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Dear PACT Stakeholders,
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Twenty years ago, I was a student here: learning, growing, and building friendships that shaped my life. As a member of the PACT Class of 2006, I gained more than a diploma; I found my purpose and my community, and I met my future wife. Now, as my children walk these halls, my connection to PACT is deeply personal and part of my family's story.
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| That connection brought me to the School Board in the summer of 2023. My motivation was simple: to give back, improve what I could, and leave PACT better than I found it. My goal was to help strengthen and stabilize the school so it could grow confidently while staying true to its mission. |
I stepped into this role during one of the most exciting times in our school's history. As we prepared to open our Secondary Campus, our student population nearly doubled in one year. Managing this growth required significant effort, but we remained committed to PACT’s core values: community, character, and the belief that how we treat one another is as important as what we learn. We ensured that growth would not come at the expense of our mission identity.
A key decision during my tenure came in Spring 2024, when the School Board hired a superintendent. As PACT became a multi-site district, we recognized the need for dedicated, professional leadership in organizational outcomes, strategic planning, financial management, and community engagement. Hiring Dr. Nathan Flansburg was more than an administrative choice; it reflected the school we aspired to become.
None of us anticipated how quickly that decision would be tested. Just three weeks after Dr. Flansburg started, we discovered a serious financial crisis due to overspending and an unresolved dispute over lease aid with the Minnesota Department of Education. The stakes were extremely high as PACT was out of compliance with two bondholder covenants, threatening the very existence of our school.
What followed was remarkable. Under the new combined decisive leadership, we acted quickly to increase enrollment, restructure operations, and implement bold financial changes. The turnaround was so rapid that, during a credit rating call with S&P, analysts noted they had never seen such a swift financial recovery. Financial stability was never the end goal; it served a greater purpose. This was evident in December 2025, when the School Board approved the largest single salary adjustment for teachers in our school's 31-year history.
PACT is no longer in recovery mode, and we are building toward something greater. Community Education programming launched in the Fall of 2025, and we will open an online school in a few months, in which we’ve already met our initial enrollment goals. Alongside these programs, a high school credit-recovery program is launching to expand opportunities for students. We have also unlocked new income streams by renting out our facilities, bringing in more than $100,000 annually. And our current K-12 waitlist for the 2026-2027 school year totals just over 940 prospective students who wish they, too, could be a PACT Panther. These are not accidents: they are the result of intentional, strategic leadership between the Board of Directors and the Administrative Cabinet. And they are proof that PACT's best days are still ahead.
Serving as School Board Chair during one of the most challenging and ultimately triumphant periods in PACT's history has been the honor of my life. I leave not with relief, but with gratitude and full confidence that those leading, teaching, and raising their children here will continue to move PACT forward with the same heart and determination that have always defined us.
As I close this chapter, I extend my deepest gratitude to our leadership team, whose vision and expertise will continue to guide us for years to come. To my fellow School Board members, thank you for your partnership and for making difficult decisions for the right reasons. To our teachers and staff, you are the soul of PACT, and I want you to know how valued you are every day. To our students and families, you are the reason this work matters.
PACT has been part of my story for twenty years, and it will remain so for the rest of my life. Thank you for the privilege of serving you.
Once a Panther, always a Panther.
Ryan Heineman ‘06
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