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Voters will select from the candidates to fill three open seats.
Jeff Baatz
Jeff Baatz
Pipestone County Star: Please tell us about yourself; background, experience, qualifications, etc.
Jeff Baatz: My name is Jeff Baatz , I have lived in Pipestone County most of my life. My wife and I have had four kids graduate from Pipestone and currently have a sixth grader attending Pipestone as well as four grandkids.
PCS: Why are you running for office?
JB: I currently am a school board member and would like to continue to serve the district. I feel I look at the big picture and I consider all the information when making decisions as all decisions impact the whole district. I feel we offer a well-rounded educational opportunity but I also feel we can always find ways to improve.
PCS: What is your top priority for Pipestone Area Schools?
JB: I feel we need to continually strive to do better in any education system, areas of improvement would be test scores that have shown improvement, graduation rates, as well as improved educational opportunities for our non-English speaking residents. Also as the district has a new elementary building and a middle school and high school that are relatively new, we must be very diligent about upkeep.
PCS: How would you like the school district to utilize the space that will be made available by the relocation of the public library?
JB: After the community library is relocated, the middle school high school library will still be there. The space will continue to operate as a library. The school district is currently searching for a librarian that would be hired to come in and set up and manage the library.
The library will also retain the Meinders name in honor of the Meinders family for the donation given to the school district for the naming rights.
PCS: Name at least one issue or topic the board is working on currently that interests you the most and explain why.
JB: Our test scores are always a hot topic. I feel we are poised to get the test scores up as is shown in some of the latest test data. There has been improvement, but more work needs to be done. I believe the early interventions put in place at all grade levels have been proven effective. Our support of teaching staff, with the use of the new teacher mentoring program, instructional coaches as well as coarse alignment from the bottom up help to keep a seamless transition from one grade to the next.
PCS: State test results recently showed improvements within the district in all subject areas. What can the school board do to continue this trend?
JB: See the above question and answer.
PCS What specifically are the district’s greatest assets and challenges? How would you propose to maintain and/or grow those assets, and address those challenges?
JB: This district has so much to be grateful for, it is hard to list just one or two things. Our district has great support from the taxpayers of this district just look at our current facilities compared to 25 years ago. Our district has some of the best facilities for education as well as the arts and athletics in southwest Minnesota. We have some of the brightest students around. We have many students that go into the medical fields, engineering fields, educational fields and a number in the agriculture sector. Pipestone should be proud of the home -grown students that come back to live and work and call Pipestone their home. Pipestone has also been fortunate to have one of the best group of staff members, they were truly dedicated during the pandemic to educate our students and keep our facilities open and accessible to the best of their abilities through all the adversity.
PCS: Are there other issues you would like to address?
JB: I believe I look out for the district as a whole not any special interest group. I have always said I am here for the students first and foremost. I look forward to continuing that commitment if reelected for another four years.
Brad Carson
Brad Carson
Pipestone County Star: Please tell us about yourself; background, experience, qualifications, etc.
Brad Carson: I’m a proud Arrow graduate of 1991 after which I served in the United States Army before settling back in Pipestone. My wife, Kris and I have three daughters: Taylor, who graduated from PAS in 2013, Matti, who will graduate this year and Cassi, who is a sophomore at PAS. I work as a Sales Manager for Phibro Animal Health and I’ve served on various boards over the years including; the First Presbyterian Church, Pipestone Country Club, American Legion (currently serve as the commander), Minnesota American Legion 2nd District (currently serve as Vice Commander) and have been honored to serve on the Pipestone School Board since 2018.
PCS: Why are you running for office?
BC: I’ve enjoyed serving on the Pipestone School Board the past four years. It’s been interesting learning how it works and working together to make decisions that will affect the school district for years to come. I believe I bring a commonsense approach, which has served me well in my career, to bring opportunities to the students of PAS like I, and others, have had in the past.
PCS: What is your top priority for Pipestone Area Schools?
