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New Prague Area Schools
410 Central Ave. N.
New Prague, MN 56071
952-758-1700
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Meet the New Prague Area Schools Board Candidates
Five seats on the School Board are open this fall, four
in a general election and one in a special election, all on
November 8. The following profiles are based on answers
supplied by each candidate to a standard questionnaire.
Candidates for General Election
Four-Year Terms - Four Seats Open
Dennis Havlicek (incumbent)
26526 New Port Avenue, Webster
Retired special needs teacher and school counselor Dennis Havlicek cites a passion for education as his motivation to continue his 16 years on the School Board, "Education has been the most important factor in my life, both for myself and for others that I have been responsible for: my children, my students, and our district's students and residents." Havlicek says the main issue facing the district is making certain that students receive the best education with the resources we have available. He sees the role of the Board as setting the district's policies and budget and hiring administrators, whose job it is to carry out the polices and hire staff members who carry out the responsibilities of their positions. Father of five and grandfather to 11, Havlicek is a life-long resident of the school district. He holds degrees in social studies, special education, curriculum and instruction, and counseling. He and his wife Lynn are currently self employed as owners of an apple orchard.
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Brian James
506 Redpoll Ave SE, New Prague
Currently responsible for instructional design and management of leadership programs throughout UnitedHealth Care, Brian James sees two major issues facing the District: financial stability and technology. "We live in a technology driven society," he says, "that must be incorporated into our classrooms." James holds a Master's degree in education and a Bachelor's degree in Psychology. He believes every student has the ability to be successful and sees the Board’s responsibility as ensuring the district focuses on students first and what they need to be successful. Previous to his current position, James worked for a college system in various roles including academic delivery, instructional technology, and online learning. He says, "My leadership experience in education allows me to better understand challenges, trends, and what is needed to create a district that prepares our students to compete in the 21st Century." James and his wife Nancy have a ninth grade son and have lived in New Prague for over nine years.
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John Kluegel
27925 LaVonne Avenue, New Prague
"With my kids just starting in the district, I would like to be involved in maintaining the high level of education at NPAS, "says John Kluegel, husband to Kate and father of two boys, one in first grade and one in preschool. Kluegel holds a BS in Automotive Technology and is currently pursuing a degree in electrical engineering. He works as a principal test technician for Toro Company. A district resident for eight years, Kluegel explains, "I have a great deal of experience working with engineering teams to achieve a common goal. I think this would translate well when it comes to working with other members of the School Board as well as administration and staff." Kluegel sees the role of the School Board, "to support staff and district families and working together. Keeping class sizes as low as possible should be a top priority. This is becoming increasingly difficult due to funding issues from the State. We need to use the funds we have available very wisely."
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Jeanne Kubes
26425 Red Wing Ave, New Prague
"A successful School Board member needs to listen, gather as much information as possible, make thoughtful decisions, and have common sense," says Jeanne Kubes, Administrative Assistant with Scott County. She credits her work with helping her build broad knowledge of community resources, non-profits, and government services. She has worked with numerous areas of Scott County Government and has worked with issues of growing client caseloads and reduced resources, the same types of challenges, she says, that are facing District 721. Kubes sees selecting a superintendent for the long term, maintaining academic excellence, providing adequate resources, and effective communication as the most important issues facing the District today. She sees the Board's role as providing leadership, policy development and oversight, and communication. Kubes, a resident for almost 45 years, has brought six children through New Prague's parochial and public schools and now has four of her seven grandchildren in NPAS.
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Tammara Pexa (incumbent)
451 Lucy Street, New Prague
Appointed in November of 2010 to fill a vacancy on the Board, Tammara Pexa says the budget is the most important issue facing the district today, "Our school district continues to grow, our requirements from the State and Federal governments continue to increase, however, the funding does not seem to follow suit." Pexa feels other areas are equally important, such as technology and curriculum, but that consideration of these issues also comes back to budget. Pexa describes several roles for the Board: setting district goals, providing for program development activities, overseeing the financial affairs of the district, adopting operating policies, assuring systematic review and evaluation of all phases of the school program, and advocating on behalf of students and schools. Pexa describes a passion for good quality education, "I want the best education for the children of our district." Pexa and husband Jon have five children, from first grade through graduate. Pexa is a business owner and works as a buyer/planner, managing vendor relationships, negotiating contract terms, and planning production to customer specifications. She is also a certified Emergency Medical Technician, a trained member of the South-Central Crisis Intervention Team, and is currently working on her master's degree.
