Meet the candidates for the CL School Board

Two Board of Education seats in the Clear Lake School District will be determined in the Tuesday, Sept. 12 election.

Incumbent Chyrl Bergvig will be seeking re-election, while newcomers Tony Brownlee and Rick Knudson are seeking election for the first time.

This week the Clear Lake candidates have provided information about themselves and their vision for the school district.

All voters in the Clear Lake School District will cast their ballots at Clear Lake City Hall, 15 N. 6th St.  Poll hours are 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Chyrl Bergvig

I grew up in Cherokee, Iowa with my parents and one older sister.  The summer of my senior year, our family moved to Fort Dodge, Iowa where I graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High School in 1967.  I continued my education at Iowa Central Community College, receiving an AA degree in 1969.  I received my BS degree from Parsons College in 1971 with a K-12 Physical Education degree along with a coaching endorsement.  In 1978, I received a MS Degree in K-12 School Guidance and Counseling and my last certification came from Iowa State University in Administration.

Job experience or qualifications you feel relate to your candidacy:

While in college I was employed by Stith’s Landscaping Nursery in Fort Dodge.  My duties consisted of sales, landscaping, planting trees, shrubs, and many miscellaneous duties.   The other non-teaching experience came at Fort Dodge Laboratories which produced veterinary medicine for all animals.  My

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duties included bottling, packaging and animal care. I spent three years working at the laboratory.  I mention these jobs because they were a big part in helping me make the decision to pursue an education career. Teaching experiences included: 1992-2009, Clear Lake Community Schools, K-5, 9-12 counseling and assistant principal; 1985-1992,West Sioux Community School, Hawarden, Iowa 9-12 counseling and coaching; 1977-1985, Graettinger Community School, Graettinger, Iowa K-6 PE and 7-12 counselor and coach for seven sports; 1974-75, Winnegabo Public School, Winnebago, Neb. 5-12 PE/ Health and coach.

What is the most important quality you would bring to the School Board?

My 35 years of experiences as a teacher, counselor and administrator have given me a good grasp of the educational system.  Personally, I am a good listener and communicator.  I respect comments from others even though I may not agree.  I feel these qualities are essential when serving on the Board.  Children come first, when I consider issues in the school and community. I feel another important quality for me is my flexible schedule.  I make a conscious effort to keep informed about what is happening in the Clear Lake School District through my ability to communicate with administrators and staff, as well as frequently visiting the school buildings. I accept invitations to visit classrooms and attend evening events and activities.

Please identify the top three challenges you see facing the Clear Lake School District in the next four years:

Currently a big challenge is financing a quality education for ALL students. As a team, we need to continually evaluate the spending in all areas of the budget. Secondly, I feel our educators need to be prepared for the changes in how and what to teach and making sure ALL students are provided the best education. As a School Board, we need to provide and maintain professional development opportunities for our staff.  Thirdly, not necessarily in this order, we need consistent leadership in all areas of the district with common goals throughout the school district.

Are there new programs or curriculum you would like to see the district pursue?

Clear Lake Schools are in the second year of having instructional coaches in every building, which is financed from the TLC grant we applied for through the state.  I am excited to see the growth of our staff using the TLC concept.  We have a strong reading program, but I want our staff to continually enhance and improve the cross-curriculum reading strategies. I also want our district to continue to look at STEM, Robotics, and project-based learning along with career experiences.  We also have a need to work with businesses to prepare our students to meet the business needs as future leaders, employees, and citizens.

In these tough economic times, the School Board is typically faced with making cuts in its budget.  What areas would you like to see the Board review further for potential cuts?

In regard to future potential cuts, programming needs to be the last to be considered.  As a Board, we will need to establish and review our district goals frequently throughout the year. This past year the board with the help of the Administration, has gotten a handle on overspending and hopefully meticulous planning will help prevent a need to cut district spending like we have had to do in the past.

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Tony Brownlee

My name is Tony Brownlee.  My wife Amy and I have lived in Clear Lake since 2006 and we have a fifth grader (Reese) and third grader (Ikey) who attend Clear Creek.  I am a partner and board member at Kingland Systems, which is headquartered here in Clear Lake.  I graduated from Central College in Pella, Iowa with an economics degree and went on to Iowa State University for a Master’s of Business Administration.  Since moving to Clear Lake, my family and I have been active members of Zion Lutheran Church and I have served on the Clear Lake Youth Athletic League board and coached many youth sports teams.  I presently serve on multiple advisory boards at Iowa State and the national advisory council at Central College.

