Patch Candidate Profile: Katie Schwartz For SoWashCo School Board

SOUTH WASHINGTON COUNTY, MN — This fall, Woodbury and Cottage Grove residents will vote on school board members for South Washington County Schools.

Katie Schwartz is one of nine 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): 43

Position Sought: ISD 833 School Board Member At Large

Party Affiliation: (No answer)

Family:

Husband Tony, daughters Regan (26) and Joey (17), Son’s Alex (18) and Henry (11) All have graduated or are attending schools in South Washington County

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?: No

Education: Masters Degree from Concordia University

Occupation: Team Leader at The Hartford for 3 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: Vice Chair of the South Washington County School Board

Campaign website: Facebook - Katie Schwartz - South Washington County School Board

Why are you seeking elective office?:

I believe that all students deserve access to a quality education and to feel safe and supported at school. We are a growing district and need to make sure that we can keep class sizes down and retain quality teachers.

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

Financial Security. We need to manage our budget knowing that the state has not kept up with inflation. I will continue to ask questions about where the money is and how we are going to keep our programs for students.

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

I believe in listening to all voices in the district. We may not always agree but we still need to listen to all sides of the issues and make a decision based on the information available. I am running for the betterment of the entire district and all the issues we currently face not just one or two issues.

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

(No answer)

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

I think at the district level we are working to ensure that kids are able to stay in school and have in person learning. I do believe that to keep numbers down we need to have masks in grades were kids are not able to get vaccinated and that this should be done across the all districts.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

The board recently passed the racial equity policy to ensure that all students feel welcome and included in the schools and have what is needed for them to learn. Schools should be a safe place where students can be themselves.

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

I have been on the board for 8 years and have voted each and every time based on the best information available at the time. I have asked questions and voted against the majority when I felt it wasn’t the right decision.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Do your homework and ask questions. Don’t just follow the crowd.

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

If you want a board member that will listen to all sides of the issue, ask questions, and then vote for the best interests of the students - Vote Katie Schwartz on Nov 2nd.