There is probably no other institution that reflects a community better or more accurately than its schools.  Schools reflect our virtues, our stains, our strengths and weaknesses.  When we walk through the doors of a school, we see ourselves.  Schools reflect us.  Schools are us!
If we see plush schools, it's because we are plush.  If we see kindness and respect in the hallways and classrooms, it's because we are kind and respectful.  If we see loose morals and language, it's because we have loose morals and language.  If we see good grammar and speech in our schools, it's because we see good grammar and speech at home and in the marketplace.
Schools don't come from out of nowhere.  They come from out of us.  Schools are us.
If we see discipline and self control in our classrooms, it is because we have discipline and self control.  If we see waste and inefficiency in school operations, we too are wasteful and inefficient.  If we see high academic standards and desire for knowledge, it's because we value high academic standards and we too desire knowledge.  Schools are us.
It therefore follows that when we improve ourselves, we improve our schools.  The converse is also true:  When we improve our schools, we improve ourselves.  Haven't you heard?  Life is a vicious cycle.  In this cycle there is often conflict because we don't agree on what "improve" means.
There are four open positions on our local school board and several candidates vying for those positions.  More precisely, there are seven candidates for three 4-year terms and three candidates for one 2-year term.  Each of the ten candidates received a short series of questions from the Gazette that might help us decide for whom to cast our votes on Tuesday, November 4th, 2003. 
Composites of the candidates, as seen here in the Victoria Gazette, are short and revealing of a philosophy of life that may or may not agree with yours.  When we cast our votes, we'll most likely be choosing people like ourselves.  It seems we want our views validated by others whether or not those views bear up under scrutiny.  Schools are us.
Thank you to each of the school board candidates who stepped forward to represent us.  Thank you for responding to my request for background information (where born and reared, length of time a District 112 resident, occupation, family) and giving replies to my five particular questions, which were as follows:
#1) The size of a basketball or football team doesn't change, but the size of the district continues to increase and the percentage of participants in such signature sports becomes minimal.  a) Is that fair to the average student athlete?  b) Might smaller school districts be as advantageous as smaller class sizes?  c) If so, when should we begin deconsolidation?
#2) What are essential elements (not general goals) of public education?
#3) What concerns guide you in making decisions that affect the lives of children?
#4) Are you a seeker of truth, and where do you look for it?
#5) Large salaries of school superintendents have been called into question by the Minnesota State Auditor.  What is the salary and benefit package for the Superintendent of School District 112, and what is your opinion about the size of it?

Mitch Anderson
2853 Timberview Trail
Chaska, MN 55318
"I was born and raised in Edina
where I attended public schools.  I gradu-ated from the University of MN with a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineer-ing.
"I have worked for the Hewlett-Packard Company (HP) for 20 years in various sales, marketing, and business management positions.  I am currently a strategic program manager in our worldwide Customer Support Group.
"My wife Jill and I have one son, Zachary, 5.  Zach is in his second year at ECFE and will attend kindergarten next year.  We have lived in Chaska 3 years."
#1) School size.  "There is only one starting varsity quarterback.  Whether that's one kid out of 100 or one out of 200, it's still just one.  So if our definition of participation is limited to the starters in the signature sports, we are in big trouble.
"The truth is there are lots of kids who have the opportunity to participate and add value to the team that don't necessarily make those few spots on the roster.  Let's make sure we provide broad opportunities and value all contributions.  I don't see deconsolidation or splitting the district to be an issue in the current plan-ning horizon."
#2) Essential elements.  "Parents and teachers are the essential elements of pub-lic education.  Making sure you have the absolute best teachers should be a very high priority.  Parents must be involved and supportive.  Beyond that, having good facilities, which create a positive learning environment, are pretty important."

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