Editor’s note: These profiles are part of our series of features on candidates for Prior Lake-Savage Area School Board. Watch upcoming issues for profiles on the rest of the candidates.

By Joanna Miller

Staff Writer

Chris Lind of Savage decided to run for the Prior Lake-Savage Area School Board to offer a new perspective, he said.Chris Lind, 43, of Savage wants to
bring his experiences working with
students to the School Board.
(Photo by Joanna Miller)

Lind has promised to balance the budget during his term or to step down.

“I look at my kids. If they spent more than their allowance every year and borrowed money from their friends, I would put them on a budget,” Lind said.

He attended Luther College for two years, then transferred to Minnesota State University-Mankato, where he earned an open studies degree and a teaching certificate.

Lind, his wife, Shar, and their four children have lived in the Prior Lake-Savage area for 16 years.

“I’ve worked as a teacher and a paraprofessional at various public schools and an international school. We lived overseas for almost three years,” Lind said of time abroad in China.

He’s disheartened by fund-raising and fees charged at his children’s schools.

Grace, his oldest daughter, is a sophomore at Prior Lake High School, Hannah is an eighth-grader at Twin Oaks Middle School, Jonah is a fifth-grader and Judah is a second-grader, both at WestWood Elementary.

“Your kids come home with fund-raising. It really wears thin,” he said.

Lind said his experience working at PLHS in the computer lab and as a campus supervisor is a strength. He was terminated from the position for what Chairman Michael Murray called “job performance and employee insubordination” relating to boundaries with students.

Lind maintains he was wrongfully terminated and data privacy limited discussion. No criminal allegations were involved, he said. He had mentioned pursuing legal action, but no lawsuit has been filed.

Lind says the termination is not his motivation for running. If any legal action would come up, he would abstain from voting as a member of the board, he said.

“I’m not doing this out of spite,” he said. “Three years ago, I wanted to run. For the 2006-07 budget, we had to cut $800,000. The next year, it was more frustrating to cut $1.6 million out of the budget. You just have no idea what that does to the staff.”

Lind is currently seeking a sales position and is a stay-at-home dad.

“I value my wife a lot more because she’s been a stay-at-home mom. The job is a lot harder than I ever thought,” Lind said.

Lind’s top three priorities are the budget, adding world language and increasing extra-curricular activities.

Foremost is balancing the budget “so we can maintain the programs we have and add,” he said.

He’s seen programs removed, such as supervised study hall at PLHS, that he thinks are necessary.

“It’s basically support for at-risk students where they get tutored,” he said, adding that former Principal Corey Lunn said the impact of cutting study hall could be increased course failure rates.

Lind hopes to bring an Asian language into the schools. He supports the International Baccalaureate program.

“I’d love to expand that lower, so kids have exposure with world language at an earlier age in the elementary schools,” he said. “If we can get our budget to a surplus, we then have money to do some of these things.”

Lastly, Lind would focus on linking students to school through participation. Lind said many students don’t make varsity athletics and struggle because it becomes their identity.

“I think we need to provide more opportunities for extracurriculars during the high-school and junior-high years. I’m sure we could get an intramural booster club started to donate money for kids in transition,” he said.

The college volleyball player said sports need to build sportsmanship.

“That’s really what you want your kids to come out of sports with – better character, even if they get cut at 10th grade,” he said.

Lind does not support the operating levy, but he supports the bond for the high-school addition. The bond cannot pass on its own, as the questions are linked on the ballot.

“I think the board must become fiscally responsible in order for people to see the need for the levy. It’s hard for people to see the need if you feel the board hasn’t been good stewards of your money,” he said.  “I’ve never voted against a levy, but I will this time.”

Lind has mixed feelings about an addition to PLHS.

“I read the 176-page Growth Task Force report. My biggest concern is that they didn’t ask about what’s best for kids,” he said. “I don’t think bigger is better with high school.”

Joanna Miller can be reached at (952) 345-6375 or jmiller@swpub.com.