Meet Rae Piepho, candidate for the I.S.D. School Board

Rae Piepho

The Cook County News-Herald reached out to Rae Piepho, Lutsen, and asked her some questions about why she is running for the I.S.D. 166 school board. Below are her answers.

I am running for the ISD 166 District 5 School Board position because the children in this district deserve the best education we can provide them, and for many that is not evidenced by academic results in this district: 29% proficiency in math; 52% in reading for 2021.

The average English, Math, and Composite American College Test (ACT) scores among Minnesota’s high school graduating class of 2022 are the lowest they have been in at least a decade, according to a report by ACT, the non-profit organization that administers the college readiness exam. Nationwide, ACT scores are the lowest they have been in 30 years. Those taking the exam averaged 19.8 out of 30 possible points-the first time since 1991 that the average score was below 20.

Each student needs to be prepared when they graduate to be the best they can be at whatever path they choose, whether it is higher education at a college or university; a vocational school; to enter the military, or the work force. They will be our future leaders, business owners, professionals, good workers, and parents!

They need to know the basics, having had a good foundation in the early years in reading, arithmetic; learning their multiplication tables, not depending on a handheld device! A contractor in my district said that if he didn’t know his multiplication tables, and how to figure square footage, etc. in many locations in this county where he has jobs there is no internet service. If he had to depend on a hand-held device, he would be up a creek! My daughter who is a lead teacher of 6th graders in a charter school said, “ I have the multiplication tables printed out on a sheet for my students, but that sheet is a like a crutch. I tell them, “A crutch is something you have to use for a limited time to get around after you have had an injury or surgery. You do not want to use it for the rest of your life. Could you use it for the rest of your life? You could, but it would be cumbersome, inconvenient, a hassle. So, learn these tables, memorize them, then you can throw the crutch away, and never need it again. Then you will be prepared to go on to higher math and all of the many daily things you do that will make you so glad you memorized your tables.” Sara went on to say that she does not have the time to drill her students individually on their tables. They have to do that at home, or have someone who can do that with them.

In grade school they learn good social skills of respect for others, getting along with fellow students in the classroom, respecting teachers and administrators, and all adult staff, and being treated with respect by each of those adults. As they move into middle school and high school becoming proficient in math, reading, science, history (our true history, with all of its human mistakes and glorious achievements!), opportunities in AP classes that will transfer for college; vocational training (CCHS has a state-of-the-art shop. Is it being used to the fullest? We also have a state-of-the-art kitchen. How might each student benefit from it for a quarter or more, learning the basic food groups, how to cook a healthy meal, making some fun things like cream puffs!?) Phy. Ed, basic knowledge in life skills: How to think critically, how to balance a check book; count back change (what if the store computers shut down, or you have a power outage?) writing a resume’. School is about EDUCATION. Not indoctrination. Teachers need to leave politics and their personal ideology out of the classroom.

Q- What changes do you think the school board can make to have the school run more effectively and raise test scores?

I want to see more transparency between teachers and parents on what is happening in the classroom: what is the curriculum being used, and if there is curriculum being used that conflicts with their family values, the parents have the right to opt their child out; any kind of survey that will be presented to students, needs to be presented to the parents for their approval first. Parents have a right to know everything that happens in the school that affects their child. The school has no right to ask for personal information that parents do not choose to share. These children belong to their parents, not the school.

Teachers are not counselors. They do not need to encourage or affirm a student’s gender choice. They need to treat each student with respect, and as a teacher said who was responding to the new proposed licensure requirements regarding Critical Race Theory from the Professional Educators Licensure Standards Board, PELSB, a governor appointed committee, “Do they really think that I as an educated, trained, licensed teacher do not know how to treat each of my students with respect?” There is one race, the human race. There are many ethnicities, and skin colors. They each need to be treated with respect; however, they do not need to be singled out as needing special treatment.

I attended the open house at the beginning of the school year. I wanted to visit the classrooms and see what the teachers thought was important to have on their walls for the parents and students to see. In one classroom were an Ojibway Grandfather’s Core Values. Cultivating these values would build good character in anyone. What do they mean?

Humility- Esteeming others higher than ourselves.

Love -Wanting the best for someone. Sometimes love has to be tough as steel.

Respect- Treating others as you would want them to treat you, in words and deeds.

Honesty- Speaking the truth, in love; being trustworthy, having integrity.

Courage- Willing to do or say the right thing, regardless of the consequences.

Truth- Something is true or it’s not. Pilate said, “What is truth?” Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no man comes to the Father except through me.”

Wisdom- Applied knowledge. Taking your knowledge and doing something with it.

Are these wonderful character traits being encouraged in our school?

The school board needs to focus on academics, and all of the need-to-learn things that I have already written about are the reasons I am running.

I would like to encourage adults in our community who care about kids, and would be good role models for them, to give an hour a week, or whatever they could, to help kids who need some help with their math: addition, subtraction, division, multiplication tables, and higher math; reading, grammar, English and any other way that they could bring their experience, education, vocational training to help these students master the subject. Parents who just do not have the time or energy at the end of the day to help their child/children with schoolwork, could request help from the volunteer pool. I will be part of that pool in English, and reading, even multiplication and arithmetic flash cards. I want to see a thriving P.T.A. Andrea Peterson, an award-winning, Minnesota Teacher of the Year, and I worked to start P.T.A. as a bridge for communication between parents and teachers, and it is a very-much-needed organization that can contribute to our students’ success in school.

