Albany School Board
There are five candidates for three seats on the Albany school board. Incumbents Edward Maksym and Fred Johnson are joined by Barb Briggs, Phil Kubesh and Steve Elliot on the ballot.
Position sought: Albany School board
Age: 45
City/town of residence: Township of Albany
Family: Spouse: Shelley Kubesh. Children: Kyle Woyak - 2013 graduate of Albany High School; Currently a Junior at UW Stevens Point; Sydnee Woyak - Senior at Albany High School
Education: St. John's University, Collegeville, MN 1993 graduate - Bachelor of Arts Management; Edgewood College, Madison, WI 2004 graduate - Masters of Business Administration (MBA)
Occupation: Director - Information Technology, Vita Plus Corporation
Previous elected positions held: None
What are the top issues facing this district/municipality and how would you work to resolve it?
The district is facing some challenging times in terms of budgets; prospering in the coming years will be difficult unless changes are made and goals are met. Voters will be voting on a referendum on April 5th asking for more money to run the district. Challenging times give us an opportunity to look at new ways to operate in an uncertain environment. I've had the opportunity to manage a multi-million dollar annual budget for the past 15 years and never exceeded the budget. You need to make sure that budgets have policies and procedures in place to set spending limits, prior to any transactions taking place. Bottom line, the budget/spending needs to be monitored effectively.
The number of students open enrolling out of the district has been increasing the past years. It's disheartening to see Albany parents open enrolling their children in other school districts. We have to create an environment for students that will increase opportunities for their future, whether it's in academics or extra-curricular activities. By offering more opportunities, students will be interested in exploring what the Albany school district has to offer. We need to reach out to the families that have chosen to open enroll and understand why they decided to make this decision. Additionally, we need to explore ways to invite all the home schooled kids into our district to see what we can offer them. We need to sell the school district and show what positive attributes the district has to offer.
What are other key issues facing the district/municipality, and how would you work to resolve them?
Create a long-term vision, mapping a course that provides the necessary opportunities students need to reach their full potential. The board is responsible for establishing and maintaining a structure that supports this vision, empowers the staff, and provides leadership. It is difficult to provide leadership and carry out a vision when a district reacts from crisis to crisis. With my background and knowledge, I can help to provide the necessary leadership to keep the district on an even keel. We have tremendous teachers and staff working with our children. We must re-establish morale amongst all district employees, and work to return harmony throughout the district. Education takes place in the classroom and the board's efforts must focus on enhancing and enriching what goes on there.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
I believe that some of my greatest assets will be beneficial to the school district. I've worked in the technology field for over 20 years. I know how IT and the business side can be leveraged to enable learning for students, administration, and faculty. I think it's essential for a small school district like Albany to be able to use their time, talents and treasures most effectively. We have a small margin of error to get this right for everyone involved. The school is here to serve the educational needs of all the children of the school district, all of us must be partners in this endeavor if we are to be successful today and into the future.
Age: 45
City/town of residence: Township of Albany
Family: Spouse: Shelley Kubesh. Children: Kyle Woyak - 2013 graduate of Albany High School; Currently a Junior at UW Stevens Point; Sydnee Woyak - Senior at Albany High School
Education: St. John's University, Collegeville, MN 1993 graduate - Bachelor of Arts Management; Edgewood College, Madison, WI 2004 graduate - Masters of Business Administration (MBA)
Occupation: Director - Information Technology, Vita Plus Corporation
Previous elected positions held: None
What are the top issues facing this district/municipality and how would you work to resolve it?
The district is facing some challenging times in terms of budgets; prospering in the coming years will be difficult unless changes are made and goals are met. Voters will be voting on a referendum on April 5th asking for more money to run the district. Challenging times give us an opportunity to look at new ways to operate in an uncertain environment. I've had the opportunity to manage a multi-million dollar annual budget for the past 15 years and never exceeded the budget. You need to make sure that budgets have policies and procedures in place to set spending limits, prior to any transactions taking place. Bottom line, the budget/spending needs to be monitored effectively.
The number of students open enrolling out of the district has been increasing the past years. It's disheartening to see Albany parents open enrolling their children in other school districts. We have to create an environment for students that will increase opportunities for their future, whether it's in academics or extra-curricular activities. By offering more opportunities, students will be interested in exploring what the Albany school district has to offer. We need to reach out to the families that have chosen to open enroll and understand why they decided to make this decision. Additionally, we need to explore ways to invite all the home schooled kids into our district to see what we can offer them. We need to sell the school district and show what positive attributes the district has to offer.
What are other key issues facing the district/municipality, and how would you work to resolve them?
Create a long-term vision, mapping a course that provides the necessary opportunities students need to reach their full potential. The board is responsible for establishing and maintaining a structure that supports this vision, empowers the staff, and provides leadership. It is difficult to provide leadership and carry out a vision when a district reacts from crisis to crisis. With my background and knowledge, I can help to provide the necessary leadership to keep the district on an even keel. We have tremendous teachers and staff working with our children. We must re-establish morale amongst all district employees, and work to return harmony throughout the district. Education takes place in the classroom and the board's efforts must focus on enhancing and enriching what goes on there.
Why are you the best candidate for this office?
I believe that some of my greatest assets will be beneficial to the school district. I've worked in the technology field for over 20 years. I know how IT and the business side can be leveraged to enable learning for students, administration, and faculty. I think it's essential for a small school district like Albany to be able to use their time, talents and treasures most effectively. We have a small margin of error to get this right for everyone involved. The school is here to serve the educational needs of all the children of the school district, all of us must be partners in this endeavor if we are to be successful today and into the future.