Patch Candidate Profile: Jon Vaupel For ISD 197 School Board

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, MN — This fall, Mendota Heights residents will vote on school board members for ISD 197.

Jon Vaupel is one of 10 candidates running for School Board in the Nov. 2 election.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles over the coming weeks.

Are you running for School Board? Contact Morgan Reddekopp at morgan.reddekopp@patch.com for information on being featured in a candidate profile and submitting campaign announcements to Patch.

Age (as of Election Day): 46

Position Sought: ISD 197 School Board Member At Large

Party Affiliation: N/A

Family:

My wife (Jen) and a 3rd grader and 4th grader at Mendota Elementary. We also have two dogs, Birch and Bella (You’ll likely see me out walking them, even on the snowy/icy days.).

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?:

I have been a public servant for most of my career. Currently, I work for the Minnesota Department of Education and my wife works for the City of Minneapolis Health Department.

Education:

• Bachelor of Arts (Public Policy and Economics), Syracuse University
• Master of Public Policy, American University
• Master of Science in Education, Johns Hopkins University

Occupation:

20+ years in Education (Teacher, Researcher, Advocate, Legislative Assistant, Program Manager, and Policy Advisor)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

I served on the Obama-Biden Transition Project’s Education Policy Working Group and was appointed to work for the US Department of Education’s Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development as a Policy Advisor.

Campaign website:

https://vaupelforschoolboard.c...

Why are you seeking elective office?:

My career reflects my firmly held belief that all children – no matter their neighborhood, skin color, language, identity, or ability – should have the same opportunities to be successful in school, career, and life. If elected, I will fight for the policies, resources and supports our students need and deserve. As a parent and former teacher, my top priorities to support the success of ALL ISD 197 students are: (1) continued support of COVID-19 mitigation strategies to keep our students safe and in school AND responding in a positive, holistic way to the impact COVID-19 has had on students; (2) ensuring that equity, diversity, and inclusivity are prioritized in decision making; (3) strengthening transparency around decision-making; and (4) supporting the ISD 197 levy renewal (if passed, taxes would effectively be the same and we would avoid having to cut over $1 million in services and supports).

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it:

COVID-19 is the most pressing issue.

We need our schools to continue to be safe places for our students, teachers, educators, and school leaders. It was the right decision to require masks for students and educators this school year (following the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Minnesota Department of Health, and Minnesota Department of Education’s guidance). The school board (and staff!) should be commended for getting our students back into our schools for in-person learning while also providing families with the option to continue distance learning.

Going forward I would like to help ISD 197 build on its strengths and successes from the last year and keep children in classrooms this year (and support those who are not yet able to be back in-person). To do this, we need to continue the mitigation strategies that were put in place last year, including masking. We also need to follow the science and support/encourage vaccinations for teachers, staff, and students. A higher vaccination rate will keep our students in school and avoid future disruptions.

Teachers, students, families, and the community have all been impacted by COVID-19. Our students are living through a pandemic that has disrupted not only their learning, but their lives. Our educators deserve the resources and supports that they need to adapt, learn, and grow from this experience to come out stronger than ever. One part of 197's response must be engaging students and families in meaningful dialogue to solicit their input, especially families and students that may be more difficult to reach.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?:

I can't really speak to the other candidates - I think that's up to voters. I can speak about myself, though. I have spent my career (20+ years) working to strengthen our public education system at the federal (US Senate, US Department of Education), state (Minnesota Department of Education), and local (kindergarten teacher, special education program manager, college and career coach) levels. Equity, diversity, and inclusivity are principles that have guided my career choices and my approach to teaching kindergarten and working with families. I am no expert, but I have experience translating these principles into meaningful actions.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency):

(Didn't answer)

How do you think local officials are performing in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?:

See earlier response about COVID-19.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

I see education from a number of different perspectives: teacher, parent, policy analyst and advisor, and program manager. I think that experience will be a valuable asset given that School Board reviews ALL policies on a rolling basis (every three years). Serving on the School Board would be an incredible opportunity to focus on continuous improvement across a wide range of topics. For each of those topics, we also need to ensure that we are explicitly seeking to understand how the policy relates to and impacts equity, diversity, and inclusivity.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?:

An accomplishment I feel comfortable citing is my experience teaching kindergarten in Baltimore City Public Schools. My classroom had students of varying abilities, students who spoke a language other than English, students who had experienced trauma, and students who had a variety of identities and experiences. The classroom community I created was inclusive, engaging, age appropriate, joyful, rigorous and culturally affirming. I understand how much work and energy it takes from educators to create this type of learning environment and I understand how impactful practices and strategies like these are for students and families.

The community (the voters) will be the ultimate decision-makers as to whether my experience, beliefs, and priorities will be of value to the School Board and community.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

If there is a challenge or problem, bring ideas and options so you (or those you are listening to) can be a part of the solution.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?:

You can learn more about my experience, beliefs, and priorities at https://vaupelforschoolboard.c...