School Board

Laporte will have a bond referendum on the Nov. 7 ballot

School Board
School Board Elections and Voting
Upcoming Agenda
School Board Policies
School Board Elected Officials
Campaign Financial Report Certification Documentation
Budget Publications

School Board Information

BOARD OF EDUCATION

John Seegmiller – Member
john.seegmiller@laporte.k12.mn.us

Joe Jorland – Member
joe.jorland@laporte.k12.mn.us

Jessica Howg – Chair
jessica.howg@laporte.k12.mn.us

Holly Wright-Member
holly.wright@laporte.k12.mn.us

Kyle Sanders-Clerk
kyle.sanders@laporte.k12.mn.us

Karl Beck-Member
karl.beck@laporte.k12.mn.us

Andrew Graham-Treasurer
andrew.graham@laporte.k12.mn.us

Administration
AJ Dombeck, Supt.
Laporte Public School
315 Main Street West
Laporte, MN 56461
218-224-2288 x 1009
aj.dombeck@laporte.k12.mn.us

Lee Pederson, Principal
Laporte Public School
315 Main Street West
Laporte, MN 56461
218.224.2288 x 1005
lee.pederson@laporte.k12.mn.us

School Board Elections and Voting

School Board Elections

School Board members are elected during the November Election on either odd or even years.

November 2023 Election-Special Election Ballot

Board members are elected at large for four-year terms. New directors take their seats in January and new officers are elected.

Prospective School Board Candidates Resources

Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) is a private, nonprofit organization that exists to support the work of public school boards and public education.

MSBA’s Running for School Board webinar

MSBA’s “Running for School Board” brochure

MSBA’s “Running for the School Board: A Primer for School Board Candidates” power point

Campaign Manual 2022

Eligibility
In order to be eligible to be elected to the School Board a person must be:

Must be at least 21 years old at the time the term of office begins,
Must be a resident of the district for at least 30 days prior to the election,
Must be an eligible voter
Must not be registered as a convicted sex offender.

Conflicts of Interest

Must not earn more than $8,000 per fiscal year as a district employee
No personal financial interest in the sale, lease or contract with the district (there are exceptions)
Must not hold another elected position except township board

Affidavit of Candidacy
An Affidavit of Candidacy is available in paper form from the business office or electronically from the Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State Affidavit of Candidacy form. This form needs to be filled out, notarized and returned to Laporte Public School Business Office between July 30, 2022 and August 13, 2022, along with the $2 Filing Fee. Summer Office hours are Monday thru Friday 8:30 am – 4:00 pm. Notaries are available at the school. If the private data box is checked on the Affidavit of Candidacy, the Address of Residence Form must also be completed.

Filing for School Board Elections
The filing fee for school district office is $2. Once the Affidavit of Candidacy has been filed with the school district clerk and the fee paid, the filing fee will not be refunded. Filing should be done at the Laporte Public School Business Office at 315 Main Street West, Laporte.

A candidate may file a petition in place of the $2 filing fee. The petition must be signed by individuals eligible to vote for the candidate. Petitions must be signed by the lesser of 500 signatures or 5 percent of the number of votes cast in the school district at the preceding school board election.

Campaign Financial Report
Candidates must file Campaign Financial Reports within 14 days after receiving $750 in campaign contributions or spending $750 on the election. Subsequent reports are due 10 days before the election, 30 days after the election, and by Jan. 31 of each year following the year when the initial report was filed. Once a final report is filed no subsequent reports are required. Candidates should refer to the campaign manual for complete information. All candidates are required to file these forms even if $0 contributions or spending was done on the election.

Candidates must certify that all reports required by Minnesota Statute 211A.02 have been filed or that the candidate has not received contributions or made disbursements exceeding $750 in the calendar year. The Campaign Financial Report Certification of Filing must be submitted no later than seven days after the election. Candidates should refer to the Campaign Manual for complete information.

Board Member Training
A newly elected School Board member will receive training in school finance and management within 180 days of taking office. The training is developed in consultation with the Minnesota School Boards Association and the Minnesota Department of Education.

Affidavit of Withdrawal of Candidacy
If after submitting the Affidavit of Candidacy you decide not to run for the School Board, complete the Affidavit of Withdrawal form, have it notarized, and return it to Laporte Public School Business Office no later than 5:00 pm on August 15th. Notaries are available at the school.

Note: Hold down your control key and left-click on the links to access the information and forms that are attached.

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VOTING

Where do I Vote?

Polling places during odd-year elections are combined and are different from even-year elections.
Visit Pollfinder to locate your polling location for the next election.

To Register to Vote or to Apply for Absentee Voting
Visit the Secretary of State’s Office Voter Information to register to vote online.

Absentee Voting in Person
Beginning 45 days prior to the election, ISD 306 residents can vote in person at Hubbard County Government Center, 301 Court Ave., Park Rapids, MN 56470.

Hours are: Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm.

By Mail
Hubbard County oversees all absentee voting by mail. For more information regarding absentee voting by mail, please visit Hubbard County’s Voter Information page.

Election Results
Official election results are reported by the Secretary of State’s Office.

Click HERE to access the Upcoming Agenda.

School Board Policies and Procedures

** Please note: the date on the policy is when the language was created, updated, or changed. All policy language has been approved for 2022-2023 school year.