Job experience or qualifications you feel relate to your candidacy.

I am fortunate to have had a wide variety of experiences and responsibilities that help me bring “pragmatic leadership” to the school board.  From hiring

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and managing teams of hundreds of employees to working with some of the largest companies in the world, my professional experiences expose me to many challenging situations that require thoughtful decision-making.  The best boards assemble a variety of leaders who have distinct capabilities, and I would like to highlight a few of the capabilities I will bring to the school board if elected.    

•Research and Data.  For those who know me, they know I am passionate about data and enjoy researching many topics.  In my professional work at Kingland, we regularly research and analyze some of the most complex technology and business problems in the world.  Research and data are part of my way of life.  For example, as I was considering a run for the school board this summer, I began reading the same books on professional learning communities our teachers are using today.  Recently, I have been researching and comparing Clear Lake to other schools.  Did you know in 2012 our students had the ninth highest ACT test scores in the state, but last year we fell to 104th?   I think it is important to bring facts and data to the table when making decisions.

•Technology.  I live in the world of modern technology every day.  I understand the short term (1-2 year) and long-term (5-10 year) trends as well as the best practices in how to establish a strategy and select the best technologies.  I work side-by-side with individuals who are amazing technologists, and have the opportunity to engage with individuals from companies like Amazon and IBM who are regarded as some of the top technology experts in the world.  I believe my unique expertise will help our district make sound decisions and invest wisely in modern tools for teachers and students.

•Financial.  At Kingland, I work every day with multi-million dollar budgets, complex financial situations, and in highly regulated and audited environments.  Much like our school district, all customers must work within constrained budgets and trade-offs are inevitable.  I have learned to ask the tough questions about trade-offs, but always with an eye towards the future.  I also believe strongly in the importance of using disciplined approaches to audit, reporting, and other controls to ensure transparency and avoid surprises like budget overruns.

•Perspective and Relationships.  We cannot make change happen alone.  I am just one person, but I will call upon many associates and friends working throughout schools and businesses around Iowa and the US to gain new ideas and perspectives. My work in various industries provides me with a unique understanding of a wide range of jobs, professions, and required skills for our students that will help guide decisions related to how we prepare students for careers.  My continued service at Central and Iowa State allow me to understand the challenges of higher education and how we can prepare our students for success in college.  There are successful schools we can visit and benchmark. There are local business leaders and organizations I will work with to gain new perspectives and support to help us meet our goals as a district.  We need to create a school system and vision that is right for Clear Lake, but we can use others’ successes to avoid some mistakes and work to make better and better decisions for our school.

What is the most important quality you would bring to the School Board?

I believe the most important quality I can bring to the school is vision – a vision based on experience and a passion for the Clear Lake community.  I see a future where Clear Lake is one of the top schools in the state.  As a top Iowa school, we would build a track record of paying innovative teachers more, consistently preparing our kids for the next level, and providing character building experiences for our children that make teachers and families say: “I want to go to Clear Lake.”  I think these accomplishments are achievable, but only if we establish a clear vision first.

Please identify the top three challenges you see facing the Clear Lake School District in the next four years:

Today, families have choices when it comes to selecting a school for their children.  I want to see Clear Lake become a destination not just for tourism, but also for school education and community experience.  I believe if we focus on teacher pay, technology, and facilities, we will make Clear Lake more attractive to these families that are considering relocating to our community.

1. Teacher Pay.  We must retain and attract innovative, motivated, caring teachers.  To do so, we are going to need to pay teachers more, particularly those who have a significant impact on the district.  Today, our average pay for Clear Lake teachers ranks in the top 25 percent of schools in the state of Iowa.  What would it look like if we were instead in the top 10 percent for average teacher pay?  I would like to explore this.  Many leading school districts around the country have had success with performance-based pay models, which go well beyond test scores looking much more at impact.  Providing support and incentives to our teachers is essential to delivering a first-rate education for Clear Lake.

