Four candidates vying for three open seats on Glenwood City School Board
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DERRICK OBERLE
JORDAN BARTZ
SCOTT LINGERFELT
TONY MIELZAREK
GLENWOOD CITY — Four candidates will appear on the April 1 spring election ballot for the three open seats on the Glenwood City School Board.
They are Jordan Bartz, Scott Lingerfelt, Tony Mielzarek and Derrick Oberle. Mielzarek is the only incumbent on the ballot
The four are running for seats currently held by Mielzarek, Sally Standaert and Carrie Klatt. Standaert and Klatt both filed non-candidacy papers back in January after choosing not to seek re-election.
The top three vote-getters in next Tuesday’s election will join Lisa Kaiser, Chuck Draxler, Steve Davis and Jodi Main on the 7-member board.
The Tribune Press Reporter sent each of the candidates a questionnaire. Each candidates responses follow below.
Jordan Bartz
Jordan Bartz is a 2010 graduate of Glenwood City High School and holds a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Engineering Technology from UW-Stout.
Bartz is currently employed as a Manufacturing Strategy Development Lead at Phillips Medisize.
Jordan along with his wife, Leah, who is employed by the Glenwood City School District as a member of the child care staff, have two sons, August, 2.5 years old and Henry, 4 months.
1. Why did you decide to run for a position on the Board of Education?
Since moving back into the community, I’ve had quite a few folks mention that it would be nice to have someone like me on the school board. So logically I decided to put my name on the ballot. My Grandpa Bob (Bartz) spent 20 years on the GCSD school board and my parents have always been active volunteers and members in the community. It’s important to me to be an example of community service for my kids as they grow up in this community and school district.
2. What about your background or educational value or personality make you particularly suited to serve on the school board?
Having graduated relatively recently and growing up in the community, I feel my values and priorities are aligned with the direction the community would like to see the school district go. Working in a global role with my engineering background, I tend to have a centered and detail-driven approach to challenges.
3. How would you improve the communication and transparency between the school board (and the school staff and administration) and the general public?
I think making information like schedules, agendas, and results of school board activities more easily accessible would go a long way. As a busy parent, finding the time to navigate the GCSD website to find district and school board info and navigating the lengthy meeting minutes for topics I’m interested in can be a challenge. Using social media resources like the district Facebook page to get feedback and provide updates would make connecting with busy parents easier.
4. What do you believe to be the biggest issues facing the Glenwood City school district?
I think ease of engagement is one of the biggest issues. Between the meeting minutes posted on the website and in the paper, I don’t get a clear vision of goals, challenges, or accomplishments of the school board and district. Focusing on easier engagement for parents and employees of the district should help build confidence and promote parent engagement. Active and engaged parents are important to both children’s education and district/school board education.
Scott Lingerfelt
Scott Lingerfelt is a security systems engineer.
He and his wife Kari are district residents.
1. Why did you decide to run for a position on the Board of Education?
I chose to run for the Glenwood City Board of Education to contribute to my community and uphold its values. My goal is to ensure that students, teachers, administrators, and residents benefit from a school board that prioritizes transparency and ethics, addressing past challenges and fostering trust.
2. What about your background or educational value or personality make you particularly suited to serve on the school board?
My 31-year career in physical security equips me uniquely for the Glenwood City School Board. Protecting people and property has honed my skills in risk assessment and ethical resource management. I’ll apply this expertise to ensure the safety of students and staff while safeguarding the district’s budget with integrity. My commitment to security and accountability aligns with the board’s needs.
3. How would you improve the communication and transparency between the school board (and the school staff and administration) and the general public?
To enhance communication and transparency, I would leverage social media to share decisions and information with students, staff, and the community, ensuring broad accessibility. I’d also scrutinize the use of non-public school board sessions, limiting them to only essential topics, as they are rarely justified. This approach would minimize secrecy, promote openness, and rebuild trust within the Glenwood City School District.
4. What do you believe to be the biggest issues facing the Glenwood City school district?
The Glenwood City School District faces significant issues of trust and transparency. The 2024 financial misconduct allegations against the former superintendent, coupled with the school board’s treatment of whistleblowers, have eroded community confidence. Transparency is vital to rebuild trust, providing open access to district operations to address past injustices and prevent hidden issues. Enhancing communication and accountability is essential to restore public faith and ensure fair treatment.
Tony Mielzarek
Tony Mielzarek, 44, is a Shift Engineer at Xcel Energy’s A.S. King Plant in Bayport, MN
Mielzarek and his wife Lindsay have a son, Noah, and a daughter, Luca.
Mielzarek has 3 years of higher education at College Century and Minnesota State. He also has 21.5 years of Army service.
1. Why did you decide to run for a position on the Board of Education?
After being medically retired from the military, I felt as though I had more to give to my community and country
2. What about your background or educational value or personality make you particularly suited to serve on the school board?
I feel as though having children within the school district gives me a unique perspective when coupled with the common sense I utilized in the military.
3. How would you improve the communication and transparency between the school board (and the school staff and administration) and the general public?
Our communication has improved drastically with Patrick as Superintendent. My mission is to always be open and honest while abiding by the rules of privacy that school boards are subjected to.
4. What do you believe to be the biggest issues facing the Glenwood City school district?
Earning back the trust of the community and focusing on the real reason we are here which is the students.
Derrick Oberle
Derrick Oberle, 41, is a Business Supply Chain Manager at 3M.
Oberle holds a Bachelor of Science degree from UW-Stout and a MBA from St. Thomas University.
He and his wife Tammy have two children. Eli is a sophomore at Glenwood City High School and Jaycie is an eighth grader at Glenwood City Middle School.
1. Why did you decide to run for a position on the Board of Education?
The school district is at a pivotal inflection point, prime for a favorable upward trajectory. As a taxpayer and as a parent of two adolescents enrolled in the district, I would like to ensure the district has measurable outcomes aligned with the strategic plan (career and college readiness with social conscience) and the resources needed to achieve them. I’d like to contribute innovative ideas and renew a commitment to collaboration, transparency, and academic excellence. If navigated successfully, an upward trajectory that will benefit all students, staff, and families.
2. What about your background or educational value or personality make you particularly suited to serve on the school board?
I’ve been fortunate to have opportunities to work in multiple different functions and business groups over the course of the last 17 years at 3M. Each role has had unique challenges to overcome but all deeply seated in an environment with continuous improvement mindset. This background has provided strong problem-solving skills, effective communication, and a collaborative approach. My ability to effectively listen and analyze complex issues will help work toward practical solutions. In addition, I would leverage previous board experiences with St. Croix Electric Cooperative, Wisconsin Electric Cooperatives Association, Stepping Stones of Dunn County, and Holy Cross.
3. How would you improve the communication and transparency between the school board (and the school staff and administration) and the general public?
If you’ve been to, or watched, a school board meeting you can appreciate how difficult it is to get a reasonable understanding of any comment or change a culture in a three-minute window. With that being said, I would advocate for regular, accessible communication channels. Could we have open question and answer sessions or proactive outreach? Without open dialogue and making information easy to access, it’s difficult to promote collaboration and build trust.
4. What do you believe to be the biggest issues facing the Glenwood City school district?
Policies have a crucial role in having a school board operate effectively and ensure the success of the district. Policies provide accountability, consistency, and clear guidance supporting the board’s ability to improve student outcomes. Very few of the ~180 board policies reflect a review date since adoption. How many of our recent failure modes could have had a different outcome with new or updated policies that would have implemented better controls? The updated or added policies would provide the foundation for success to the real opportunities of 1) Academic achievement 2) Funding 3) Communication & Trust 4) Technology.
