No Third School Board Term For Prokopowicz

Intelligent. Articulate. Fair-minded.

Those are the words that members of the Inver Grove Heights School Board chose to describe Phil Prokopowicz, a nine-year veteran of the board who chose not to run for re-election this year, after more than two full terms on the board.

Prokopowicz' decision was in part prompted by the fact that all of his four children have now graduated from district schools. But the school board’s most experienced member also says that he has accomplished much of what he originally set out to do.

Prokopowicz was appointed to the board in 2002, taking the place of a previous member who stepped down mid-term. He served the remainder of that term, before being elected to two more full terms. At that point, the school district was in difficult straits. Teachers were working with outdated, 20-year-old curriculums, many of the district’s facilities were deteriorating and the district was on the road to becoming bankrupt, Prokopowicz said.

Since then, the district has constructed a new middle school, carried out significant renovations to the ventilation systems in two buildings, made millions in year-after-year budget cuts and overhauled its curriculums.

While Prokopowicz feels the district has come a long way since the beginning of his tenure, his decision to depart from the board comes at a critical time: This fall, the district will ask voters for an increase in the district’s levies that could generate as much as $4.2 million in annual tax revenue for the district. Prokopowicz’ seat is one of four positions open on the board this year. will vie for the seats during the election season later this fall.

“He will be so sorely missed,” said fellow board member Keri Myran. “He had well thought out, rational arguments, and he could look at a situation very unemotionally.”

Prokopowicz played an instrumental part in the board’s decision to pursue three separate levy options this fall, School Board Vice Chair Paul Mandell said. Originally, a board committee recommended two levy options. But Prokopowicz’ impassioned speech at a work session in July, in which he urged his fellow board members to seek all three options, swayed the board’s opinion, Mandell said.

“I found Phil’s value system to be extremely strong and right on target,” Board Vice Chair Paul Mandell said.

The two biggest issues the district will have to address, Prokopowicz predicts, are finances and the burgeoning use of technology by both students and staff.

“Technology is driving so much of the decision making, and not just for students,” Prokopowicz said. “We’re going to have to adapt to students who learn better [through online learning].”