School Board Members

Linda Diaz (Chair)

645 - 6th Avenue South
South St. Paul, MN 55075
ldiaz@sspps.org
(651) 245-8355
Term Expires: January, 2023

John Raasch (Vice Chair)

137 - 8th Avenue South
South St. Paul, MN 55075
jraasch@sspps.org
(651) 747-7877
Term Expires: January, 2025

Chris Walker (Treasurer)

833 Park Lane
South St. Paul, MN 55075
chris.walker@sspps.org
(651) 455-0074
Term Expires: January, 2023

Nikki Laliberte (Clerk)

217 Myrtle Place
South St. Paul, MN 55075
nlaliberte@sspps.org
(651) 216-0885
Term Expires: January, 2025

Bill Arend

1525 Lincoln Park
South St. Paul, MN 55075
barend@sspps.org
(651) 455-6518
Term Expires: January, 2023

Wendy Felton

120 - 6th Avenue South
South St. Paul, MN 55075
wfelton@sspps.org
(651) 451-9002
Term Expires: January, 2023

Monica Weber

718 - 20th Avenue North
South St. Paul, MN 55075
mweber@sspps.org
(612) 720-9222
Term Expires: January, 2025

BOARD COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS

Every January the Board holds an organization meeting to elect officers and set committees and appointments. There are four standing committees that meet periodically to study specific issues, work on special projects and make recommendations to the board as a whole.

Finance, Facilities, and Long-Range Planning
This committee meets with the superintendent and finance director to discuss key finance items and budget planning as well as district facility needs and planning projects.
Policy
One of the primary responsibilities of a school board is to set policy. These policies dictate how a school district will operate and ensure the district operates within legal boundaries. The Board Policy Committee reviews policies and recommends them to the full board for review, discussion, and approval.
Public Relations and Community Engagement
The Public Relations/Community Engagement Committee works to effectively engage stakeholders to build relationships and advance strategic goals.
Superintendent/Executive
The Board is required to evaluate the superintendent as a direct reports of the Board. This committee organizes and prepares the superintendent evaluation and other executive business.

BOARD LIAISON ASSIGNMENTS

Board Liaison Assignments

Board members serve as liaisons to the following organizations and partnerships affiliated with the school district.

Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD)
Central Square Community Center (CSCC) Advisory Board
Community Education Advisory Board
Equity Alliance MN
Intermediate School District 917
SSP Educational Foundation
SSP Open Foundation

2022 COMMITTEE AND LIAISON ASSIGNMENTS

School board member handbook

Become a school board member

South St. Paul Board of Education members are elected officials. Elections are held in November of even-numbered years. To avoid having all seven seats up for election simultaneously, the seats are balloted on alternating basis, with four spots being available one year, and the remaining three being available two years later. The process then repeats itself.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

TERM OF OFFICE

Board members are elected to four-year terms commencing on January 1 of the year following the November election, and ending on December 31 four years later. A member who has been appointed to fill the unfinished term of a member will need to run for election depending on when he/she was appointed. There is no limit on the number of consecutive terms a member can serve.

FILLING VACANCIES

A vacancy on the Board shall occur when a member dies, resigns, or ceases to be a resident on Special School District No. 6. If a member of the Board of Education is unable to serve on the Board and attend its meetings for ninety (90) days or more because of illness or prolonged absence from the District, the Board may, at any regular or special meeting thereof, declare a vacancy to exist. All vacancies will be filled according to school board policy #214 and Minnesota Statute.

If a seat becomes vacant mid-term, the replacement member will serve a term of office which is the shorter of the following: "until the completion of the unexpired term, or until the first day of January immediately following the next regular Board of Education election taking place more than ninety days after a person is selected by the Board."

The term of a member elected during a special election shall not exceed the term of the member they are replacing. Nor can the term of a Board of Education member be lengthened by the member's resignation and subsequent selection by the Board.

Minnesota Statute states that once the board approves an appointment, the appointed board member cannot be seated until 30-days after the appointment.

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