Elaine Mikel-Mulder for ISD200
Who am I?
I am a wife, a mother, an attorney, an alumni of Hastings, and a lifelong learner. I have made exploring cultures and educational approaches an essential pursuit of my life. I have lived all over the world and still can honestly say that I love Hastings and I am proud to call it home. My family and this community have done so much to cultivate me as a person, and I owe a lot to both for this.
What is my goal?
My goal is to ensure that the energy and resources of the district go towards fostering an atmosphere where students can genuinely grow in a love of learning, critical thinking, problem solving, and confidence in their ability to communicate well. My goal is to ensure that our district stewards every tax payer dollar towards this end. Further, I would like to assist in bridging the gap of misunderstanding between the efforts of the board, the district staff and the community through transparency and intentional communication. I do not claim to know all that it takes to accomplish a thriving school district, but I am committed to asking questions and probing into how to continuously refine and improve the great system we already have in place.
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What I see as my role as a potential school board member:
During my time as a board member for 2025, I have been extremely impressed with the structure, staff attention, and accountability that is worked into the board’s agenda. I think that Hastings has amazing staff and I trust that through continual behavioral and educational reporting, curriculum and disciplinary review, encouragement of our staff, fiscal responsibility, and the support and engagement of every district family in offering thoughtful reflection and observation of their children- our district will continue to strengthen and grow. I do not see rising test scores as an ultimate gauge of district success; therefore, I will commit to observing and listening to those who observe our students on a regular basis to ensure our students are continuously excelling towards their personal best. Lastly, I will commit to keeping our Strategic Plan and the pillars outlined therein at the forefront of each decision I make for the district.
What I have learned from my service in 2025 thus far:
I have learned that the service of a school board member takes a lot of time, effort and continuous learning. I do not claim to know even half of what is required to perform this position with excellence. I have been overwhelmed by the help and encouragement from the community and the board with respect to my position on the Board. I have been humbled by this but also see it as a necessary part of this position. Other board members and the community at large see and discover issues, weak spots, and/or items worth celebrating that I may not see. Therefore, I have learned that serving the school district is not just the role of the board, but the community at large. The more engaged the community is in sharing their opinions and thoughts with charity and support, the stronger our district will be.
What is my “why”?
I think about education more than anything else. Further, I believe that when one stops learning, one stops flourishing. I think education is one of the most important gifts a community can offer its youth. I am not partial to any form of education. Whether it is public, private, or at home- I believe in any form that is offered well and in a manner that leaves students feeling confident in their ability to read, write, speak well, and engage with the problems they face in the world. I am not wired to be an educator by any means, but I do think I have a capacity to ask the right questions and steward an educational culture. Our public school serves the greatest number of children in our community; therefore, I believe it’s our responsibility to sew there.
What is my educational Philosophy:
My educational philosophy is continuously being refined, but generally, I promote and stand strongly behind a classical approach to education. The first years of education should be centered around learning “what” is around a child: grammar, identifying objects, learning words, learning sounds and letter combinations (phonics and reading). The middle years of education should be tailored around learning logic; namely, how these objects learned in the grammar phase relate with each other through math, science, history and literature. The last years of one’s educational years should emphasize rhetoric. This is where students ought to learn how to articulate their ideas in a charitable way and learn how to relay their thoughts on the relationship of objects in the world. A higher level classroom should include Socratic dialogue rather than mere delivery of information to students. Teachers should be facilitators of questions leading to deeper thinking students. As much as is possible, classrooms should be filled with problem solving opportunities and project-based content to practically apply knowledge. Children shouldn’t be passive receptors of information, but rather cultivators of their own thought, problem solvers and practical appliers of what they are learning. Further, children should be comfortable with curiosity and their ability to read, write, speak and comfortably discuss challenging topics of life. I recognize that this is an ideal and there are many ways to apply this philosophy, but I think it is important to have an educational vision when approaching and serving an educational system and children of a variety of ages.
Final notable mention:
I would be remiss to, again, give a shout out to one of the main sources of encouragement of my effort to join the board. As I noted in my initial application to join the board in 2025, my friend and a woman who many in this community would consider an absolute giant and legend, Jenny Wiederholt, was one of the initial people who nudged me towards running for this position. She was one of the few people that I can honestly say I related to on so many levels. She had so much on her plate (family, personal health, career) and she still found time to serve. Although my commitment to joining to the board is rooted in my personal passion for education, I really would like to do what I can to honor Jenny’s legacy in this community. She is irreplaceable and my hope is that her spirit of love and service will live on and be remembered through my time, if I am elected to this position.