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.

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Voter Guide

ISD #492 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

    Berghyn Hull
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Robert Hartman II
    (NP)

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    Cece Kroc
    (NP)

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    Don Leathers
    (NP)

  • Candidate picture

    Watsana Thiravong
    (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 5072190592
Campaign Email dleathers@cleggithy.com
Best? “Good,” however, is the word I would use to describe me as a board member. I feel as though in my time on the Austin School Board I have served my constituencies—students, parents, teachers, community—in a forthright manner. I have consistently visited classrooms—even substituted—attended plays, concerts, athletic contests and special events. Over time, I have been active on district committees, attended countless state school board conferences and amassed nearly 500 hours in school board, continuing ed through the Minnesota School Board Association. I have earned three state-based awards as recognition for the work I’ve done, Finally, I am Austin’s representative on the Southeast Service Coop and a member of the Delegate Assembly
Ensuring access to quality mental health care for students and staff.

Working to create and sustain pathways to ensure adolescent boys reach their full academic and social-emotional potential.

Implementing the components of the Read Act to improve comprehension, improve test scores and foster a love of lifelong reading in APS students.

Austin Public Schools currently is a growing district. Preliminary, September 2024 enrollment numbers indicate an increase in 60+ full-time units. As far as my strategy is concerned, the superintendent, along with cabinet members (particularly the business director), review data and make budget cut recommendations to the board. My #1 concern, upon reviewing the data, is to do everything in my power to minimize teacher cuts. Maintaining essential programming would be priority #2.
Austin Public Schools currently has an Assurance Scholarship Program that provides college scholarships locally to APS graduates, regardless of income. Certain service criteria must be met to guarantee admission. Programs such as Power of Pink, Boys of Tomorrow and Peer Power Partners teach social and study skills to students, regardless of race or economic background. Peer tutors, success coaches and credit recovery initiatives are in place to ensure students get the academic support they need.
I regular visit Austin Public Schools classrooms throughout the district where I engage with teachers and students on a personal level. I occasionally substitute teach, and I am currently working with a few teachers to set times when I can visit classrooms and help improve reading comprehension. I regularly attend district events (sports, fine arts, tech ed) where I interact with students & parents alike. Further, I sit on committees made up of parents & teachers where I gain valuable feedback.
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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.

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