Three Cleveland School Board seats are up for reelection this year, and five are running, including the three incumbents (Ryan Ponwith, Nancy Heldberg and Kevin McCabe) and two newcomers (Jordan Elias and Ian Rude).
Election Day is Tuesday, November 3.
Ryan Ponwith
What is your background (as a part of the community, children in school, education, career and any other relevant experience that prepares you to be a board member)?
I grew up in Cleveland and attended/graduated from Cleveland Public School. After high school, I attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, where I graduated with a degree in Agricultural Business and Agronomy. Out of college, I worked for an agricultural cooperative for 10 years, specializing in sales as well as managing a sales team. Today, my wife Emily and I, along with our four children, own and operate our family's farm in the Cleveland area. I serve as a board member for a local agricultural cooperative, am a member of the Sons of the American Legion and am the current Vice President of the Cleveland School Board. My wife and I are proud to have our children attend Cleveland Public School.
What motivates you to run for the school board?
I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue to give back to our community and to do what I can to enhance the educational experiences of the students while supporting the staff that works tirelessly to do so.
What perspective do you bring to the board that may differ from others?
The perspective that I bring that may be different from others is my experience in owning and operating a business as well as effectively leading a team of people. Through doing these things across many professional settings, I feel as though my ability to work through business finances, impactfully communicate as well as navigate challenging situations would be of great benefit to the school as a board member.
What are the top needs of the district?
Our school district has worked tirelessly over the last few years to get a handle on our processes, finances and overall school culture. While there have been challenges to work through to get where we are today, I couldn't be more proud of the work our school's team of staff, leaders and administration have accomplished. I feel the top need of the school district is to continue to compound on the work that has already been done to ensure that the school experience that is provided at Cleveland Public School is the standard for education in southern Minnesota. It is also paramount to accomplish this in a financially efficient manner for the sake of our district's tax payers. School finances are a very complex and often misunderstood topic. It is my focus that whatever we do at our school, it is done with the students and staff in mind, but it is also to be done in a manner that is fiscally responsible to the constituents of the district.
What would you do to improve student learning?
To improve student learning, I will continue to support the efforts of our staff as I can understand the work that goes into providing the top-tier education that our school already provides, working collaboratively with administration to not only set the expectations for accountability for staff and students but to also work to provide the tools and resources necessary to push each student to their full potential.
How should the district respond to rapidly changing technology, including AI and smartphones? What role should technology like computers and Chromebooks play in the classroom?
While Chromebooks, computers and artificial intelligence are important tools in education, I believe they are meant to be a vehicle to learn and do things, not something to rely solely on for future success. The things that really matter, like problem solving, critical thinking, social skills and the ability to reason are taught through experiences and personal interactions. I firmly believe this and will continue to promote this type of learning.
How will you listen to students, families, educators and the broader community?
I feel as though I am a person who is present in the community and am quite reachable. I attend many school and community functions for people to find me. Ultimately, I know what it is like to be a community member and have children in our school. I would hope to have my thoughts, concerns and opinions be heard by those in a position of leadership within the district, therefore, I will do my best to hear the same from anyone who respectfully reaches out with theirs.
What will be your top priority if elected?
My top priority will be a continued focus on accountability, both from an educational responsibility to the students and staff but also a fiscal responsibility to our district's taxpayers. At the end of the day, I am looking forward to further building upon the work that I have been a part of during my previous four years as a Cleveland School Board member and continuing to represent our school and community with pride.