” are taking over the basics. What would you tell those people?
Our students are just starting the journey of adulthood; are we OK as a community sending them out without the very basics of technology? This is what I have told people for the last five years that I have been involved in the Mississippi Heights PTAC. This comment has always spurred a conversation that furthers the understanding of technology in the classroom and what it looks like when it is integrated into the curriculum. The PTAC for years had a focus on technology at Mississippi Heights. We were able to engage parents and staff on the importance of technology in the classroom.
Students are under extreme pressures: homework; tests; extracurricular pursuits; all sorts of parental, peer and societal expectations to achieve – not to mention lack of sleep. Are there ways to lessen those pressures for them?
I am a firm believer in moderation. If we teach our kids moderation and limits, they will eventually learn to know when they’ve reached their own limits. They will sometimes fail, but they will learn from it. Being able to get back up and sort through the chaos will only make them stronger. We cannot control all of their pressures for them. We can only give them the tools needed to make sure they understand what’s important and what can wait and sometimes what can be left behind.
Tracey Fiereck
Name: Tracey Fiereck, seeking my second term on the Sauk Rapids-Rice School Board. I am married to my best friend, Paul Fiereck. We have two daughters – Morgan, who is in seventh grade at Sauk Rapids-Rice Middle School; and Isabelle, who is in fourth grade at Pleasantview Elementary.
Please give a brief biographical background: I was born and raised in the area. I graduated from Sartell High School. My husband and I worked and lived on his family’s farm in Clear Lake for a few years. We then moved back to the area, ending up in Sauk Rapids to raise our family.
Please give highlights of your education, jobs you’ve held, memberships, honors received, special skills and knowledge: I have a degree in accounting. While in college, I started working for cmERDC, which is a non-profit organization that provides services to schools in Minnesota. I have worked for cmERDC for 17 years. I currently manage the Administrative Services Team. My team provides administrative services and software to public and charter schools. In addition, I co-manage the Internet service provided to 70 school districts and public libraries throughout Central Minnesota. I belong to the Minnesota Association of School Business Officials, Minnesota Association of School Administrators and am currently serving my third term on the Uniform Financial Accounting and Reporting System Advisory Committee at the Minnesota Department of Education.
Why are you qualified to serve as a school-board member? I am fortunate to have a career I truly enjoy. In the course of 17 years, I have gained extensive knowledge and experience of school operations, including financial reporting, student reporting, budgeting, tax levies, funding streams, federal grants and reporting, legislative changes, policies affecting Minnesota schools, human resources and telecommunication infrastructure. My experiences, along with a deep passion for doing what is right for the kids in our community, is what makes me qualified to continue to serve as a school-board member.
What do you see as the chief function of a school-board member? Policy work, as well as hiring/evaluating the superintendent are the main functions of the school board. I believe the school board and school administrators are also responsible for strategic planning and visioning, setting expectations and ensuring quality programming to best prepare our students for life after high school. In every decision we make, we are responsible to ask ourselves if we are making the right decision for the children and citizens of both Sauk Rapids and Rice.
Everyone’s fear, of course, is the unthinkable: violence in schools. Do you think the district’s security measures are adequate? If not, which ways could they be reinforced? Continuous learning and improvement are our goals with everything we do. I think our administration and staff have worked hard to ensure the safety of all students. Doing so has required rethinking how we have done things in the past. Last summer, I was able to participate with administration, staff and local law-enforcement officials in a security assessment developed and analyzed by the Department of Homeland Security. It was reassuring as a parent to learn the things we are doing well, but also things we could improve. Surveillance, lock-down procedures and secured entrances are areas to consider for further improvement.
The city and district plan to do the joint field-house project. When completed, will that satisfy the sports needs for the schools? While the school district has been involved in discussions with the City of Sauk Rapids, the school board is not aware of the city’s final decision related to building a field house. The school has been approached and asked about our willingness to support ongoing costs to operate the facility. Ultimately, the school board would look to residents to prioritize. I personally support the project and believe if done right it would be a great asset for our community. I do not, however, believe it would satisfy all athletic-facility needs because the district has 800 more students now than it did seven years ago. I do think it could provide needed space and opportunity for both our students and the community.
