Warroad School Board Election 2024 Guide

KAXE contacted each candidate twice using the contact information submitted to the Secretary of State’s Office to invite them to participate in our election guide.

Candidates’ answers have not been edited and will be published as submitted.

When necessary, our news team added contextual information, clearly marked with an “Editor’s Note” and in italics, although responses were not uniformly fact-checked. With our small team of three, we are not able to proactively fact-check every statement the candidate makes. However, we will do our best to note any inaccuracies if they become known to us.

Please contact our news team at [email protected] if you have any questions, comments, or would like to report bugs.

KAXE’s election guide only includes candidates in contested races. Visit our full list of candidates for office in northern Minnesota to see who else is on the ballot.

Homepage of the election guide

Cindy Drost

Incumbent: Yes

KAXE has not received a response from this candidate.

Jess Edgerton

Incumbent: NO

KAXE has not received a response from this candidate.

Damian McMillin

Incumbent: NO

KAXE has not received a response from this candidate.

Robyn Rolli

Incumbent: NO
Age on election day: 43
Place of residence/municipality: War Street

Where are you currently employed and what is your role?
Stay home, mom

Please share any previous experience that you believe would qualify you for the position.
Parents of 3 school-age children, foster parents for 10 years.

Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.
Develop policies and hold the school district accountable for the ever-changing environment in which we live.

Why are you running for office?
I am running for school board to help develop policies that will help our children continue to thrive in a world that is changing by the minute. It is very important to continue to bring fresh eyes and ideas to our community so that our school district can run at full speed and our children can have the best educational experience possible.

What are your priorities if elected? Please describe specific goals.
Teacher retention. I believe it is critically important to retain teachers in positions where they can best serve their students.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing your district and how do you plan to overcome them?
I think the challenges facing Warroad are the same as most communities and how to continue to adapt to the changing environment around them. We live in a world of instant gratification; It is important to take the time to complete tasks correctly and not always quickly.

High taxes are a concern for many northern Minnesotans. Please tell us your specific opinion on taxes and how you would like to ensure that tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively.
Continue to effectively control the school budget.

How do you plan to improve transparency and trust in your school board?
Encourage residents to attend school board meetings to be an informed citizen.

Marques A. Stricker

Incumbent: NO
Age on election day: 41
Place of residence/municipality: Laona Municipality

Where are you currently employed and what is your role?
Farmers Union Oil Company of Warroad – CEO

Please share any previous experience that you believe would qualify you for the position.
I was fortunate to have a leadership career where I was successful in senior and managerial positions while managing budgets of $200 million. I have been responsible for the livelihoods of many employees and have had the privilege of working with remarkable people who make a positive impact. My success comes from rolling up my sleeves, putting in the effort, working as a team, maintaining high expectations, being transparent, and holding myself and others accountable.

Please describe the roles and responsibilities of the office you are running for.
School board members have a wide range of responsibilities, including hiring and evaluating the district superintendent, establishing and maintaining district policies, monitoring and approving annual budgets, sharing vision, setting goals, implementing goals, ensuring of progress and accountability and supporting the school board’s educational experience of our students.

Why are you running for office?
I am running for this position because I believe in our school system and have a personal interest in a high-quality, innovative educational experience for all children in our district. I bring extensive leadership experience and want to share my talents, time and experiences to add value to our teachers and support staff who have the opportunity to provide a high quality, comprehensive learning experience for our children and our district’s stakeholders.

What are your priorities if elected? Please describe specific goals.
My priorities include attracting and retaining highly qualified educators and staff, raising and maintaining district standards, promoting honest and transparent communication within the district, and providing innovative learning opportunities to better prepare students for a diverse world.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing your district and how do you plan to overcome them?
I believe the greatest challenge facing our district is attracting and retaining quality, innovative educators and qualified support staff. I do not believe our current approach is sustainable, especially when we take into account the significant turnover in recent years and the impending retirements of teachers. I believe that it is important to think outside the box and not settle for innovative ideas and concepts to ensure that we can continue to offer a high level of education in the years to come.

High taxes are a concern for many northern Minnesotans. Please tell us your specific opinion on taxes and how you would like to ensure that tax dollars are used efficiently and effectively.
I want to ensure that taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently and effectively by being present and involved in the oversight and approval of annual county budgets. If the expense does not result in a better educational experience, it should not be included in the annual budget.

How do you plan to improve transparency and trust in your school board?
Continue ongoing efforts to hold well-communicated meetings and encourage community participation and feedback.

Stephen A. Symes

Incumbent: NO

KAXE has not received a response from this candidate.

Back to the voting guide

Do you still have questions for the candidates? Contact information for those running for office can be found at Candidates.sos.state.mn.us.