Laura Gapske
2024 - Present
2027
1
Laura Gapske is a member of the Superior School District school board, At-large in Wisconsin. She assumed office in 2024. Her current term ends in 2027.
Gapske (Democratic Party) ran for election to the Wisconsin State Assembly to represent District 73. She lost in the general election on November 8, 2022.
Gapske completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. Click here to read the survey answers.
Biography
Gapske's professional experience includes working as a child safety consultant for the Minnesota Department of Human Services, first witness trainer for the Gundersen National Child Protection Training Center, forensic program coordinator and multidisciplinary team coordinator for the First Witness Child Advocacy Center, co-facilitator for the Domestic Abuse Intervention Project, and domestic abuse program coordinator and shelter case manager for the Center Against Sexual & Domestic Abuse, Inc. In February 2020, she started a small business, LG Principles, LLC. Gapske served for six years on the Superior School Board. She earned a bachelor's degree in sociology from the University of Wisconsin at Superior. As of March 2024, she was attending Hamline University with the intent to graduate with a master's degree in May 2024.[1][2]
Elections
2022
See also: Wisconsin State Assembly elections, 2022
General election
General election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 73
Angie Sapik defeated Laura Gapske in the general election for Wisconsin State Assembly District 73 on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Angie Sapik (R)  | 50.8 | 13,268 |
 | Laura Gapske (D) | 49.0 | 12,778 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 55 | ||
| Total votes: 26,101 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 73
Laura Gapske advanced from the Democratic primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 73 on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Laura Gapske | 99.6 | 5,569 |
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.4 | 23 | ||
| Total votes: 5,592 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 73
Angie Sapik defeated Scott Luostari in the Republican primary for Wisconsin State Assembly District 73 on August 9, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Angie Sapik | 57.8 | 2,872 |
| Scott Luostari | 41.9 | 2,081 | ||
| Other/Write-in votes | 0.2 | 12 | ||
| Total votes: 4,965 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Campaign finance
Endorsements
To view Gapske's endorsements in the 2022 election, please click here.
2017
Two seats on the Superior School District school board were up for at-large general election on April 4, 2017. In their bids for re-election to the board, incumbents Steven Stupak and Mary Klun were defeated by challengers Laura Gapske and Mary Smith-Johnson.[3][4]
Results
| Superior School District, At-large General Election, 3-year terms, 2017 |
||
|---|---|---|
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
 Laura Gapske |
33.73% | 2,897 |
| Mary Smith-Johnson |
23.91% | 2,053 |
| Steven Stupak Incumbent | 21.44% | 1,841 |
| Mary Klun Incumbent | 20.92% | 1,797 |
| Total Votes | 8,588 | |
| Source: Superior School District, "School Board Election: April 4, 2017 Spring Election," accessed May 2, 2017 | ||
Funding
Gapske filed an exemption statement detailing she would not spend or receive more than $2,000 toward her campaign. Because of this, she did not have to file additional campaign finance reports.[5]
Endorsements
Gapske was endorsed by the Wisconsin AFL-CIO, the Superior Federation of Labor, the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans, and the organization Wisconsin Progress.[6][7][8][9]
Campaign themes
2022
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Laura Gapske completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2022. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Gapske's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
| Collapse all
For more than 18 years, my voice has remained strong, steady, and fierce on issues that matter. In February 2021, I developed my own LLC to provide expert witness, professional forensic interviewing, and consulting services within the legal systems. I created my small business to fill the gap in the system to support child victims, families, and prosecutors that hold offenders accountable.
I believe that together we can ensure our communities receive equitable resources and have a seat at all decision-making tables in Madison. I will be the person you can depend on to be there.- MEDICARE FOR ALL ISSUE: Healthcare is a fundamental human right. No one should face the challenges of untreated medical needs, mental health services, or access to prescriptions. Medicare for All (MFA) solves insurance premium issues based on employment. SOLUTIONS: MFA would provide complete and equitable coverage including codifying access to abortion care and reduce discrimination of our LGBTQ communities. Medical decisions should be made between an individual and their medical provider. The government should not impose limitations on access to these decisions. I support the passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act. Additionally, accessibility to mental health providers in rural communities is desperately needed.