2. Technology.  We must develop and implement a modern technology strategy for the classrooms and throughout the schools.  Technology will help teachers to be more productive and students benefit from more personalized education.  Additionally, technology can allow us to continue to offer specialized instruction such as science, math, and even languages at a lower cost.  Investing in the right technologies will be critical in making Clear Lake become a top school in our state.

3. Facilities.  We must continue to invest in our facilities.  To be one of the best schools in the state, our classrooms and extra-curricular facilities need to improve.  This can be challenging with tight budgets, but we must keep up.  Many schools in the north Iowa area like Waverly, Humboldt and Osage are finding ways to improve their facilities.  I will support continued plans but also look for creative ways to partner with the city on shared facilities.  First-class facilities allow for better experiences for our students, and help them take pride in the investment the community has made for them.

Are there new programs or curriculum you would like to see the district pursue?

I would like to see the district continue to implement professional learning communities as a way to focus more energy on teachers, students, and learning.  Picking programs is important, but I think building a culture of learning-focused collaboration for our teachers is equally important.   We must continue to invest in ways our teachers can help students who may be struggling as well as students who are catching on quickly.

For programs, I think we must pursue additional options for online, student led learning, supported by teachers.  Online, interactive learning can provide many more options for our students at a much more affordable price point.  We must also continue to hold fast to our commitment to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) to provide our students with the career and college readiness.  For students who need more help, we can strive to provide them relevant tools to improve.  Online tools can support students who want to explore unique areas of study like a specific foreign language as well.

In these tough economic times, the School Board is typically faced with making cuts in its budget.  What areas would you like to see the Board review further for potential cuts?

The majority of the school’s budget (nearly 80 percent) is our people, which makes budget conversations difficult.  My first principle is simple: our teachers are our most important resource so we must maintain competitive pay that rewards our top teachers, even in tough times.  Rather than eliminate programs, I will challenge administration to look to technology and new styles of online, self-guided curriculum that can be delivered more cost-effectively.  Additionally, I will maintain a strategic focus of working to grow our schools access to funding through the state or other funding areas.  With any tough situation, I will commit myself to finding the facts, digging into the data, and listening to those around us in order to make pragmatic decisions.        

Additional Comments:

Our schools serve such an important purpose not only in the lives of our children, but also in the lives of so many of us throughout the Clear Lake community.  I believe our community and school system embody the perfect “small town Iowa” way of life, and I would be honored to help keep it going for the next generation. If elected, I commit to bring the vision, ideas, and pragmatic decision making to the Clear Lake school board.

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Rick Knudson

My name is Rick Knudson, and I have been a Clear Lake resident for 15 years. I grew up near Estherville, Iowa with a proud agricultural heritage. My wife Jennifer is an admissions coordinator for NIACC and is a licensed K-12 guidance counselor.  We have three children, Nathan and Kaitlyn, who are eight-years-old and in third grade, and Samuel, who is six-years-old and in first grade.  I am employed as a pharmacist with Premier, Inc., which is a health care improvement company based in North Carolina.  I received my Doctor of Pharmacy degree from Drake University and Masters degrees in Pharmacoeconomics and Business Administration from the University of Florida and Stetson University respectively.  I am a Board Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist.  I have recently served as president of the Iowa Pharmacy Association, and I am currently serving my final year of that three year commitment as the Chairman of the Board.  I

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am also an active member of Zion Lutheran Church as well as a past youth mentor for the Clear Lake mentoring program.

Job experience or qualifications you feel relate to your candidacy:

People often ask me “Where do you work as a pharmacist?” or “Which pharmacy do you work at?”  When I explain what I do for a living they are often surprised.  Most people do not realize the vast array of ways that health care professionals are involved not only in the care of patients but also the management and improvement of health care services and systems.  I was trained to care for patients and to be able to know what all those drugs do for you; however, I have also been trained in business and economic principles.  I currently manage a team of eight advanced-level pharmacists who are based across the entire United States. I work with large health systems, similar to the Mayo Clinic, in order to improve their performance so as to provide people like you, their patients, exceptional care.  These are skills that are transferable that I would bring with me to the Clear Lake School Board.

