Schreckenberg seeks innovative solutions

This is the third in a series profiling candidates seeking election to the District 88 school board.

By GUY PRIEL

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- As the Tuesday, Nov. 7 general election draws closer, eight new candidates for the District 88 Schools Board of Education are gearing up in their attempt to unseat the three incumbents.

Because the needs of rural schools are changing, tough decisions will be faced, requiring innovative solutions and common sense, which is what Bruce Schreckenberg is hoping to bring to the board.

Schreckenberg, 44, is a native of Faribault. He has lived in New Ulm since 1990, and is a member of the Human Rights Commission. Although he has been interested in politics for a number of years, this is his first attempt at elected public office.

A self-employed cabinet maker, Schreckenberg does contract work with Coventry Cabinets and Design Directions. He has a 15-year-old son who attends high school in Apple Valley. He is a single parent raising a six-year-old son who attends first grade at Jefferson Elementary School.

"Having a strong, involved school system is important for the community good," Schreckenberg said. "One way to accomplish involved schools is to get the public more involved in decisions. The community needs better communication with the administration."

The school district budget is a complicated matter, which involves various categories and certain amounts of dedicated funds, which many people don't realize, he said.

"The public needs a better understanding of how the money for schools is budgeted," he said. "It's not the same thing as a city budget, or something else. When it comes to cuts, you can't cut academics for the fluff. When the board has to make cuts it will need to be something that has teeth."

He plans to promote the importance of mentoring and volunteering among various community groups to get residents more involved in what happens in schools.

"The schools are something we should all be proud of as a community," Schreckenberg said. "Within the next 10 years we will be running into problems because of reducing enrollments. We need to work hard to keep schools as centers of pride in the midst of the changes."

One of his strongest beliefs is that schools should be controlled locally to avoid relying too much on the government.

"I have no notions that this will be an easy job," he said. "Being involved is a sacrifice that needs to be made by dedicated individuals. Any decision the board makes must be agreed upon by the community. It's not a matter of what gets cuts, it's a matter of when it gets cut."

During a recent orientation session attended by the eight new candidates, Schreckenberg said there were no surprises about the duties of a school board member. He left with a good understanding of how school funding works.

"It's a complicated task, but it is a learning process," he said. "Learning is changing and one of my concerns is that we are getting away from the basics."

There were a few times since he filed when he questioned what he was getting into, especially when people called and asked how he would have voted on the busing issue.

"Being on the school board makes you a target for a lot of people," he said. "On the other hand, you have to be a buffer between the people. That is the task I have requested and the task I am prepared to handle."

He doesn't promote any radical changes with the exception of finding ways to make the public better informed.

"I believe I have something to offer to the district and I appreciate the chance to do this," he said. "If people don't care about the schools, someone else will take on the responsibility, and the district will become a dinosaur. That is why local control is the key."

He plans to conduct a pocket money campaign and will be painting his own signs, hoping to avoid the expenses involved in a formal campaign.

"I have a lot of respect for my fellow candidates," Schreckenberg said. "I am honored to run with such talented people who have such innovative ideas. I just hope they aren't running because of the busing issue. The overall goal of the board should be doing what is best for the community."

He is not running for the board because he is unhappy with the way things have been done in the past, he is running because he believes he has a lot to offer the community, he said.