Tom Haglin, four-year term candidate
Brainerd School Board election
Age: 46.
Address: Rural Brainerd.
Occupation: President / owner, LINDAR Corp.
Tom Haglin
Education: Bachelor's degree in business management from College of St. Scholastica.
Family: Wife, Ellen; two sons, Garrett, a ninth-grader, and Connor, a sixth-grader; and a daughter, Alissa, a second-grader.
What specific qualities or experiences will make you a good choice for school board? "My ability to listen and understand all sides of debatable issues, and make sound decisions without influence from pressures or personal gain. As a business owner, I've been continually challenged with removing non-essential cost while improving quality and service, along with financial management and detail understanding of budgets. I have been an active supporter of the community with involvement on various boards and committees. I understand the needs and challenges of teachers, administration and parents and can use my experiences and leadership skills to be an effective board member to make practical and sound decisions for the district."
The school district is considering options to address possible growth in the elementary school population. What options do you support? Should increasing class size be on the table? "Without knowing details of the proposed options it is difficult to confirm the best choice. I would, however, not support the idea of fourth-grade students at Forestview, or the purchase and use of module classrooms. To use current unused facilities such as Whittier and/or Washington appears to make the most sense, however a final decision should be based on long-range projected needs to avoid disruption of classes and startup operational cost. I would not be in support of larger class sizes, but is an option, as well as other considerations."