Rodney Kruse, candidate for O’Fallon 203 School Board in O’Fallon, IL
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More on the election for O’Fallon 203 School Board
Read questionnaires from candidates in the O’Fallon 203 School Board race. Candidates are listed alphabetically.
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Rob Brown, candidate for O’Fallon 203 School Board in O’Fallon, IL
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Rodney Kruse, candidate for O’Fallon 203 School Board in O’Fallon, IL
Keith Richter, candidate for O’Fallon 203 School Board in O’Fallon, IL
Name: Rodney Kruse
Political party (if applicable): Republican
Age as of April 6, 2021: 46
Campaign website or social media page: N/A
Office seeking: O’Fallon District 203 School Board
Are you an incumbent? No
Previous offices sought: N/A
Occupation: Senior Manager, Project & Portfolio Management
Education: BSBA Business Management, PMP certified
Please list the highlights of your civic involvement: My civic involvement to this point has been as a volunteer. I currently support groups like the OTHS Marching Panthers and FIRST Robotics team. Professionally I serve on the Metro Project Management Institute Board of Directors as the Director of Corporate Outreach.
Why are you running? I hope to serve on the OTHS school board as a way of giving back to a school district that has provided so much to me and my family. I hope to bring forward the perspective of a parent with a child currently in the district as well as apply my professional expertise to the current and future challenges facing OTHS. I feel the post-pandemic stage of recovery will require new and different perspectives with a laser focus on delivering results quickly. My career in corporate finance, business operations, and project/portfolio management has prepared me well for helping navigate those challenges that lay ahead.
What is the top issue in your race, and how would you address it? There are many issues to be addressed by the board but the top issue is returning the students to regular in-person attendance. As I collected signatures required for the ballot I went door to door and asked each person about their top concern or issue. The overwhelming response was that parents of students want their children to return to a regular schedule. As a parent of a student I also strongly hold this opinion.With vaccination rates and naturally occurring immunity on the rise this is now possible but will take planning and effort. Facilities adjustments and schedule changes to accommodate in-person lunch would be the first area of focus. The second top priority from my informal survey was fiscal health and stability while minimizing the overall tax burden. A post-pandemic world will present new and different financial challenges. This issue will be complex and my experience of managing balanced budgets for many years in the private sector will help the district successfully address this challenge.
Why should people vote for you? Quality schools are essential to a healthy and vibrant community. This is even more true with OTHS. My commitment is to ensure that the district maintains and grows its record of achievement and results. I am not a politician and do not intend to seek any higher office in the future. I was compelled to be a candidate for the board as a means to give back to what has blessed my family. There are many difficult choices ahead from the local handling of mandated state policies, financial constraints, and pandemic-related recovery. I will focus on ensuring that the values and priorities of our community are reflected in the operation of the school district.
This story was originally published March 4, 2021 at 5:52 PM.