Some new people have stepped up to run in the Frazee-Vergas School Board race this year. There are five candidates running for four seats. Those who hold the seats opening up include Matt Bauer, Rich Ziegler, Kenny Fett and Jim Nelson. Bauer is the only one running for re-election. Other candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot include Burl Buhr, Stacy Cruz, Thaddeus Helmers and Darrin Ovsak. Matt Bauer
Give a little background about yourself. I ‘m married to my wife, Joyce, and we have three kids, Desiree, Savanna and Alexis. I’m a graduate from Frazee-Vergas High School and moved back to Frazee five years ago. Currently I work for a mortgage company based in Minneapolis and handle all their compliance and audit needs. Why did you decide to run for school board again? I believe our district has made a lot of progress in the last four years and I want to continue to help our district move forward in a positive direction. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I believe I bring integrity, respect and good leadership skills to the board. I’ve been on the board for almost four years now. During this time, I have had the privilege of working with a high functioning team and we were able to move this District in a very positive direction with positive results for our students. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? We met some big challenges in the past four years and made some good changes. I know there will always be challenges that we’ll need to work through as a district, but I think we are on the right track now and we need to continue moving forward. What are the positives you see in the district? There are so many that I could use up my word limit listing them all. So here are a couple: Our staff, we have an excellent staff. They care about the students and facilities of this district and the direction we are moving. Our students, their families and our community. They strive for greatness, they support our schools and they support each other. Our financial stability, which has allowed us to enhance our technology, improve and maintain our great facilities, and plan for the future. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the citizens of the district for the past four years. It would be an honor to be re-elected to serve the Frazee-Vegas School District for another four years. Burl Buhr [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210470","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. My wife, Rena, and I have been married almost 30 years. We have four children, three who have graduated through the Frazee District, and my youngest is a junior this year. For the last 19 years, I’ve been a residential building contractor in the area. I am a 1981 graduate from Minnesota State University Moorhead, double education major, certified to coach, certified to teach driver’s training and I’m also currently employed teaching driver’s training through Frazee and Detroit Lakes. Why did you decide to run for school board? It is something I have considered in other years, and I also felt that as my youngest daughter is a junior this year, this would be a good time for me to do it while she’s still involved in the school. I think it would hopefully be an opportunity for me to use who I really am to work with other committed people who care about our school district. I also see it as an opportunity to just serve. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? A person has to be open minded. There are usually a lot of things we don’t see in the forefront until we really step in and get involved. I feel I am an open-minded person that can see more than just one view. I think that person should be willing to listen. People are concerned with our district and if we don’t take time to hear them and hear their concerns, then there’s usually some fallout from that. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I think every school district has challenges, and change is something that is hard. It takes time to work through changes that need to be made. I feel like I’m committed to work through the process with a team and doing what they determine the issues are that really need to change at the proper time. What are the positives you see in the district? I really see a real commitment from the staff that is there. They have a tremendous commitment to our students. Because of my role as a driver educator, I have been at the school very early in the morning and it’s very impressive to me when I see staff people there long before the school day starts. They are there simply to help students and parents. I think we have a great bunch of staff all the way around, not just the teachers but paras as well. I think we also have a strong desire to maintain a positive environment in Frazee. I think that positive thing is there are people willing to admit that there’s maybe some areas they’d like to see improved, but I also see they are willing to address those issues. Stacy Cruz [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210472","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I grew up in Frazee; I graduated in 1983. I’ve raised two daughters; I have six grandkids. Beside raising two kids, I’ve had two foster kids and I have custody of two of my grandkids. I graduated from Minnesota Community College, Detroit Lakes, in 1998 in sales and small business management. In 2007, I graduated from Colorado Technical University with a bachelor’s in criminal justice. And then I pursued a legal studies master’s degree, and I graduated with honors from Alpha Beta Kappa in 2011 from Kaplan University. I have done homeschooling since January with one of my grandkids. The other is in school here in Frazee. Plus, I was on the Head Start Policy Council. I did some administrative volunteering in the Arizona Elementary School when we lived in Arizona. When I was younger, I was a volunteer teacher’s aide at the Frazee Elementary. I used to help Mrs. Holzer with reading a math. Why did you decide to run for school board? Because there are issues with the school board with the special ed department, and I decided that they needed a new view. Maybe I could come up with some new solutions or ways to help improve the education in the school system. My grandson is being homeschooled because last year they told me his needs could not be met at the school, and they did not have the facilities and the teachers. I’m not sure how it’s going this year. I know some things have been switched around and they’re working on it, and they’re trying to improve things, but I just thought a new perspective might be a help. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I am a person that’s honest, reliable, hardworking. I put the kids first over the politics, before what other people think. If there’s a need that needs to be met, I think I can try and help with that and improve it. They are our future and an investment in our community, so I would like to be a part of trying to build on that. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? One of the challenges is making sure the curriculum is good and being met and all children’s needs are being met, from the special ed department to learning disabled to physically disabled, the different areas to the high school level. Making sure they are passing the standardized testing assessments in the spring, making sure that the SATs are being met because that’s a priority. The next thing I’m very concerned about is the bullying issue. It’s getting out of hand. It’s not just personally, it’s getting into the texting, Facebook. I work with a lot of teens. I work with the youth group through church, and that’s some of the things kids bring up at church when we’re talking. It’s at the elementary level too; it’s not just one area. I’m an avid spokesperson for the bullying; it needs to be addressed. What are the positives you see in the district? Some of the positives I see is some of their organizations and leadership. Just in the athletics, they’re teaching students teamwork and leadership and development for future living skills. That’s important. I’ve been in a managing position where I’ve had to screen applicants, and it’s not easy today, trying to find people to work as a team. They have the robotics group and the vocational training. I have seen some changes already this year in school, working with outside sources that have improved. The school, the education, the way the teachers are teaching. They’re reaching out and trying to get outside influences and groups to learn those abilities so the teachers can meet those needs. I do see some positives in that right now, but it’s a work in progress. I don’t see them closing their minds and saying, ‘this is the way it needs to be.’ They are willing to work with the parents. The school board is willing to work along with the principals and superintendent and teachers. That’s a good thing. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I’ve spent a lifetime working with children, from when I was a teenager babysitting to older where I do youth group, teaching release time, foster care. I’m always an open-minded person and I’m willing to listen to people and investigate, check into things and make sure needs are being met. I don’t like to overlook things. I like to see that things are followed through and done correctly. Thaddeus Helmers [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210474","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I’m married and have three kids. I have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I have a master’s degree in criminology. I’ve worked with the National Guard for 12 years. I’ve done many things, from narcotics investigations to financial and budget management to logistics management. Why did you decide to run for school board? I thought it was an opportunity for me to become more involved with the community that I live in, and try and help where I can. I want to be able to provide help to the community and I think running for the school board is a good way to use my knowledge and skills with financial management and being on other boards in the past. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I think my experience of being with the military, working with budgets, working as part of a team. I understand people come from different backgrounds and different perspectives. Being able to sit down and listen to others versus being narrow minded and not open to other suggestions. Working in the military, we work with people all over the state, various incomes, various backgrounds, various ethnicity, what have you. It’s challenging, but we make it work. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I don’t really see much challenge yet. But obviously with budget issues at the federal government level, at some point, it’s going to affect state funding. The schools are going to feel a pinch at some point. I want to make sure the school has a good reserve fund so they can continue to operate efficiently. If those budgets start to become crunch, also making sure that we’re focused on the right educational and extra-curricular activities for the students, not bypassing other things or cutting-edge technologies that we could be using can be a challenge. What are the positives you see in the district? It seems to be growing, so that’s always a good thing. It’s a good strong community and there are people who are willing to speak their minds, voice their opinions, so that’s always good. Open communication is definitely there. That’s a huge positive because if you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t know if they’re doing the right thing or the wrong thing. Since it’s a smaller community, everybody knows everybody and I think that helps a lot as well. Darrin Ovsak [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210476","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I have been a resident of the Frazee-Vergas school district for nearly my entire life. My wife, Jennifer, and I are both Frazee-Vergas graduates and I have a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Moorhead State University. Jennifer and I have two children, Kendra (11) and Kale (9), and they attend school in the district. Jennifer and I both work in Detroit Lakes. I am employed with the Detroit Lakes Public Utilities in the electric department as an electric technician and Jennifer is employed with Midwest Bank as the CFO/COO. Why did you decide to run for school board? I decided to run for school board because I would like to give back to the community, and I want to see the district continue to thrive. I have a strong belief that education is of utmost importance. Everyone, young and old, should strive to learn something new every day and challenge themselves to be the best at everything they do. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I feel that I am qualified for a board position because of my education and work experience. I believe that my sociology degree, along with the wide variety of classes that were required in the liberal arts program, will contribute to me being an effective board member. In my work experience, I have interacted with clients and customers in many unique situations. I have also worked in situations that required me to stay within budget and formal policy limitations. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I feel there are always many challenges for the district including enrollment, buildings, staff, etc. I, however, have no plan to push for drastic changes to anything at this time. My focus will be on giving the kids the best education and making Frazee-Vergas a leader for quality education. What are the positives you see in the district? There are many positives this district has to offer. We have great teachers, staff and administration that are providing a quality education to our students. Our students also have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities. In addition, many districts have concerns about their facilities but we have buildings that are in good shape and are being well maintained. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I will be an objective member of the school board. I will strive to assess every situation with a fair and unbiased approach. I believe it is very important to consider all aspects of each issue before making a decision, and I feel this approach will benefit the district. Thank you for your vote on Nov. 4. Tweets by @DLNewspapersSome new people have stepped up to run in the Frazee-Vergas School Board race this year. There are five candidates running for four seats. Those who hold the seats opening up include Matt Bauer, Rich Ziegler, Kenny Fett and Jim Nelson. Bauer is the only one running for re-election. Other candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot include Burl Buhr, Stacy Cruz, Thaddeus Helmers and Darrin Ovsak. Matt Bauer [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210466","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I ‘m married to my wife, Joyce, and we have three kids, Desiree, Savanna and Alexis. I’m a graduate from Frazee-Vergas High School and moved back to Frazee five years ago. Currently I work for a mortgage company based in Minneapolis and handle all their compliance and audit needs. Why did you decide to run for school board again? I believe our district has made a lot of progress in the last four years and I want to continue to help our district move forward in a positive direction. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I believe I bring integrity, respect and good leadership skills to the board. I’ve been on the board for almost four years now. During this time, I have had the privilege of working with a high functioning team and we were able to move this District in a very positive direction with positive results for our students. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? We met some big challenges in the past four years and made some good changes. I know there will always be challenges that we’ll need to work through as a district, but I think we are on the right track now and we need to continue moving forward. What are the positives you see in the district? There are so many that I could use up my word limit listing them all. So here are a couple: Our staff, we have an excellent staff. They care about the students and facilities of this district and the direction we are moving. Our students, their families and our community. They strive for greatness, they support our schools and they support each other. Our financial stability, which has allowed us to enhance our technology, improve and maintain our great facilities, and plan for the future. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the citizens of the district for the past four years. It would be an honor to be re-elected to serve the Frazee-Vegas School District for another four years. Burl Buhr
