New Castle Senior Highschool- Former Principal 

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August 23, 2022

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It is my pleasure to write a letter of recommendation for Makiza Johnson, candidate for the Eastern Carver County School District 112 Board of School Directors. I have known Mr. Johnson since he was a young man, first as a congregant of my church and later as a student under my supervision as principal of the New Castle Jr/ Senior High School, New Castle, Pennsylvania.

I observed him as one who was personable, respectful and self-motivated to obtain his goals. Despite various family issues, he overcame those challenges and had the tenacity to complete his high school education. He then went on to establish an impressive career in the NAVY as well as becoming an expert in the Cyber Security industry.

I consider Makiza as a man of integrity. He brings with him years of experience and commitment to the community. He has extensive knowledge and the ability to resolve technical issues. That fact alone makes him an asset to the District. Not only does he have expertise, he also genuinely cares about the students and families. He is a proud husband and father. He knows the value of a sound education and would take steps to ensure opportunities and equity for all students.

For these reasons and many more, I believe that Makiza Johnson is an excellent candidate for the Eastern Carver County School District 112 School Board. I encourage members of the community to support him with their votes on Election Day.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Jacqueline M. Respress

Dr. Jacqueline Respress, EdD

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Eden Prairie Schools- Teacher

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August 27, 2022

 

It is an honor for me to recommend Makiza Johnson for the Eastern Carver County School Board!  There are certainly more than three benefits of having Makiza as a part of any organization, however, I would like to highlight three of them. These three benefits include his effectiveness as a leader, his commitment to a positive environment, and his personal integrity. Any organization would benefit from having Makiza as a part of their team, and I highly recommend him.

 

First, a benefit of having Makiza as a part of an organization is his effectiveness as a leader. One of the traits of an effective leader is to be a learner. I first met Makiza at a parent education class I was teaching, and he was interested in how to help his then 8th grade daughter be as successful as possible. Throughout his attendance at my course, I was struck by his passionate interest in asking many, many questions and having a stance as a learner. He ended up attending many of the classes I taught, and the theme was the same: he consistently asked questions and desired to implement what was learned for the betterment of his daughter and family. Of all of the classes I’ve taught over the years, Makiza stood out to me as different. It was because of this that he and I struck up a friendship, and we have been friends ever since. When we first met, I was the teacher, but over the years, I have learned much from him as well. I have seen him learn, implement, and then lead. As mentioned, he’s a learner. I have seen him implement what he learns. I have also seen him as an amazing leader. It seems that wherever Makiza goes, others seem to recognize him as a person who is worthy of being followed. What’s amazing about Makiza is his ability to be a servant leader. He seems energized most when he is serving other people and helping others grow along with him. It is because of his effectiveness as a leader that I highly recommend him for the School Board. We need more and more effective leaders connected to the world of education.

 

Another reason I recommend Makiza for the School Board is how he creates a positive, supportive, and respectful atmosphere where others flourish. As mentioned, he is effective as a servant leader, and of equal importance is his relationship with others. I recall numerous times throughout the years of seeing him doing his work and seeing the excitement on others’ faces when Makiza is seen. The unfiltered reaction of others’ positive response to Makiza is very telling of his commitment and his ability to connect with others. Having such a quality, dedicated person as a leader for Eastern Carver County Schools would be a wise decision. For the sake of education, Makiza needs a position where his strengths are tapped into. The School Board would be a great way for others to benefit from his ability to create a positive, supportive, and respectful atmosphere where others flourish.

 

Another reason I recommend Makiza for the School Board is his personal integrity. I have known Makiza as a learner, a peer, and friend. I wish everyone would have the opportunity to sit with Makiza and have a chance to have him share some of his stories of the adversity he has experienced in his life. There are many such stories, and he continues to pursue what is best for others in spite of the challenges he’s experienced. If we are to ask students and staff members in a school district to perform well - even when things are tough, Makiza is a person who has modeled for decades what we ask students and staff members to do. Who could be a better leader in a school district than one who has persevered through many trials? Makiza is a person students and staff members can look up to and leaders can learn from. To say the least, Makiza needs to be in a role such as a School Board member.

 

As seen, Makiza is a talented individual, and I would highly recommend him for any position. An effective servant leader, creator of a positive environment, and full-of-integrity are only three of countless complimentary ways that could describe him.

 

Please feel free to contact me regarding this highly qualified individual, Makiza Johnson. He is easy to recommend for any position, especially the School Board.