I would like to see some changes in location, etc. for school board meetings that I believe would encourage more parents and citizens to participate. I have watched school board meetings on zoom, and recently attended a school board meeting. The room is small; each school board member has a desk with a lap top; the screen is on the wall behind the chairs for attendees, for which there was room for about five chairs. It was very hard to hear what the presenters were saying.

I would like to see: A larger room that would accommodate more attendees.

A microphone at each desk, like they have at the commissioner’s meetings.

The screen needs to be on the wall behind the presenters, since, I would think, they are seeing the same information on their laptops.

Q- What are your feelings about the proposed voter referendum to extend the levy for ten years?

Due to the state of our economy, and believing that money is not the answer to our academic short comings, I do not support the levy extension. The cost per pupil in this district is about $22,300; the state funds about $16,920 of that, the Federal about $700. The mean cost per pupil in our state is about $14,700. Yes, we have some long bus routes, yes, we have a small enrollment, we have smaller classes (according to the district website, a 9 to 1 student to teacher average ratio), but what all explains the disparity of $7,000 + I wonder? When I met with Theresa Oberg, the new Business Manager, who was very helpful, by the way, I asked what the referendum levy pays for? She said the levy is part of the general budget. In an email I asked her how many teachers there are and what is the average salary for teachers. She responded: There are 49 teachers, and the average cost to the district is $70,000. The superintendent has sent a letter to each of the Cook County households explaining the need for the levy, and there is information on the district website.

We have super inflation happening right now for necessities, with our costs for food, gas, heating, and for we taxpayers (every elected official needs to consider every one of those dollars they spend are hard-earned taxpayer dollars!) Braidy Powers, our County Auditor, stated we will pay the following levies as they stand today:

Most of us in the county are having to ”tighten our belts.” I believe the school district needs to do the same. They have to consider the needs they have, the resources they have to meet them, and how best to invest the taxpayer’s hard-earned dollars.

Q- In the past I.S.D. has gone to four-day weeks to save money. If fuel costs go way up, would you consider a four-day school week?

My cousin Tom and his wife Trina taught school at Black Duck, MN until they retired a couple of years ago. Tom is on a long-term sub job right now. Black Duck went to a four-day school week because of costs 13 years ago. They graduated their first class that had only a four-day school week last June. He was very helpful, and he said it has been a very good arrangement for their schools, but took some time to adjust to, which is certainly expected. They have school Tuesday-Friday, with Mondays off. The heat is turned down, Fri. – Mon., unless there is an athletic event scheduled for Monday because of schools’ schedules. If it is an athletic practice in the winter on Monday, the coaches and kids tough it out!

In the beginning, parents were concerned about day care, their work schedule, etc. Mondays off mean more babysitting age kids were available to help; some businesses that could scheduled around the new schedule, kids who worked after school could work that day. Some parents have remarked to Tom that Sunday is a “family day” again. Having that extra day to catch up on homework has been a positive.

Schools have to have “their ducks in a row” when they apply to the state for a four-day school week. Academic scores have to meet state standards. Trina added, that the teachers are required to have the same facetime hours with students as with the five-day week, so it necessitates longer days, two snack times, morning and afternoon. Tom said the district needed to make financial adjustments for hourly workers, i.e.; bus drivers, cooks, janitors, etc. The school had to reapply every three years, and was on a probationary period for a time. They had to keep their test scores up throughout the grades, too.

So, yes, I would certainly look at the possibility, if we met the state guidelines, and parents, the district, and community could come to an agreement to try it.

Why should voters cast their ballot for you?

A- We have four kids and 8 grandkids. Our four kids graduated from CCHS and are happy, contributing citizens: Karla and David are entrepreneurs with their own businesses, Sara is a terrific teacher in a charter school with 22 6th grade students, 16 of whom are Somali, Tim was an honor grad from UMD, had four years active duty in the Navy, and resigned from the reserves after 32 years where he was assigned in Anchorage, Alaska while furthering his education in Soldatna, Alaska. He is enhancing the lives of men and women vets in a job he loves and was certainly prepared to do at the Vet’s Home in Silver Bay.

Our grandchildren have been good students because of their parents’ and their teacher’s fine jobs of involving their schooling. We are proud of every one of them, and the hard-work ethic they have learned.

I want to be there for the students, their parents and their teachers, and administrators. Teachers have a hard, but much-needed job, and certainly need our support. Parents raising their families have a very tough job in this very confused, morally bankrupt in many ways, culture. And the kids are growing up in a very tough cultural environment. There is a war for the minds, souls and bodies of these children, and we had better be ready to stand up against this onslaught!

My faith has led me to run for the school board. My faith is in Jesus Christ who created each of us in His own image, and loves us so much! He knows each of these children, their parents, their teachers, everybody in their lives and wants the best for each one of them. In His Word, the Bible, the most banned book in the world, though it has survived over 6,000 years, and has the answers for each person’s life, and the question: What is life all about? 911 was a very frightening time for everyone in our country. That fearsome, terrorist attack left nearly 3,000 dead, and had our nation reeling at the reality that we were that vulnerable. Recently our president said, “We are nearer to nuclear Armageddon than we have been since the Cuban crisis.”

In the meantime, how shall we live? We need to do our best to raise, and educate this generation of children. That’s why I am running, and I would surely value your vote on November 8.