District 196 School Board Candidate Jackie Magnuson

Editor's note: The seven candidates running for four seats on the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school district board of education responded to questions posed by Patch to help Patch readers learn a little about them.

To promote fairness, we asked each candidate to limit responses to 200 words; we reserved the right to edit for clarity and length if necessary.

The general election is Nov. 8.

Tell readers a little about your background.

It has been my privilege and honor to serve on the ISD 196 board of education for the past 22 years. I am currently the board chair. I serve as the chair of the Negotiations committee, the Curriculum committee and Strategic Planning committee.

I am involved at both the state and national level with the Minnesota State School Boards Association and National School Board Association; I have a master's degree in education. I teach middle school Family and Consumer Science in Northfield, MN.

I am a 34-year district resident. My three children are 196 graduates.

Why do you want to be on the District 196 school board?

I am committed to our mission statement, “Educating out students to reach their full potential,” as a Board member for the past 22 years. I bring a history of community involvement, encouraging and seeking out public input, coupled with a depth of knowledge that allows me to make decisions based on information and data rather than on emotions. While on the board my focus has been on making sure the district is well managed and is fiscally responsible. As a parent of three District 196 graduates, a teacher of middle school students for the past 18 years, a district resident for the past 34 years, I can personally identify with our most important stakeholders—our students, parents, community members, teachers and lawmakers.

What would be your top three objectives as a school board member?

My top three objectives are: adequate and stable funding; maintaining and improving the high quality of curriculum and instruction; and districtwide communication and working in collaboration with our communities.

With the State as an unstable funding partner, the biggest challenge in front of us is maintaining the financial health of the district without compromising our mission. We have a vibrant and well-respected school district. We need to keep our focus on our strategic plan and our five-year budget forecasts. As a 196 board member and member of the board of directors for the Minnesota School Boards Association and the National School Boards Association, I have and will continue to work closely with our lawmakers at the state and federal level for changes in unfunded mandates, flexibility in testing, and push for adequate and stable school funding.

ISD 196 has some of the highest test scores in the country. My goal remains continuous improvements in curriculum and instruction at all levels.  Teachers and principals must have the tools necessary to create a classroom experience where every child achieves. Raising the achievement bar for all students assures that every child has the opportunity to reach his or her full potential. ...

What opportunities do you see for any future cost savings or additional revenues in the district?

We have instituted the RTI model (Response to Intervention). The program’s goal is to identify students who struggle, providing them the help they need earlier, with the goal of reducing special education costs.

The shift in the model at the middle school level brings more time on task in the core subjects for students and saved the district over a million dollars.  We will continue to look for ways to enhance our program while bringing about efficiencies.

Do you have any specific changes you would want to make to district policies, curriculum, staffing or programs?

Continuous improvement is the mantra in District 196. I want to work hard to keep the quality programs we have. I am interested in working to providing all-day, every-day kindergarten.

What is the purpose of public education?

To allow EVERY student to receive a quality education.

Magnuson is an incumbent in this election.