Last evening, Lakers4Change hosted a School Board Candidate forum at Prior Lake City Hall. The event was well attended by community members of ISD 719. All nine candidates were invited and three of those nine were present to participate; Amy Bullyan, Bill Markert and Lisa Atkinson. The event was live streamed on our Facebook page for those not able to attend in person and the recording will be added to the website as well.
Chip Sharratt, one of the nine candidates and long time resident of ISD 719, asked for a statement to be shared in his absence. Please read below:
My name is Chip Sharratt and I’ve been a resident of this PL-S community for 25 years. After spending much of my adult life guiding young people through my teaching, my coaching, and also mentoring as a college guidance and leadership advisor, I’ve been a regular and frequent voice for optimizing student educations to provide our community the best graduates and citizens possible.
Occasionally, “life” can put a fork in the road, and then we ponder, “Which is the correct path forward for me?” I’ve been in NY assisting a terminally ill brother with their family business for about a month this summer, which may extend for another month, or longer. But I’ve also been a regular family guest and consultant there for over 30 years.
Although my intentions to register as a School Board candidate were good and honorable, my timing was not. This situation and other family circumstances have recently required that I suspend any further campaign initiatives and focus on those family members nearest to me with their immediate needs.
So, just as I will suspend my campaign, I would also have to decline the opportunity to serve on the ISD 719 School Board, if elected.
Therefore, I would ask that all voters look closely at the other candidates who best represent your children’s academic priorities. They should also reflect your vision for what ‘student learning’ should exemplify and accomplish. And you should mandate that your candidate is fiscally sound and wise in their use of our valued taxpayer dollars.
Many challenges exist now, and lie ahead over the next few years, both for our schools and for our nation. I will continue to be a strong voice supporting optimal school experiences for all our youth. Hopefully our schools will also instill in students the value of lifelong learning, an ongoing respect for one another, and a quest for leadership in all who will guide our nation into her future.
Time and memories are invaluable gifts. As we get older, we realize how treasured they both have become.
Thank-you.
Chip Sharratt
Savage, MN
If you would like to watch the recording, it is available on our Facebook page and will be added to the website soon.
Don’t forget to go to the State of the District tonight at the PLSAS District Services Center or watch the live stream on the district website.