 

Most sincerely,

 

Jeff Thelen

Leader, Educator, Parent

Eden Prairie ISD 272

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Huey P. Long- Former County Administrator

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August 22nd, 2022

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Please be advised I have known Mr. Makiza Johnson for approximately twenty-two years. First, as an employee of La Paz County, Arizona, and most important as a friend for twenty plus years! I had the distinct honor of hiring Makiza as one of the first “black” employees for the County of La Paz County, Arizona. During that period, the county prided itself in “not” employing minorities, even to the point to attempting to dismiss me as La Paz County Administrator in view of the fact I hired him to oversee our Data Protection and Security Operations for the county. I soon learned my decision created an uproar among some elected officials with reports coming in referring to Mr. Makiza Johnson as that “N-word" recently employed by Mr. Huey Long, La Paz County Administrator. 

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The situation reached a tipping point when La Paz County called a “special meeting" for the sole purpose of dismissing me as La Paz County Administrator. I defied their attempt to have me appear in executive session. Interesting, the meeting was called mid-afternoon on an odd day but their attempt to hide failed due to the fact they could not get enough votes to cut a contractual deal for me to go away, then fire Mr. Makiza Johnson! This incident was clearly a “I CAN'T BREATHE MOMENT" for myself and Mr. Makiza Johnson! 

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I mention this situation for the purpose of conveying the fact that even I was told, “DO NOT REVEAL I AM NATIVE AMERICAN” conveys the negative sentiment we both faced as employees for La Paz County, Arizona! Keep in mind, I served as a public administrator since 1970, ran for Oklahoma Lt. Governor, later to withdraw from the 6th District Congressional race and managed a U.S. Senate Race for a former Governor for the State of Oklahoma. Sadly, this nonsense permeates the mindset of society today and has followed me my entire career! 

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Now, let me make it perfectly clear regarding my former employee, and friend, I have the unique ability as a public administrator serving national and international people groups to see the gifts, talents and abilities to effectively serve in diverse cultural scenarios. Therefore, Makiza Johnson is a gifted, talented professional that I have mentored as employee and friend. His commitment to his moral beliefs and family are strong attributes defined as “ABSOLUTES” in his life journey! My friend Makiza is smart, educated, and has developed a unique desire to serve the community and throughout the years, I have encouraged him to pursue and serve in the realm of public education! Mr. and Mrs. Makiza Johnson, and family represent the “best of the best" in their desire to serve with honor, dignity, and with a high degree of professionalism! Last but not least, “Makiza has the most important communication skill, the ability to...”LISTEN!” 

 

Respectfully, 

Huey P. Long, Pastor Retired City/County Manager 

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Ron Meyer - Former District 112 School Board Member and Finance Director

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Strong schools are often the centerpiece of exceptional communities. This was a sentiment I often shared with stakeholders while I was a member of the school board as well as most recently as a staff member for the school district. I believe the election on November 8th for four seats on the Eastern Carver County School board will be consequential for the future success of the school district as well as the great communities we call home. While there are several qualified and passionate candidates, two stand out for me as worthy of special consideration.

Tim Klein has served our communities as a school board member for 12 years. In that time, he consistently has led from a student-first perspective. I saw firsthand how deeply Tim cares about ensuring all students feel safe, welcome, and included, while also understanding the importance of strong academic rigor and high expectations for our students and staff. Tim also brings an expertise in finance and operations that is extremely valuable to the district. I was fortunate to see this in action not only as a fellow board member, but as the district’s finance director, where I was able to see Tim bring his expertise to the Citizen Finance Advisory Committee and the board’s finance committee. Tim took time to understand the unique caveats to school finance and was able to translate complicated financial concepts to be better understood by his constituents. While his finance expertise is impressive, the most compelling reason for my support of Tim is his servant leadership philosophy. Tim’s candidacy is unquestionably a result of his dedication to his community and the next generation of learners that attend our schools.

I have recently had the opportunity to get to know Makiza Johnson. I believe Makiza would bring a diverse perspective to the school board that is not currently represented. He is thoughtful in his approach, with his only agenda to make our community and schools better. He has significant experience in technology and operations and both areas would be valuable as a board member. He listens to multiple perspectives and has a clear vision for the role of a school board member. The role of a school board member is intentionally structured to be non-partisan, to ensure that public schools reflect the values and ideals of all parts of the community they serve. While schools have increasingly become politicized on both extremes of the spectrum, I believe it is important to elect individuals who are willing to reach out to all parts of the community, listen for understanding, remain curious, and lead with a servant’s heart. Tim Klein and Makiza Johnson possess these skills and I believe would represent all parts of our community to help each of our students achieve their personal best!

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Most sincerely,

 

Ron Meyer