Vernosh for WBL Area Schools
A Bit About Me
I am a husband to an incredible wife (and teacher!) and dad to two amazing young women. Our oldest is a class of 2026 White Bear Lake High School graduate and pursuing her secondary special education teaching license at the University of Iowa. Our youngest just wrapped up her freshman year at the high school.
Service is a core family value of ours. We are called to serve in hopes of leaving our community in a better space than we entered. Whether supporting those who are unsheltered, hungry, fostering over 30 dogs for an animal rescue, donating time to local causes, or just helping each other in our neighborhood, we strive to live into the belief that "I am because we are."
I knew that I wanted to pursue a career focused on serving students and empowering communities. That is where I decided on teaching as the avenue to continue serving others. Education can be a great opportunity equalizer in our society. However it has not been that way for all students and families. My entry into teaching was focused on trying to break down accessibility and inclusionary barriers that deferred the promise of a public education for too many children and families.
While teaching, I began to become more aware of the impacts of societal injustices on student achievement. Housing instability, food insecurities, and lack of access to healthcare have direct impacts on student achievement. I became outspoken on the housing crises in our community and was asked to serve on the board of directors for the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless. I led partnerships at my school with Second Harvest and collaboratively developed a free food bank on our school site for families. We sought out permission and started providing on site health care for students and families through partnering with community medical and dental organizations.
My 25 years and counting of service in the education profession has included being an elementary school classroom teacher, education policy fellow in the Obama Administration, Communication and Policy director for Saint Paul Public Schools, a Governor Dayton appointment to the State Board of Teaching, a Governor Walz appointment to the Professional Education Licensing and Standards Board, a director on the Adopt a Classroom National Board of Directors, and principal. It has been an inspiring, hopeful, sometimes frustrating, and soul fulfilling journey working to better our community through education.
It is with a humble heart and spirit of service that I ask for your support to become a White Bear Lake Area Schools School Board member.