Give a little background about yourself. My wife, Rena, and I have been married almost 30 years. We have four children, three who have graduated through the Frazee District, and my youngest is a junior this year. For the last 19 years, I’ve been a residential building contractor in the area. I am a 1981 graduate from Minnesota State University Moorhead, double education major, certified to coach, certified to teach driver’s training and I’m also currently employed teaching driver’s training through Frazee and Detroit Lakes. Why did you decide to run for school board? It is something I have considered in other years, and I also felt that as my youngest daughter is a junior this year, this would be a good time for me to do it while she’s still involved in the school. I think it would hopefully be an opportunity for me to use who I really am to work with other committed people who care about our school district. I also see it as an opportunity to just serve. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? A person has to be open minded. There are usually a lot of things we don’t see in the forefront until we really step in and get involved. I feel I am an open-minded person that can see more than just one view. I think that person should be willing to listen. People are concerned with our district and if we don’t take time to hear them and hear their concerns, then there’s usually some fallout from that. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I think every school district has challenges, and change is something that is hard. It takes time to work through changes that need to be made. I feel like I’m committed to work through the process with a team and doing what they determine the issues are that really need to change at the proper time. What are the positives you see in the district? I really see a real commitment from the staff that is there. They have a tremendous commitment to our students. Because of my role as a driver educator, I have been at the school very early in the morning and it’s very impressive to me when I see staff people there long before the school day starts. They are there simply to help students and parents. I think we have a great bunch of staff all the way around, not just the teachers but paras as well. I think we also have a strong desire to maintain a positive environment in Frazee. I think that positive thing is there are people willing to admit that there’s maybe some areas they’d like to see improved, but I also see they are willing to address those issues. Stacy Cruz [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210472","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I grew up in Frazee; I graduated in 1983. I’ve raised two daughters; I have six grandkids. Beside raising two kids, I’ve had two foster kids and I have custody of two of my grandkids. I graduated from Minnesota Community College, Detroit Lakes, in 1998 in sales and small business management. In 2007, I graduated from Colorado Technical University with a bachelor’s in criminal justice. And then I pursued a legal studies master’s degree, and I graduated with honors from Alpha Beta Kappa in 2011 from Kaplan University. I have done homeschooling since January with one of my grandkids. The other is in school here in Frazee. Plus, I was on the Head Start Policy Council. I did some administrative volunteering in the Arizona Elementary School when we lived in Arizona. When I was younger, I was a volunteer teacher’s aide at the Frazee Elementary. I used to help Mrs. Holzer with reading a math. Why did you decide to run for school board? Because there are issues with the school board with the special ed department, and I decided that they needed a new view. Maybe I could come up with some new solutions or ways to help improve the education in the school system. My grandson is being homeschooled because last year they told me his needs could not be met at the school, and they did not have the facilities and the teachers. I’m not sure how it’s going this year. I know some things have been switched around and they’re working on it, and they’re trying to improve things, but I just thought a new perspective might be a help. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I am a person that’s honest, reliable, hardworking. I put the kids first over the politics, before what other people think. If there’s a need that needs to be met, I think I can try and help with that and improve it. They are our future and an investment in our community, so I would like to be a part of trying to build on that. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? One of the challenges is making sure the curriculum is good and being met and all children’s needs are being met, from the special ed department to learning disabled to physically disabled, the different areas to the high school level. Making sure they are passing the standardized testing assessments in the spring, making sure that the SATs are being met because that’s a priority. The next thing I’m very concerned about is the bullying issue. It’s getting out of hand. It’s not just personally, it’s getting into the texting, Facebook. I work with a lot of teens. I work with the youth group through church, and that’s some of the things kids bring up at church when we’re talking. It’s at the elementary level too; it’s not just one area. I’m an avid spokesperson for the bullying; it needs to be addressed. What are the positives you see in the district? Some of the positives I see is some of their organizations and leadership. Just in the athletics, they’re teaching students teamwork and leadership and development for future living skills. That’s important. I’ve been in a managing position where I’ve had to screen applicants, and it’s not easy today, trying to find people to work as a team. They have the robotics group and the vocational training. I have seen some changes already this year in school, working with outside sources that have improved. The school, the education, the way the teachers are teaching. They’re reaching out and trying to get outside influences and groups to learn those abilities so the teachers can meet those needs. I do see some positives in that right now, but it’s a work in progress. I don’t see them closing their minds and saying, ‘this is the way it needs to be.’ They are willing to work with the parents. The school board is willing to work along with the principals and superintendent and teachers. That’s a good thing. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I’ve spent a lifetime working with children, from when I was a teenager babysitting to older where I do youth group, teaching release time, foster care. I’m always an open-minded person and I’m willing to listen to people and investigate, check into things and make sure needs are being met. I don’t like to overlook things. I like to see that things are followed through and done correctly. Thaddeus Helmers [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210474","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I’m married and have three kids. I have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I have a master’s degree in criminology. I’ve worked with the National Guard for 12 years. I’ve done many things, from narcotics investigations to financial and budget management to logistics management. Why did you decide to run for school board? I thought it was an opportunity for me to become more involved with the community that I live in, and try and help where I can. I want to be able to provide help to the community and I think running for the school board is a good way to use my knowledge and skills with financial management and being on other boards in the past. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I think my experience of being with the military, working with budgets, working as part of a team. I understand people come from different backgrounds and different perspectives. Being able to sit down and listen to others versus being narrow minded and not open to other suggestions. Working in the military, we work with people all over the state, various incomes, various backgrounds, various ethnicity, what have you. It’s challenging, but we make it work. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I don’t really see much challenge yet. But obviously with budget issues at the federal government level, at some point, it’s going to affect state funding. The schools are going to feel a pinch at some point. I want to make sure the school has a good reserve fund so they can continue to operate efficiently. If those budgets start to become crunch, also making sure that we’re focused on the right educational and extra-curricular activities for the students, not bypassing other things or cutting-edge technologies that we could be using can be a challenge. What are the positives you see in the district? It seems to be growing, so that’s always a good thing. It’s a good strong community and there are people who are willing to speak their minds, voice their opinions, so that’s always good. Open communication is definitely there. That’s a huge positive because if you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t know if they’re doing the right thing or the wrong thing. Since it’s a smaller community, everybody knows everybody and I think that helps a lot as well. Darrin Ovsak [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210476","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I have been a resident of the Frazee-Vergas school district for nearly my entire life. My wife, Jennifer, and I are both Frazee-Vergas graduates and I have a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Moorhead State University. Jennifer and I have two children, Kendra (11) and Kale (9), and they attend school in the district. Jennifer and I both work in Detroit Lakes. I am employed with the Detroit Lakes Public Utilities in the electric department as an electric technician and Jennifer is employed with Midwest Bank as the CFO/COO. Why did you decide to run for school board? I decided to run for school board because I would like to give back to the community, and I want to see the district continue to thrive. I have a strong belief that education is of utmost importance. Everyone, young and old, should strive to learn something new every day and challenge themselves to be the best at everything they do. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I feel that I am qualified for a board position because of my education and work experience. I believe that my sociology degree, along with the wide variety of classes that were required in the liberal arts program, will contribute to me being an effective board member. In my work experience, I have interacted with clients and customers in many unique situations. I have also worked in situations that required me to stay within budget and formal policy limitations. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I feel there are always many challenges for the district including enrollment, buildings, staff, etc. I, however, have no plan to push for drastic changes to anything at this time. My focus will be on giving the kids the best education and making Frazee-Vergas a leader for quality education. What are the positives you see in the district? There are many positives this district has to offer. We have great teachers, staff and administration that are providing a quality education to our students. Our students also have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities. In addition, many districts have concerns about their facilities but we have buildings that are in good shape and are being well maintained. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I will be an objective member of the school board. I will strive to assess every situation with a fair and unbiased approach. I believe it is very important to consider all aspects of each issue before making a decision, and I feel this approach will benefit the district. Thank you for your vote on Nov. 4. Tweets by @DLNewspapersSome new people have stepped up to run in the Frazee-Vergas School Board race this year. There are five candidates running for four seats. Those who hold the seats opening up include Matt Bauer, Rich Ziegler, Kenny Fett and Jim Nelson. Bauer is the only one running for re-election. Other candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot include Burl Buhr, Stacy Cruz, Thaddeus Helmers and Darrin Ovsak. Matt Bauer [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210466","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I ‘m married to my wife, Joyce, and we have three kids, Desiree, Savanna and Alexis. I’m a graduate from Frazee-Vergas High School and moved back to Frazee five years ago. Currently I work for a mortgage company based in Minneapolis and handle all their compliance and audit needs. Why did you decide to run for school board again? I believe our district has made a lot of progress in the last four years and I want to continue to help our district move forward in a positive direction. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I believe I bring integrity, respect and good leadership skills to the board. I’ve been on the board for almost four years now. During this time, I have had the privilege of working with a high functioning team and we were able to move this District in a very positive direction with positive results for our students. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? We met some big challenges in the past four years and made some good changes. I know there will always be challenges that we’ll need to work through as a district, but I think we are on the right track now and we need to continue moving forward. What are the positives you see in the district? There are so many that I could use up my word limit listing them all. So here are a couple: Our staff, we have an excellent staff. They care about the students and facilities of this district and the direction we are moving. Our students, their families and our community. They strive for greatness, they support our schools and they support each other. Our financial stability, which has allowed us to enhance our technology, improve and maintain our great facilities, and plan for the future. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the citizens of the district for the past four years. It would be an honor to be re-elected to serve the Frazee-Vegas School District for another four years. Burl Buhr [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210470","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. My wife, Rena, and I have been married almost 30 years. We have four children, three who have graduated through the Frazee District, and my youngest is a junior this year. For the last 19 years, I’ve been a residential building contractor in the area. I am a 1981 graduate from Minnesota State University Moorhead, double education major, certified to coach, certified to teach driver’s training and I’m also currently employed teaching driver’s training through Frazee and Detroit Lakes. Why did you decide to run for school board? It is something I have considered in other years, and I also felt that as my youngest daughter is a junior this year, this would be a good time for me to do it while she’s still involved in the school. I think it would hopefully be an opportunity for me to use who I really am to work with other committed people who care about our school district. I also see it as an opportunity to just serve. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? A person has to be open minded. There are usually a lot of things we don’t see in the forefront until we really step in and get involved. I feel I am an open-minded person that can see more than just one view. I think that person should be willing to listen. People are concerned with our district and if we don’t take time to hear them and hear their concerns, then there’s usually some fallout from that. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I think every school district has challenges, and change is something that is hard. It takes time to work through changes that need to be made. I feel like I’m committed to work through the process with a team and doing what they determine the issues are that really need to change at the proper time. What are the positives you see in the district? I really see a real commitment from the staff that is there. They have a tremendous commitment to our students. Because of my role as a driver educator, I have been at the school very early in the morning and it’s very impressive to me when I see staff people there long before the school day starts. They are there simply to help students and parents. I think we have a great bunch of staff all the way around, not just the teachers but paras as well. I think we also have a strong desire to maintain a positive environment in Frazee. I think that positive thing is there are people willing to admit that there’s maybe some areas they’d like to see improved, but I also see they are willing to address those issues. Stacy Cruz