Are sports over-emphasized in the district, and do students spend too much time involved in them? In Sauk Rapids-Rice, we have abundant and quality activity programming for our children. As a school board and administrative team, we have worked extremely hard to eliminate financial barriers for families and to make more opportunities available for all. I think activities, whether it’s swimming, drama, football, soccer or robotics, enrich the learning of our students. They teach sportsmanship, teamwork, dedication and commitment, some of which cannot be learned in a classroom. With that being said, school work needs to be top priority. Parents and students need to find that balance together.
Have you examined the district’s policy regarding bullying? Is it adequate or does it need improvements? How would you change it? Yes, our school board reviews the bullying policy annually, which was revised in June. The Sauk Rapids-Rice policy was recently recognized by the Department of Education as a model policy. I know the policy meets all legal requirements, but we want to continue to work with our students and residents to make changes as appropriate. We are fortunate in Sauk Rapids-Rice to have a dedicated staff, administration and community, which ensures our children are safe and comfortable throughout the district.
Some people complain schools should get back to the ABC basics and too much technology and “frills” are taking over the basics. What would you tell those people? Our world is changing quickly. Do we want to create leaders or followers? The district’s technology initiative was based on the belief all students should have equal access and opportunity. Without access to technology, children would not have accurate information or be able to keep current with content and worldly events. I am a strong supporter of technology in education, but I also believe there must be a balance. Some things are still best done with a pen and paper, and our students are not afraid to let us know, which we appreciate. I am incredibly proud of the collaboration that occurs in our classrooms today.
Students are under extreme pressures: homework; tests; extracurricular pursuits; all sorts of parental, peer and societal expectations to achieve – not to mention lack of sleep. Are there ways to lessen those pressures for them? Life is full of pressures, and we should expect our students, our children and our community to do great things. With that being said, it’s important to remember they are kids. They need to play, be with friends, read a book for enjoyment, eat right and get enough sleep. We also need to be “present,”by listening to our children and supporting them.
Please feel free to add any ideas or comments. I want to thank the Sauk Rapids-Rice Newsleader for the thoughtful questions and for the opportunity to share the many great things happening in Sauk Rapids-Rice. I would also like to thank my fellow board members for their leadership and support. To the Sauk Rapids-Rice staff, thank you for what you do every day. You are inspiring. GO STORM!
Mark Hauck
Name: Mark Hauck
My wife, Joanie, and I have raised three wonderful women, the youngest graduated this past spring. I am running for office because I want to continue to serve the school communities that have served our children so well. Raised on a farm south of Foley, I married my high-school sweetheart, Joanie. As we began to raise a family, we focused on teaching our young children. After deciding to be our own daycare provider, we enrolled our daughter in Early Childhood programs at the SRR School District. This was the start of my journey of being involved in our schools. My career has been in natural-resources fields for 25 years.
Please give highlights of your education, jobs you’ve held, memberships, honors received, special skills and knowledge:
Bachelor’s degree in earth science from St. Cloud State University; teacher in Princeton and Becker; Benton Soil and Water Conservation District manager; community assistance specialist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and union member and member of the SR Green Committee. Honors include SWCD Employee of the Year, DNR Commissioner’s Award and National “Magna Award” winner as part of the SRR School Board
Why are you qualified to serve on the SRR School Board?
I am qualified to serve as a school-board member because all of my children have attended Sauk Rapids–Rice schools, and my wife and I have been very active in our schools. I have initiated and supported numerous projects alongside the school staff. I know how to be a member of an effective team and know how to put plans into action. I have served on numerous boards and have chaired three, including the Sauk Rapids–Rice School Board.
What do you see as the chief function of a school-board member?
The chief function of a school-board member is to support student achievement. This is accomplished by board members having effective communication with the community, school staff, the superintendent and other board members. The board also reports information to the community, listens to concerns and sets and reviews school district policy.
The Sauk Rapids-Rice School District takes security very seriously and has recently made meaningful improvements. All doors are now locked during school hours, school representatives have participated in active shooter training at SCSU, schools conduct lock-down drills, schools installed cameras on locked doors to screen visitors, and the district required criminal background checks for those volunteering at schools. The Department of Homeland Security and local law enforcement evaluated security in all SSR schools. Finally, the police departments of Sauk Rapids, St. Cloud, Sartell and Waite Park in conjunction with community members evaluated security policies and procedures.
