Our School District: Lake Superior School District 0381

- Mark has been a Lake Superior School District 0381 Board of Directors Member since January 1, 2023 (Term ends December 31, 2024) assisting in evaluating the district's  operating and program offerings, and developing the updated District Strategic Plan. The objective of this partnership has been to continue looking at reorganizing or restructuring of operations, education programs and staffing, which positively affects the district, as it continues to focus on providing a quality, fiscally sound, service-oriented and improving educationally outcome-based curriculum---all in a modern, well-maintained and safe environment.

- Mark supports additional county property tax funding for the Lake Superior School District 0381, along with clear justification, and open, honest, understandable and accountable communication with all district  "stakeholders".

- Mark did not initially support the shifting of school financial responsibilities and challenges to working families, certain district employees and the general public, by allowing the school district to move to a 4-day week. He believed, if the school district desired a 4-day week alternative, it must meet the requirements of proactive involvement, understanding and approval of the community at large. In particular, student academic performance must not be negatively affected.

Now that some time has passed, including the Covid-19 period and the development of new state and nationwide educational economic and staffing challenges, Mark fully supports the competitive staffing and cost saving advantages of the 4-day school week. However, all continuing pertinent district operational and student performance data should be regularly reviewed and reasonably updated for the community at large, prior to any future decisions regarding the 4-day week versus 5-day week school schedule. Again, the primary objective of substantiated student academic performance must not be negatively affected.