Paul Wikstrom (Mounds View Public Schools, At-large, Minnesota, candidate 2023)

Paul Wikstrom

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Nonpartisan

Candidate, Mounds View Public Schools, At-large

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 7, 2023

Education

Bachelor's

University of Minnesota, Institute of Technology, 1987

Graduate

University of St. Thomas, 1997

Personal

Profession

Engineering manager

Contact

Campaign website

Paul Wikstrom ran for election for an at-large seat of the Mounds View Public Schools in Minnesota. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 7, 2023.^[source]

Wikstrom completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Elections

Per our coverage scope, Ballotpedia does not provide election results for this particular race. Check your city or county government's election website for vote totals.

General election

General election for Mounds View Public Schools, At-large (4 seats)

The following candidates ran in the general election for Mounds View Public Schools, At-large on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Heidi Caccamo (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Heidi Danielson (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Jim DeMay (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Mark Kelliher (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Andre M. Koen (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Art Mills (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Alissa Daire Nelson (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Rich Priore (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Jon VanOeveren (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Jonathan Weinhagen (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Paul Wikstrom (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= 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.

Endorsements

Wikstrom received the following endorsements.

• Minnesota Parents Alliance

Pledges

Wikstrom signed the following pledges.

• Foundation Against Intolerance & Racism

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Paul Wikstrom completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Wikstrom's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am the parent of three children who graduated from Mounds View School District, and have lived in Shoreview since 1996. I was active as a coach in youth soccer and basketball at multiple age levels. Coaching gave me an awareness of the importance of caring for each child/player and how a caring environment translates to the player's success on and off the field!

I have served in multiple non-profit organization boards facilitating strategic planning and implementation. I have served in multiple roles on a youth soccer club board including field coordinator and president. These roles gave me valuable experience through extensive collaboration with cities and school districts. I have engineering management experience in safety-critical industries, I understand the importance of a strong foundational education for those pursuing the trades or college! I have a track record of mentoring high performing team members, and forming collaborative teams across cultures. I know the importance of being an active listener to achieve positive outcomes! As a certified flight instructor, I know that providing a safe and knowledge-based learning environment is essential to the student! I am a volunteer Wings of Mercy Pilot and a 2021-trained Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) volunteer.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• School safety: we need to provide a safe environment for the students, teachers and staff.
• Academic achievement: based on standardized test scores on a ten year downward trend, and feedback from parents and teachers the district academic performance is declining.
• Parents working with teachers: our parents must work with teachers to provide the supportive learning and social environment that the students need.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

Providing a positive environment that supports productive learning, and gives students hope! I want our schools to become a fun, highly social environments that develops leaders and productive members of society.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

To act with high integrity, build trust with the constituents and stakeholders, and serve the needs of the district.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

I am an effective active listener and have a track record of resolving difficult, conflict situations.

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

I worked for a general aviation Fixed Base Operator (FBO) to earn money to pay for my private pilot training. I was 14 and worked that job for 2 years.

What is your favorite book? Why?

Kill Devil Hill. It is an amazing book about the Wright brothers and the significant problems they solved to achieve powered flight. The book also reveals the human side of their story.

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

The responsibilities are spelled out under Minnesota state statue: "123B.09 BOARDS OF INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS."

Subd. 7.Policy making. The board shall make, and when deemed advisable, change or repeal rules relating to the organization and management of the board and the duties of its officers.

Subd. 8.Duties. The board must superintend and manage the schools of the district; adopt rules for their organization, government, and instruction; keep registers; and prescribe textbooks and courses of study. The board may enter into an agreement with a postsecondary institution for secondary or postsecondary nonsectarian courses to be taught at a secondary school, nonsectarian postsecondary institution, or another location.

Who are your constituents?

The families and residents within Mounds View School District, ISD621.

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

MN Parents Alliance

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

The school board needs to provide multiple avenues for feedback from parents and residents within the district: feedback at the regular school board meetings, informal feedback sessions, one on one meetings, anonymous survey responses. Ultimately, the school board and district should be transparent.

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.

Other survey responses

Ballotpedia identified the following surveys, interviews, and questionnaires Wikstrom completed for other organizations. If you are aware of a link that should be added, email us.

• Minnesota Parents Alliance
• Saint Paul Pioneer Press

See also

2023 Elections

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Candidate

Mounds View Public Schools, At-large

Website