Give a little background about yourself. I grew up in Frazee; I graduated in 1983. I’ve raised two daughters; I have six grandkids. Beside raising two kids, I’ve had two foster kids and I have custody of two of my grandkids. I graduated from Minnesota Community College, Detroit Lakes, in 1998 in sales and small business management. In 2007, I graduated from Colorado Technical University with a bachelor’s in criminal justice. And then I pursued a legal studies master’s degree, and I graduated with honors from Alpha Beta Kappa in 2011 from Kaplan University. I have done homeschooling since January with one of my grandkids. The other is in school here in Frazee. Plus, I was on the Head Start Policy Council. I did some administrative volunteering in the Arizona Elementary School when we lived in Arizona. When I was younger, I was a volunteer teacher’s aide at the Frazee Elementary. I used to help Mrs. Holzer with reading a math. Why did you decide to run for school board? Because there are issues with the school board with the special ed department, and I decided that they needed a new view. Maybe I could come up with some new solutions or ways to help improve the education in the school system. My grandson is being homeschooled because last year they told me his needs could not be met at the school, and they did not have the facilities and the teachers. I’m not sure how it’s going this year. I know some things have been switched around and they’re working on it, and they’re trying to improve things, but I just thought a new perspective might be a help. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I am a person that’s honest, reliable, hardworking. I put the kids first over the politics, before what other people think. If there’s a need that needs to be met, I think I can try and help with that and improve it. They are our future and an investment in our community, so I would like to be a part of trying to build on that. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? One of the challenges is making sure the curriculum is good and being met and all children’s needs are being met, from the special ed department to learning disabled to physically disabled, the different areas to the high school level. Making sure they are passing the standardized testing assessments in the spring, making sure that the SATs are being met because that’s a priority. The next thing I’m very concerned about is the bullying issue. It’s getting out of hand. It’s not just personally, it’s getting into the texting, Facebook. I work with a lot of teens. I work with the youth group through church, and that’s some of the things kids bring up at church when we’re talking. It’s at the elementary level too; it’s not just one area. I’m an avid spokesperson for the bullying; it needs to be addressed. What are the positives you see in the district? Some of the positives I see is some of their organizations and leadership. Just in the athletics, they’re teaching students teamwork and leadership and development for future living skills. That’s important. I’ve been in a managing position where I’ve had to screen applicants, and it’s not easy today, trying to find people to work as a team. They have the robotics group and the vocational training. I have seen some changes already this year in school, working with outside sources that have improved. The school, the education, the way the teachers are teaching. They’re reaching out and trying to get outside influences and groups to learn those abilities so the teachers can meet those needs. I do see some positives in that right now, but it’s a work in progress. I don’t see them closing their minds and saying, ‘this is the way it needs to be.’ They are willing to work with the parents. The school board is willing to work along with the principals and superintendent and teachers. That’s a good thing. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I’ve spent a lifetime working with children, from when I was a teenager babysitting to older where I do youth group, teaching release time, foster care. I’m always an open-minded person and I’m willing to listen to people and investigate, check into things and make sure needs are being met. I don’t like to overlook things. I like to see that things are followed through and done correctly. Thaddeus Helmers [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210474","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I’m married and have three kids. I have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I have a master’s degree in criminology. I’ve worked with the National Guard for 12 years. I’ve done many things, from narcotics investigations to financial and budget management to logistics management. Why did you decide to run for school board? I thought it was an opportunity for me to become more involved with the community that I live in, and try and help where I can. I want to be able to provide help to the community and I think running for the school board is a good way to use my knowledge and skills with financial management and being on other boards in the past. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I think my experience of being with the military, working with budgets, working as part of a team. I understand people come from different backgrounds and different perspectives. Being able to sit down and listen to others versus being narrow minded and not open to other suggestions. Working in the military, we work with people all over the state, various incomes, various backgrounds, various ethnicity, what have you. It’s challenging, but we make it work. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I don’t really see much challenge yet. But obviously with budget issues at the federal government level, at some point, it’s going to affect state funding. The schools are going to feel a pinch at some point. I want to make sure the school has a good reserve fund so they can continue to operate efficiently. If those budgets start to become crunch, also making sure that we’re focused on the right educational and extra-curricular activities for the students, not bypassing other things or cutting-edge technologies that we could be using can be a challenge. What are the positives you see in the district? It seems to be growing, so that’s always a good thing. It’s a good strong community and there are people who are willing to speak their minds, voice their opinions, so that’s always good. Open communication is definitely there. That’s a huge positive because if you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t know if they’re doing the right thing or the wrong thing. Since it’s a smaller community, everybody knows everybody and I think that helps a lot as well. Darrin Ovsak [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210476","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I have been a resident of the Frazee-Vergas school district for nearly my entire life. My wife, Jennifer, and I are both Frazee-Vergas graduates and I have a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Moorhead State University. Jennifer and I have two children, Kendra (11) and Kale (9), and they attend school in the district. Jennifer and I both work in Detroit Lakes. I am employed with the Detroit Lakes Public Utilities in the electric department as an electric technician and Jennifer is employed with Midwest Bank as the CFO/COO. Why did you decide to run for school board? I decided to run for school board because I would like to give back to the community, and I want to see the district continue to thrive. I have a strong belief that education is of utmost importance. Everyone, young and old, should strive to learn something new every day and challenge themselves to be the best at everything they do. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I feel that I am qualified for a board position because of my education and work experience. I believe that my sociology degree, along with the wide variety of classes that were required in the liberal arts program, will contribute to me being an effective board member. In my work experience, I have interacted with clients and customers in many unique situations. I have also worked in situations that required me to stay within budget and formal policy limitations. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I feel there are always many challenges for the district including enrollment, buildings, staff, etc. I, however, have no plan to push for drastic changes to anything at this time. My focus will be on giving the kids the best education and making Frazee-Vergas a leader for quality education. What are the positives you see in the district? There are many positives this district has to offer. We have great teachers, staff and administration that are providing a quality education to our students. Our students also have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities. In addition, many districts have concerns about their facilities but we have buildings that are in good shape and are being well maintained. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I will be an objective member of the school board. I will strive to assess every situation with a fair and unbiased approach. I believe it is very important to consider all aspects of each issue before making a decision, and I feel this approach will benefit the district. Thank you for your vote on Nov. 4. Tweets by @DLNewspapersSome new people have stepped up to run in the Frazee-Vergas School Board race this year. There are five candidates running for four seats. Those who hold the seats opening up include Matt Bauer, Rich Ziegler, Kenny Fett and Jim Nelson. Bauer is the only one running for re-election. Other candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot include Burl Buhr, Stacy Cruz, Thaddeus Helmers and Darrin Ovsak. Matt Bauer [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210466","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I ‘m married to my wife, Joyce, and we have three kids, Desiree, Savanna and Alexis. I’m a graduate from Frazee-Vergas High School and moved back to Frazee five years ago. Currently I work for a mortgage company based in Minneapolis and handle all their compliance and audit needs. Why did you decide to run for school board again? I believe our district has made a lot of progress in the last four years and I want to continue to help our district move forward in a positive direction. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I believe I bring integrity, respect and good leadership skills to the board. I’ve been on the board for almost four years now. During this time, I have had the privilege of working with a high functioning team and we were able to move this District in a very positive direction with positive results for our students. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? We met some big challenges in the past four years and made some good changes. I know there will always be challenges that we’ll need to work through as a district, but I think we are on the right track now and we need to continue moving forward. What are the positives you see in the district? There are so many that I could use up my word limit listing them all. So here are a couple: Our staff, we have an excellent staff. They care about the students and facilities of this district and the direction we are moving. Our students, their families and our community. They strive for greatness, they support our schools and they support each other. Our financial stability, which has allowed us to enhance our technology, improve and maintain our great facilities, and plan for the future. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the citizens of the district for the past four years. It would be an honor to be re-elected to serve the Frazee-Vegas School District for another four years. Burl Buhr [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210470","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. My wife, Rena, and I have been married almost 30 years. We have four children, three who have graduated through the Frazee District, and my youngest is a junior this year. For the last 19 years, I’ve been a residential building contractor in the area. I am a 1981 graduate from Minnesota State University Moorhead, double education major, certified to coach, certified to teach driver’s training and I’m also currently employed teaching driver’s training through Frazee and Detroit Lakes. Why did you decide to run for school board? It is something I have considered in other years, and I also felt that as my youngest daughter is a junior this year, this would be a good time for me to do it while she’s still involved in the school. I think it would hopefully be an opportunity for me to use who I really am to work with other committed people who care about our school district. I also see it as an opportunity to just serve. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? A person has to be open minded. There are usually a lot of things we don’t see in the forefront until we really step in and get involved. I feel I am an open-minded person that can see more than just one view. I think that person should be willing to listen. People are concerned with our district and if we don’t take time to hear them and hear their concerns, then there’s usually some fallout from that. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I think every school district has challenges, and change is something that is hard. It takes time to work through changes that need to be made. I feel like I’m committed to work through the process with a team and doing what they determine the issues are that really need to change at the proper time. What are the positives you see in the district? I really see a real commitment from the staff that is there. They have a tremendous commitment to our students. Because of my role as a driver educator, I have been at the school very early in the morning and it’s very impressive to me when I see staff people there long before the school day starts. They are there simply to help students and parents. I think we have a great bunch of staff all the way around, not just the teachers but paras as well. I think we also have a strong desire to maintain a positive environment in Frazee. I think that positive thing is there are people willing to admit that there’s maybe some areas they’d like to see improved, but I also see they are willing to address those issues. Stacy Cruz [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210472","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I grew up in Frazee; I graduated in 1983. I’ve raised two daughters; I have six grandkids. Beside raising two kids, I’ve had two foster kids and I have custody of two of my grandkids. I graduated from Minnesota Community College, Detroit Lakes, in 1998 in sales and small business management. In 2007, I graduated from Colorado Technical University with a bachelor’s in criminal justice. And then I pursued a legal studies master’s degree, and I graduated with honors from Alpha Beta Kappa in 2011 from Kaplan University. I have done homeschooling since January with one of my grandkids. The other is in school here in Frazee. Plus, I was on the Head Start Policy Council. I did some administrative volunteering in the Arizona Elementary School when we lived in Arizona. When I was younger, I was a volunteer teacher’s aide at the Frazee Elementary. I used to help Mrs. Holzer with reading a math. Why did you decide to run for school board? Because there are issues with the school board with the special ed department, and I decided that they needed a new view. Maybe I could come up with some new solutions or ways to help improve the education in the school system. My grandson is being homeschooled because last year they told me his needs could not be met at the school, and they did not have the facilities and the teachers. I’m not sure how it’s going this year. I know some things have been switched around and they’re working on it, and they’re trying to improve things, but I just thought a new perspective might be a help. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I am a person that’s honest, reliable, hardworking. I put the kids first over the politics, before what other people think. If there’s a need that needs to be met, I think I can try and help with that and improve it. They are our future and an investment in our community, so I would like to be a part of trying to build on that. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? One of the challenges is making sure the curriculum is good and being met and all children’s needs are being met, from the special ed department to learning disabled to physically disabled, the different areas to the high school level. Making sure they are passing the standardized testing assessments in the spring, making sure that the SATs are being met because that’s a priority. The next thing I’m very concerned about is the bullying issue. It’s getting out of hand. It’s not just personally, it’s getting into the texting, Facebook. I work with a lot of teens. I work with the youth group through church, and that’s some of the things kids bring up at church when we’re talking. It’s at the elementary level too; it’s not just one area. I’m an avid spokesperson for the bullying; it needs to be addressed. What are the positives you see in the district? Some of the positives I see is some of their organizations and leadership. Just in the athletics, they’re teaching students teamwork and leadership and development for future living skills. That’s important. I’ve been in a managing position where I’ve had to screen applicants, and it’s not easy today, trying to find people to work as a team. They have the robotics group and the vocational training. I have seen some changes already this year in school, working with outside sources that have improved. The school, the education, the way the teachers are teaching. They’re reaching out and trying to get outside influences and groups to learn those abilities so the teachers can meet those needs. I do see some positives in that right now, but it’s a work in progress. I don’t see them closing their minds and saying, ‘this is the way it needs to be.’ They are willing to work with the parents. The school board is willing to work along with the principals and superintendent and teachers. That’s a good thing. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I’ve spent a lifetime working with children, from when I was a teenager babysitting to older where I do youth group, teaching release time, foster care. I’m always an open-minded person and I’m willing to listen to people and investigate, check into things and make sure needs are being met. I don’t like to overlook things. I like to see that things are followed through and done correctly. Thaddeus Helmers
