Ten candidates are running for the Osseo Area School Board.
The candidates are Pa Ann, Meghan Curtis, Heather Douglass, incumbent Linda Etim, Stephanie Fortner, Jacki Girtz, Mike Ostaffe, Carey Raph, Pachia Vue and Jesse Winkler. Voters will choose three candidates from the field of 10.
Incumbent Dean Henke is not seeking re-election.
Linda Etim and Pachia Vue did not respond to the questionnaire, as well as repeated attempts to contact them.
Pa Ann 
Address: 10406 France Ave. N. Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
Family: I have three boys attending schools in the district, two going to Maple Grove Senior High, 9th and 10th grades, and one attending Fernbrook Elementary School.
Education: Master’s in public affairs, concentrations in global public policy, & public and nonprofit leadership and management
Occupation: Neighborhood health specialist, with the Community Development Department, city of Brooklyn Park
Years you have lived in the district: 16 years
Community/civic organizations involvement: Osseo Area Schools FISCAL Committee Member, three years; Steering Committee Brooklyn Park 2025 Strategic Plan, one year to present; Multicultural Advisory Committee Brooklyn Park Police Dept., one year to present
Have you run for any other office in the past?: Ran for Osseo Area Schools Board in 2014; Board Member, Odyssey Academy, Brooklyn Center 2011-2012; Vice President MN Gambian Association, 2008-2010
Contact information: Pa.ann4schooldistrict@gmail.com
Q: What experience or knowledge makes you qualified to be a school board member?
As a retired Lt. Col., leader and a passionate parent for the success of my three boys and all children, I am confident with my educational background and professional experiences, added with my community engagement activities, that I will add value to the board improving upon existing platforms and working effectively with all stakeholders to have answers to existing challenges.
I will bring on board needed global and local experiences, adequately representing all students, thus, filling the vacuum that presently exist on the board.
Q: How can Osseo Area Schools meet the state’s goals for closing the achievement gap and create true educational equity for all students?
Effective adoption of programs formulated by the department of education, with a far-reaching engagement with all stakeholders, especially parents, community members and teachers to successfully improve upon existing frameworks and policies/programs, key to its success are parents and teachers participation, the frontline in this effort.
Another relevant issue is staff representation reflecting the diversity of our communities and student body.
Q: In your role as a school board member, how would you ensure that all parents and community members’ concerns and questions about district matters are addressed?
Evaluate effectiveness of present mediums of interaction, then create forums with parents and community members to hear their concerns and recommendations to enhance contribution, redress or feedback mechanism. Create simple but effective online communication tools, with practical options for face to face meetings. I would invest personal time to meet communities/parents, teachers and administrators to establish direct engagement with intermittent school visitation to evaluate effectiveness programs create a feedback loop.
Meghan Curtis 
Address: 3110 Highlands Road Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
Family: Fiance, Paul
Education: Bachelor of Science in nursing
Occupation: Registered nurse
Years you have lived in the district: 4
Community/civic organizations involvement: Member of the Superior Hiking Trail Association; Volunteer with Twin Cities in Motion
Have you run for any other office in the past? This is my first time running for any type of office.
Contact information: votemeghancurtis.com
Q: What experience or knowledge makes you qualified to be a school board member?
I strongly believe in the district’s mission to inspire and prepare all students with the confidence, courage and competence to achieve their dreams; contribute to community; and engage in a lifetime of learning. I have the knowledge, drive and accountability to accomplish our community priorities including closing the achievement gap, raise graduation rates and prepare students for the 21st century workforce.
In my work as a registered nurse, I make regular decisions that impact the quality of life for my patients now and in the future. I will take my service as a school board member just as seriously, knowing that informed decisions are critical to building a positive future for our students. As a board member, I will conduct independent research, speak with parents, students, staff and the community before making decisions that affect the community.
Q: How can Osseo Area Schools meet the state’s goals for closing the achievement gap and create true educational equity for all students?
This issue is one of the most critical for student success. First, class sizes must be reduced across all grade levels. It is currently a roadblock to success for our students taking classes in math, English, reading and science with 40 other students and only one teacher. Second, the district’s direction of implementing the restorative justice practice is important, and ensuring all staff are adequately trained for its implementation is critical. Finally, it is important to ensure all district sites have alternatives to suspensions for our students. As a board member, these will be my top priorities, and I will continue to be open to additional avenues to assure true educational equity.
