The Star Post is featuring candidates in its coverage area where there are school board races in the Nov. 3 election in a question-and-answer format that candidates choose to participate in. Five people are vying to fill three open seats in the Nov. 3 Albany Area School Board election — Aaron Goebel, Keith Heitzman and Greg Muellner, and incumbents Dean Dirkes and Amy Sand.
Aaron Goebel
Age: 40
Describe your current involvement in the Albany Area Schools community. My wife and I are both graduates of Albany High School, where she has taught for the past six years. We have three boys, 12, 8 and 5. I’ve coached basketball and soccer and helped with Albany Area Middle School robotics.
What skills do you possess that will strengthen the school board? I have a strong foundation for school board service — 10 years in the finance industry, six years on the Avon City Council and six years on the Holy Family School Board. I work at Blattner Company as a business systems analyst, which demands attention to detail, organization and communication skills.
What has motivated you to run for a seat on the Albany Area School Board? After college, my wife and I lived in the Twin Cities metro area for six years before deliberately moving back to the Albany school district. We wanted our children to have the same experience we did growing up here, and I’m proud of this community and wanted to raise my children in it. Seeing the school facing significant financial challenges has motivated me to get involved and help keep our district strong academically, artistically and athletically, at the level I was fortunate to experience growing up.
Describe three priorities you would like to see accomplished in the next four years? How do you hope to help facilitate that work?
1. Long-term financial security. Review the budget line by line, explore all available funding opportunities and look at options to expand enrollment.
2. Transparency with the community on every board decision. Clearly communicate and explain the school’s budget and how funds are spent. Make board decisions and support data readily available to the public. Just as importantly, communicate what we don’t have, such as certain teaching or administrative roles other schools have chosen to add. Explaining why a role would be valuable, or why we decided against it, builds credibility and shows we aren’t spending money on positions we don’t need.
3. Long-term stability in the superintendent role. Take the time to conduct a thorough search, ensure the new superintendent has direct experience with the issues we’re facing, and find someone who will embrace our community and want to be part of it.
What steps do you suggest to reduce bullying in schools? It starts with solving our budget issues so we can maintain a strong teacher-to-student ratio. More good teachers mean more support for students and clearer expectations to help them succeed. A healthier budget also lets us offer more academic opportunities that match a wider range of student interests, and engaged students are more likely to succeed and enjoy school. I also believe removing cell phones from classrooms would help. Students would be more engaged in class and with their classmates, and it would reduce online bullying, since students wouldn’t be recording and posting content during class.
What is one concern you have heard repeatedly from school district residents, and how do you plan to address that concern? One recurring concern is the lack of context behind school data. For example, the district shares roles and salaries but offers little detail on the experience behind those salaries or the reasoning behind them. I plan to address this by providing more context: explaining the experience tied to current roles and salaries, clarifying why certain positions were cut or never added and comparing our staffing and spending to similar schools in our area. Residents deserve to understand not just the numbers but the context behind them.
Dean Dirkes
Age: 55
Describe your current involvement in the Albany Area Schools community. I am a current board member and have been active in the Albany Area Schools and have been a board member for 12 years. Previous to my current term, which is expiring, I was a board member from 2009-2016.
What skills do you possess that will strengthen the school board? I come from a finance background and work as an ag/commercial banker. I graduated from Albany in 1989 and have lived in the area my whole life, so my ties to Albany Area Schools run deep. I listen to residents and understand the importance of keeping the budget balanced while pushing for student growth, success.
What has motivated you to run for a seat on the Albany Area School Board? I feel a sense of obligation to students and residents of our rural school and towns. We are in a budget crisis, and I want to be part of the solution and help our community. I have a 10th grader, Isaiah, who is a student in Albany, so I have a vested interest in what the district does and know the importance of being mindful of budgets and potential tax implications of decisions. At the same time, I know the importance of being an advocate for our students’ needs, as a strong school is important to keep a strong community.
Describe three priorities you would like to see accomplished in the next four years? How do you hope to help facilitate that work?
What is one concern you have heard repeatedly from school district residents, and how do you plan to address that concern? One concern I have heard is how we are spending our money and being transparent. As a board member, we have provided minutes, open meetings for the public, and newsletters, Facebook and a website to help get the word out. I would look for alternative methods to keep our residents informed about school business. The solution I would propose involves more community question-and-answer sessions throughout the school year at the Blattner Energy Arts Theatre, where people can listen and ask questions.
