Who is Jessica Schwinn?
My name is Jessica Schwinn. I attended the Centennial School District throughout the entirety of my K-12 schooling. I graduated from Centennial High School in 2009. I’ve lived in Centerville, Minnesota since 1995, when I moved here with my parents and younger brother. I attended the “little school” for Kindergarten, Centerville Elementary for grades 1-5, and then Centennial Middle School and Centennial High School. I have loved growing up in this community and school district.
I have a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, a K-6 Teacher's License, and a Master of Science in Teaching. I have been in education since 2013. In 2020, I started my own tutoring business so I could help students and support them in their learning.
I hope to continue to serve this community and look forward to discussions with parents, kids, teachers, paras, staff members, and other community members.
Why I am running
I have a unique perspective on the school district, the state of education, the treatment of teachers, and changing demographics of the community.
I have seen the teachers and staff in this district, many of whom I have taught alongside, be ignored, devalued, and mistreated. This is not necessarily unique to this district, as this is a country-wide issue.
I have seen parents and community members who fear for their children's safety, well being, and future, have their concerns ignored and dismissed.
I believe teachers and staff are the lifeblood of a school. They should be treated with respect and their opinions should be valued. They should be trusted as professionals in their field and experts on their students. They should be trusted to teach an honest curriculum to students, so they can be truly prepared to be out in the world.
Parents and community members deserve to send their children to schools in which students feel safe in every sense of the word. That means following proper health and mitigation strategies during flu, Covid, and lice outbreaks. That also means students should feel safe in all their identities. Be that their race, gender, sexuality, or religion.
My Experience
I graduated through the Centennial School District, class of '09. I've lived in Centerville, Minnesota since 1995. I have a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, a K-6 Teacher's License, and a Master of Science in Teaching. I have been in education since 2013.