Anna Dirkswager

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Anna Dirkswager

Nonpartisan

Prior offices

Anoka-Hennepin Board of Education District 4

Successor: Matt Audette

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Contact

Personal website

Anna Dirkswager was a member of the Anoka-Hennepin School District school board in Minnesota, representing District 4. Dirkswager assumed office on January 9, 2018. Dirkswager left office on January 1, 2022.

Dirkswager ran for re-election to the Anoka-Hennepin School District school board to represent District 4 in Minnesota. Dirkswager won in the general election on November 7, 2017.

Elections

2017

See also: Anoka-Hennepin School District elections (2017)

Three of the six seats on the Anoka-Hennepin School District school board in Minnesota were up for nonpartisan general election on November 7, 2017. In his bid for re-election to the District 3 seat, incumbent Bill Harvey defeated challenger Jessica Geisler. District 4 incumbent William Fields did not file to run for re-election, which guaranteed a newcomer was elected to the board. Anna Dirkswager and Brian Herda ran for that open seat, and Dirkswager won election to the board. In District 6, incumbent Jeff Simon ran unopposed and won another term.

Results

Anoka-Hennepin School District, District 4 General Election, 4-year term, 2017
Candidate	Vote %	Votes
Anna Dirkswager	51.16%	2,751
Brian Herda	47.76%	2,568
Write-in votes	1.08%	58
Total Votes		5,377
Source: Anoka-Hennepin School District, "Certificate of Clerk," November 13, 2017

Funding

See also: Campaign finance in the Anoka-Hennepin School District election

Dirkswager reported $6,575.00 in contributions and $5,873.02 in expenditures to the Anoka County Elections & Voter Registration Office, which left her campaign with $701.98 on hand in the election.

Endorsements

Dirkswager was endorsed by the Anoka Hennepin Education MN Union, the Minneapolis Regional Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, the SEIU Minnesota State Council, and womenwinning.

Campaign themes

2017

ABC Newspapers survey

Dirkswager participated in the following survey conducted by ABC Newspapers. The survey questions appear bolded, and Dirkswager's responses follow below.

1. Why are you running for School Board?

“	I am running to ensure that my kids and my communities’ kids receive the very best education possible and that they are equipped for success in the future. My two young children will go to school in this district for the next 12-15 years. Strong public schools are the foundation for building healthy and successful individuals and communities, and I decided that the best way to guarantee this success was not to rely on someone else to make good decisions, but to do it myself.	”
—Anna Dirkswager (2017)

2. What is Anoka-Hennepin’s biggest strength and largest weakness?

“	Anoka-Hennepin’s greatest strength is its teachers and educators. I believe we have top-notch teachers and educators who are committed to academic success and truly care about our children succeeding both in and outside the classroom. Supporting the people who spend the better portion of each day with our kids working to ensure that they grow and learn in a safe and welcoming environment is a priority of mine. Our greatest weakness is our need to address the challenge of doing more with less while continuing to maintain our strong record of academic success. Issues such as large class sizes, crowded spaces, pressure from state testing standards, available funding, mental health resources and student safety are all issues that compromise a student’s ability to achieve his/her maximum potential. These challenges are complex and inter-related, and the success of our students attending the Anoka-Hennepin schools will be directly linked to the board’s ability to work on these complex challenges and make tough decisions.	”
—Anna Dirkswager (2017)

3. With voters also heading to the polls to decide on two refrendum[sic] questions, what are your opinions about the $249 million bond issue and 10-year $226.20 per pupil levy that are proposed? What do you think is necessary to make the district “Fit for the Future”?

“	I am strongly in support of both questions on the referendum, and I believe that voting in favor of the levy is not only in the best interest of our kids, but ultimately, in the best interest of our communities. Removing the 62 portable classrooms in the interest of student safety, building additions at existing facilities and new schools in growing areas of the district to reduce crowding and large class sizes, and modernizing science and media centers to utilize the opportunities of 21st century technology are all critical if we truly value prioritizing our children’s education. While I strongly support the levy, I am also committed to ensuring that funds are used in a transparent manner and that school board members are accountable and open about decisions made with taxpayer dollars.	”
—Anna Dirkswager (2017)

Candidate website

Dirkswager highlighted the following issues on her campaign website:

“	Safe Schools Ensuring our kids’ safety during the school day is my top priority. Addressing issues such as the reduction and removal of portable classrooms is a priority of mine. There are currently 62 portable classrooms in the Anoka-Hennepin School District​. ​Class Sizes & Efficient Delivery of Services Class sizes and overcrowded schools should not rob our kids of the education they need to build successful lives and communities Support for children across the development spectrum must be a priority for the district Thoughtful and Efficient Fiscal Planning The Anoka Hennepin School District is one of the state’s fastest growing school districts and yet the average age of our buildings is 49 years and the average high school class size is 40 students I believe in smart and thoughtful planning that will accommodate our growing district and make efficient use of available financial resources 21st Century Technology and Curriculum In a world that’s growing increasingly complex, our children need to be equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to address tough problems and compete for jobs in changing economic sectors I support curricula and science and technology investments that allow our kids to develop skills and fully utilize 21st century technologies Modernizing our school libraries to allow for computer plug-ins and media centers is critical	”
—Anna Dirkswager (2017)

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Anna Dirkswager Anoka-Hennepin School District school board. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Anna Dirkswager - Google News

See also

• Anoka-Hennepin School District, Minnesota
• Anoka-Hennepin School District elections (2017)

External links

Search Google News for this topic

Personal

Website