Albany is a great school, and I am proud to represent the people in our communities.
Keith Heitzman
Age: 50
Describe your current involvement in the Albany Area Schools community. I have lived in Albany my whole life with my wife, Karen, and son, Mason. I have been a city council member for the past nine years. I was transportation manager for the Albany Area Schools in 2022 and now returned in 2025 as transportation manager for 4.0 bus service.
What skills do you possess that will strengthen the school board? I listen to parents, students, teachers, community members and treat everyone equally. I understand the importance of carefully reviewing spending and ensuring taxpayer dollars are used wisely. I have the willingness to be involved and put in the time to understand issues and be accountable for decisions I help make.
What has motivated you to run for a seat on the Albany Area School Board? What motivates me to serve on the school board is to make a positive difference in our schools and our community. I care about the education of the students, and the community deserves a school that is financially responsible and accountable.
Describe three priorities you would like to see accomplished in the next four years? How do you hope to help facilitate that work?
1. I want to make sure taxpayer dollars are begin spent wisely and the decisions are focused on student needs and educational priorities.
2. I believe the district should carefully evaluate programs, contracts, staffing and major expenditures to ensure we are getting best value.
3. I want the district to look beyond the current school year and plan responsibly for the future.
What steps do you suggest to reduce bullying in schools? I believe every student has the right to attend school in a safe environment. Every student should have clear expectations for their behavior, and we should have consistent enforcement of school policies and actions. Every student should be treated equally.
What is one concern you have heard repeatedly from school district residents, and how do you plan to address that concern? Improving communication. Help create a school district where communication goes both ways. We need to listen before making decisions, encourage the board to hear from the people directly affected by important decisions.
Greg Muellner
Age: 54
Describe your current involvement in the Albany Area Schools community. I believe my 23 years working in the school district combined with 22 years serving on the Albany Fire Department have given me valuable skills and experiences that I can bring to the school board. I want to use my experience to help support our students, staff, families and community.
What skills do you possess that will strengthen the school board? I know our school and the importance of taking care of buildings and resources. I know what it means to be part of a team. I’d like to use those experiences to give back to the school district and make sure we continue providing a great place for students and staff.
What has motivated you to run for a seat on the Albany Area School Board? I am running for school board for several reasons. First, to ensure all students receive a high-quality education that prepares them for the future. Second, to bring a balanced perspective to district decisions. Third, to support educators and staff and ensuring fiscal responsibility and restoring trust and unity.
Describe three priorities you would like to see accomplished in the next four years? How do you hope to help facilitate that work?
First, I want to strengthen academic achievement by ensuring every student has access to high-quality instruction, strong foundational skills and the support they need to succeed.
Second, I would like to see continued investment in teachers and staff through professional development, collaboration, and a positive work environment that helps attract and retain excellent educators.
Third, I want to promote responsible financial stewardship while maintaining programs and opportunities that benefit students and families.
I hope to facilitate this work by listening to students, families, educators and community members; asking thoughtful questions; reviewing data and budgets carefully; and working collaboratively with fellow board members and district leadership. I believe effective school boards are focused on students, respectful of differing perspectives, transparent in their decision making and committed to building trust throughout the community.
What steps do you suggest to reduce bullying in schools? To reduce bullying, schools should create a clear, consistent and student-centered approach.
First, establish simple reporting systems that allow students to safely report bullying without fear of retaliation.
Second, provide regular education on kindness, respect, empathy, digital citizenship and responsible online behavior.
Third, ensure staff are trained to recognize bullying, respond promptly, document incidents and follow consistent consequences.
Schools should also provide support for both students experiencing bullying and those responsible for it, addressing underlying behaviors while maintaining accountability. Finally, regularly gather feedback from students, families and staff to identify concerns and measure progress.
What is one concern you have heard repeatedly from school district residents, and how do you plan to address that concern? One concern I have heard repeatedly from school district residents is the need for clear, consistent communication about how decisions are made and how district resources are being used. Residents want to be informed, heard and confident their questions are taken seriously. I plan to address this by making communication more timely, accessible and transparent. That means clearly explaining major decisions, sharing relevant information before decisions are finalized when possible, and creating meaningful opportunities for families, staff and community members to provide feedback. I also believe in listening respectfully and using community input to help guide responsible, student-focused decisions.
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