The information on this page has been taken from the Board Elections page of the Grafton School District website.

Shawn Taylor
Why are you seeking election to the Grafton Board of Education?
I am running for reelection because Grafton has an exceptional school district and I want to continue collaborating with my fellow board members and administration to keep our district moving forward.

Explain how your personal and professional experiences will make you an effective board member.
My 15 years as a resident and parent in the Grafton School District, coupled with my experience as an educator, has given me a deep understanding of the diverse needs and perspectives in our community. Additionally, I have successfully served on the board for nearly three years. During my time, I have attended and been prepared for every meeting with an open mind to work together to accomplish goals and tackle issues that arise in our district. I am proud of what I have contributed during my time on the board as our district continues to see improved student achievement, low teacher turnover, and reduced mill rates.

What are your personal philosophies that will help you best represent the Grafton electorate?
My core belief lies in the power of collaboration. I believe that by working together, the board, administration, teachers, and parents can create a thriving school environment where students flourish, staff feel valued, and resources are used wisely.

Personal information
Family: I have 3 children. Two have recently graduated from the Grafton School District and my third is at the high school.
Number of years residing in the district: 15
Education: MS in Teaching and Learning
Profession: Teacher

Gerry Staggenborg
Why are you seeking election to the Grafton Board of Education?

Explain how your personal and professional experiences will make you an effective board member.
After a lifetime (45 years) as both a classroom teacher and educational leader, both here in America and abroad in Europe, on every level from middle school to university graduate seminars, I realize I have a wealth of knowledge and experience to lend to my neighborhood schools.

Furthermore, in this transitional time of growing parental involvement in all phases of education, I see an opening for an educator with a deep foundation in two worlds, that of the instructional institution and that of the public world; I have four school age grandchildren (all children of diverse color) whose school experiences I care about deeply. My Ph. D. In Communications allows me special skills in interfacing between these two worlds and, I believe, will ingrain me more in the workings of my community.

What are your personal philosophies that will help you best represent the Grafton electorate?
I believe that an entire community has a stake in education on all levels. I believe that consequently every school board representative must be seen in the community as much as humanly possible. Each representative must not only act as a sounding board but also, having derived a consensus of public opinion, as a communicator of that consensus to all interested parties in sufficient enough time to allow for feedback before the board takes any significant action.

I also believe that a school board member must be sufficiently steeped in all aspects of education and administration that before they solicit public opinion, they can communicate the present educational context intelligently to all those interested.

Personal information
Family: Happily married grandfather of five, three Senegalese and two Korean children, all the offspring of adopted sons
Number of years residing in the district: 11
Education: Ph. D. in Communications
Profession: Educator

Jerry Rossi
Why are you seeking election to the Grafton Board of Education?
I’ve decided to run for re-election because I enjoy being part of a great organization and helping our district continuously improve.

Explain how your personal and professional experiences will make you an effective board member.
I believe I’ve been an effective board member since 2017 because I care about the work of running our district and take my role seriously. During my time on the board we’ve seen the district portion of our communities tax bill drop to 30 year lows while the academic performance of the district has achieved new heights.

What are your personal philosophies that will help you best represent the Grafton electorate?
I believe we should never limit our thinking and always strive to improve how we do things and how we as a district educate the students in our buildings. I enjoy working with the board as well as our administration and feel I add value to the group. I believe I can continue to help the district be good stewards of taxpayer dollars while focusing on continuously improving the educational outcomes for our students.

Personal information
Family: I have 3 children who all attend Grafton schools
Number of years residing in the district: 15
Education: BA in Business - Finance
Profession: Vice President - Territory Sales, American Century Investments