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Personal (please list occupation, education and family):
My name is Alan Grube. I was born and raised in southwest Minnesota. I graduated from Southwest MN State University with degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics. For the past 37 years I have worked on the IT systems for Schwan's in Marshall. I am married to Barb and we have 3 grown children who all are Lakeview graduates.
Why am I running for a school board seat?
I was first elected to the Lakeview board in 2010, and it has been an honor to serve the communities of Cottonwood and Wood Lake. I enjoy working with my fellow board members and with the administration and staff of Lakeview. We have been blessed with an excellent team. I would like to continue that service and help the district navigate these challenging economic conditions that Lakeview and all districts in the state are facing.
What are the major issues facing the District?
As with all districts in the state, funding is the number one issue facing Lakeview. Funding formulas do not keep up with inflation, and the current high fuel prices are putting additional pressure on our budget. Cuts at the federal level will also hurt, and the special education cross-subsidy caused by the state and federal governments not fully covering the required costs takes away from our general education fund.
What are the areas of concern regarding student achievement in the district?
My main area of concern with student achievement is with how that achievement is measured. The perceived achievement of a student is over-simplified to one number on a test given in the spring. At Lakeview we have an outstanding team of teachers and support staff that continue to help our students be successful. Our graduates overwhelmingly find success post-graduation in whatever field they choose to pursue, and I am proud that Lakeview plays a role in setting them up for that success.
Do you have specific suggestions for improvement?
I truly believe that everyone at Lakeview has embraced a culture of improvement. We are finding new ways to look at data to better help each student grow, rather than comparing one junior class to the next. At the end of the day, our focus needs to be on helping our students navigate this rapidly changing world. As a board member, I will work to support the administration and staff of Lakeview as they work in this challenging environment. As a board we can do our best to insulate the team from the impact of our budget challenges. We need to be looking years ahead and make sure we are prepared to address funding shortfalls.