| 1. Describe your background, experience and public school involvement that qualify you for the Eden Prairie School Board.
I arrived to the United States in 1995; though I spoke limited English, I excited about my future in this country and will filled hope and many aspirations. Within a couple of years, I enrolled at Normandale Community College and started ELL classes while also working fulltime. I had a Bachelor of Science in mathematics teaching (5-12 grade), and a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Currently, I am pursuing my Doctorate of Public Administration (DPA). I was a both CMS and Eden Prairie High School mathematics teacher, I was one of the 15 key district’ strategic planning team. I an executive director of New American Academy, serve Hennepin County Human Resource Board as well as Twin cities Community Land Bank Board; I do understand very well how the responsibilities and work for the board. Finally I am a father of seven children, and I have been living in this city for about 17 years and improving our public education system is my interest because acquiring best possible education for our children is an advantage to all of us.
2. What are the growing trends in student needs, and how should the Eden Prairie School District address them?
As a former teacher, parent, and strategic planning team member, I believe that there are innumerable needs for students.
First, large numbers of our students are falling behind in terms of their grade level requirements, so achievement gap is a huge problem to our district.
Second, many students that I saw, observe and work with have a limited personal and team work skills as they graduate from high school. We need to prepare our children to enter workforce environment by developing a well thought curriculum that enable them to be ready to interact, work and socialize with others.
Solutions: Create a task force for “achievement gap and talent building” consist district staff, board members, parents, faith based and other local nonprofits to strategize the best ways that we can overcome these issues.
3. Discuss any specific changes you would like to make in school district policies, programs or curricula.
Graduation Requirement: I would propose that the high school ought to focus the core graduation choices for students to make sure that they are all meeting the state and district’s requirements to graduate and receive their diplomas.
STEM program is not popular to many families in our district, so I would propose a way to make it more communal. For instance, competitions amongst students to develop innovative designs is one thing, and I would like to see and giving awards to those who came up with the best state-of-the-art ideas and designs.
4. What recommendations do you have for the school district to save money?
As Master of Business Administration trained as well as my capacity of serving both government other regional development organizations boards, I will be able to clearly understand the schools’ budget priorities and make recommendations to make sure that we save money.
5. How will you engage the community to improve Eden Prairie public schools?
Authentic community engagement: My plan is to organize, enlist and train Eden Prairie adults to help children to read and write at Kindergarten to first grade. We have a reservoir of ready adults who want to volunteer and give back their talents to the community. I would like to also encourage parents to reach one another to contribute and share their ideas with the school leadership. When you engage the community, people feel trusted and feel confortable to work with the organization “School district? Positively.[5]
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