Schools

Finalist to Be Chosen Tonight

The Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School Board will choose one of nine candidates to fill a seat left vacant by the resignation of Gail Morrison. Here is a brief summary of those in the running.

Caryl Breecher, Burnsville

Until recently, Breecher was a registered nurse, she said. She has taught nursing in the past at Abbott Northwestern Hospital School of Nursing, St. Mary's Junior College and Gustavus Adolphus College.

She holds a B.S. in education from the University of Minnesota and an MBC from the University of St. Thomas. She is a graduate of the Columbia Hospital School of Nursing in Milwaukee and even attended the William Mitchell College of Law for a year when considering a radical career change.

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In her application, she identified the district's three most important issues as declining student enrollment and resulting budget constraints, the role of magnet schools, and how to best prepare students for lifetime learning. 


Sheryl Burkhardt, Burnsville

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Burkhardt is a paraprofessional at the special education department of Shakopee High School. She has also worked as a paraprofessional at the prior Lake-Savage District, an ESL educational assistant at Metcalf Junior High School, and a elementary school tutor at the Lakeville School District.

She holds a B.S. in Business Administration from University of Wisconsin, River Falls.

In her application, Burkhardt identified the school district's three most pressing concerns as uncertainty of funding from state, graduation rate among minority students, and adapting to technology.

Steve Cherney, Burnsville

Cherney may be familiar to many in the city of Burnsville. For four years, Cherney served on the Burnsville City Council. He lost his seat in 2004 to sitting Council Member Dan Gustafson.

Cherney is a retired AT & T executive and the current operation director on the Burnsville Fire Muster Board. In his resume, he also describes himself "non-smoker and physically fit individual." 

He holds a Master's in Public Administration from University of Nebraska and a Bachelor's in general studies from the same.

Cherney believes that the three biggest issues facing the district are funding from the state, changing demographics, and adapting to a changing community. 

Steve Dove, Burnsville 

Dove spent 15 years as the assistant principal and athletic director at Edina High School and 40 years in education overall. Currently he is an adjunct professor at the University of St. Thomas. He also has a military background: He retired from US Army Reserve in 2000.

Dove holds two Master's degrees from the University of Minnesota in Educational Administration and Physical Education. He also hols a degree from St. Cloud University in Phys Ed and a B.A. from Concordia College in Moorhead.

In his opinion, the three biggest issues in the district ate demographic changes, measurement of performance (graduation standards, assessment, No Child Left Behind), and funding of the operational budget. 

Mark Korman, Burnsville

Korman has a background in finance and accounting. He has worked for RELS as an escrow accountant (2010), Lawson Software, ING, Cargill and United HealthCare Corporation over the course of his career.

He holds a B.S. from the University of Minnesota.

Korman said the three issues that concern him most are funding, buildings, and curriculum. In his application he wrote that today "kids don't get enough history, english and mathematics" and that the goal of education should be to produce "well-rounded and intelligent adults."

Seema Pothini, Savage

Pothini is currently an Educational Equity and Diversity Consultant. She is also the president of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education and Avenues for Homeless Youth in Minneapolis. In the past, she has been an integration specialist for Osseo Public Schools, a sixth-grade teacher in Houston, TX and involved in Teach for America as well.

She holds a Master's in education from Hamline University and a B.A. in sociology from the University of Minnesota.

In her opinion, the district's most pressing concerns are to increase student achievement, maintain a budget that optimizes district fulfillment of goals and objectives, and increase community support for our schools.

William Randall, Eagan

Randall is a project manager for the Tonka Equipment company in Plymouth.

He believes that the district's three biggest issues are its financial well-being, the community education program, and the physical plant (facility maintenance and improvement).


Clynt Reddy, Burnsville

Reddy himself is a relatively recent graduate of the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District. He was the valedictorian of BHS's class of 2005.

Since that time he has earned a B.S. in religious studies from the University of Minnesota and established a student-led ministry called Rampage in 2006. He is currently a senior team leader for Feed My Starving Children, where he started in 2008. He listed state Sen. Dan Hall as a reference.

Reddy believes that the three most pressing concerns for the district are student performance, parental involvement, and "lack of community buy in for district."

Robert VandenBoom, Eagan

VandenBoom is currently a senior marketing manager for the Toro Company. Previously he was the worldwide director of marketing for Check Technology Corporation/Delphax Technologies. In the past, he also owned a consulting company from 1998 to 2000.

He holds a Master's of Business Administration from Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota and a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, also from the U of M.

He cites "declining enrollment and increasing competition, parent and community involvement, diversity in schools and community" as the district's biggest issues.


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