Student Representatives
Kennedy Cuddihy
Kennedy is a senior at Spring Lake Park High School. She serves as the Public Relations Secretary on the Student Council, Panther Mentor Leader and is an active member of the track team.
Emilia Holm
Emilia is a senior at Spring Lake Park High School and started school in Spring Lake Park Schools as a kindergartner at Park Terrence Elementary. At school, she is a Panther Mentor Leader, Student Council Vice President, Leader of Current Affairs Club, Leader/Founder of Green Club, and a member of the National Honors Society. After school hours, Emilia participates in the theatre department, extracurricular choirs, Science Olympiad, and everyone’s favorite sport: homework.
Maria Horst
Maria is a senior at Spring Lake Park High School and has been in Spring Lake Park Schools since 6th grade. As school, she is the President of Student Council, the President of National Honor Society, a Panther Mentor Leader, member of the Green Club and Current Affairs Club. Maria plays the flute in Wind Ensemble and sings in Concert Choir and Parkairs, a smaller group that meets before school. After school, you can find her on the stage. In the most recent high school musical, she performed the role of Ado Annie in “Oklahoma!”
School Board Members
Tony Easter, Chairperson
teaste@district16.org, 763-600-5521
Tony is a +25-year resident of Spring Lake Park and began his first term as a School Board member for Spring Lake Park Schools in January 2016. He holds a Business Administration degree and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Northwestern. Tony and his wife Deneen have a son and daughter who are graduates of Spring Lake Park High School. He is currently a Sr. Project Manager for a Minneapolis based financial firm. Before his election to the School Board, Tony was a member of the Spring Lake Park Schools Community Facilities Design Team. Tony also served as a board member for Emma B. Howe YMCA and volunteered for more than ten years as a Boy Scout leader. Tony currently serves as the board liaison to Northpoint Elementary and Spring Lake Park Scholarship Foundation.
Amy Hennen, Vice-Chairperson
ahenne@district16.org, 763-600-5522
Amy is an 18-year resident of Blaine. She and her husband Scott Nielsen have a son and daughter in college, both graduates of Spring Lake Park High School. Prior to her election to the School Board in November 2011, Amy was Northpoint Elementary PTO president, served on the Panther Foundation Board of Directors and Community Advisory Council, co-chaired the Legislative Action Committee and co-chaired the community’s Kids First Committee. In addition to serving as the Board's chairperson beginning in 2019, Amy is liaison to Centerview Elementary School, serves as a member of the Teacher Contract Negotiating Committee and has taken part in Minnesota School Board Association leadership training. She is also the School Board's representative on the Association of Metropolitan School Districts (AMSD). Amy has also held the school board positions of vice chairperson and clerk. She holds a B.A. from the University of Minnesota, Morris and a J.D. from the University of Minnesota.
Sam Villella, Treasurer
sville@district16.org, 763-600-5520
Sam and his wife Megan have lived with their two children in Blaine for 15 years. Their son Kincaid and daughter Khyber both attended Woodcrest's Spanish Immersion Program. Their son attends Spring Lake Park High School and their daughter attends Westwood Middle School. Prior to his election to the School Board in November 2021, Sam has served on the Blaine Planning Commission, the Blaine Natural Resource & Conservation Board and the Metropolitan Council's Transportation Advisory Board. Sam earned a BS degree in Biology from the University of Minnesota and his Doctorate in Optometry from Nova Southeastern University. He currently practices with Allina Health at the Cambridge Medical Center. Sam is the previous president of the Minnesota Optometric Association and currently serves as the vice chair of the Minnesota State Board of Optometry.
Melody Skelly, Director
mskell@district16.org, 763-600-5524
Melody and her husband, Tim, have lived in the Spring Lake Park Schools School District for 21 years. They have four sons, two of which have graduated from Spring Lake Park High School (2020 and 2021) and are currently attending college, and two who are currently enrolled at Spring Lake Park High School and Westwood Middle School. Melody has volunteered in many different capacities at each of her sons' schools throughout the last 16 years. She has also served on youth sports boards, has coached at the high school and youth levels, volunteers at her church in various roles and co-founded the SLP Breakfast Club for Spring Lake Park High School students. Melody has a BA from Northwestern University and runs her own business.
John Stroebel, Director
jstroe@district16.org, 763-600-5526
A resident of Blaine since 1991, John and his wife, Sue, have four grown children and one grandchild. John is employed at Medtronic. He served on the Spring Lake Park School Board from 2006 through 2021. Prior to beginning his School Board service, John was a member of the Facilities Utilization Task Force and the Strategic Framework Advisory Committee. During his prior stint on the School Board, John served on seven teacher negotiations committees and was a liaison to each of the district’s schools. He served as the Board’s vice-chairperson beginning in 2010 before filling the role of the chairperson from 2013 through 2018. After a year off, John is honored to be appointed to fill a vacancy and is looking forward to continuing to move the district forward
Sarah Bowe, Parliamentarian
sbowe@district16.org, 763-600-5527
Sarah has lived in the Spring Lake Park Schools District for over 11 years. She and her husband Jason have two daughters. Sarah received her Bachelor degrees from Concordia College in Business Administration and Business Education. She went on to receive her Master's in Education from Indiana Wesleyan University. Sarah has a MN teaching license and has spent the last 20 years teaching at the middle school, junior high, senior high, community college, and university level. She currently teaches at the University of St. Thomas in the Computer Science department. Sarah is active in her church teaching elementary Sunday School classes, volunteers with Junior Achievement, and also is on the Systems Improvement Advisory Council for Spring Lake Park schools. She also frequently volunteers in her daughters' classrooms.
Marilynn Forsberg, Clerk
mforsb@district16.org, 763-600-5523
Marilynn is a 57-year resident of Spring Lake Park where she and husband Fred raised four sons, each being a graduate of Spring Lake Park High School. She is a 41 year member of the Spring Lake Park Schools District School Board and is currently the second longest serving active school board member in Minnesota. Marilynn served the board as chairperson or vice chairperson for 21 years, clerk for 4 years, treasurer for 1 year and director for 14 years. Marilynn has attended more MSBA training sessions than any other school board member in Minnesota, the most since MSBA has been keeping records of training attendance. She has served as liaison to all schools and on nearly every school community committee, council and task force that exists. In addition to serving on the SLP School Board she currently serves as the Chair of Northeast Metro 916 Intermediate School District, 916's representative to the Association of Metropolitan School Districts, is a member of the board of her church's school and child care center, is a member on the 7 county IEIC Help Me Grow board, and is secretary of her homeowner's association. Marilynn has received all awards and honors available from the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) - Director's Award, President's Award, 40 Year Service Award, Arlene Bush School Board Member of Distinction Award, and Minnesota School Board Member of the Year (MSBA All-State School Board). She has served as chairperson of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts, vice chair of Equity Alliance (EMID), on the MSBA Board of Directors and on the Panther Foundation Board of Directors. She was once honored with WCCO Radio's Good Neighbor Award for her volunteer work. Marilynn is a graduate of Westmar University and a retired medical technologist. She began her "school career" as a paraprofessional at Spring Lake Park Schools Kenneth Hall Elementary School.