Greg’s Platform
My largest priority is to focus school district resources on those who make the biggest impact on student achievement: Our Educators
Supporting Our Educators
Teacher burnout is a particularly worrisome problem for our schools because it points to deeper issues at play. When educators feel unsupported and are denied the resources necessary to succeed in their work, we start to see burnout in our teachers.
The data strongly supports this position:
According to a 2022 national survey, 55% of educators say they’re actively considering retiring or leaving the teaching profession. Fargo is not immune to this clear and persistent trend.
A 2026 survey of special education professionals in North Dakota shows even more signs of burnout. Nearly 66% of these educators say they don't have enough time in their day to complete required paperwork. And the critical paraprofessionals that support them overwhelmingly report that their wages don’t keep up with the cost of living.
Only 40% of teachers say they plan to retire as teachers, according to a 2024 survey of North Dakota educators. That number drops to just 20% for younger teachers. This is all despite the fact that over 90% originally intended to retire as a teacher when they first entered the profession. In the same 2024 survey, 80% of teachers reported that having support from administrators is “very important” to retaining educators.
The solutions are clear: We must demonstrate our respect for teachers by providing them with better wages and more targeted support. Moreover, these efforts could be focused on those educators most likely to experience burnout, namely those early in their career and those who teach special education.
Educators are a school district’s most important asset. As such, we need to devote more resources to those who work directly with our students. Any other investments should be put towards efforts that support those educators.
We must continue to re-evaluate our spending priorities. While FPS budget reduction efforts this school year did eliminate some administrative spending, we need to get even leaner so we can re-invest savings into the areas that make a larger impact on student achievement.
Schools impact everyone in the community and there are many strong opinions out there. We may not all agree on every issue, but we do all want to provide an exceptional education for every student. Let’s focus on common goals while engaging with each other respectfully.
We live in a large, diverse community of families with many different lived experiences. I believe it’s critical for elected officials to keep an open and active line of communication available to everyone. We all deserve to have our voices heard. I pride myself in being open to new ideas and perspectives, and I want to hear what community members have to say on the issues they care about. Please click the button below to send me your thoughts!
Building Trust Through Transparency & Civility
Long-Term Financial Stability
I’ve been on the school board for four years, and I know public education is facing an uphill battle as budgets continue to get tighter and tighter. I’m a data analyst, I’ve crunched the numbers, and I know we cannot tax our way out of this. The reality is that Fargo needs dedicated, knowledgeable leaders on the school board who understand how to make every single tax dollar count. The budget must be balanced, but it cannot be at the cost of students or teachers. I want to put my skills to work and be part of the solution.
The long-term financial stability of the school district is of critical importance. I’m proud to say that Fargo Public Schools has the healthiest fund balance (“reserves”) among large school districts in North Dakota. This has allowed us to stay solvent in tough times, maintain high bond ratings, and avoid wholesale cuts to academic programming. I’m committed to continuing this record of fiscal responsibility.
I’m also opposed to increasing the mill levy and believe we have to live within our existing means. This isn’t an empty promise. As the school board’s Planning Committee chairman, I spent the last year leading the district’s effort to reduce spending and bring the budget back into balance. That said, I strongly believe that the budget represents an investment in our young people and an investment into Fargo’s future, so we can’t slash spending year after year. In order to invest in the teachers and programs that directly impact student achievement, we must rein in spending on less impactful things like runaway administrative and transportation costs.
Supporting Our Students
We must work to create an environment where all students can Grow, Learn, and Succeed.
More and more students are missing class, at a growing rate each year. Students can’t learn if they aren’t in school. As a school board, we can do much more to keep our students in school and keep our kids learning. Students are more likely to come to school when they feel welcomed, when they feel safe, and when they feel a sense of belonging.
Research has shown that diversity and teacher retention can have massive positive impacts on students. Students benefit from seeing leaders who represent them. Teacher recruitment and retention is more urgent than ever. The success of our students depends on it.
