Meet the candidates for Clear Lake School Board

Incumbents Christ and Tesar challenged by Bergvig in race for two board seats

CHYRL BERGVIG

I grew up in Cherokee. We moved to Fort Dodge in 1966 where I graduated from Fort Dodge Senior High and Iowa Central Community College (AA degree).  I received my (BS degree) in Physical Education and Coaching from Parsons College in Fairfield, Iowa.  After one year as study hall supervisor at Lewis Central in Council Bluffs and one year as Physical Education and Health instructor on the Winnebago Indian Reservation I returned to Fort Dodge where I worked for Fort Dodge Laboratory and entered Iowa State University for 

Guidance and Counseling (MS degree) and later received my Administration certification from ISU.  After completion of ISU Guidance and Counseling program I was employed by the Graettinger School District as Counselor, Physical Education instructor and coach.  After seven years I accepted a 9-12 Counseling position and coach at West Sioux of Hawarden, Iowa where I remained for eight years before coming to Clear Lake.  My career at Clear Lake began with High School Counselor then High School and Elementary Counselor. I became Assistant Elementary Principal and High School Counselor in 2006.  After 17 years at Clear Lake I retired in 2009 as High School Assistant Principal and Counselor.

Job experience or qualifications you feel relate to your candidacy: 

Prior to entering the educational field I was employed at Stith’s Tree Nursery which provided me the experience to work in sales and landscaping.   At Fort Dodge Laboratory I worked with parents and grandparents in assembly work and animal care.  Both experi-  Read More VIa e-Edition

SANDY CHRIST

Our family came to Clear Lake from Roseville, Minn. in 1978. My husband, Don, and I have four children who are all graduates of CLHS.  I am an active member of St. Patrick’s Church and current president of IFCA.  By profession, I am a retired teacher with a BS degree in English from Mankato State and an MA degree in Gifted Education from the University of Northern Iowa.  For 15 years I was the ExCEL teacher for grades 7-12 in Clear Lake Schools. Being a grandmother of seven is the current joy of my life.

Job experience or qualifications you feel relate to your candidacy:

Because I believe in the importance of public education, I was first elected to the school board in 2006. I continue to believe that the experience I have with Clear Lake Schools in multiple capacities gives me a unique and valuable perspective:  With CLCSD I have been a parent volunteer, a teacher associate, a substitute teacher, a full-time teacher, and a school board member. I have worked as a contract negotiator for the CLEA and now as a board member.  One of my primary projects with the board has been as a major contributor to the continuous updating of the board policy book.  There is a lot more to the finance and the law with school board work than I knew of when I first was elected. I continue to find the work worthwhile and challenging

What is the most important quality you would bring to the School Board?

The most important quality that I bring to the school board - Read More Via e-Edition

MARK TESAR

My name is Mark Tesar.  I grew up in Clear Lake and graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1980.  I then graduated from Iowa State University with degrees in Computer Science and Business Administration.  After college, I worked for 13 years in Des Moines for Norwest Financial (which became Wells Fargo Financial).  In 1998, I moved back to Clear Lake and started working for Kingland Systems where I have worked for the last 15 years.  I am married to Deb Tesar and the father of Anne Tesar, a 2013 Clear Lake High School graduate, and Chrissy Tesar, currently a junior at Clear Lake High School.

Job experience or qualifications you feel relate to your candidacy:

I served on the Clear Lake School Board from 2004-2006 and again from 2010-2013.  I am currently the board president.  I have taken many school board classes and attended many school board conferences.  I understand school finances and the operations of school districts.  I have also served on many other non-profit boards such as United Way of North Central Iowa, Stebens Children Theater, Clear Lake Rotary, Clear Lake Yacht Club and Clear Lake Yacht Club Sailing School.  However, the most important qualification is that I’m a caring father of school age kids and I am passionate about education and the Clear Lake community.

What is the most important quality you would bring to the School Board?

I have experience serving on the school board and understand the issues facing the Clear Lake School District, but again, - Read More via e-Edition