An introduction to the 2023 Edina School Board candidates
As a former newspaper reporter, Elliot Mann studied education policy and frequently covered local school board meetings. His reporting led him to gain knowledge in budget cuts, long-term academic planning, and the relationship between local government and the school board. Mann is satisfied with the district’s progress, and hopes to continue the Edina Public Schools 2020-27 Strategic Plan by providing foundational initiatives.
“I think that in education, it’s really hard to impact change; you’re planting seeds that you hope grow down the road,” Mann said. “With kids, and making sure we’re doing the right things educationally, we don’t know [until] two years, three years down the road [if we can] say, ‘Oh, this was the right [move].”
Outside of continuing the Strategic Plan, Mann places emphasis on creating strong neighborhood schools, keeping class sizes manageable, and attracting more students to the district.
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on October 12, 2023.
Originally from Wisconsin, Cheryl Barry moved to Edina due to the district’s “stellar” reputation and became involved with Cornelia Elementary School through the Parent Teacher Organization and Fundraising Committee. Barry also supports the Edina Public Schools 2020-27 Strategic Plan and hopes to prioritize an effective execution of new district programs, including the Spanish Immersion Program and Student Spaceflight Experiments Program.
As a past speech-language pathologist experienced in delivering standardized testing, Barry prioritizes advanced academics in the district, and hopes to provide more academic opportunities towards the elementary level. “I love how middle and high school is kind of a ‘choose your own adventure’ in terms of classes—if you want to go for an AP class, sign up for it. I would like to see a little bit more of that at the elementary school level. Right now. It’s still a hit to this number on a test to gain entry and I think we’re limiting our kids that way.”
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on October 12, 2023.
Jennifer Huwe is an IT director for a locally-based company and has two children attending Edina High School as seniors. Similar to Barry, Huwe plans to focus on the method of execution within the Edina Public Schools 2020-27 Strategic Plan, with an emphasis on equity in the district.
“I think that [in the] vision of ‘each and every student,’ I don’t know if I see that necessarily happening in real-life execution; I know students who have left Edina High School personally because they were going to gender transition and it wasn’t easy for them, or for other reasons,” Huwe said.
As an incoming member of the school board, Huwe wishes to focus on the inclusivity of the district’s policy and plans, and remove potential barriers for all Edina students.
This piece was originally published in Zephyrus’ print edition on October 12, 2023.
