Candidate: Marina Kosak

As of March 5, Metea Valley had the highest number of positive COVID-19 cases in the school district. How would you help reduce the transmission and keep students safe? *

Education through dialogue with students and families. We know that just sending out information in a one-way communication format doesn’t always work in conveying a message. It is important that this type of dissemination happen in a dialogue format. The information discussed would be the importance of mitigation strategies, what to do if anyone in the family shows symptoms, and the importance of staying home if you are sick. During this pandemic, we kept hearing, “we are all in this together.” By coming together to have conversations about this topic, we are creating a sense of community where we can help each other understand safety measures and thus reduce transmission.

There has been discussion in the district about culturally responsive pedagogy. What steps should the district take to achieve equitable outcomes for all of its students?

We need to ensure that ALL of our students have the same opportunities. It is important for teachers to have the right tools and resources to be culturally competent leaders. The district has offered professional development for the teachers for the past few years, and that needs to continue. We need to take a look at the achievement gaps that exist and create the proper interventions based on both academic and social-emotional data. We also need to make sure that our students are feeling “safe” in school. I mean safe not only in the physical sense, but they need to feel safe in expressing who they are and their beliefs without any repercussions. When students have a voice in their classroom, in their school, in their district, it makes a difference in their academic progress.

What are the district’s biggest strengths and the biggest weaknesses?

I believe our biggest strengths are the plethora of opportunities our students are offered. We have strong core curricular classes, we offer a large variety of electives, extra-curricular activities, and athletics. There truly is something for everyone. I think another strength in our district is our teachers. We have some extraordinary educators in this district who truly care about our students and want the best for them. I believe our weaknesses lie in the pressure we often see put on kids. During our candidate forum with MVHS and WVHS, someone talked about the stigma of not taking AP and Honors courses. I believe that sometimes our “average” students are forgotten. I want to make sure that all of our students are getting the right interventions and support they need to achieve their full potential.

What is your vision for high school students?

I believe that every student needs to walk out of their high school experience with a diploma that is meaningful to them. I do not want a student to walk across the stage and just pick up a piece of paper. I want every student to believe that they put in their best efforts, took classes that were meaningful to them, and walk out with a diploma that supports THEIR future. That could be going into the military, into the workforce, attending a trade school, a community college, or a four-year university. 

What makes you different from all the other candidates?

I have worked with kids for the past 25 years, and kids are what fuels my passion for education. I have been a high school teacher, a Dean of Students, an Assistant Principal, and a Principal. I think if you ask any students or staff that I have worked with in the past, they will tell you that I always put kids first. I believe that every decision a board of education makes has to be made with the premise of putting kids first. So what makes me different from other candidates is that I have been in the field for 25 years and I understand the “ins and outs” of schools and could bring that lens to the IPSD 204 School Board.