Give a little background about yourself. I’m married and have three kids. I have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I have a master’s degree in criminology. I’ve worked with the National Guard for 12 years. I’ve done many things, from narcotics investigations to financial and budget management to logistics management. Why did you decide to run for school board? I thought it was an opportunity for me to become more involved with the community that I live in, and try and help where I can. I want to be able to provide help to the community and I think running for the school board is a good way to use my knowledge and skills with financial management and being on other boards in the past. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I think my experience of being with the military, working with budgets, working as part of a team. I understand people come from different backgrounds and different perspectives. Being able to sit down and listen to others versus being narrow minded and not open to other suggestions. Working in the military, we work with people all over the state, various incomes, various backgrounds, various ethnicity, what have you. It’s challenging, but we make it work. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I don’t really see much challenge yet. But obviously with budget issues at the federal government level, at some point, it’s going to affect state funding. The schools are going to feel a pinch at some point. I want to make sure the school has a good reserve fund so they can continue to operate efficiently. If those budgets start to become crunch, also making sure that we’re focused on the right educational and extra-curricular activities for the students, not bypassing other things or cutting-edge technologies that we could be using can be a challenge. What are the positives you see in the district? It seems to be growing, so that’s always a good thing. It’s a good strong community and there are people who are willing to speak their minds, voice their opinions, so that’s always good. Open communication is definitely there. That’s a huge positive because if you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t know if they’re doing the right thing or the wrong thing. Since it’s a smaller community, everybody knows everybody and I think that helps a lot as well. Darrin Ovsak [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210476","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I have been a resident of the Frazee-Vergas school district for nearly my entire life. My wife, Jennifer, and I are both Frazee-Vergas graduates and I have a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Moorhead State University. Jennifer and I have two children, Kendra (11) and Kale (9), and they attend school in the district. Jennifer and I both work in Detroit Lakes. I am employed with the Detroit Lakes Public Utilities in the electric department as an electric technician and Jennifer is employed with Midwest Bank as the CFO/COO. Why did you decide to run for school board? I decided to run for school board because I would like to give back to the community, and I want to see the district continue to thrive. I have a strong belief that education is of utmost importance. Everyone, young and old, should strive to learn something new every day and challenge themselves to be the best at everything they do. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I feel that I am qualified for a board position because of my education and work experience. I believe that my sociology degree, along with the wide variety of classes that were required in the liberal arts program, will contribute to me being an effective board member. In my work experience, I have interacted with clients and customers in many unique situations. I have also worked in situations that required me to stay within budget and formal policy limitations. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I feel there are always many challenges for the district including enrollment, buildings, staff, etc. I, however, have no plan to push for drastic changes to anything at this time. My focus will be on giving the kids the best education and making Frazee-Vergas a leader for quality education. What are the positives you see in the district? There are many positives this district has to offer. We have great teachers, staff and administration that are providing a quality education to our students. Our students also have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities. In addition, many districts have concerns about their facilities but we have buildings that are in good shape and are being well maintained. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I will be an objective member of the school board. I will strive to assess every situation with a fair and unbiased approach. I believe it is very important to consider all aspects of each issue before making a decision, and I feel this approach will benefit the district. Thank you for your vote on Nov. 4. Tweets by @DLNewspapersSome new people have stepped up to run in the Frazee-Vergas School Board race this year. There are five candidates running for four seats. Those who hold the seats opening up include Matt Bauer, Rich Ziegler, Kenny Fett and Jim Nelson. Bauer is the only one running for re-election. Other candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot include Burl Buhr, Stacy Cruz, Thaddeus Helmers and Darrin Ovsak. Matt Bauer [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210466","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I ‘m married to my wife, Joyce, and we have three kids, Desiree, Savanna and Alexis. I’m a graduate from Frazee-Vergas High School and moved back to Frazee five years ago. Currently I work for a mortgage company based in Minneapolis and handle all their compliance and audit needs. Why did you decide to run for school board again? I believe our district has made a lot of progress in the last four years and I want to continue to help our district move forward in a positive direction. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I believe I bring integrity, respect and good leadership skills to the board. I’ve been on the board for almost four years now. During this time, I have had the privilege of working with a high functioning team and we were able to move this District in a very positive direction with positive results for our students. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? We met some big challenges in the past four years and made some good changes. I know there will always be challenges that we’ll need to work through as a district, but I think we are on the right track now and we need to continue moving forward. What are the positives you see in the district? There are so many that I could use up my word limit listing them all. So here are a couple: Our staff, we have an excellent staff. They care about the students and facilities of this district and the direction we are moving. Our students, their families and our community. They strive for greatness, they support our schools and they support each other. Our financial stability, which has allowed us to enhance our technology, improve and maintain our great facilities, and plan for the future. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the citizens of the district for the past four years. It would be an honor to be re-elected to serve the Frazee-Vegas School District for another four years. Burl Buhr [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210470","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. My wife, Rena, and I have been married almost 30 years. We have four children, three who have graduated through the Frazee District, and my youngest is a junior this year. For the last 19 years, I’ve been a residential building contractor in the area. I am a 1981 graduate from Minnesota State University Moorhead, double education major, certified to coach, certified to teach driver’s training and I’m also currently employed teaching driver’s training through Frazee and Detroit Lakes. Why did you decide to run for school board? It is something I have considered in other years, and I also felt that as my youngest daughter is a junior this year, this would be a good time for me to do it while she’s still involved in the school. I think it would hopefully be an opportunity for me to use who I really am to work with other committed people who care about our school district. I also see it as an opportunity to just serve. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? A person has to be open minded. There are usually a lot of things we don’t see in the forefront until we really step in and get involved. I feel I am an open-minded person that can see more than just one view. I think that person should be willing to listen. People are concerned with our district and if we don’t take time to hear them and hear their concerns, then there’s usually some fallout from that. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I think every school district has challenges, and change is something that is hard. It takes time to work through changes that need to be made. I feel like I’m committed to work through the process with a team and doing what they determine the issues are that really need to change at the proper time. What are the positives you see in the district? I really see a real commitment from the staff that is there. They have a tremendous commitment to our students. Because of my role as a driver educator, I have been at the school very early in the morning and it’s very impressive to me when I see staff people there long before the school day starts. They are there simply to help students and parents. I think we have a great bunch of staff all the way around, not just the teachers but paras as well. I think we also have a strong desire to maintain a positive environment in Frazee. I think that positive thing is there are people willing to admit that there’s maybe some areas they’d like to see improved, but I also see they are willing to address those issues. Stacy Cruz [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210472","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I grew up in Frazee; I graduated in 1983. I’ve raised two daughters; I have six grandkids. Beside raising two kids, I’ve had two foster kids and I have custody of two of my grandkids. I graduated from Minnesota Community College, Detroit Lakes, in 1998 in sales and small business management. In 2007, I graduated from Colorado Technical University with a bachelor’s in criminal justice. And then I pursued a legal studies master’s degree, and I graduated with honors from Alpha Beta Kappa in 2011 from Kaplan University. I have done homeschooling since January with one of my grandkids. The other is in school here in Frazee. Plus, I was on the Head Start Policy Council. I did some administrative volunteering in the Arizona Elementary School when we lived in Arizona. When I was younger, I was a volunteer teacher’s aide at the Frazee Elementary. I used to help Mrs. Holzer with reading a math. Why did you decide to run for school board? Because there are issues with the school board with the special ed department, and I decided that they needed a new view. Maybe I could come up with some new solutions or ways to help improve the education in the school system. My grandson is being homeschooled because last year they told me his needs could not be met at the school, and they did not have the facilities and the teachers. I’m not sure how it’s going this year. I know some things have been switched around and they’re working on it, and they’re trying to improve things, but I just thought a new perspective might be a help. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I am a person that’s honest, reliable, hardworking. I put the kids first over the politics, before what other people think. If there’s a need that needs to be met, I think I can try and help with that and improve it. They are our future and an investment in our community, so I would like to be a part of trying to build on that. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? One of the challenges is making sure the curriculum is good and being met and all children’s needs are being met, from the special ed department to learning disabled to physically disabled, the different areas to the high school level. Making sure they are passing the standardized testing assessments in the spring, making sure that the SATs are being met because that’s a priority. The next thing I’m very concerned about is the bullying issue. It’s getting out of hand. It’s not just personally, it’s getting into the texting, Facebook. I work with a lot of teens. I work with the youth group through church, and that’s some of the things kids bring up at church when we’re talking. It’s at the elementary level too; it’s not just one area. I’m an avid spokesperson for the bullying; it needs to be addressed. What are the positives you see in the district? Some of the positives I see is some of their organizations and leadership. Just in the athletics, they’re teaching students teamwork and leadership and development for future living skills. That’s important. I’ve been in a managing position where I’ve had to screen applicants, and it’s not easy today, trying to find people to work as a team. They have the robotics group and the vocational training. I have seen some changes already this year in school, working with outside sources that have improved. The school, the education, the way the teachers are teaching. They’re reaching out and trying to get outside influences and groups to learn those abilities so the teachers can meet those needs. I do see some positives in that right now, but it’s a work in progress. I don’t see them closing their minds and saying, ‘this is the way it needs to be.’ They are willing to work with the parents. The school board is willing to work along with the principals and superintendent and teachers. That’s a good thing. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I’ve spent a lifetime working with children, from when I was a teenager babysitting to older where I do youth group, teaching release time, foster care. I’m always an open-minded person and I’m willing to listen to people and investigate, check into things and make sure needs are being met. I don’t like to overlook things. I like to see that things are followed through and done correctly. Thaddeus Helmers [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210474","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]] Give a little background about yourself. I’m married and have three kids. I have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I have a master’s degree in criminology. I’ve worked with the National Guard for 12 years. I’ve done many things, from narcotics investigations to financial and budget management to logistics management. Why did you decide to run for school board? I thought it was an opportunity for me to become more involved with the community that I live in, and try and help where I can. I want to be able to provide help to the community and I think running for the school board is a good way to use my knowledge and skills with financial management and being on other boards in the past. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I think my experience of being with the military, working with budgets, working as part of a team. I understand people come from different backgrounds and different perspectives. Being able to sit down and listen to others versus being narrow minded and not open to other suggestions. Working in the military, we work with people all over the state, various incomes, various backgrounds, various ethnicity, what have you. It’s challenging, but we make it work. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I don’t really see much challenge yet. But obviously with budget issues at the federal government level, at some point, it’s going to affect state funding. The schools are going to feel a pinch at some point. I want to make sure the school has a good reserve fund so they can continue to operate efficiently. If those budgets start to become crunch, also making sure that we’re focused on the right educational and extra-curricular activities for the students, not bypassing other things or cutting-edge technologies that we could be using can be a challenge. What are the positives you see in the district? It seems to be growing, so that’s always a good thing. It’s a good strong community and there are people who are willing to speak their minds, voice their opinions, so that’s always good. Open communication is definitely there. That’s a huge positive because if you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t know if they’re doing the right thing or the wrong thing. Since it’s a smaller community, everybody knows everybody and I think that helps a lot as well. Darrin Ovsak
Give a little background about yourself. I have been a resident of the Frazee-Vergas school district for nearly my entire life. My wife, Jennifer, and I are both Frazee-Vergas graduates and I have a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Moorhead State University. Jennifer and I have two children, Kendra (11) and Kale (9), and they attend school in the district. Jennifer and I both work in Detroit Lakes. I am employed with the Detroit Lakes Public Utilities in the electric department as an electric technician and Jennifer is employed with Midwest Bank as the CFO/COO. Why did you decide to run for school board? I decided to run for school board because I would like to give back to the community, and I want to see the district continue to thrive. I have a strong belief that education is of utmost importance. Everyone, young and old, should strive to learn something new every day and challenge themselves to be the best at everything they do. What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board? I feel that I am qualified for a board position because of my education and work experience. I believe that my sociology degree, along with the wide variety of classes that were required in the liberal arts program, will contribute to me being an effective board member. In my work experience, I have interacted with clients and customers in many unique situations. I have also worked in situations that required me to stay within budget and formal policy limitations. Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board? I feel there are always many challenges for the district including enrollment, buildings, staff, etc. I, however, have no plan to push for drastic changes to anything at this time. My focus will be on giving the kids the best education and making Frazee-Vergas a leader for quality education. What are the positives you see in the district? There are many positives this district has to offer. We have great teachers, staff and administration that are providing a quality education to our students. Our students also have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities. In addition, many districts have concerns about their facilities but we have buildings that are in good shape and are being well maintained. Any other information you would like the voters to know about you? I will be an objective member of the school board. I will strive to assess every situation with a fair and unbiased approach. I believe it is very important to consider all aspects of each issue before making a decision, and I feel this approach will benefit the district. Thank you for your vote on Nov. 4. Tweets by @DLNewspapersSome new people have stepped up to run in the Frazee-Vergas School Board race this year.There are five candidates running for four seats.Those who hold the seats opening up include Matt Bauer, Rich Ziegler, Kenny Fett and Jim Nelson. Bauer is the only one running for re-election.Other candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot include Burl Buhr, Stacy Cruz, Thaddeus Helmers and Darrin Ovsak.Matt Bauer