- PUBLIC EDUCATION: Investment in teachers, students, and the long-term stability of Wisconsin’s workforce and aging population. The quality of education has a direct impact on tax dollars spent on public service programs, especially for students who are truant or involved with the justice system. Since Act 10 and Right to Work legislation by Gov. Walker, the pair of policies decimated union workers and particularly teachers' ability to bargain, and cut millions from our public school funding. The fallout emboldened the private school voucher program which led to further inequity in education.
- COMMUNITY SAFETY: Legislators need to support community safety with creative solutions. Our patrol police officers shouldn’t be overwhelmed by calls they are not adequately trained to respond to. Community based-organizations have stepped up to meet needs in a variety of ways. Investing in our community organizational partners should not be an option but part of a community wrap-around approach.
Public Education
Community Safety
Environment
Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.
2017
Ballotpedia survey responses
Laura Gapske participated in Ballotpedia's 2017 survey of school board candidates.[10] In response to the question "What do you hope to achieve if elected to the school board?" the candidate stated on February 26, 2017:
| “ | My opponents have personal advances to being voted on the school board and have been unable to adhere to the Philosophy of the Board. In the past year, only three of the seven school board members maintained two way communication with myself as a citizen of the district. The philosophy states citizens should be urged to bring their aspirations and concerns about the district to attention. It’s been unclear to me if they are interested in meeting the desires of residents. Communication is essential. I sense the current school board does not represent our community. I have managed raising two boys with a lower income which furthers my understanding of the struggles of a large portion of our community. It’s time to bring more balance with a progressive perspective to our Superior School District Board. I am devoted to and passionate about contributing to the work involved in the growth of our strong school district with hopes to retain our amazing youth in this area. We should drive to motivate students to invest in our community. I would be honored to put my expertise, knowledge, and relationships to work for the School District of Superior.[11][12] | ” |
Ranking the issues
The candidate was asked to rank the following issues based on how they should be prioritized by the school board, with 1 being the most important and 7 being the least important. Each ranking could only be used once.
| Education policy |
|---|
 |
Click here to learn more about education policy in Wisconsin. |
| Education on the ballot |
| Issue importance ranking | |
|---|---|
| Candidate's ranking | Issue |
| Improving education for special needs students | |
| Closing the achievement gap | |
| Balancing or maintaining the district's budget | |
| Improving relations with teachers | |
| Improving post-secondary readiness | |
| Expanding arts education | |
| Expanding school choice options | |
| “ | Students and families must come first with board decisions.[12] | ” |
| —Laura Gapske (February 26, 2017) | ||
Positions on the issues
The candidate was asked to answer eight questions from Ballotpedia regarding significant issues in education and the school district. The questions are highlighted in blue and followed by the candidate's responses. Some questions provided multiple choices, which are noted after those questions. The candidate was also provided space to elaborate on their answers to the multiple choice questions.