Q: In your role as a school board member, how would you ensure that all parents and community members’ concerns and questions about district matters are addressed?
I want parents and the community to feel that the school board is making decisions that are based on community needs and have the students’ best interests in mind. I will create an open line of communication between myself, other board members, Osseo staff, parents, students and community members. I will make myself available via email, telephone, and before and after board meetings. As a board member, it will be my priority to seek feedback from the community about what can be improved in our schools, along with acknowledging and celebrating the successes in our district.
Heather Douglass 
Address: Osseo, MN
Family: Husband Andy Douglass; four daughters (2-12 years old)
Education: Life-long learner, Osseo Sr. Alumni, College credits in health care Sciences, psychology, sociology, business management, general education, and CEUs in child development.
Occupation: Former childcare provider and business owner, district volunteer and involved parent, volunteer for Girl Scouts of America, admin of Osseo Area Walking and Activity Group.
Years you have lived in the district: District 25+ years
Community/civic organizations involvement: District 279 volunteer, Girl Scouts of America volunteer, SD 34 Republicans
Have you run for any other office in the past?: No
Contact information: voteheather.info
Q: What experience or knowledge makes you qualified to be a school board member?
As a former student of and current parent volunteer in this district, I have hands-on knowledge and experience in our schools and community. My experience in childcare has provided me with the ability to appropriately navigate important decisions concerning students. As a successful business owner, I consistently made fiscally responsible decisions with integrity. I care deeply about the success of our students and this great district. I am dedicated to working tirelessly to see District 279 thrive and grow in ways that benefit our whole community.
Q: How can Osseo Area Schools meet the state’s goals for closing the achievement gap and create true educational equity for all students?
It is imperative that we provide additional support for teachers and students in the classroom and at home. Closing the gap is more than numbers and statistics. Every student and teacher needs to feel welcome and safe in their school to be capable of succeeding. Safety in schools, basic needs, learning styles and curriculums need to be balanced according to need.
Q: In your role as a school board member, how would you ensure that all parents and community members’ concerns and questions about district matters are addressed?
I would encourage all parents and community members to come to work sessions and board meetings. We need parents and community members to speak up and be heard. I would respond to all communications promptly and work to find solutions and resolution to concerns and issues. Additionally, I will continue to be involved in schools through volunteering and face to face interactions. I will always available to listen to community members, parents, staff.
Stephanie Fortner
Address: 9869 Valley Forge Lane N., Maple Grove, MN
Family: Married
Education: Masters in early childhood education
Occupation: Pre-kindergarten teacher in the Columbia Heights School District
Years you have lived in the district: 6 years
Community/civic organizations involvement: None listed
Have you run for any other office in the past? First-time candidate
Contact information: fortnerforosseo279.com
Q: What experience or knowledge makes you qualified to be a school board member?
I believe that I am uniquely qualified to run for school board due to my education and experience. I earned an undergraduate and a Master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of North Dakota. Upon graduation, I gained valuable classroom experience working with culturally-diverse students helping them reach their full potential at Community Action of Ramsey and Washington County as a Head Start teacher.
During that time, I also worked for two years as a professional literacy tutor with the Minnesota Readings Corps program. Currently, I am a Pre-kindergarten teacher working to build relationships with families to help their child succeed in the classroom in the Columbia Heights School District. As a board member, I would rely on my education and eight years of classroom experience to make informed decisions to better serve the children, families and taxpayers within the ISD 279 Osseo Area School District.
Q: How can Osseo Area Schools meet the state’s goals for closing the achievement gap and create true educational equity for all students?
In my current role as a teacher, it is my job to make sure that my students are learning the skills that they need in order to achieve at the next grade level. I believe that a student will succeed in school and in life if they first learn to read to in order to be able to read to learn.
The Osseo Area Schools have been increasing student proficiencies in reading and math comprehension, but we should always be looking for new ways to tackle the achievement gap. The keys to closing the gap include evidence-based instruction, rigorous curriculum plans, additional instruction time, progress monitoring and improved cooperation between teachers and parents.
I will support proven programs and curriculum that boost comprehension and reading skills and will encourage other board members and staff to place kids who are struggling into two reading and math classes per day for extra focus in those areas. The district should also work on collaborative projects that provide summer enrichment in reading and math skills.
Q: In your role as a school board member, how would you ensure that all parents and community members’ concerns and questions about district matters are addressed?