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Mark Ritter
25215 Drexel Ave, New Prague
Father of four NPHS graduates and husband to Julie, Mark Ritter works as a grant administrator for Xcel Energy's Renewable Development FundExcel Energy, where he negotiates and administers grant contracts and ensures that all projects meet contractual, regulatory, and legislative requirements. He holds a Master's Degree in International Affairs and a Bachelor's in Biology, along with postgraduate work in Agricultural and Resource Economics. "I understand the linkages between financial planning, budgeting, and cost analyses, which, for a school district, specifically involves student enrollment, state and federal aid, capital improvements, tax levies, and property valuations." A ten-year resident of the School District, Ritter sees a high degree of scholastic excellence in the District, along with room for improvement, which he says is dependent on hiring a Superintendent properly suited to the needs of the District. He wants to make sure the District is fiscally sound so curriculum and student development opportunities are not reduced.
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Kytyn Schoenbauer
311 Columbus Ave S, New Prague
"The role of the School Board is to set the priorities for the school district and then ensure that the Administration has the resources and support necessary to implement them," says 16-year district resident Kytyn Schoenbauer. Along with her design experience on NASA's space station program and later in engineering, IT, and tax preparation, Schoenbauer describes herself as a "numbers person" who understands financial statements, "I can look at large amounts of information and data, and come up with different options for solutions." Schoenbauer is running for the Board because she believes she can bring a logical approach to the issues the school district faces. Schoenbauer feels it is important to maintain the district's good reputation, which she says includes communicating the importance of the school levy and also in hiring a new superintendent to lead the district. Schoenbauer and husband Bradley have children in elementary and high school.
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Candidates for Special Election
Two-Year Terms - One Seat Open
Daryl Bauer
1094 Maple Circle SW, New Prague
"The School Board does not manage the district, but rather guides it according to the values and principles of the community. The vision cast by the Board is to be carried out and managed by District administrators and staff," says Daryl Bauer, husband to Janet and father of two, at the middle and high school. Bauer cites three top issues facing the district: funding schools within a responsible and reasonable budget, making the best use of funding that translates the district's efforts into high test scores, and reducing turnover and bringing stability to district leadership. He says he brings "practical leadership in an honest, transparent, and community serving fashion" to a role on the Board. Bauer has been a small business owner, sales person, volunteer coach, and volunteers in church, Scouts, and other events.
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Sherry Brooks (incumbent)
1204 Francis Drive, New Market
Sherry Brooks was appointed in August of 2010 to fill a vacancy on the Board. "I have chosen to run because of my desire to have students succeed and be given opportunities throughout their lives to prosper." Brooks has served in a number of customer relations roles, including eight years with the fraud division at Bank One, She has a BA in Communications and Journalism. Brooks believes the role of the School Board, administrators, and staff is to serve the interests of students while maintaining fiscal responsibility. "The most pressing issue facing our District today," she says, "is acquiring the necessary funding to preserve our quality education so students are given every opportunity to succeed." Brooks and husband Bob are parents to students in elementary and middle school. Brooks does not currently work outside the home.
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Christopher Tumasmith
6901 Lonsdale Boulevard, Lonsdale
Insurance adjuster Christopher Tumasmith would like to see more transparency and public input in School Board operations, "As an adjuster, parent, and community member, I want to be here to help the District thrive and get back on course." Tumasmith and wife MaryAnn have a first grader and have lived six years in the School District. He explains that he is running, "to break the cycle of past school boards, to infuse new ideas, openness, and energy into our District's future." Tumasmith wants to bring the community into decisions that will shape the children's future. He identifies economics as the most challenging issue facing the District, "I do not want to always turn to new referendums in order to accomplish new District goals; we need a balanced approach." Tumasmith graduated from Lakeville High School and holds a degree in political science and business economics from the University of Arizona.
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