Give a little background about yourself. I ‘m married to my wife, Joyce, and we have three kids, Desiree, Savanna and Alexis. I’m a graduate from Frazee-Vergas High School and moved back to Frazee five years ago. Currently I work for a mortgage company based in Minneapolis and handle all their compliance and audit needs.Why did you decide to run for school board again? I believe our district has made a lot of progress in the last four years and I want to continue to help our district move forward in a positive direction.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I believe I bring integrity, respect and good leadership skills to the board.I’ve been on the board for almost four years now. During this time, I have had the privilege of working with a high functioning team and we were able to move this District in a very positive direction with positive results for our students.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?We met some big challenges in the past four years and made some good changes. I know there will always be challenges that we’ll need to work through as a district, but I think we are on the right track now and we need to continue moving forward.What are the positives you see in the district?There are so many that I could use up my word limit listing them all. So here are a couple: Our staff, we have an excellent staff. They care about the students and facilities of this district and the direction we are moving. Our students, their families and our community. They strive for greatness, they support our schools and they support each other. Our financial stability, which has allowed us to enhance our technology, improve and maintain our great facilities, and plan for the future.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the citizens of the district for the past four years. It would be an honor to be re-elected to serve the Frazee-Vegas School District for another four years.Burl Buhr[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210470","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. My wife, Rena, and I have been married almost 30 years. We have four children, three who have graduated through the Frazee District, and my youngest is a junior this year.For the last 19 years, I’ve been a residential building contractor in the area. I am a 1981 graduate from Minnesota State University Moorhead, double education major, certified to coach, certified to teach driver’s training and I’m also currently employed teaching driver’s training through Frazee and Detroit Lakes.Why did you decide to run for school board? It is something I have considered in other years, and I also felt that as my youngest daughter is a junior this year, this would be a good time for me to do it while she’s still involved in the school.I think it would hopefully be an opportunity for me to use who I really am to work with other committed people who care about our school district. I also see it as an opportunity to just serve.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?A person has to be open minded. There are usually a lot of things we don’t see in the forefront until we really step in and get involved. I feel I am an open-minded person that can see more than just one view.I think that person should be willing to listen. People are concerned with our district and if we don’t take time to hear them and hear their concerns, then there’s usually some fallout from that.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I think every school district has challenges, and change is something that is hard. It takes time to work through changes that need to be made. I feel like I’m committed to work through the process with a team and doing what they determine the issues are that really need to change at the proper time.What are the positives you see in the district?I really see a real commitment from the staff that is there. They have a tremendous commitment to our students. Because of my role as a driver educator, I have been at the school very early in the morning and it’s very impressive to me when I see staff people there long before the school day starts. They are there simply to help students and parents. I think we have a great bunch of staff all the way around, not just the teachers but paras as well.I think we also have a strong desire to maintain a positive environment in Frazee. I think that positive thing is there are people willing to admit that there’s maybe some areas they’d like to see improved, but I also see they are willing to address those issues.Stacy Cruz[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210472","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I grew up in Frazee; I graduated in 1983. I’ve raised two daughters; I have six grandkids.Beside raising two kids, I’ve had two foster kids and I have custody of two of my grandkids.I graduated from Minnesota Community College, Detroit Lakes, in 1998 in sales and small business management.In 2007, I graduated from Colorado Technical University with a bachelor’s in criminal justice. And then I pursued a legal studies master’s degree, and I graduated with honors from Alpha Beta Kappa in 2011 from Kaplan University.I have done homeschooling since January with one of my grandkids. The other is in school here in Frazee. Plus, I was on the Head Start Policy Council. I did some administrative volunteering in the Arizona Elementary School when we lived in Arizona.When I was younger, I was a volunteer teacher’s aide at the Frazee Elementary. I used to help Mrs. Holzer with reading a math.Why did you decide to run for school board? Because there are issues with the school board with the special ed department, and I decided that they needed a new view. Maybe I could come up with some new solutions or ways to help improve the education in the school system.My grandson is being homeschooled because last year they told me his needs could not be met at the school, and they did not have the facilities and the teachers.I’m not sure how it’s going this year. I know some things have been switched around and they’re working on it, and they’re trying to improve things, but I just thought a new perspective might be a help.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I am a person that’s honest, reliable, hardworking. I put the kids first over the politics, before what other people think. If there’s a need that needs to be met, I think I can try and help with that and improve it.They are our future and an investment in our community, so I would like to be a part of trying to build on that.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?One of the challenges is making sure the curriculum is good and being met and all children’s needs are being met, from the special ed department to learning disabled to physically disabled, the different areas to the high school level. Making sure they are passing the standardized testing assessments in the spring, making sure that the SATs are being met because that’s a priority.The next thing I’m very concerned about is the bullying issue. It’s getting out of hand. It’s not just personally, it’s getting into the texting, Facebook.I work with a lot of teens. I work with the youth group through church, and that’s some of the things kids bring up at church when we’re talking. It’s at the elementary level too; it’s not just one area. I’m an avid spokesperson for the bullying; it needs to be addressed.What are the positives you see in the district?Some of the positives I see is some of their organizations and leadership. Just in the athletics, they’re teaching students teamwork and leadership and development for future living skills. That’s important.I’ve been in a managing position where I’ve had to screen applicants, and it’s not easy today, trying to find people to work as a team.They have the robotics group and the vocational training.I have seen some changes already this year in school, working with outside sources that have improved. The school, the education, the way the teachers are teaching. They’re reaching out and trying to get outside influences and groups to learn those abilities so the teachers can meet those needs.I do see some positives in that right now, but it’s a work in progress.I don’t see them closing their minds and saying, ‘this is the way it needs to be.’ They are willing to work with the parents. The school board is willing to work along with the principals and superintendent and teachers. That’s a good thing.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I’ve spent a lifetime working with children, from when I was a teenager babysitting to older where I do youth group, teaching release time, foster care. I’m always an open-minded person and I’m willing to listen to people and investigate, check into things and make sure needs are being met. I don’t like to overlook things. I like to see that things are followed through and done correctly.Thaddeus Helmers[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210474","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I’m married and have three kids. I have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I have a master’s degree in criminology. I’ve worked with the National Guard for 12 years.I’ve done many things, from narcotics investigations to financial and budget management to logistics management.Why did you decide to run for school board? I thought it was an opportunity for me to become more involved with the community that I live in, and try and help where I can. I want to be able to provide help to the community and I think running for the school board is a good way to use my knowledge and skills with financial management and being on other boards in the past.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I think my experience of being with the military, working with budgets, working as part of a team. I understand people come from different backgrounds and different perspectives. Being able to sit down and listen to others versus being narrow minded and not open to other suggestions.Working in the military, we work with people all over the state, various incomes, various backgrounds, various ethnicity, what have you. It’s challenging, but we make it work.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I don’t really see much challenge yet. But obviously with budget issues at the federal government level, at some point, it’s going to affect state funding. The schools are going to feel a pinch at some point. I want to make sure the school has a good reserve fund so they can continue to operate efficiently.If those budgets start to become crunch, also making sure that we’re focused on the right educational and extra-curricular activities for the students, not bypassing other things or cutting-edge technologies that we could be using can be a challenge.What are the positives you see in the district?It seems to be growing, so that’s always a good thing. It’s a good strong community and there are people who are willing to speak their minds, voice their opinions, so that’s always good.Open communication is definitely there. That’s a huge positive because if you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t know if they’re doing the right thing or the wrong thing. Since it’s a smaller community, everybody knows everybody and I think that helps a lot as well.Darrin Ovsak[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210476","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I have been a resident of the Frazee-Vergas school district for nearly my entire life. My wife, Jennifer, and I are both Frazee-Vergas graduates and I have a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Moorhead State University.Jennifer and I have two children, Kendra (11) and Kale (9), and they attend school in the district. Jennifer and I both work in Detroit Lakes. I am employed with the Detroit Lakes Public Utilities in the electric department as an electric technician and Jennifer is employed with Midwest Bank as the CFO/COO.Why did you decide to run for school board? I decided to run for school board because I would like to give back to the community, and I want to see the district continue to thrive. I have a strong belief that education is of utmost importance. Everyone, young and old, should strive to learn something new every day and challenge themselves to be the best at everything they do.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I feel that I am qualified for a board position because of my education and work experience. I believe that my sociology degree, along with the wide variety of classes that were required in the liberal arts program, will contribute to me being an effective board member.In my work experience, I have interacted with clients and customers in many unique situations. I have also worked in situations that required me to stay within budget and formal policy limitations.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I feel there are always many challenges for the district including enrollment, buildings, staff, etc. I, however, have no plan to push for drastic changes to anything at this time. My focus will be on giving the kids the best education and making Frazee-Vergas a leader for quality education.What are the positives you see in the district?There are many positives this district has to offer. We have great teachers, staff and administration that are providing a quality education to our students. Our students also have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities.In addition, many districts have concerns about their facilities but we have buildings that are in good shape and are being well maintained.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I will be an objective member of the school board. I will strive to assess every situation with a fair and unbiased approach. I believe it is very important to consider all aspects of each issue before making a decision, and I feel this approach will benefit the district. Thank you for your vote on Nov. 4.Tweets by @DLNewspapersSome new people have stepped up to run in the Frazee-Vergas School Board race this year.There are five candidates running for four seats.Those who hold the seats opening up include Matt Bauer, Rich Ziegler, Kenny Fett and Jim Nelson. Bauer is the only one running for re-election.Other candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot include Burl Buhr, Stacy Cruz, Thaddeus Helmers and Darrin Ovsak.Matt Bauer[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210466","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I ‘m married to my wife, Joyce, and we have three kids, Desiree, Savanna and Alexis. I’m a graduate from Frazee-Vergas High School and moved back to Frazee five years ago. Currently I work for a mortgage company based in Minneapolis and handle all their compliance and audit needs.Why did you decide to run for school board again? I believe our district has made a lot of progress in the last four years and I want to continue to help our district move forward in a positive direction.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I believe I bring integrity, respect and good leadership skills to the board.I’ve been on the board for almost four years now. During this time, I have had the privilege of working with a high functioning team and we were able to move this District in a very positive direction with positive results for our students.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?We met some big challenges in the past four years and made some good changes. I know there will always be challenges that we’ll need to work through as a district, but I think we are on the right track now and we need to continue moving forward.What are the positives you see in the district?There are so many that I could use up my word limit listing them all. So here are a couple: Our staff, we have an excellent staff. They care about the students and facilities of this district and the direction we are moving. Our students, their families and our community. They strive for greatness, they support our schools and they support each other. Our financial stability, which has allowed us to enhance our technology, improve and maintain our great facilities, and plan for the future.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the citizens of the district for the past four years. It would be an honor to be re-elected to serve the Frazee-Vegas School District for another four years.Burl Buhr