Specific aspects that I feel I would bring to the School Board from my professional work include a strong sense of budgeting and financial management.  I have experience managing a multi-million dollar budget and can bring those skills to the School Board.  In addition to financial management experience I will bring a deep understanding of operational management and efficiency.  Providing a best-in-class experience is something I do every day.  This too, is important for our school district as doing more with less is a reality in today’s educational environment.  As I mentioned earlier, I come from an agricultural background, a true “farm kid.” Growing up I learned that strong work ethic and living up to your word are as important, in fact probably more important, than all of your other skills and talents combined. I would also bring that work ethic to the School Board.

What is the most important quality you would bring to the School Board?

Business experience, management techniques, finances… all are important qualities for leadership.  However, I believe that the biggest asset I bring to the School Board is that of being an involved and engaged parent of children who are students here in the district— children, who just like yours, I want to see succeed and have an exceptional education here in the Clear Lake School District.  When someone has a vested interest in the outcome of any type of endeavor that person puts in the extra time, effort and learning necessary to see things through.  My children and yours are that vested interest for me, and I will put in the effort it takes to see them be successful.

Please identify the top three challenges you see facing the Clear Lake School District in the next four years:

•Finances.  The state budget allocated to education, which is where the vast majority of the district’s operating budget stems from, continues to constrict.  In addition, State funds are allocated among districts based on number of enrolled students.  Shrinking enrollments and losses of students to other districts have major impacts on Clear Lake’s budget.  Strategies to help address these trends, as well as strategies to deal with the likely impacts of declining student numbers, will need to be a major focus for the School Board over the years to come.  In addition, uncertainty around Federal education policies continue to be a large question mark on the horizon.

•Student Assessment/Outcomes.  It is safe to say that there has been varied opinions on student assessment requirements (e.g. Common Core) over the recent past. The ability to measure our students’ learning and abilities is essential for many reasons, but first and foremost is to insure that Clear Lake graduates are adequately prepared to be contributing members of society.  In addition, student evaluations have direct financial and regulatory impacts.  Clear Lake, like all school districts, will need to stay focused on State and Federal programs that impact our students all while keeping the students’ best interests in mind.

•Student Safety/Security.  The world around us has changed significantly since I was a student in public schools. Many of us have chosen to live here in the Midwest, and specifically Clear Lake, because we see it as a safe and nurturing environment where our children can thrive.  While that may ring somewhat true, we must not be naïve to the fact that the safety and security of the District’s students must be paramount. In the coming years the Clear Lake School Board will need to wrestle with issues that will balance student safety against family and community involvement.

Are there new programs or curriculum you would like to see the district pursue?

First, let me say that I am not a teacher or academician, so my comments around this question come as those of a parent and an employer.  Clear Lake is truly a well-balance mid-sized school district.  Students here have many opportunities in a multitude of areas – academics, fine arts, athletics, extracurricular, etc.  There will always be “wants” and potentially “needs” that will have to be addressed as they arise, but overall I feel good about the District’s offerings.  One area that has gained focus and effort with other school districts is the realization that a focus on technical careers is an opportunity that holds promise for many students. College coursework may not be the goal for every graduating student and exposure during their high school years to technical academy-type offerings can provide options that they may otherwise not have explored.

In these tough economic times, the School Board is typically faced with making cuts in its budget.  What areas would you like to see the Board review further for potential cuts?

It is true that budget constraints will continue to be a reality for all school districts, including Clear Lake.  My philosophy is to always look at operational efficiencies as one way to increase the district’s bottom line. I am a firm believer in working smarter rather than harder, and when you can do that you can generally increase efficiency while reducing costs.  I am not a proponent of staff cuts as a primary or first choice in reducing the operating budget.  Student-facing programs are also an area that I would only want to cut if all other options had been exhausted. The goal of the district is to provide a well-rounded and valuable education experience so program cuts would need to be evaluated on a one by one basis in order to minimize the impact on students of the Clear Lake District.

Additional comments:

I would like to say thank you for taking the time to learn more about me, my background and my thoughts on being a Clear Lake School Board member. The three candidates in this year’s election are all well suited for a seat on the Board so I sleep well at night knowing that the Clear Lake School District is in good hands regardless of the election outcome. Thank you again and I would appreciate your vote on Sept. 12.

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