BC: I really want to focus on raising test scores although I do believe that test scores are not the complete picture of how well a student learns. They are, however, the measurement from the Board of Education by which we are forced to abide by. With this being said, this was at the forefront of my mind when I introduced discussion around the cell phone policy. Having kids of my own, and realizing how distracting cell phones can be, I never understood why they were allowed in the classroom. The need to review/enforce that policy is important to eliminate distractions and allow students to learn to the best of their ability.
PCS: How would you like the school district to utilize the space that will be made available by the relocation of the public library?
BC: As a library. It’s important for the students to have access to books and the space is currently set up as a library. There is no need to change that.
PCS: Name at least one issue or topic the board is working on currently that interests you the most and explain why.
BC: I’ve enjoyed every aspect of serving on the board. An area that I particularly enjoy are working with various bargaining units to offer competitive compensation. I want to continue to focus on test scores and better learning outcomes for our students. I want to continue to make decisions with our students in mind… what is best for our kids.
PCS: State test results recently showed improvements within the district in all subject areas. What can the school board do to continue this trend?
BC: At the risk of repeating myself, I really think the new cell phone policy will be greatly beneficial in allowing students to remain focused throughout the day and have a greater impact on each student’s ability to learn and retain information. We need to continue supporting the teachers and administration by listening to suggestions and considering which options carry the most benefit for all students.
PCS: What specifically are the district’s greatest assets and challenges? How would you propose to maintain and/or grow those assets, and address those challenges?
BC: The district’s greatest assets are the staff and the facilities. We have a beautiful facility, including an amazing new elementary school with shared learning spaces, open well-lit classrooms, and a great new playground that is accessible to all, just to name a few features. Along with our modern high school facility, we have great school facilities here in Pipestone that our community can be proud of. In addition, we have some of the best teachers, giving our students the best opportunity for success. We need to remain competitive with our wages to retain and attract great employees and continue to maintain and care for our facility.
PCS: Are there other issues you would like to address?
BC: The last four years have been a learning experience for me. It’s been interesting to learn how school board functions and what their true responsibility is. I’ve really enjoyed it and hope to continue to have the opportunity to serve again. As always, I welcome hearing from community members!
Mark Hiniker
Mark Hiniker
Pipestone County Star: Please tell us about yourself; background, experience, qualifications, etc.
Mark Hiniker: My name is Mark Hiniker and I have lived in Pipestone for 40+ years. I am currently running my own farming operation and I sell seed for Chandler Coop. I started my seed business 25 years ago and joined forces with Chandler Coop to offer more varieties and opportunities for my customers. I have been married to my wife, Carrie for 30 years and we have three children. Aiden is a sophomore at PAS, Brooklyn is a junior at SDSU majoring in Physical Education and Chelsey Hillard (Brad) is a first grade teacher in Lake Benton. We also have one granddaughter: Reese!
Carrie is a substitute teacher at PAS and also has a teaching degree in music.
I am surrounded by teachers!
PCS: Why are you running for office?
MH: I want to help. PAS has been very important to me and my family. My wife and I are both alumni and all of our children will soon be. I see areas where my business insight could be helpful to the board. My wife also tells me I am good at seeing how things work and speaking my mind.
PCS: What is your top priority for Pipestone Area Schools?
MH: I want students, faculty and the community to be proud of their school. We can do that as a school board by making sure students and teachers have everything they need to succeed. Education is our first priority but there also needs to be inclusion with the community and making students well-rounded individuals when they leave PAS. We have a diverse population and the needs and education of all students is vital.
PCS: How would you like the school district to utilize the space that will be made available by the relocation of the public library?
MH: The current board is not going to like my answer on this one. There is only one thing that this space should be used for and that is the public library. Money was raised and donated in good faith that it would always be the library. It is a beautiful area that was designed for the community. Both the school board and city council should have sat in the same room and hashed this out before it got out of hand. Hopefully, it isn’t too late. Other than that, I would say keep it a library for the school.