Give a little background about yourself. My wife, Rena, and I have been married almost 30 years. We have four children, three who have graduated through the Frazee District, and my youngest is a junior this year.For the last 19 years, I’ve been a residential building contractor in the area. I am a 1981 graduate from Minnesota State University Moorhead, double education major, certified to coach, certified to teach driver’s training and I’m also currently employed teaching driver’s training through Frazee and Detroit Lakes.Why did you decide to run for school board? It is something I have considered in other years, and I also felt that as my youngest daughter is a junior this year, this would be a good time for me to do it while she’s still involved in the school.I think it would hopefully be an opportunity for me to use who I really am to work with other committed people who care about our school district. I also see it as an opportunity to just serve.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?A person has to be open minded. There are usually a lot of things we don’t see in the forefront until we really step in and get involved. I feel I am an open-minded person that can see more than just one view.I think that person should be willing to listen. People are concerned with our district and if we don’t take time to hear them and hear their concerns, then there’s usually some fallout from that.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I think every school district has challenges, and change is something that is hard. It takes time to work through changes that need to be made. I feel like I’m committed to work through the process with a team and doing what they determine the issues are that really need to change at the proper time.What are the positives you see in the district?I really see a real commitment from the staff that is there. They have a tremendous commitment to our students. Because of my role as a driver educator, I have been at the school very early in the morning and it’s very impressive to me when I see staff people there long before the school day starts. They are there simply to help students and parents. I think we have a great bunch of staff all the way around, not just the teachers but paras as well.I think we also have a strong desire to maintain a positive environment in Frazee. I think that positive thing is there are people willing to admit that there’s maybe some areas they’d like to see improved, but I also see they are willing to address those issues.Stacy Cruz[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210472","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I grew up in Frazee; I graduated in 1983. I’ve raised two daughters; I have six grandkids.Beside raising two kids, I’ve had two foster kids and I have custody of two of my grandkids.I graduated from Minnesota Community College, Detroit Lakes, in 1998 in sales and small business management.In 2007, I graduated from Colorado Technical University with a bachelor’s in criminal justice. And then I pursued a legal studies master’s degree, and I graduated with honors from Alpha Beta Kappa in 2011 from Kaplan University.I have done homeschooling since January with one of my grandkids. The other is in school here in Frazee. Plus, I was on the Head Start Policy Council. I did some administrative volunteering in the Arizona Elementary School when we lived in Arizona.When I was younger, I was a volunteer teacher’s aide at the Frazee Elementary. I used to help Mrs. Holzer with reading a math.Why did you decide to run for school board? Because there are issues with the school board with the special ed department, and I decided that they needed a new view. Maybe I could come up with some new solutions or ways to help improve the education in the school system.My grandson is being homeschooled because last year they told me his needs could not be met at the school, and they did not have the facilities and the teachers.I’m not sure how it’s going this year. I know some things have been switched around and they’re working on it, and they’re trying to improve things, but I just thought a new perspective might be a help.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I am a person that’s honest, reliable, hardworking. I put the kids first over the politics, before what other people think. If there’s a need that needs to be met, I think I can try and help with that and improve it.They are our future and an investment in our community, so I would like to be a part of trying to build on that.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?One of the challenges is making sure the curriculum is good and being met and all children’s needs are being met, from the special ed department to learning disabled to physically disabled, the different areas to the high school level. Making sure they are passing the standardized testing assessments in the spring, making sure that the SATs are being met because that’s a priority.The next thing I’m very concerned about is the bullying issue. It’s getting out of hand. It’s not just personally, it’s getting into the texting, Facebook.I work with a lot of teens. I work with the youth group through church, and that’s some of the things kids bring up at church when we’re talking. It’s at the elementary level too; it’s not just one area. I’m an avid spokesperson for the bullying; it needs to be addressed.What are the positives you see in the district?Some of the positives I see is some of their organizations and leadership. Just in the athletics, they’re teaching students teamwork and leadership and development for future living skills. That’s important.I’ve been in a managing position where I’ve had to screen applicants, and it’s not easy today, trying to find people to work as a team.They have the robotics group and the vocational training.I have seen some changes already this year in school, working with outside sources that have improved. The school, the education, the way the teachers are teaching. They’re reaching out and trying to get outside influences and groups to learn those abilities so the teachers can meet those needs.I do see some positives in that right now, but it’s a work in progress.I don’t see them closing their minds and saying, ‘this is the way it needs to be.’ They are willing to work with the parents. The school board is willing to work along with the principals and superintendent and teachers. That’s a good thing.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I’ve spent a lifetime working with children, from when I was a teenager babysitting to older where I do youth group, teaching release time, foster care. I’m always an open-minded person and I’m willing to listen to people and investigate, check into things and make sure needs are being met. I don’t like to overlook things. I like to see that things are followed through and done correctly.Thaddeus Helmers[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210474","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I’m married and have three kids. I have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I have a master’s degree in criminology. I’ve worked with the National Guard for 12 years.I’ve done many things, from narcotics investigations to financial and budget management to logistics management.Why did you decide to run for school board? I thought it was an opportunity for me to become more involved with the community that I live in, and try and help where I can. I want to be able to provide help to the community and I think running for the school board is a good way to use my knowledge and skills with financial management and being on other boards in the past.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I think my experience of being with the military, working with budgets, working as part of a team. I understand people come from different backgrounds and different perspectives. Being able to sit down and listen to others versus being narrow minded and not open to other suggestions.Working in the military, we work with people all over the state, various incomes, various backgrounds, various ethnicity, what have you. It’s challenging, but we make it work.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I don’t really see much challenge yet. But obviously with budget issues at the federal government level, at some point, it’s going to affect state funding. The schools are going to feel a pinch at some point. I want to make sure the school has a good reserve fund so they can continue to operate efficiently.If those budgets start to become crunch, also making sure that we’re focused on the right educational and extra-curricular activities for the students, not bypassing other things or cutting-edge technologies that we could be using can be a challenge.What are the positives you see in the district?It seems to be growing, so that’s always a good thing. It’s a good strong community and there are people who are willing to speak their minds, voice their opinions, so that’s always good.Open communication is definitely there. That’s a huge positive because if you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t know if they’re doing the right thing or the wrong thing. Since it’s a smaller community, everybody knows everybody and I think that helps a lot as well.Darrin Ovsak[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210476","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I have been a resident of the Frazee-Vergas school district for nearly my entire life. My wife, Jennifer, and I are both Frazee-Vergas graduates and I have a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Moorhead State University.Jennifer and I have two children, Kendra (11) and Kale (9), and they attend school in the district. Jennifer and I both work in Detroit Lakes. I am employed with the Detroit Lakes Public Utilities in the electric department as an electric technician and Jennifer is employed with Midwest Bank as the CFO/COO.Why did you decide to run for school board? I decided to run for school board because I would like to give back to the community, and I want to see the district continue to thrive. I have a strong belief that education is of utmost importance. Everyone, young and old, should strive to learn something new every day and challenge themselves to be the best at everything they do.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I feel that I am qualified for a board position because of my education and work experience. I believe that my sociology degree, along with the wide variety of classes that were required in the liberal arts program, will contribute to me being an effective board member.In my work experience, I have interacted with clients and customers in many unique situations. I have also worked in situations that required me to stay within budget and formal policy limitations.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I feel there are always many challenges for the district including enrollment, buildings, staff, etc. I, however, have no plan to push for drastic changes to anything at this time. My focus will be on giving the kids the best education and making Frazee-Vergas a leader for quality education.What are the positives you see in the district?There are many positives this district has to offer. We have great teachers, staff and administration that are providing a quality education to our students. Our students also have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities.In addition, many districts have concerns about their facilities but we have buildings that are in good shape and are being well maintained.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I will be an objective member of the school board. I will strive to assess every situation with a fair and unbiased approach. I believe it is very important to consider all aspects of each issue before making a decision, and I feel this approach will benefit the district. Thank you for your vote on Nov. 4.Tweets by @DLNewspapersSome new people have stepped up to run in the Frazee-Vergas School Board race this year.There are five candidates running for four seats.Those who hold the seats opening up include Matt Bauer, Rich Ziegler, Kenny Fett and Jim Nelson. Bauer is the only one running for re-election.Other candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot include Burl Buhr, Stacy Cruz, Thaddeus Helmers and Darrin Ovsak.Matt Bauer[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210466","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I ‘m married to my wife, Joyce, and we have three kids, Desiree, Savanna and Alexis. I’m a graduate from Frazee-Vergas High School and moved back to Frazee five years ago. Currently I work for a mortgage company based in Minneapolis and handle all their compliance and audit needs.Why did you decide to run for school board again? I believe our district has made a lot of progress in the last four years and I want to continue to help our district move forward in a positive direction.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I believe I bring integrity, respect and good leadership skills to the board.I’ve been on the board for almost four years now. During this time, I have had the privilege of working with a high functioning team and we were able to move this District in a very positive direction with positive results for our students.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?We met some big challenges in the past four years and made some good changes. I know there will always be challenges that we’ll need to work through as a district, but I think we are on the right track now and we need to continue moving forward.What are the positives you see in the district?There are so many that I could use up my word limit listing them all. So here are a couple: Our staff, we have an excellent staff. They care about the students and facilities of this district and the direction we are moving. Our students, their families and our community. They strive for greatness, they support our schools and they support each other. Our financial stability, which has allowed us to enhance our technology, improve and maintain our great facilities, and plan for the future.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the citizens of the district for the past four years. It would be an honor to be re-elected to serve the Frazee-Vegas School District for another four years.Burl Buhr[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210470","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. My wife, Rena, and I have been married almost 30 years. We have four children, three who have graduated through the Frazee District, and my youngest is a junior this year.For the last 19 years, I’ve been a residential building contractor in the area. I am a 1981 graduate from Minnesota State University Moorhead, double education major, certified to coach, certified to teach driver’s training and I’m also currently employed teaching driver’s training through Frazee and Detroit Lakes.Why did you decide to run for school board? It is something I have considered in other years, and I also felt that as my youngest daughter is a junior this year, this would be a good time for me to do it while she’s still involved in the school.I think it would hopefully be an opportunity for me to use who I really am to work with other committed people who care about our school district. I also see it as an opportunity to just serve.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?A person has to be open minded. There are usually a lot of things we don’t see in the forefront until we really step in and get involved. I feel I am an open-minded person that can see more than just one view.I think that person should be willing to listen. People are concerned with our district and if we don’t take time to hear them and hear their concerns, then there’s usually some fallout from that.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I think every school district has challenges, and change is something that is hard. It takes time to work through changes that need to be made. I feel like I’m committed to work through the process with a team and doing what they determine the issues are that really need to change at the proper time.What are the positives you see in the district?I really see a real commitment from the staff that is there. They have a tremendous commitment to our students. Because of my role as a driver educator, I have been at the school very early in the morning and it’s very impressive to me when I see staff people there long before the school day starts. They are there simply to help students and parents. I think we have a great bunch of staff all the way around, not just the teachers but paras as well.I think we also have a strong desire to maintain a positive environment in Frazee. I think that positive thing is there are people willing to admit that there’s maybe some areas they’d like to see improved, but I also see they are willing to address those issues.Stacy Cruz
