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Paul Thielen
Paul Thielen, 43, moved to Paynesville with his family in 1999. Of his five children, four have attended the Paynesville Public Schools, including three currently: Todd, a junior; Jessica, a sophomore; and Alexxis, 5, who has suffered from health problems for three years, uses preschool special education. (Another son, Tony, graduated from PAHS in 2003.)

A 1979 graduate of Grace High School in Fridley, now Totino-Grace High School, Thielen is a printer by trade but is now a stay-at-home dad until Alexxis gets medical clearance to attend daycare.

How should the school district maintain a balanced budget?

It appears that the budget has been balanced through various means. One of which is a levy. This is a short-term band-aid. I may not always pass a voter's referendum in the future. I would say that, after the four-lane highway comes through Paynesville, commutes to larger cities will be easier. Hopefully, more families will move to this area, and the district will increase enrollment.

What measures should the board take to deal with the impact of declining enrollment?

Stop the damage before it starts. Why is enrollment declining? Loss of families to the area? Are the students leaving due to open enrollment? I believe the board should try to balance attraction to the school for the students (and families) with the administration. I also believe that cuts in extracurricular activities draw students to other districts.

As more budget cuts become necessary, due to declining enrollment, what specific areas - arts, athletics, teaching staff, administration, etc. - would you target for reductions?

I grew up in the Twin Cities. My older children went to grade school/ middle school in the cities. Most schools there have one principal and one assistant principal. The middle school that they went to had 2,400 students. I would hope to reduce administration, keep the teaching staff intact, and push more funds that involve students and their activities. It appears that our district is top-heavy with administrators.

Bonnie Strobbe
Bonnie Strobbe, 56, has spent 51 years in education. The Iowa native taught, coached, and served as an athletics administrator, assistant principal, and principal during a 34-year education career, including 25 years at St. Paul Central.

For the past nine years - since moving to Lake Koronis full time - she has worked in St. Cloud and Sauk Rapids. She retired as principal of Mississippi Heights Middle School in June 2003.

How should the school district maintain a balanced budget?

I have to answer this simply because I don't have all the specific information regarding the district's finances. As a member of the board, it will be my responsibility that we make decisions based on the recommendations of the staff and are fiscally responsible to the community and the budget.

What measures should the board take to deal with the impact of declining enrollment?

First of all, I'd like to see what we can learn from our own open enrollment information and then the district should look at how we can maintain our own student population. From that, what do we need to let our neighbors know that would encourage them to enroll their students in Paynesville?

As more budget cuts become necessary, due to declining enrollment, what specific areas - arts, athletics, teaching staff, administration, etc. - would you target for reductions?

I would not "target" any area. I think it is getting the best minds together to make these difficult decisions. People need to realize there are no good or easy answers. The community needs to understand the board will try to make decisions that will have the least amount of impact on the quality of education.

Gretchen O'Fallon
Gretchen O'Fallon, 43, has served on the school board since 1996, when she was appointed to replace Velda Larson. She was re-elected to a four-year term in 1999 and has served two years as clerk.

O'Fallon, a 1977 PHS graduate, and her husband, Jim, currently have two children in the district: Bobby, a senior, and Russell, a seventh grader. Their daughter, Erin, graduated in 2001.

How should the school district maintain a balanced budget?

A balanced budget should always be a top priority. With funding constantly changing and usually behind, it is a challenge. All of us must be open to new ideas and new ways of operating our district.

What measures should the board take to deal with the impact of declining enrollment?

With families getting smaller and more mobile, declining enrollment is real for many districts. The board must always be, and presently are, looking at different ways of structuring our schools. We are trying to make the best use of what we have with regards to space and staff.

We need to, at the same time, keep improving on the great things we have to keep families here and be inviting to people who might move here. As more budget cuts become necessary, due to declining enrollment, what specific areas - arts, athletics, teaching staff, administration, etc. - would you target for reductions?

After being a part of two major budget cuts, I don't know that I really like the word "target." It is a healthy thing to review where we are spending our money. Students learn in many ways. I feel arts and athletics are also part of learning. We also need to keep qualified staff to lead. While respecting people's passions, we must look at the whole picture!

Lowell Haagenson
Lowell Haagenson, 43, served previously on the school board from 1995 to 1999, being elected in 1995 and resigning at the end of 1999.

Haagenson - who was born in Paynesville, moved away, and then moved back with his family 10 years ago - has two children in the district (Robert in ninth grade and Katrina in fifth grade), two children outside the district (including Laura, who attended school in Paynesville but is now a senior elsewhere), and a 13-month-old with his wife, Dorothy.

How should the school district maintain a balanced budget?

Act and plan within our means. There is a longer answer regarding the details of fund accounting, so let's talk more about this at the candidate forum (Thursday, Oct. 30).

What measures should the board take to deal with the impact of declining enrollment?

Care. Care to retain the students we do have by improving the quality of their Independent School District #741 experience. This is huge, and everyone has a significant role to play in this first step.

Secondly, "community." All groups interested in the development of the Paynesville community should be working together to create, market, and sell Paynesville Pride. Build that, and they'll come.

As more budget cuts become necessary, due to declining enrollment, what specific areas - arts, athletics, teaching staff, administration, etc. - would you target for reductions?

Don't target anything. It's too big of a mistake to target reductions. More important is a willingness to understand the bigger picture and frame the context within which priorities are established. Also, the public must remain informed, able to provide input, and educated on board findings and intentions. Informed decisions will be made and understood.