PCS: Name at least one issue or topic the board is working on currently that interests you the most and explain why.
MH: The situation with the library needs to be resolved. I stated my feelings in the previous question.
PCS: State test results recently showed improvements within the district in all subject areas. What can the school board do to continue this trend?
MH: It was very satisfying to see an upturn in the testing results. Test scores after the COVID years should have been scrapped because they weren’t indicative of what our teachers and students can do. The teachers in our district work very hard and are the engine that keeps our school moving. I think it is important to keep the line of communication open between staff and school board members. Supporting all of the staff that work one on one with the students is vital in keeping morale up and motivation going. Just as in business, you need every employee to make the school successful.
PCS What specifically are the district’s greatest assets and challenges? How would you propose to maintain and/or grow those assets, and address those challenges?
MH: We have some amazing teachers, paras and staff in our district. They are an asset. Our challenge is retaining them. We had many teachers, paras and custodians leave the district after last year that have been difficult to replace. We need to figure out how to keep the good ones here.
PCS: Are there other issues you would like to address?
MH: Functioning on a balanced budget and spending within your means is a necessity. I would like to find a smart place to invest the money received from the sales of the Brown and Hill School lots. It shouldn’t be used as extra income but for payment for debts.
I would also answer that after a farming accident I had last year, I saw how others come to help when there is a need. Now, it is my turn to help where I see a need. I would truly appreciate your support in the upcoming election.
Daphne Likness
Daphne Likness
Pipestone County Star: Please tell us about yourself; background, experience, qualifications, etc.
Daphne Likness: I’m a native to Pipestone (maiden name Veldhuizen), graduated from Pipestone-Jasper, and currently have students in the district.
I was the administrative assistant to the MS/HS principal and athletic director for 4.5 years so I got to experience and understand the inner workings of a school district.
I was able to build relationships with students, parents and staff within our district. I’ve worked with a school budget and been able to collaborate and experience things first hand in many school related areas, whether it has been student achievement, graduation, policies, extracurriculars or technology. I understand what has worked well and where we could potentially use some improvement.
PCS: Why are you running for office?
DL: How successful our district is has a direct effect on my family along with our community. Therefore, I have a personal investment in wanting to see us thrive. I want to make sure the community has a voice in the decisions when it comes to improving the quality of our district.
PCS: What is your top priority for Pipestone Area Schools?
DL: Doing what is best for the students and educators.
PCS: How would you like the school district to utilize the space that will be made available by the relocation of the public library?
DL: From what I understand there is a lack of space for resources that assist students who qualify for Title 1. If our district is qualifying for these funds to help students we need to make appropriate space for their learning. I could also see the counseling area and outside sources benefiting from this space. Family services, parole officers, truancy counseling and student group meetings, or just when a kid is having a really bad day and needs somewhere to remove themselves for a few minutes. It would also be nice to have the resource room in the same area as the counseling area so kids aren’t embarrassed to use these items when there is a need.
PCS: Name at least one issue or topic the board is working on currently that interests you the most and explain
DL: The topic that interested me most has passed but is still something I think we will see brought to our attention in future. The Public Library gives students access to quality resources which support literacy. Improving reading is a district goal so how are we going to fill the gap? I had my 11 year old ask “what am I supposed to do if I need to get a book as reference or for an assignment for class?” I had no idea how to answer that. I can bring my student to the public library if needed but many families don’t have the means to do this. Whether it be because of transportation or schedule/work conflict as a couple examples.
PCS: State test results recently showed improvements within the district in all subject areas. What can the school board do to continue this trend?
DL: Meeting educators and students daily needs to be more successful. Encourage school board members to experience what the process of improvement is on our early release days. Educate ourselves on how time is being used to improve student learning and achievement.
PCS: What specifically are the district’s greatest assets and challenges? How would you propose to maintain and/or grow those assets, and address those challenges?
