Swenson for School Board

Swenson Announces Campaign for

Re-Election to School Board

Gail Swenson of Sioux Falls announced that she will run for re-election for one of the three upcoming vacancies on the Sioux Falls School Board.

“I am proud to announce my candidacy for re-election to the Sioux Falls School Board,” Swenson said. “Although I spent about half of my 41 years of experience in education as a teacher, I retired as a school superintendent. I think my experience in several key positions in education has been an asset to the Board in my first term. My knowledge of school finance and budgets, policy, and school administration has made my transition to the Board smooth.”

Swenson was first elected to the Board in July 2024. She seeks a four-year term in the June 2, 2026 election. Here are the three main principles guiding her vision for the District:

• Excellence – Continue to build a culture of excellence in all aspects of the district: academics, student opportunities, facilities, programs, and environments

• Safety – Ensure that we strive to do everything possible to create buildings and learning environments that are safe for our students and staff to be in every day

• Engagement – Continue our efforts to encourage our students, families, community, and elected officials to be engaged in our district and our children’s education

Swenson is a career-long public-school educator. The majority of her four decades in education were spent in the Sioux Falls School District as a high school language arts teacher, as President of the Sioux Falls Education Association, as a Teacher on Special Assignment, and as a district level Supervisor of both the Homeless Education and the Indian Education programs. She joined the Sioux Falls School District in 1991 with the opening of Roosevelt High School. She also has 18 years of experience working for other school districts in the region.

She currently serves on the K12 Policy Committee, the STC Policy Committee, the District Budget Committee, and the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Board. Each of those Board committee assignments align with her previous experiences.

Swenson holds a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Education degree from South Dakota State University, and an Education Specialist degree from the University of Sioux Falls.

“While my first term on the Board has been challenging at times, overall, the experience has been rewarding. I believe my educational skills and experience complement those of my Board colleagues and fit the District’s needs.”