One of the most important responsibilities of an elected official is to listen and provide feedback to constituents concerns. One of my top priorities will be to answer every email and return every phone call that I receive. As a board member, I will be open minded to any suggestion that could improve student outcomes and management of taxpayer dollars within the school district.
Jacki Girtz
Address: 4701 92nd Crescent, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
Family: John Girtz, 5 children
Education: Not listed
Occupation: Insurance Agent, business owner with husband John of Girtz Insurance & Financial Services
Years you have lived in the district: Lived in district 14 years
Community/civic organizations involvement: Currently an Osseo School Board director, Children’s ministry team director at Living Word Christian Center, Membership chairperson for Referral Link MN
Have you run for any other office in the past? Yes, Osseo School Board 2012, won and have been on the board since 2013
Contact information: jackigirtz.com
Q: What experience or knowledge makes you qualified to be a school board member?
My experience on the school board and my participation in committees for the school district help me to learn about what is happening in the school district and our community. I have served on at least 12 different committees during my time on the school board in addition to my school board member duties. I attend training for school board members and network with other school board members in our area.
My children have attended nine different buildings across the school district, which has helped me to experience all sides of the district. I have had extensive involvement in some of these schools from volunteering in the classroom, to leadership roles in the buildings, and on district committees representing some of these buildings.
I am a great listener, learner and business owner who wants to serve this community and see it succeed.
Q: How can Osseo Area Schools meet the state’s goals for closing the achievement gap and create true educational equity for all students?
Provide more early learning opportunities to have students ready for kindergarten. Place the most effective teachers in the highest needs schools. Teach staff to be culturally competent and the use of culturally responsive instructional strategies. Hire more staff that match the diversity of our school district.
Q: In your role as a school board member, how would you ensure that all parents and community members’ concerns and questions about district matters are addressed?
Be a part of community committees and engagement opportunities where our community is providing input to its concerns. Visit schools during the day. Be available to my community for feedback and seek opportunities to collaborate with community members, businesses, faith-based organizations and other elected officials in ways that we can work together to create a thriving community.
Mike Ostaffe
Address: Maple Grove
Family: Happily Married to Karen for over 22 years, three children in 10th grade
Education: MBA from Northwestern University-Kellogg School of Management in marketing, finance, and strategy
Occupation: Product management, development, and marketing in agricultural-technology-internet-of-things Sectors
Years you have lived in the district: 10+ years
Community/civic organizations involvement: District 279 (FISCAL Committee, High School Site Council, elementary math tutor); OMG baseball and basketball Coach; Boy Scout counselor
Have you run for any other office in the past? No
Q: What experience or knowledge makes you qualified to be a school board member?
I am an engineer with an MBA in finance, marketing and strategy. I have been in leadership roles in organizations from technology start-ups to Fortune 500 and worked as a management consultant from the shop-floor to the boardroom. I believe that my skills in working collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders to identify and solve problems is needed on the board of a $300 million, 3,000+ employee organization.
I have led collaborative teams of consultants, managers and employees to collect data, identify problems and propose and implement successful solutions. Setting the direction and making the right decisions for District 279 cannot be done in a vacuum or based strictly on emotions. Those critical decisions that impact our students’ achievement and our property taxes must be supported by data, and must have support from parents, teachers, administration and board. My extensive professional background will guide my decision-making process on the board.
Q: How can Osseo Area Schools meet the state’s goals for closing the achievement gap and create true educational equity for all students?
The board is about to pass a formal policy (#101) to address this problem, including hiring, training, curriculum and parental involvement. This is a good first step. However, a better question is “How can Osseo schools increase the achievement and graduation rates for all students?”
Our high schools are not in the top tier in performance in the state, and none graduate 100 percent. We are substantially underperforming our peers. Close to 7,000 students from the district choose to go elsewhere. Our board and administration have pushed through many programs over the past several years, including grade span changes, iPads, standards-based grading, magnet schools and the controversial Pacific Education Group training. Before I propose or vote on anything, I want to have a complete review of the current situation and to fully understand the scope, costs, benefits and expected outcomes of any new program.
Q: In your role as a school board member, how would you ensure that all parents and community members’ concerns and questions about district matters are addressed?
I have always been a proponent of greater transparency and increased parental/taxpayer involvement. I would like to see:
• More parents at board meetings asking questions and getting a response
• Greater attendance at all work and policy sessions where proposals are discussed in detail, and where parents can see where their elected board members really stand
• Work sessions videotaped and posted
• Work sessions and policy meetings held in local schools
I have always worked collaboratively to arrive at the best solutions for the given situation. I may not always agree with everyone’s opinion, but I will always listen to your concerns.
