Bill Gilles

Stillwater School Board

Welcome to my site! Thank you for taking the time to learn more about me and my ideas for District 834. As a father of 3, who will have a child in the district for the next 16 years, I have a vested interest in making our schools the best they can be. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions about who I am or what I stand for.

ABOUT BILL

  • Married to St. Paul native Kelly; met at Battle Creek Dog Park. Still going strong after three dogs, three kids, two houses, and three careers.
  • Father of three children, ages 8, 4, and 2.
  • 20 years of non-profit management experience
  • Small business owner
  • MBA from Notre Dame, MIS degree from Carlson School of Management

  • Through non-profit work, organized river and community cleanups for over a decade

  • Helped organize MN caucuses in Stillwater and Forest Lake

ISSUES

Reading First!

Reading is a critical skill, and without a strong foundation, future success will be hard to grasp. Currently, our district fails nearly 30% of our students in basic reading proficiency. We must do better.

Division Last

It is time to move beyond the conflict that has defined our district for the past five years. We must move beyond our individual grievances and focus on providing every student in our district with a high-quality education that will serve them for a lifetime.

District Growth

Lake Elmo is currently experiencing extreme growth, and so is our student population there. The sole elementary school is not only bursting at the seams, but in dire need of repair. We need to utilize our existing district facilities in new and creative ways in order to provide immediate relief. Additionally, it is critical that we gain the community support necessary to fund renovations, expansions, or the construction of a new school in the Lake Elmo area.

Unique School Focus

I also believe in building upon the community schools that our district has and encouraging them to develop unique identities. This might include different learning environments or specialized curriculum like the Spanish immersion program, a STEM program, or an agricultural focused program. By doing this, we provide families in our district the opportunity to choose a school based on the needs and interests of each student. Community buy-in and involvement in this development process will be key in uniting our district and fueling Pony Pride.