November 3 is election day, and while the country is focused on one election in particular, the Patriot is excited to highlight some of the candidates running for local office this fall. In honor of school resuming this week, we will be outlining the candidates running for school board.

Editor’s note: Over the next several weeks leading up to the 2020 election, the Patriot will feature candidate profiles of each candidate who participated in our query.

Becker School Board

Four candidates will be running for school board in Becker this year, each with their own goals for the school.

Lawrence Giebenhain

Lawrence (Larry) Giebenhain is married and has four children. He currently works as a relay technician with Xcel Energy. He earned his BS in Business Administration from St. Cloud State University.

Students: Giebenhain will make sure to maintain the quality of education Becker students have enjoyed which has been synonymous with the district for years.

Communication: He will foster good relationships and quality communication between school administration, staff, and the community. He will strive to maintain as much local control as possible.

Budgeting: Giebenhain will strive to perpetuate fiscal responsibility without compromising on education,

Cindy Graham

Cindy Graham is married and has two children, two children-in-law, and several grandkids. She was an educator for 37 years and is now retired. She is a current employee of Reading and Math Corps. She has a BS in Elementary Education and a reading specialist license.

Students: Graham states that she wants to be a voice for students of all ages.

Connie Robinson

Connie Robinson has three children with her husband, Jim, and three grandchildren. She is the finance director for the City of Becker, and she has worked with Becker Schools in several capacities over the years. She has a BS and a Master’s degree in accounting.

Students: Robinson is focused on keeping students safe. She will focus on preventative measures such as hold active shooter drills; having a robust security and a school resource officer; and offering mental health services to students. She also hopes to help students prepare and thrive on whatever path they choose in life.

Communication: Robinson says that transparancy and accountability in school administration is key to a successful school district.

COVID-19: Robinson hopes to work closely with the Minnesota Dept. of Health to keep students and staff safe and making sure to keep ill students at home.

Budgeting: Robinsonbelieves that Becker schools need to be fiscally responsible. She says the board needs to be proactive in maintaining a healthy balance in the general fund, and must sustain the fund balance in the future.

Sarah Schafer

Sarah Schafer and her husband, Joe, have one son attending Becker Middle School. She has been employed with the City of Becker Public Works Department as their administrative support specialist for two years.  She is a Rasmussen College graduate with a degree in Office Systems Specialist with an emphasis in Legal and Criminal Justice.  She worked for a sub-contractor as an administrative support specialist within the Fort Bliss Army Installation for the United States Army Corps of Engineers for nearly three years.

Students: Schafer vows she will never lose focus on the safety and advocacy of Becker students.

Communication: She believes that exceptional school board members work together as a team and support/respect each other, all the while having a common goal and a concise vision they are striving to achieve.

Big Lake School Board

Five candidates will be running for Big Lake School Board this November.

Katelyn Bland

Katelyn Bland is running for school board clerk. She and her husband, Charles, have three boys. She currently works in human resources. She has a BS in healthcare management from Minnesota School of Business. She has served as the Treasurer of her husband’s Army unit for many years. She is also the Communications Director for the Becker-Big Lake Ice Association.

Students: Bland’s first and foremost priority is the students, and helping them achieve a top-ranked education that will take them beyond their years in school. and achieve their dreams by going beyond the classroom to learn real-life skills.

Communication: If elected, Bland will work directly with schools, and the community, on issues from classroom resources and supplies to safety and discipline standards. She hopes to be present and active in the community, and to provide support and changes needed to make the district incredible.

COVID-19: Bland wants to bring the COVID-19 conversation to the forefront. she hopes to create a plan that allows hard-working, dedicated teachers and staff members to feel prepared, confident and whole in their efforts while considering the health and safety of families and staff members.

Barbara Chaffee

Barbara Chaffee is married and has three sons. She is the current CEO of CMJTS, and was a college instructor before that. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota Duluth, and was awarded a micro Masters of Business Administration (MBA) for Nonprofit Organization and the Institute for Executive Director Leadership at the Center of Business Excellence from the University of St. Thomas. She earned an Economic Development Certification from the Minnesota Management Institute at the University of Carlson School of Executive Development and Business.

Students: Chaffee wants to ensure that all students in Big Lake receive a high-quality education, involving innovative programs and services for our students beyond the basics of traditional education. She will safeguard student understanding that they are valued members of the community and are our future leaders who will shape the economy and community in coming years.

Communication: She will strengthen positive relationships between District 727, colleges, local businesses, and workforce development. She will support and serve the new superintendent, Tim Truebenbach, school principals, staff, and teachers, who challenge, educate, and inspire all students to reach their highest level of achievement in academics, athletics, and the arts.

COVID-19: She will uphold a high-qualty education, even  even during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lori Kampa

Lori Kampa and her husband, Tom, have raised two sons and three daughters. She works as an administrative assistant at Central Minnesota Jobs and Training Services, Inc.She earned her Bachelor’s degree, and served on the Big Lake Planning Commission, Big Lake Economic Development Authority, on the Big Lake City Council, and as Big Lake Mayor.

Students: Kampa, as a board member, hopes to ensure that students are getting the best experience possible, to continue the efforts of the district’s policy of zero tolerance for bullying and to support The Hornet Way, to make Big Lake School District a place where students feel safe, valued, and understood. She also aims to promote and support the efforts of Independence Elementary as a STEM school.