Carey Raph
Address: 7827 Niagara Lane N., Maple Grove
Family: Husband, Noel; 4 children
Education: Master of Science, special education, and post-graduate administrative licensure program
Occupation: School district administrator
Years you have lived in the district: 12
Community/civic organizations involvement: None listed
Have you run for any other office in the past? No
Contact information: http://facebook.com/VoteCareyRaphforDistrict279SchoolBoard
Q: What experience or knowledge makes you qualified to be a school board member?
I am parent of four children, two who have attended school in District 279 from preschool to high school, and two who will be entering our school system soon. I have spent over 17 years as a public school teacher and school district administrator. I value education and understand the issues facing our district from a variety of perspectives. I am knowledgeable about many areas of education, including topics relating to special education, school finance, school law, working collaboratively with staff and research around best practices for instruction.
Q: How can Osseo Area Schools meet the state’s goals for closing the achievement gap and create true educational equity for all students?
We need to continue to build learning environments where students and staff feel safe and welcome. We need to collaborate to provide comprehensive support to students so that they are able to come to school ready to learn. We need to increase access to pre-kindergarten programs. We also need to increase our efforts to acquire and retain qualified staff and staff with diverse backgrounds. We need to make sure that our staff have the training and resources needed to meet their students’ needs. We also need to work to reduce class sizes for early childhood through grade 3, where research has shown long-term benefit.
Q: In your role as a school board member, how would you ensure that all parents and community members’ concerns and questions about district matters are addressed?
I would be accessible and willing to engage in communication and answer questions and address concerns. I would strive for opportunities to be present in our schools and communities. I would explore ways to communicate with a wider array of parents and family members in ways that work for them. I would be honest and transparent about the issues that families and community members bring to me or other board members. I believe in listening for understanding, and working collaboratively with all stakeholder groups is necessary to achieve positive results for our students.
Jesse Winkler
Address: 6648 Edgemont Blvd. N., Brooklyn Park
Family: Thomas, 5 children (ages 5, 8, 14, 16, 17)
Education: B.A. in youth ministry
Occupation: Administrator to the Board of Education, Minneapolis Public Schools
Years you have lived in the district: 3 years
Community/civic organizations involvement: Children’s after-school activities, Brooklyn Park DFL, gubernatorial appointee to the MN Governor’s Residence Commission
Have you run for any other office in the past?: I was part of the pre-caucus process for the Maple Grove House seat.
Contact information: JesseWinkler.com
Q: What experience or knowledge makes you qualified to be a school board member?
I currently work for Minneapolis Public Schools as the administrator to the Board of Education. I am also honored to be supported by Education-MN Osseo, which represents our district teachers, nurses and Kidstop instructors. All too often, the discussion surrounding public education and solutions to solve situations becomes about adults.
Having five foster kids, I have seen firsthand how bureaucratic systems respond when kids are in need. The system has become too inconvenient for families to navigate, and the pressures on students to perform, conform and be tested are mounting. I am running for school board to provide a different narrative; that when surrounded by dedicated and effective teachers, access to resources, the ability to engage in and master social awareness, and maintain powerful relationships, students will excel beyond what we think they’re capable of.
Q: How can Osseo Area Schools meet the state’s goals for closing the achievement gap and create true educational equity for all students?
The achievement gap and educational equity cannot be something we as a district just talk about. Success in the achievement gap is also dependent upon economic and other factors. We must solve the gap students face at schools but also work to diminish the gap in our communities related to wages, jobs, and housing. Our public schools must serve all students. Our schools should demonstrate social change not perpetuate the status quo. I will advocate for an emphasis on early childhood education, rigorous curriculum, meaningful standards of achievement and ensure the needs of our teachers are being met. We must be intentional about engaging our students in the achievement gap and education equity, defining solutions and driving change.
Q: In your role as a school board member, how would you ensure that all parents and community members’ concerns and questions about district matters are addressed?
As a school board member elected by the community, it is my job to be transparent and responsive. I will be a school board member who listens and learns and then partners with the community to come up with solutions. I will provide the follow up to concerns that I would expect as a parent. This may require collaboration with other district employees or state officials. I will build solid relationships that I can lean on to support students and families.