Everyone’s fear, of course, is the unthinkable: violence in schools. Do you think the district’s security measures are adequate? If not, which ways could they be reinforced? Can more be done?
Yes. Our schools were built before a time where school shootings were a concern. Increased building security is supported by the school board and was called for by the community Facilities Task Force that was convened earlier this year.
The city and district plan to do the joint field-house project. When completed, will that satisfy the sports needs for the schools?
When the high school was built in 2003, the goal was to locate all athletic facilities there. As the sports facilities at the Middle School age, it makes sense to bring outdoor athletic competition fields to the present high school.
The field house will serve multiple purposes, not only sports. It will also be a benefit to physical-education classes and be available for use by the public, just as all school facilities are. The SRR School District looks forward to collaborating with the City of Sauk Rapids on the construction of their field house.
Are sports over-emphasized in the district, and do students spend too much time involved in them?
Sports can be an important part in the development of a child. So can art, music, dance, Knowledge Bowl and the many other student activities that are offered. We are doing the best for our students when the school district offers activities so students can develop and explore their talents.
Have you examined the district’s policy regarding bullying? Is it adequate or does it need improvements? How would you change it?
The school board regularly evaluates every school policy. We reviewed the bullying policy when it was adopted by board action on June 20.
I feel our bullying policy is strong and recognizes bullying has no boundaries and holds accountable both the perpetrator of the bullying as well as those who do nothing to stop the bullying, no matter if it’s on school property, in the community or through electronic media.
Some people complain schools should get back to the ABC basics and too much technology and “frills” are taking over the basics. What would you tell those people?
Technology is a tool for learning and can improve learning. How these tools are used makes all the difference.
Technology provides additional ways to learn the previous tools could not. Students can now understand more deeply by creating digital content, linking previous learning with new information, connecting with instructors and collaborating in ways that were not possible before. Technology may even allow students to have true individualized learning.
Family members can also use the student device at home, where the device may be the only Internet connection in the home. I am proud to have supported the school-issued electronic devices that can have such a positive impact for students and for families.
I am also proud ACT and NWEA test scores have increased significantly during the last several years and I expect them to continue to improve.
Students are under extreme pressures: homework; tests; extracurricular pursuits; all sorts of parental, peer and societal expectations to achieve – not to mention lack of sleep. Are there ways to lessen those pressures for them?
Parents and guardians are key to helping students balance life’s pressures. However, I also recognize the home lives of many of our students are becoming more and more complicated and challenging. Student mental health is very important to me. It is my expectation more mental-health resources are made available to students. Technology can reduce some pressure on students. Students can often connect with their teachers outside the school day to answer questions, and they can also electronically “hand in” assignments outside of the school day, even on those days when they are out sick.
Please feel free to add any ideas or comments.
I am proud to say my children attended Sauk Rapids–Rice Schools and proud to have served the community on the school board. It has also been an honor to serve alongside other school-board members who greatly respect their duties and put the interests of students and families first.
I ask for your vote to continue improving student achievement, improving bike and pedestrian access to school buildings in both Rice and Sauk Rapids, and increasing student mental-health support.
Tracy L. Morse
Name (and family information, if you wish):
Tracy L. Morse, honored to serve on the Sauk Rapids Rice School Board since 1998. I have been married to Tom 35 years. He is a life-long resident and Sauk Rapids-Rice alumna. Our children (Jeremy, Erik, Katie) all are graduates of the Sauk Rapids-Rice School District. We are delighted beyond words to have recently become grandma and grandpa to an adorable grandson, Mason, 10 months old.
Please give a brief biographical background:
I am originally from Morris, moving to Sauk Rapids as I entered into kindergarten at Russell Elementary. My family rented a small farmhouse adjacent to the current high-school property. We relocated into St. Cloud until my return to Sauk Rapids in 1981 when I got married and we started our family.
Please give highlights of your education, jobs you’ve held, memberships, honors received, special skills and knowledge:
I opened Growing Years Childcare in my home in 1985. I am proud to have been Parent Aware-rated and I love my job. Every single day you can make a difference in the life of a child and no two days, or children, are the same. I have been an independent speaker addressing childcare issues, an instructor for the American Red Cross 1991 to 2002, 1991 Provider of the Year by Providers Choice Food Program, speaker for the tri-county orientation for new childcare providers. Before I started my childcare, I was employed by Zapp National Bank and District 742 as a secretary. I graduated from Apollo High School. I have numerous Minnesota School Board Association training hours along with courses related to childcare since 1985.
