Minnesota and North Dakota Voter's Guide

Forum Communications Co., in collaboration with the League of Women Voters of Minnesota and of North Dakota, is providing this voter guide to help keep you informed ahead of the 2024 election.

  • Learn where candidates running for office in your community stand on the issues.
  • Build your ballot before voting. Print or email the information to use as a reference when you actually vote.

We do not save your information; it will be lost when you leave this page. Only candidates that appear on your ballot will be listed. Additional information may be available for your area so be sure to scroll to the bottom of the page for other voters’ guides.

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Voter Guide

ISD #704 School Board Member {_getChooseLabel(this.selections.length)}

School board members oversee the care, management, and control of schools. This includes hiring, firing, and overseeing superintendents, who manage the day-to-day affairs of the district. They also set levies to fund the district and create school policies.Learn more here: https://www.lwv.org/blog/voting-local-matters-why-vote-school-board

Click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate. To compare two candidates, click the "compare" button. To start over, click a candidate icon.

  • Candidate picture

    Jennifer McDonald
    (NP)

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    Cindy Lee Olson
    (NP)

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    Jim Podgornik
    (NP)

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    Tammy Sundbom
    (NP)

Biographical Information

Why are you the best candidate for this position? (750 characters)

If elected, what will your top three priorities be and why? (500 characters)

If forced to cut the budget in the face of declining revenues, what would be your strategy? (500 characters)

How would you address any racial and economic disparities in our education system? (500 characters)

Please describe how you will engage teachers and families in your decision making process. (500 characters)

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Contact Phone 218-591-6317
Campaign Email cindyolson6258@gmail.com
In my role at Arrowhead Regional Computing Consortium, I have 26 years of experience supporting public school districts in NE Minnesota in the area of finance, budgeting, and administration. I strongly believe that public schools are the backbone of our democracy and I want to do all that I can to support the Proctor School District as they continue to do good things.

Listening to the public, students, staff and administration I will carry out the role of a school board member, which can be broken down into three basic roles. Hire Superintendent to help implement the mission for the district, set a budget that supports the mission and establish policy for the district.
1. Listen to the needs of students, staff and community and focus on student success, which would include increasing attendance rates and test scores. 2. In addition to preparing students for college, I would continue to support the district in their efforts to expand career and technical options. 3. Be fiscally responsible and transparent in all actions.
Unfortunately, public school districts are a service industry, which means that 70-80% of their expenditures are related to salaries, benefits and other contracted staffing services. This means you can't cut paper and supplies enough to balance the budget.

If it is not possible to increase revenues through an operating referendum or legislation, I would work with administration and find budget reductions that would have the least impact on student success.
Education is the great equalizer. In order for that to work for all students, they need to feel heard, understood and welcome.

District staff have great responsibility in supporting students, therefore the School Board must support them by listening and providing a safe, welcome workplace where they feel valued.

I would also work through the Minnesota School Boards Association to push for legislation that supports students.
It is important to not just listen but to understand all sides of the issue before you make decisions. It's also imperative that all sides work together respectfully, even during contentious issues, to come to a solution that is best for students. It is about the students after all.
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Powered by League of Women Voters Education Fund

The League of Women Voters of Minnesota and North Dakota crafted the questions sent to the candidates in the Spring of 2024. They reached out to candidates based on contact information in their public candidate filings. Candidates with email addresses were invited and reminded with emails. Candidates with only mailing addresses were sent a letter. Candidates with phone numbers received a phone call as well.

Candidate responses are published as they responded and have not been edited, except when responses were longer than the given character limit. In those cases, the responses are truncated.

VOTE411 is brought to you by the League of Women Voters Education Fund and League of Women Voters of Minnesota Education Fund. The League of Women Voters does not support or oppose any political party or candidate for office.