Robbinsdale School Board Appoints New Member

The Robbinsdale School Board has appointed a new member to its ranks after a recent resignation.

Kenneth Wutoh was appointed to the board on Tuesday, Feb. 18.

Wutoh will take the seat previously held by Sharon Brooks, who resigned early in February.

He ran for a seat on the school board in the November 2024 election and came in fourth place in a three-seat race.

Wutoh lost by just 15 votes.

Now-seated Board Member Aviva Hillenbrand received 12,841 votes, edging out Wutoh’s 12,826 votes.

The board also considered using an application and interview process to fill the vacancy.

Some members were concerned that process would take too long, saying voters had already weighed in on the issue.

There is a 30-day waiting period before Wutoh can be seated.

His term will run through December 2026.

Budget Talks

The district continues to face a more than $20 million deficit heading into the next school year.

It’s partly due to an accounting error district officials discovered in November.

Now, budget cuts are on the way.

“The challenge is, to cut as much as we can without decimating the district, to allow us a chance to rebuild the district,” said Kristen Hoheisel, chief financial officer for the district.

Administrators may recommend cutting the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.

Some board members pushed back on that proposal this week, saying IB programs draw students and families to the district.

“I don’t see the value of taking away IB when there is a possibility of expanding it,” said Board Member Kim Holmes.

The board expects to revisit the future of the district’s IB programs at a future meeting.

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