Elk Mound Board of Education candidate: Michael Jenson Jr.
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ELK MOUND — Four candidates are running for three positions on the Elk Mound Board of Education in the April 7 election.
The candidates are Mark Cedarblade, Michael Jenson Jr., Patrick Rhude and Tim Sivertson.
The Colfax Messenger sent out questionnaires to the candidates.
Here are Michael Jenson Jr.’s answers to the questionnaire.
• What is your occupation?
I am a 5th generation dairy farmer.
• Tell us about your family.
I am married to my wife, Jenny. We have 2 kids. Our son, Michael III, is a Junior. Our daughter, Kylee, is in 8th grade. Both at Elk Mound.
• What is your educational background?
I graduated near the top of my class at Elk Mound and CVTC earning an associate degree in Ag Science.
• Why did you decide to run for the Elk Mound Board of Education?
As a lifelong citizen and graduate of Elk Mound I know we have a great school system. I want to make sure that continues. If the seats are consistently unopposed, the voters do not have the opportunity to make the best choice, merely voting the only choice is not in our district’s best interest.
• What makes you suited to serve on the school board?
In my farming career I have been asked to join multiple co-op boards. I have learned the importance of being involved and making informed decisions. Being a farm business partner with father, operating on a limited budget is nothing new to me.
• Besides the budget, what do you believe to be the biggest challenges or issues facing the Elk Mound school district?
Many rural schools in the state have been decreasing in enrollment and some are closing. Elk Mound is continuing to grow and has great support from the community. The growth is welcome but it does also create growing pains.
• How would you suggest addressing those challenges or issues for the Elk Mound school district?
It is no surprise that growth takes money. We need to continue to plan for the future. The district is in the middle of its second referendum in the past decade, it’s no doubt the extra parking, classroom space and updates are a necessity. I do feel we can do a better job of managing the budget to plan to replace items with shorter lifespans within annual budgeting. Save the referendums for the growth. I am confident the community will stand behind the district, but the district owes the community more fiscal responsibility.
• What other ideas do you have for improving the school district?
I believe that in today’s world we are too focused on sending students to a four year university. I feel that we are doing a disservice to the students and society by not offering better resources to students that would prefer to go to a technical college or enter an apprenticeship versus starting adult life with all the student debt.
• Why are you the best candidate?
I am a reserved person so I will not stand in front of you and tell you what you want to hear, but I have the honesty and integrity to stand in front of you to tell you what you need to hear. I do not claim to have all the answers as I have not yet asked all the questions.
• What else would you like people to know?
I will date myself a bit, but I started HS with the Columbine attacks and I finished with the 9/11 attacks. I remember being scared and having the uneasy feeling of the unknown while walking through the halls of that very school. I see the fear in my children’s eyes every time there is a bad news story. I feel we need to prioritize security and make the students feel more at ease when they walk those halls.