Give a little background about yourself. I grew up in Frazee; I graduated in 1983. I’ve raised two daughters; I have six grandkids.Beside raising two kids, I’ve had two foster kids and I have custody of two of my grandkids.I graduated from Minnesota Community College, Detroit Lakes, in 1998 in sales and small business management.In 2007, I graduated from Colorado Technical University with a bachelor’s in criminal justice. And then I pursued a legal studies master’s degree, and I graduated with honors from Alpha Beta Kappa in 2011 from Kaplan University.I have done homeschooling since January with one of my grandkids. The other is in school here in Frazee. Plus, I was on the Head Start Policy Council. I did some administrative volunteering in the Arizona Elementary School when we lived in Arizona.When I was younger, I was a volunteer teacher’s aide at the Frazee Elementary. I used to help Mrs. Holzer with reading a math.Why did you decide to run for school board? Because there are issues with the school board with the special ed department, and I decided that they needed a new view. Maybe I could come up with some new solutions or ways to help improve the education in the school system.My grandson is being homeschooled because last year they told me his needs could not be met at the school, and they did not have the facilities and the teachers.I’m not sure how it’s going this year. I know some things have been switched around and they’re working on it, and they’re trying to improve things, but I just thought a new perspective might be a help.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I am a person that’s honest, reliable, hardworking. I put the kids first over the politics, before what other people think. If there’s a need that needs to be met, I think I can try and help with that and improve it.They are our future and an investment in our community, so I would like to be a part of trying to build on that.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?One of the challenges is making sure the curriculum is good and being met and all children’s needs are being met, from the special ed department to learning disabled to physically disabled, the different areas to the high school level. Making sure they are passing the standardized testing assessments in the spring, making sure that the SATs are being met because that’s a priority.The next thing I’m very concerned about is the bullying issue. It’s getting out of hand. It’s not just personally, it’s getting into the texting, Facebook.I work with a lot of teens. I work with the youth group through church, and that’s some of the things kids bring up at church when we’re talking. It’s at the elementary level too; it’s not just one area. I’m an avid spokesperson for the bullying; it needs to be addressed.What are the positives you see in the district?Some of the positives I see is some of their organizations and leadership. Just in the athletics, they’re teaching students teamwork and leadership and development for future living skills. That’s important.I’ve been in a managing position where I’ve had to screen applicants, and it’s not easy today, trying to find people to work as a team.They have the robotics group and the vocational training.I have seen some changes already this year in school, working with outside sources that have improved. The school, the education, the way the teachers are teaching. They’re reaching out and trying to get outside influences and groups to learn those abilities so the teachers can meet those needs.I do see some positives in that right now, but it’s a work in progress.I don’t see them closing their minds and saying, ‘this is the way it needs to be.’ They are willing to work with the parents. The school board is willing to work along with the principals and superintendent and teachers. That’s a good thing.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I’ve spent a lifetime working with children, from when I was a teenager babysitting to older where I do youth group, teaching release time, foster care. I’m always an open-minded person and I’m willing to listen to people and investigate, check into things and make sure needs are being met. I don’t like to overlook things. I like to see that things are followed through and done correctly.Thaddeus Helmers[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210474","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I’m married and have three kids. I have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I have a master’s degree in criminology. I’ve worked with the National Guard for 12 years.I’ve done many things, from narcotics investigations to financial and budget management to logistics management.Why did you decide to run for school board? I thought it was an opportunity for me to become more involved with the community that I live in, and try and help where I can. I want to be able to provide help to the community and I think running for the school board is a good way to use my knowledge and skills with financial management and being on other boards in the past.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I think my experience of being with the military, working with budgets, working as part of a team. I understand people come from different backgrounds and different perspectives. Being able to sit down and listen to others versus being narrow minded and not open to other suggestions.Working in the military, we work with people all over the state, various incomes, various backgrounds, various ethnicity, what have you. It’s challenging, but we make it work.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I don’t really see much challenge yet. But obviously with budget issues at the federal government level, at some point, it’s going to affect state funding. The schools are going to feel a pinch at some point. I want to make sure the school has a good reserve fund so they can continue to operate efficiently.If those budgets start to become crunch, also making sure that we’re focused on the right educational and extra-curricular activities for the students, not bypassing other things or cutting-edge technologies that we could be using can be a challenge.What are the positives you see in the district?It seems to be growing, so that’s always a good thing. It’s a good strong community and there are people who are willing to speak their minds, voice their opinions, so that’s always good.Open communication is definitely there. That’s a huge positive because if you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t know if they’re doing the right thing or the wrong thing. Since it’s a smaller community, everybody knows everybody and I think that helps a lot as well.Darrin Ovsak[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210476","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I have been a resident of the Frazee-Vergas school district for nearly my entire life. My wife, Jennifer, and I are both Frazee-Vergas graduates and I have a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Moorhead State University.Jennifer and I have two children, Kendra (11) and Kale (9), and they attend school in the district. Jennifer and I both work in Detroit Lakes. I am employed with the Detroit Lakes Public Utilities in the electric department as an electric technician and Jennifer is employed with Midwest Bank as the CFO/COO.Why did you decide to run for school board? I decided to run for school board because I would like to give back to the community, and I want to see the district continue to thrive. I have a strong belief that education is of utmost importance. Everyone, young and old, should strive to learn something new every day and challenge themselves to be the best at everything they do.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I feel that I am qualified for a board position because of my education and work experience. I believe that my sociology degree, along with the wide variety of classes that were required in the liberal arts program, will contribute to me being an effective board member.In my work experience, I have interacted with clients and customers in many unique situations. I have also worked in situations that required me to stay within budget and formal policy limitations.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I feel there are always many challenges for the district including enrollment, buildings, staff, etc. I, however, have no plan to push for drastic changes to anything at this time. My focus will be on giving the kids the best education and making Frazee-Vergas a leader for quality education.What are the positives you see in the district?There are many positives this district has to offer. We have great teachers, staff and administration that are providing a quality education to our students. Our students also have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities.In addition, many districts have concerns about their facilities but we have buildings that are in good shape and are being well maintained.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I will be an objective member of the school board. I will strive to assess every situation with a fair and unbiased approach. I believe it is very important to consider all aspects of each issue before making a decision, and I feel this approach will benefit the district. Thank you for your vote on Nov. 4.Tweets by @DLNewspapersSome new people have stepped up to run in the Frazee-Vergas School Board race this year.There are five candidates running for four seats.Those who hold the seats opening up include Matt Bauer, Rich Ziegler, Kenny Fett and Jim Nelson. Bauer is the only one running for re-election.Other candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot include Burl Buhr, Stacy Cruz, Thaddeus Helmers and Darrin Ovsak.Matt Bauer[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210466","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I ‘m married to my wife, Joyce, and we have three kids, Desiree, Savanna and Alexis. I’m a graduate from Frazee-Vergas High School and moved back to Frazee five years ago. Currently I work for a mortgage company based in Minneapolis and handle all their compliance and audit needs.Why did you decide to run for school board again? I believe our district has made a lot of progress in the last four years and I want to continue to help our district move forward in a positive direction.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I believe I bring integrity, respect and good leadership skills to the board.I’ve been on the board for almost four years now. During this time, I have had the privilege of working with a high functioning team and we were able to move this District in a very positive direction with positive results for our students.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?We met some big challenges in the past four years and made some good changes. I know there will always be challenges that we’ll need to work through as a district, but I think we are on the right track now and we need to continue moving forward.What are the positives you see in the district?There are so many that I could use up my word limit listing them all. So here are a couple: Our staff, we have an excellent staff. They care about the students and facilities of this district and the direction we are moving. Our students, their families and our community. They strive for greatness, they support our schools and they support each other. Our financial stability, which has allowed us to enhance our technology, improve and maintain our great facilities, and plan for the future.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the citizens of the district for the past four years. It would be an honor to be re-elected to serve the Frazee-Vegas School District for another four years.Burl Buhr[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210470","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. My wife, Rena, and I have been married almost 30 years. We have four children, three who have graduated through the Frazee District, and my youngest is a junior this year.For the last 19 years, I’ve been a residential building contractor in the area. I am a 1981 graduate from Minnesota State University Moorhead, double education major, certified to coach, certified to teach driver’s training and I’m also currently employed teaching driver’s training through Frazee and Detroit Lakes.Why did you decide to run for school board? It is something I have considered in other years, and I also felt that as my youngest daughter is a junior this year, this would be a good time for me to do it while she’s still involved in the school.I think it would hopefully be an opportunity for me to use who I really am to work with other committed people who care about our school district. I also see it as an opportunity to just serve.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?A person has to be open minded. There are usually a lot of things we don’t see in the forefront until we really step in and get involved. I feel I am an open-minded person that can see more than just one view.I think that person should be willing to listen. People are concerned with our district and if we don’t take time to hear them and hear their concerns, then there’s usually some fallout from that.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I think every school district has challenges, and change is something that is hard. It takes time to work through changes that need to be made. I feel like I’m committed to work through the process with a team and doing what they determine the issues are that really need to change at the proper time.What are the positives you see in the district?I really see a real commitment from the staff that is there. They have a tremendous commitment to our students. Because of my role as a driver educator, I have been at the school very early in the morning and it’s very impressive to me when I see staff people there long before the school day starts. They are there simply to help students and parents. I think we have a great bunch of staff all the way around, not just the teachers but paras as well.I think we also have a strong desire to maintain a positive environment in Frazee. I think that positive thing is there are people willing to admit that there’s maybe some areas they’d like to see improved, but I also see they are willing to address those issues.Stacy Cruz[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210472","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I grew up in Frazee; I graduated in 1983. I’ve raised two daughters; I have six grandkids.Beside raising two kids, I’ve had two foster kids and I have custody of two of my grandkids.I graduated from Minnesota Community College, Detroit Lakes, in 1998 in sales and small business management.In 2007, I graduated from Colorado Technical University with a bachelor’s in criminal justice. And then I pursued a legal studies master’s degree, and I graduated with honors from Alpha Beta Kappa in 2011 from Kaplan University.I have done homeschooling since January with one of my grandkids. The other is in school here in Frazee. Plus, I was on the Head Start Policy Council. I did some administrative volunteering in the Arizona Elementary School when we lived in Arizona.When I was younger, I was a volunteer teacher’s aide at the Frazee Elementary. I used to help Mrs. Holzer with reading a math.Why did you decide to run for school board? Because there are issues with the school board with the special ed department, and I decided that they needed a new view. Maybe I could come up with some new solutions or ways to help improve the education in the school system.My grandson is being homeschooled because last year they told me his needs could not be met at the school, and they did not have the facilities and the teachers.I’m not sure how it’s going this year. I know some things have been switched around and they’re working on it, and they’re trying to improve things, but I just thought a new perspective might be a help.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I am a person that’s honest, reliable, hardworking. I put the kids first over the politics, before what other people think. If there’s a need that needs to be met, I think I can try and help with that and improve it.They are our future and an investment in our community, so I would like to be a part of trying to build on that.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?One of the challenges is making sure the curriculum is good and being met and all children’s needs are being met, from the special ed department to learning disabled to physically disabled, the different areas to the high school level. Making sure they are passing the standardized testing assessments in the spring, making sure that the SATs are being met because that’s a priority.The next thing I’m very concerned about is the bullying issue. It’s getting out of hand. It’s not just personally, it’s getting into the texting, Facebook.I work with a lot of teens. I work with the youth group through church, and that’s some of the things kids bring up at church when we’re talking. It’s at the elementary level too; it’s not just one area. I’m an avid spokesperson for the bullying; it needs to be addressed.What are the positives you see in the district?Some of the positives I see is some of their organizations and leadership. Just in the athletics, they’re teaching students teamwork and leadership and development for future living skills. That’s important.I’ve been in a managing position where I’ve had to screen applicants, and it’s not easy today, trying to find people to work as a team.They have the robotics group and the vocational training.I have seen some changes already this year in school, working with outside sources that have improved. The school, the education, the way the teachers are teaching. They’re reaching out and trying to get outside influences and groups to learn those abilities so the teachers can meet those needs.I do see some positives in that right now, but it’s a work in progress.I don’t see them closing their minds and saying, ‘this is the way it needs to be.’ They are willing to work with the parents. The school board is willing to work along with the principals and superintendent and teachers. That’s a good thing.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I’ve spent a lifetime working with children, from when I was a teenager babysitting to older where I do youth group, teaching release time, foster care. I’m always an open-minded person and I’m willing to listen to people and investigate, check into things and make sure needs are being met. I don’t like to overlook things. I like to see that things are followed through and done correctly.Thaddeus Helmers