| Should new charter schools be approved in your district? (Not all school boards are empowered to approve charter schools. In those cases, the candidate was directed to answer the question as if the school board were able to do so.) |
|---|
| No. |
| Which statement best describes the ideal relationship between the state government and the school board? The state should always defer to school board decisions, defer to school board decisions in most cases, be involved in the district routinely or only intervene in severe cases of misconduct or mismanagement. |
| The state should defer to school board decisions in most cases. |
| Are standardized tests an accurate metric of student achievement? |
| No. |
| How should the district handle underperforming teachers? Terminate their contract before any damage is done to students, offer additional training options, put them on a probationary period while they seek to improve or set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district? |
| Offer additional training options. Offer additional training options. Set up a mentorship program for the underperforming teacher with a more experienced teacher in the district. |
| Should teachers receive merit pay? |
| No. |
| Should the state give money to private schools through a voucher system or scholarship program? |
| No. My son attended a private school up until Kindergarten. It was an amazing school. Yet, until there is more oversight and accountability with charter schools as are in place with public schools. I don't agree with increasing funds to private or charter schools. They should have to be transparent as our public schools are due to receiving public dollars. |
| How should expulsion be used in the district? |
| To keep students safe and in extreme circumstances when lacking other feasible options. |
| What's the most important factor for success in the classroom: student-teacher ratio, the curriculum, teachers, parent involvement or school administration? |
| Teachers |
Candidate website
Gapske highlighted the following statement on her campaign website:
| “ | I’m a passionate, grassroots leader who creates community channels which foster spaces to listen and share experiences with other people, while further developing and improving the system and/or institutional response.
I applied for the vacant position last year. In preparing myself for candidacy, I met with parents, teachers, and administration to hear from those working in and with the education system directly. Many of them spoke to the importance of providing a responsive, research-based, child-centered philosophy in education and programming. Not being appointed the position has provided me with more time to dig more in-depth to prepare for the school board election. I look forward to continuing to meet with other key community stakeholders and school district staff during this election. Many of my fellow community members and peers asked me to apply for this position upon meeting with them, which acknowledged their trust in my abilities. I look forward the hard work set forth by the board, while simultaneously contributing my unique skills especially as the agenda continues to grow through the approved referendum struggles to benefit our children and invest in this community. In every aspect of my life I promote equity and inclusion, while dismantling the barriers caused by misunderstandings. I have an astute knowledge of the many barriers and challenges children and families face. I have deep roots in numerous neighborhoods from being raised in the Superior Housing Authority-Kelly Park public housing, South End, and currently living in the East End of Superior. I attended Cooper Elementary School, Central Jr. High, and Superior Senior High School. It was my connection to this community that encouraged me to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a concentration in Cultural Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Superior after high school graduation. By attending these schools, I made connections with district staff and teachers which positively impacted my education and ability to graduate. Every student deserves access to these nurturing relationships and meaningful connections with district staff. Professionally, I am accustomed to applying and synthesizing feedback and research to meaningfully solve problems, in this way. I fully believe in this community because I see the young people of Superior stepping up to contribute to problem solve and improve our community with renewed ideas and energy. We must invest in them now. I am devoted to and passionate about the work involved in continuing the growth of our strong school district to retain our amazing youth in this area with the motivation to invest in our community. I would be honored to put my expertise, knowledge, and relationships to work for the School District of Superior. I hope I can count on your vote in the primary on February 21st and VOTE on April 4th, 2017![12] |
” |
| —Laura Gapske (2017)[13] | ||
See also
2022 Elections
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Laura Gapske for Superior School District Board, "About," accessed March 27, 2017
- ↑ Ballotpedia staff, "Email communication with Laura Gapske," March 6, 2024
- ↑ Superior School District, "APRIL 4, 2017 SPRING ELECTION," accessed January 5, 2017
- ↑ Dane County Clerk, "2017 Spring Election Unofficial Canvass," accessed April 4, 2017
- ↑ Abbey Smith, “Email communication with Joan Parenteau, Administrative Assistant/Deputy Clerk/School Board Secretary, Superior School District," March 28, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin AFL-CIO, "Spring Election Endorsed Candidates," March 9, 2017
- ↑ Superior Telegram, "Superior school race heats up," March 24, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans, "WIARA Spring Election Endorsements," March 17, 2017
- ↑ Wisconsin Progress, "Our Endorsements for Spring 2017," accessed March 30, 2017
- ↑ Note: The candidate's answers have been reproduced here verbatim without edits or corrections by Ballotpedia.
- ↑ Ballotpedia School Board Candidate Survey, 2017, "Laura Gapske's responses," February 26, 2017
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Laura Gapske for Superior School District Board, "About," accessed March 16, 2017
