Meet the candidates

Meet the candidates for the Mehlville School District Board of Education
Posted on 02/24/2020
Board of Education CandidatesFive candidates have filed for three open positions on the Mehlville School District Board of Education. The election will be held on Tuesday, June 2. 

The candidates, in order of filing and as their names will appear on the ballot, are Emma Jean Pretto, Stacey Kenner, Richard Vagen, Jeff Wolman and Peggy Hassler. The candidates have shared the following information about themselves.


Emma Jean Pretto

Jean PrettoOccupation:
Retired   

Education:
Bachelors, Music Education Masters, Ed. Supervision and Administration

Why did you decide to run for the school board?

Initially, (six years ago), as my civic duty and former educator, I hoped I could become an asset.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the Mehlville School District? What do you feel are the district’s biggest strengths?

It would be nearly impossible to name a single “biggest” challenge. With over 10,000 students and 17 schools, there are never ending challenges. A few of those would be: having enough teachers that we can financially sustain, condition of facilities, fluctuating enrollments, and diversity of cultures. Oddly enough, I would maintain that diversity of culture is also one of our biggest strengths. Our unity of community over Prop R, our resolve to use our taxpayers’ dollars wisely, and our unprecedented transparency between the board and the community would be among our biggest strengths.

Family information:
Married to my Vietnam Vet husband, Joe for 48 years. Two daughters, nine grandchildren and one great-grandson. I was born and raised on Forder Road in Oakville and have never lived outside of Mehlville School District.
 
Stacey Kenner       

Stacey KennerOccupation: Social Worker

Education: BA from Columbia University and a MSW from University of Illinois

Why did you decide to run for the school board?
I think my perspective, history, and experience can add to the district’s efforts to prepare our students for a more diverse and global community.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the Mehlville School District? What do you feel are the district’s biggest strengths?
How we address an ever-changing community. The district is invested in producing intelligent well-rounded individuals.

Family information: Married with two children. 
 
Richard Vagen   

Richard VagenOccupation:
Saint Louis Community College - Continuing Education

Education: Mehlville High School; Associates in Arts in Liberal Arts from Saint Louis Community College; Bachelor of Arts in Art History from the University of Missouri - Saint Louis

Community Organizations/Memberships: Board Member and contributor for All the Art; Girl Scout Co-Leader

Why did you decide to run for the school board?
I want to ensure that every student continues to have every resource available necessary for success.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the Mehlville School District? What do you feel are the district’s biggest strengths?
Addressing students’ social and emotional well-being needs to be a priority. Providing students with the resources to recognize and address their mental health will help them achieve their own academic success, reduce behavior issues, and create an environment that benefits all students.
Perhaps our greatest strength is our community — teachers and staff who create a safe and supportive learning environment, students who put in the effort to grow and succeed, and community members who engage, vote, and recognize the importance of public education. It is the people who make our district great.

Family information: I have a daughter in 2nd grade at MOSAIC and my wife, Ariane Vagen, teaches Art at Mehlville High School.
 
Jeff Wolman

Jeff WolmanOccupation: Connectria Hosting / System Engineer

Education: High School Diploma, Needham High School in Needham, MA, Class of 1988; BS in Computer Science, Washington University in St Louis MO, Class of 1992

Community Organizations/Memberships: Jewish Community Center – Millstone Member, 2018 – 2020; OES PTO, 2016 – 2017; MOSAIC PTO - 2017 - current (PTO Board Parliamentarian 2018 - 2019, PTO Board Secretary 2019 - current)

Why did you decide to run for the school board?
My children are currently in 1st and 3rd grade, so I have a vested interest in the school board doing the best in the education of my children for the next eleven years.  My involvement in the school board will be a long-term plan since my children’s involvement in the school district will be long-term.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the Mehlville School District? What do you feel are the district’s biggest strengths?
The biggest challenge facing the district is working to further the growth of Math and ELA scores and keeping that direction going and working for all schools, regardless of need. 
The district’s biggest strengths are MOSAIC, Middle School Academy and MyPath, which all together give students in the district an amazing and varied educational choice at all levels. The technology enhancements put into place with 1:1 device-to-student ratio, as well as strong financial management are big strengths. 

Family information: Spouse - Natascha Wolman; Children - Arianna, 3rd grader at MOSAIC, Class of 2029; and Gabriella, 1st grader at MOSAIC, Class of 2031
 
Peggy Hassler

Peggy HasslerOccupation: Operation’s Admin Manager / Paralegal at Keefe & Griffiths, P.C. Attorneys at Law, 11/1/86 - Present

Education: 1983 Mehlville High School Graduate; BS Business Administration / Paralegal, Lindenwood University - Summa Cum Laude

Community Organizations/Memberships: Mehlville School Dist. Board of Education; Policy, Communication, Facility, Finance and Insurance Committee; Prop R Campaign and MOU Organizer/Co-Founder; PTO Exec Board at Blades, Bernard and OHS/Various Committees; Exec Director Kids’ Chance of America and State Council; Kids’ Chance of MO Board of Directors

Why did you decide to run for the school board?
To ensure the district is effectively using district resources for continuous improvement and delivering a top-level education while maintaining fiscal discipline that allows our tax rates to be one of the lowest in the St. Louis area; Oversee continuous facility upgrades to ensure security and safety of all children and staff. Continue to set vision and goals to measure the success of the district and the Superintendent and set policies to ensure the success of ALL students and staff. Transparency.

What do you feel is the biggest challenge facing the Mehlville School District? What do you feel are the district’s biggest strengths?
The district has made great strides since passing Prop R however we still have work to do to address academic performance and facility upgrades. We need to be more competitive in staffing to avoid turnover and need more staffing to assist struggling learners.
We have wonderful dedicated employees that provide a great education and a nurturing, safe environment for our children. Our Administrators work tirelessly to increase our academic opportunities and performance, introduce innovation and PD, and staff our schools to make them top-performers. We do a good job of educating a very diverse population.

Family information: Husband - Bill Hassler; Three Children - Luke 24-OHS ’13, Jake 22-OHS ’15, Madison 19-OHS ’19; Mehlville School District Residents for 22 years. All three children attended Mehlville School District from Kindergarten through HS graduation.
The Mehlville School District strictly prohibits discrimination and harassment against employees, students or others on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or sex including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity and other characteristics protected by law. The following individuals have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: contact Adam Smith at 314-467-5006 or [email protected].