DL: Greatest assets without a doubt are our educators and staff.
Challenges would be providing the resources and time needed for students that lack support at home. Kids come to school facing many challenges such as coming to school hungry, tired because they are a factoring financial source for the home, or taking care of siblings if parents work night or overnight hours. All these affect how a student is learning what is being taught to them during a school day. Teachers and staff step into a resource and follow up role that is maybe one of the only constants in a kid’s everyday life.
The best thing I can do is to listen with an open mind, think before I speak, appreciate diversity, and find common ground. Ask more questions.
PCS: Are there other issues you would like to address?
DL: No answer was provided.
John Sullivan
John Sullivan
Pipestone County Star: Please tell us about yourself; background, experience, qualifications, etc.
John L. Sullivan: My name is John L. Sullivan and I live in Pipestone. I’m retired from the U.S. Army and am a stay at home dad. I did three deployments in the Army; a peacekeeping tour in Kosovo in 2001 and two combat tours in Iraq in 2003-2004 and 2005-2006, all as an Infantryman with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Justice Administration from Southwest Minnesota State University. I have three daughters who attend Pipestone Area Schools. My wife of almost 20 years is an educator at PAS. I feel that having children in school and a long time educator for a spouse gives me good insight into what is best for the students, staff, and faculty. I served our Nation because I care about our future. I consider the school board a service to the community by serving the students and employees of PAS.
PCS: Why are you running for office?
JLS: I am running for office because I believe all children deserve the best education that we as a society can give them. I have always had a soft spot for children. Long before I had children of my own I believed that children are the most valuable members of our society. They are literally our future. We should do everything in our power to ensure that they have every advantage that we can give them. We can not have a prosperous future if we don’t give them what they need to succeed.
PCS: What is your top priority for Pipestone Area Schools?
JLS: My top priority for PAS is to ensure that everyone has a safe and fun experience to learn, work, and grow. I want the school to have the best we can give to it. I want everyone who works or attends school at PAS to be able to show off their talents academically and artistically.
PCS: How would you like the school district to utilize the space that will be made available by the relocation of the public library?
JLS: I would like to see the library space to still be used as a library. Without the city library there anymore, the school should expand their side of the library with books, equipment, and employees to fill the space.
PCS: Name at least one issue or topic the board is working on currently that interests you the most and explain why.
JLS: The school’s budget is always a high priority for PAS. Funding sources are not always consistent. We always need to be looking for new ways to make the budget work to serve the students and staff.
PCS: State test results recently showed improvements within the district in all subject areas. What can the school board do to continue this trend?
JLS: The best thing the school board could do to continue the upward trend of test scores would be to listen to the teachers, paraprofessionals, and other support staff. They are the ones working all day with our students. They are the ones who will know what the students need.
PCS: What specifically are the district’s greatest assets and challenges? How would you propose to maintain and/or grow those assets, and address those challenges?
JLS: I think one of our district’s greatest assets is that we have some of the best staff working at the schools. Everyone who works at PAS is a part of this area and wants it to prosper. They do those jobs for a reason; they care about our students and want them to succeed.
I think the best way to maintain that goes back to question six. We listen to what the students need. We have some of the best teachers, paras, lunchroom staff, janitors, nurses and other support staff at PAS. They know our students and know what they need. I also think we should listen to the students as well. They are the ones attending the school.
I think our greatest challenge is being a more economically depressed area than other areas of the state. Median household and per capita income in Pipestone County is below the state average. Therefore, we have a higher number of students on the free or reduced lunch program. Economic stability is one of the greatest indicators of childhood learning ability. PAS works hard to identify students in need of additional help. I want to help make sure that we continue to do our best.
PCS: Are there other issues you would like to address?
JLS: I would like to address the staff shortage. PAS has a shortage of teachers, paras, janitorial staff and other support personnel. I want to find ways to attract and retain the best that we can to add to the great staff members we have.
