John Goplen was born and raised in Winona and is currently employed at Watkins Inc. as a corporate archivist. John and his family have been serving in the Winona Public School District since 1968 when his mother was hired to be a traveling elementary music teacher and later his father would work as an Educational Assistant and Substitute Teacher in the district. John, a 1988 graduate of WSHS, began working in the district as an elementary playground supervisor and middle school cross country coach in 1991 after returning from serving in Operation Desert Storm. John served 17 years in the Army Reserve and Minnesota National Guard. After graduating from WSU in 1994 with a B. A. in History, John began working in the classrooms as an Educational Assistant at both the Winona Middle School and Winona Senior High School. John served 6 years as an assistant coach in both cross country and track & field and was the head boy’s track & field coach from 2001 to 2006. John is currently the chairman of the WSHS Athletic Hall of Fame Committee.
Key Campaign Issues Change the atmosphere of WAPS System:
- Make decisions based on what is best for the district and community as a whole.
- Be community inclusive.
- Build cooperation and mutual respect within the district and community.
Correct the current board’s misplaced priorities and focus: - Student needs must come first.
- Responsibility to the District as a whole should take priority over special interests or pet projects.
- Classroom staffing should have priority over additions to central administration staffing.
Accountability: - Board members, administrators, and educators should be held accountable for the quality of education and service provided to the students and communities served by WAPS.
- Move away from closed discussion and pre-determined votes and return the focus of the board to the openness of public discussion.
- Tax payer money is neither free nor unlimited and money should be spent only after considering where that dollar would have the most educational impact.
