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Guest column by Kasey Wolters

Election Day is approaching quickly. I encourage everyone that is eligible to vote to do their research, then get out and vote. If you have not heard about the Albert Lea school board candidates yet, I would like to tell you about myself, Kasey Wolters.

I am a lifelong resident of Albert Lea, an Albert Lea Area Schools alumni, a Riverland Community College graduate and a mom to a current student. I have been married to my husband, Robert, for 17 years. I have a grown bonus-daughter, Katie, and together, my husband and I have a 10-year-old son, Maverick. We also have a 1-year-old granddaughter. I work at AmeriNat here in Albert Lea as a loan setup manager and have worked in the financial industry for almost 20 years. I serve as treasurer for both the LESO (Lakeview Elementary School Organization) and the Freeborn County Republicans. I am an active member of our church, Crossroads Church, including Sunday school teaching in our preschool age group.

My biggest “why” for running for school board is our students. Students in our district should be the core of every decision made by the school district. After running for school board in 2022 and not winning one of those four seats, I did not initially plan to seek election again. But during the two-week period to file for election, many people that supported me two years ago asked me to file again.

My passion for being at the board table to ask questions and represent students, parents and staff has not changed. I remain engaged with what is happening in our buildings and classrooms, and in the boardroom.

I have a personal stake in what happens within our district for the foreseeable future. I would add a diversity of opinions to our board by adding another voice with a different background. Every decision made by the school board may affect my own child’s future, and I can relate to other parents within our district. As a lifelong resident of Albert Lea, I want to see our schools succeed. I have spent the last three years attending every school board meeting and study session. I have spent time researching policies and best practices, asking questions and been active at my son’s school. Our schools look and feel vastly different today than they did 10 years ago. Our school board members need to know what is happening in our buildings and be informed before making decisions that affect students and staff. If elected, I will continue to ask questions, do the research, show up for our students and staff, and help move the district forward to a safe, welcoming environment where each student and employee can succeed in their own way.

As a parent, I can see there are challenges happening in the classroom, even though I am not there in person. I hear of challenges with behaviors from students and lack of resources to support all students. Mental health has taken a toll on our students and therefore has had an impact on our teachers and support staff. Changes in curriculum and state legislation also present challenges to our district. We must find a way to better support our staff and students.

One of the biggest challenges is transparency and communication between the district, families, the board, staff and the community. For years, our district has had a lack of communication with parents, community members and with the school board members. To build trust with families, community and staff, the district and school board need to open lines of communication and be transparent about changes and challenges. Many times, the community has seen the school board vote for something without considering, or asking for, the input of parents or district staff. This happens often because the board is not aware of the agenda items far enough in advance and is not involved in the decision-making process. District staff should be able to share concerns openly with board members and administration without fear of retaliation and have confidence that concerns are addressed. Our district needs to utilize tools to communicate timely with families and the community, engage and provide opportunities for dialogue and feedback from families and the community, and effectively collaborate. We should all be on the same team working towards a common goal — helping our students be successful, supporting staff and spending tax dollars wisely.

Voting for school board candidates may seem insignificant for some, but this vote is particularly important to our community. These votes may change the course of our district, will impact students and staff, and ultimately affect the future of our community. Get out and vote for the candidates that will be effective to our district. Vote for Kasey Wolters on Nov. 5.

Kasey Wolters is running for a seat on the Albert Lea school board.