Why are you qualified to serve as a school-board member?
My experience and passion to do what is best for children is why I am asking voters to re-elect me to the Sauk Rapids-Rice School Board. I bring hands-on experience, having served on the board for the past 18 years. I led levy efforts prior to being elected to the board and have been a proud parent volunteer throughout the past 29 years. I have served as both a parent and board member on the Early Childhood Advisory Council since 1991, on the Sauk Rapids Recreation Board from 1998 to 2016, Curriculum Advisory Council, Transportation Committee, Past Pleasantview Elementary PTA vice president, Hillside Parent Advisory Council and currently serve on the Community Education Advisory Council and the Superintendent Review Committee.
What do you see as the chief function of a school-board member?
Primarily setting and supporting good policy along with hiring/evaluating the superintendent. It’s our responsibility together with the dedicated administration and staff to do everything possible to ensure each child is valued, respected and offered the opportunities needed to graduate with the skills that are needed in an ever-changing world. We focus on strategic planning and visioning with input from the residents. When making decisions, we go back to the main reason we all serve – the children, and ask if the decision being made will be what is best for the children of our district.
Everyone’s fear, of course, is the unthinkable: violence in schools. Do you think the district’s security measures are adequate? If not, which ways could they be reinforced?
In Sauk Rapids-Rice we take security very seriously and there is ongoing training/evaluation of our district’s security plan. Myself, other board members and administration have been involved/trained with the most up-to-date Homeland Security recommendations for schools. Homeland Security and local law enforcement have teamed up to review our buildings and plans acknowledging a quality plan and offering areas for improvement. Nearly 100 residents met this past spring for a facilities study. Security was a topic discussed. Those conversations will be forwarded to the board and the district security committee.
The city and district plan to do the joint field-house project. When completed, will that satisfy the sports needs for the schools?
A field house would be a wonderful asset for both our students and our city, should the city decide to move forward with building it. In my opinion, with nearly 1,000 additional students during the last decade, the additional space would offer much-needed room and new options but it may not solve every athletic need. The city has been in discussions with the school board asking our support for ongoing operating costs for the facility. Personally, I do support the idea of the field house, but as a board it’s our responsibility to look to our residents for direction with the field-house project as education is our first priority always.
Are sports over-emphasized in the district, and do students spend too much time involved in them?
Academics are always top priority I think and studies confirm participation in activities teach so many essential skills for life. Education is definitely enhanced with students being involved in any of the many activities offered in Sauk Rapids-Rice whether it is debate, football, band, speech, gymnastics, music, drama or any of the many choices available to our students. Reducing costs for participating in activities was a priority for the board which has allowed more opportunities for students to participate and less financial burden for families.
Have you examined the district’s policy regarding bullying? Is it adequate or does it need improvements? How would you change it?
Yes, the board reviews all policies annually. The bullying policy received recognition by the Department of Education recently as a model policy.
Some people complain schools should get back to the ABC basics and too much technology and “frills” are taking over the basics. What would you tell those people?
As a district, it’s our belief all of our students deserve and benefit from equal access to technology. Even our youngest learners are extremely skilled at doing research, compiling data and imagery and then presenting their findings in electronic format to an audience. The district’s technology initiative allows our students to learn current content and world events and sets a solid foundation to compete for jobs on a global scale. I’m so proud our students are learning in a setting where they have access to technology. Students and teachers both have blended technology where it’s best used and recognized where traditional learning fits best.
Students are under extreme pressures: homework; tests; extracurricular pursuits; all sorts of parental, peer and societal expectations to achieve – not to mention lack of sleep. Are there ways to lessen those pressures for them?
For even our youngest learners, having balance and setting priorities is important to their overall well being. This is a life skill that continues to be adjusted and fine-tuned as children and their world grow. I think as adults, we have a responsibility to set a healthy example and then guide even a young student to develop a good a balance between school work, friends, activities and family.
Please feel free to add any ideas or comments.
I’m so thankful for the opportunity to be a part of the Sauk Rapids-Rice school district. It is humbling to work with professionals who are so passionate, enthusiastic and dedicated.
Ryan Butkowski
Tracey Fiereck
Mark Hauck
Tracy L. Morse