The chief executive officer of Albert Lea Medical Center is running unopposed for a full-term seat on the Albert Lea School Board.

Dr. Mark Ciota, 46, lives in Albert Lea with his wife, Allison. They have two daughters, Alexandra and Morgan.

Ciota’s hobbies include attending and watching sporting events, spending time with his wife and daughters and traveling. In the past he’s been on the committee for the Gus Macker competition and a member of the Youth for Christ board. Ciota used to be a deacon at First Presbyterian Church in Albert Lea and on the scholarship board for Riverland Community College.

Goals

If elected, Ciota said he’d do the best he can to learn about the school board and the skills required to be a member. His main goal is to help students in the district.

“I want the students in the school district to succeed,” Ciota said.

He said he’s running because he has a passion for public education. He thinks the next few years will be challenging for the school board and said his input will be helpful for the board.

Budget

Ciota said his work as CEO of ALMC will help him if elected to the school board because some of the work is similar. He said school financing is similar to health care financing in that there is less money available but the same results need to be achieved.

“There’s going to have to be some new thinking and new processes to get satisfactory results with less money,” Ciota said.

He said other skills he has learned at his current job include labor negotations and union relations. Ciota said he understands how administrations, budgeting and committees work.

Extra-curriculars

Ciota said out-of-classroom activities are important for students and, if needed, he would want to look for alternate funding to keep them in the schools.

“I think they’re vitally important,” Ciota said. “I’m completely supportive of extra-curricular activities.”

New administrators

Ciota said he has worked with a few of the new administrators in the school district before and said it will be good to have people in the district with different input.

“I’m excited that there will be new ideas,” Ciota said.