Give a little background about yourself. I’m married and have three kids. I have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I have a master’s degree in criminology. I’ve worked with the National Guard for 12 years.I’ve done many things, from narcotics investigations to financial and budget management to logistics management.Why did you decide to run for school board? I thought it was an opportunity for me to become more involved with the community that I live in, and try and help where I can. I want to be able to provide help to the community and I think running for the school board is a good way to use my knowledge and skills with financial management and being on other boards in the past.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I think my experience of being with the military, working with budgets, working as part of a team. I understand people come from different backgrounds and different perspectives. Being able to sit down and listen to others versus being narrow minded and not open to other suggestions.Working in the military, we work with people all over the state, various incomes, various backgrounds, various ethnicity, what have you. It’s challenging, but we make it work.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I don’t really see much challenge yet. But obviously with budget issues at the federal government level, at some point, it’s going to affect state funding. The schools are going to feel a pinch at some point. I want to make sure the school has a good reserve fund so they can continue to operate efficiently.If those budgets start to become crunch, also making sure that we’re focused on the right educational and extra-curricular activities for the students, not bypassing other things or cutting-edge technologies that we could be using can be a challenge.What are the positives you see in the district?It seems to be growing, so that’s always a good thing. It’s a good strong community and there are people who are willing to speak their minds, voice their opinions, so that’s always good.Open communication is definitely there. That’s a huge positive because if you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t know if they’re doing the right thing or the wrong thing. Since it’s a smaller community, everybody knows everybody and I think that helps a lot as well.Darrin Ovsak[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210476","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I have been a resident of the Frazee-Vergas school district for nearly my entire life. My wife, Jennifer, and I are both Frazee-Vergas graduates and I have a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Moorhead State University.Jennifer and I have two children, Kendra (11) and Kale (9), and they attend school in the district. Jennifer and I both work in Detroit Lakes. I am employed with the Detroit Lakes Public Utilities in the electric department as an electric technician and Jennifer is employed with Midwest Bank as the CFO/COO.Why did you decide to run for school board? I decided to run for school board because I would like to give back to the community, and I want to see the district continue to thrive. I have a strong belief that education is of utmost importance. Everyone, young and old, should strive to learn something new every day and challenge themselves to be the best at everything they do.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I feel that I am qualified for a board position because of my education and work experience. I believe that my sociology degree, along with the wide variety of classes that were required in the liberal arts program, will contribute to me being an effective board member.In my work experience, I have interacted with clients and customers in many unique situations. I have also worked in situations that required me to stay within budget and formal policy limitations.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I feel there are always many challenges for the district including enrollment, buildings, staff, etc. I, however, have no plan to push for drastic changes to anything at this time. My focus will be on giving the kids the best education and making Frazee-Vergas a leader for quality education.What are the positives you see in the district?There are many positives this district has to offer. We have great teachers, staff and administration that are providing a quality education to our students. Our students also have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities.In addition, many districts have concerns about their facilities but we have buildings that are in good shape and are being well maintained.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I will be an objective member of the school board. I will strive to assess every situation with a fair and unbiased approach. I believe it is very important to consider all aspects of each issue before making a decision, and I feel this approach will benefit the district. Thank you for your vote on Nov. 4.Tweets by @DLNewspapersSome new people have stepped up to run in the Frazee-Vergas School Board race this year.There are five candidates running for four seats.Those who hold the seats opening up include Matt Bauer, Rich Ziegler, Kenny Fett and Jim Nelson. Bauer is the only one running for re-election.Other candidates on the Nov. 4 ballot include Burl Buhr, Stacy Cruz, Thaddeus Helmers and Darrin Ovsak.Matt Bauer[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210466","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I ‘m married to my wife, Joyce, and we have three kids, Desiree, Savanna and Alexis. I’m a graduate from Frazee-Vergas High School and moved back to Frazee five years ago. Currently I work for a mortgage company based in Minneapolis and handle all their compliance and audit needs.Why did you decide to run for school board again? I believe our district has made a lot of progress in the last four years and I want to continue to help our district move forward in a positive direction.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I believe I bring integrity, respect and good leadership skills to the board.I’ve been on the board for almost four years now. During this time, I have had the privilege of working with a high functioning team and we were able to move this District in a very positive direction with positive results for our students.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?We met some big challenges in the past four years and made some good changes. I know there will always be challenges that we’ll need to work through as a district, but I think we are on the right track now and we need to continue moving forward.What are the positives you see in the district?There are so many that I could use up my word limit listing them all. So here are a couple: Our staff, we have an excellent staff. They care about the students and facilities of this district and the direction we are moving. Our students, their families and our community. They strive for greatness, they support our schools and they support each other. Our financial stability, which has allowed us to enhance our technology, improve and maintain our great facilities, and plan for the future.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I’ve appreciated the opportunity to serve the citizens of the district for the past four years. It would be an honor to be re-elected to serve the Frazee-Vegas School District for another four years.Burl Buhr[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210470","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. My wife, Rena, and I have been married almost 30 years. We have four children, three who have graduated through the Frazee District, and my youngest is a junior this year.For the last 19 years, I’ve been a residential building contractor in the area. I am a 1981 graduate from Minnesota State University Moorhead, double education major, certified to coach, certified to teach driver’s training and I’m also currently employed teaching driver’s training through Frazee and Detroit Lakes.Why did you decide to run for school board? It is something I have considered in other years, and I also felt that as my youngest daughter is a junior this year, this would be a good time for me to do it while she’s still involved in the school.I think it would hopefully be an opportunity for me to use who I really am to work with other committed people who care about our school district. I also see it as an opportunity to just serve.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?A person has to be open minded. There are usually a lot of things we don’t see in the forefront until we really step in and get involved. I feel I am an open-minded person that can see more than just one view.I think that person should be willing to listen. People are concerned with our district and if we don’t take time to hear them and hear their concerns, then there’s usually some fallout from that.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I think every school district has challenges, and change is something that is hard. It takes time to work through changes that need to be made. I feel like I’m committed to work through the process with a team and doing what they determine the issues are that really need to change at the proper time.What are the positives you see in the district?I really see a real commitment from the staff that is there. They have a tremendous commitment to our students. Because of my role as a driver educator, I have been at the school very early in the morning and it’s very impressive to me when I see staff people there long before the school day starts. They are there simply to help students and parents. I think we have a great bunch of staff all the way around, not just the teachers but paras as well.I think we also have a strong desire to maintain a positive environment in Frazee. I think that positive thing is there are people willing to admit that there’s maybe some areas they’d like to see improved, but I also see they are willing to address those issues.Stacy Cruz[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210472","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I grew up in Frazee; I graduated in 1983. I’ve raised two daughters; I have six grandkids.Beside raising two kids, I’ve had two foster kids and I have custody of two of my grandkids.I graduated from Minnesota Community College, Detroit Lakes, in 1998 in sales and small business management.In 2007, I graduated from Colorado Technical University with a bachelor’s in criminal justice. And then I pursued a legal studies master’s degree, and I graduated with honors from Alpha Beta Kappa in 2011 from Kaplan University.I have done homeschooling since January with one of my grandkids. The other is in school here in Frazee. Plus, I was on the Head Start Policy Council. I did some administrative volunteering in the Arizona Elementary School when we lived in Arizona.When I was younger, I was a volunteer teacher’s aide at the Frazee Elementary. I used to help Mrs. Holzer with reading a math.Why did you decide to run for school board? Because there are issues with the school board with the special ed department, and I decided that they needed a new view. Maybe I could come up with some new solutions or ways to help improve the education in the school system.My grandson is being homeschooled because last year they told me his needs could not be met at the school, and they did not have the facilities and the teachers.I’m not sure how it’s going this year. I know some things have been switched around and they’re working on it, and they’re trying to improve things, but I just thought a new perspective might be a help.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I am a person that’s honest, reliable, hardworking. I put the kids first over the politics, before what other people think. If there’s a need that needs to be met, I think I can try and help with that and improve it.They are our future and an investment in our community, so I would like to be a part of trying to build on that.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?One of the challenges is making sure the curriculum is good and being met and all children’s needs are being met, from the special ed department to learning disabled to physically disabled, the different areas to the high school level. Making sure they are passing the standardized testing assessments in the spring, making sure that the SATs are being met because that’s a priority.The next thing I’m very concerned about is the bullying issue. It’s getting out of hand. It’s not just personally, it’s getting into the texting, Facebook.I work with a lot of teens. I work with the youth group through church, and that’s some of the things kids bring up at church when we’re talking. It’s at the elementary level too; it’s not just one area. I’m an avid spokesperson for the bullying; it needs to be addressed.What are the positives you see in the district?Some of the positives I see is some of their organizations and leadership. Just in the athletics, they’re teaching students teamwork and leadership and development for future living skills. That’s important.I’ve been in a managing position where I’ve had to screen applicants, and it’s not easy today, trying to find people to work as a team.They have the robotics group and the vocational training.I have seen some changes already this year in school, working with outside sources that have improved. The school, the education, the way the teachers are teaching. They’re reaching out and trying to get outside influences and groups to learn those abilities so the teachers can meet those needs.I do see some positives in that right now, but it’s a work in progress.I don’t see them closing their minds and saying, ‘this is the way it needs to be.’ They are willing to work with the parents. The school board is willing to work along with the principals and superintendent and teachers. That’s a good thing.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I’ve spent a lifetime working with children, from when I was a teenager babysitting to older where I do youth group, teaching release time, foster care. I’m always an open-minded person and I’m willing to listen to people and investigate, check into things and make sure needs are being met. I don’t like to overlook things. I like to see that things are followed through and done correctly.Thaddeus Helmers[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"1210474","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image","height":"400","typeof":"foaf:Image","width":"274"}}]]Give a little background about yourself. I’m married and have three kids. I have a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. I have a master’s degree in criminology. I’ve worked with the National Guard for 12 years.I’ve done many things, from narcotics investigations to financial and budget management to logistics management.Why did you decide to run for school board? I thought it was an opportunity for me to become more involved with the community that I live in, and try and help where I can. I want to be able to provide help to the community and I think running for the school board is a good way to use my knowledge and skills with financial management and being on other boards in the past.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I think my experience of being with the military, working with budgets, working as part of a team. I understand people come from different backgrounds and different perspectives. Being able to sit down and listen to others versus being narrow minded and not open to other suggestions.Working in the military, we work with people all over the state, various incomes, various backgrounds, various ethnicity, what have you. It’s challenging, but we make it work.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I don’t really see much challenge yet. But obviously with budget issues at the federal government level, at some point, it’s going to affect state funding. The schools are going to feel a pinch at some point. I want to make sure the school has a good reserve fund so they can continue to operate efficiently.If those budgets start to become crunch, also making sure that we’re focused on the right educational and extra-curricular activities for the students, not bypassing other things or cutting-edge technologies that we could be using can be a challenge.What are the positives you see in the district?It seems to be growing, so that’s always a good thing. It’s a good strong community and there are people who are willing to speak their minds, voice their opinions, so that’s always good.Open communication is definitely there. That’s a huge positive because if you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t know if they’re doing the right thing or the wrong thing. Since it’s a smaller community, everybody knows everybody and I think that helps a lot as well.Darrin Ovsak
Give a little background about yourself. I have been a resident of the Frazee-Vergas school district for nearly my entire life. My wife, Jennifer, and I are both Frazee-Vergas graduates and I have a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Moorhead State University.Jennifer and I have two children, Kendra (11) and Kale (9), and they attend school in the district. Jennifer and I both work in Detroit Lakes. I am employed with the Detroit Lakes Public Utilities in the electric department as an electric technician and Jennifer is employed with Midwest Bank as the CFO/COO.Why did you decide to run for school board? I decided to run for school board because I would like to give back to the community, and I want to see the district continue to thrive. I have a strong belief that education is of utmost importance. Everyone, young and old, should strive to learn something new every day and challenge themselves to be the best at everything they do.What makes you a good candidate for a spot on the board?I feel that I am qualified for a board position because of my education and work experience. I believe that my sociology degree, along with the wide variety of classes that were required in the liberal arts program, will contribute to me being an effective board member.In my work experience, I have interacted with clients and customers in many unique situations. I have also worked in situations that required me to stay within budget and formal policy limitations.Are there challenges in the district you would like to work to change if elected to the board?I feel there are always many challenges for the district including enrollment, buildings, staff, etc. I, however, have no plan to push for drastic changes to anything at this time. My focus will be on giving the kids the best education and making Frazee-Vergas a leader for quality education.What are the positives you see in the district?There are many positives this district has to offer. We have great teachers, staff and administration that are providing a quality education to our students. Our students also have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities.In addition, many districts have concerns about their facilities but we have buildings that are in good shape and are being well maintained.Any other information you would like the voters to know about you?I will be an objective member of the school board. I will strive to assess every situation with a fair and unbiased approach. I believe it is very important to consider all aspects of each issue before making a decision, and I feel this approach will benefit the district. Thank you for your vote on Nov. 4.Tweets by @DLNewspapers
Frazee-Vergas School Board will have several new faces in January
Some new people have stepped up to run in the Frazee-Vergas School Board race this year. There are five candidates running for four seats. Those who hold the seats opening up include Matt Bauer, Rich Ziegler, Kenny Fett and Jim Nelson. Bauer is t...
ADVERTISEMENT
