Two Incumbents, One Newcomer Voted To Robbinsdale School Board

Voters in 43 precincts took to the polls Tuesday to elect three members to the ISD 281 school board.

School board candidates included Sherry Tyrrell, Ron Stoffel, Helen Basset, John Vento and Peter Vasseur. By 9:30 p.m., the Minnesota Secretary of State website reported that Basset, Tyrrell and Vento were leading the race. At 11:30 p.m., with 90 percent of the votes reported, the three candidates still maintained a steady lead.

Vento, a Golden Valley resident and parent of two children in the district, is excited to be a voice for the many parents that he spoke with during his campaign.

"I’m very honored and humbled by the citizens of 281 who voted for me," Vento said Tuesday night. "I'm excited to get out and meet parents. That's been one of the positive things throughout this election."

Vento doesn't have any school board experience, but he's not a stranger to the way things work at Robbinsdale Area Schools. As a member of the steering committee for the Robbinsdale Area School Legislative Action Coalition, Vento has a good understanding of the issues that students, parents and the administration face.

"The board is accepting of new members," Tyrrell said. "I'm excited to start working with John. I think it will be a non-stressful transition for him."

Tyrrell said that both her and Basset's re-election to the board means that the community recognizes the good work that the school board is doing.

"I’m truly energized by the strides kids in our district are making. That's why I ran again," Tyrrell said. "It's not just about closing the gap, it's about watching the bar go up, too."