Terry Haag is a registered write-in candidate for School Board. Her answers are published unedited.
What, if any, is your experience in public office?
I have served as Membership Chair for the Wisconsin Association of School Nurses for a term, and have served as the president of various clubs and community organizations. Currently I serve as the Treasurer of an organization, Thiotte Haiti Vulnerable Children Relief Inc.
Why are you running for office?
I had always planned, after retiring from the Lodi School District Nurse position, three years ago, to run for School Board at some point. I believe it is a civic duty to be involved in the development and education of our communities’ children. They truly are our future and this is an incredible time to get involved in going forward in that role.
What do you bring to the table?
I bring history for sure. I am a graduate of the Lodi Class of 1972, so next year will be or 50th class reunion! Our three children attended and graduated from Lodi School District in 1997, 2001 and 2013. And we have two grandchildren in the Lodi District at present. I also worked in the Lodi Schools as the District School Nurse for 26 years. Working with students, parents, staff and administration from Early Childhood to 12th grade. With that said I believe I have a lot to offer in the way of history in the community as well as the district itself. And experience working and planning for success at all grade levels. I also taught Certified Nursing Assistants thru Madison College for 25 years and worked with many of the Lodi HS students who now have a career in medicine. I believe that we continue to contribute to our community thru our young people’s success. Lastly, I experienced and had a big role in maneuvering thru the HINI flu pandemic. It is critical that we continue to learn and plan accordingly for our students, education, emotional well being and safety, they can’t be separated out, it requires a holistic approach.
What do you feel is the role of local government?
Local government has the pulse of the community. Listening, observing, being involved with the needs of the individuals of that community of all ages and planning accordingly. Listening is huge, not breaking what isn’t broken and noting what needs to be addressed even preventatively, not waiting till something becomes a big issue. Local government also is responsible for interfacing with County, State and Federal government. Local government is responsible for walking this very active path with all these players. Advocating always for their community in the balance.
What are your top three priorities or goals?
As we complete a school year of disruption with Covid19 and prepare for summer and next school year.
- We need to assess and then work hard to catch all students up to the grade levels they are attending. Some have fallen behind, and with that said, some have probably come ahead with virtual school. We need to work with all students in getting them back on track.
- Study, engage and listen to all players involved, students at all levels, parents, teachers and administration, to see what actually worked well and can be saved for the future (in all probability, this is not our last pandemic). Then look at what didn’t work so well, and drop or amend that approach.
- This is an exciting time to think out of the box for the future. I believe the only way a group of people can really create something incredible is to meet up and form brain storming sessions to fuel future planning. Then comes the work of prioritizing and making decisions accordingly. We can look beyond Lodi and see what other schools are doing that are innovative and creating success stories, and keep thinking beyond the box.
What, if any, do you feel are obstacles to those goals?
If everybody just jumps back in to life and business, and don’t take time to reflect on what to take away from the last year’s experiences and make goals for the future.
Editor-in-Chief
A Lodi native, Blaze attended the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay where he graduated with a degree in theatre technology & design. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States and the world–including a 6-year stint in China. He has been a teacher, a writer, a designer, and is the founder of the Redleaf Consulting Group.
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