04/06/2026
After much consideration and thoughtful deliberation, I have made the difficult but necessary decision to step away from the Grand Forks School Board at the completion of my current term (on June 30th, 2026).
As many of you know, I was elected to the School Board on June 14th, 2022 and swore an oath two weeks later:
"I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the State of North Dakota, and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the Office of School Board Member, Grand Forks Public School District #1 according to the best of my abilities, so help me God."
I took those promises seriously.
Three months later, on September 29th, 2022, I received a cancer diagnosis. Throughout my four years on the School Board, I have balanced a full-time career, my musical endeavors, and all of life's demands along with a flurry of medical appointments, chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation treatments. While we have made great progress and my health has improved dramatically over the past three and a half years, the reality is that my cancer is not curable and we simply cannot predict what the next four years will bring.
While I will definitely miss certain aspects of this role (most notably all of the times that we were able to celebrate student achievement), it is also true that public service is a demanding endeavor, and I am ready to turn the page to a new chapter.
There is one other life change that entered into this decision, among the best things to ever happen to us: we are now grandparents! Shortly after our grandson was born, one of my best friends asked me how we planned to spoil him.
My response was simple: "With our time."
We want to be present as he grows up, and we want to be able to support his parents as well. I eagerly await the day - just three years from now - when we will have the privilege of walking our grandson to one of our excellent elementary schools (they are all excellent!) for his first day of kindergarten.
Many times over the past four years, community members would ask me how things were going on the School Board. I often responded, "It isn't easy, but it's important."
I gave everything I had to this role, and I am proud of all we have accomplished together. I believe strongly in the value of public education, and I encourage all of you to remain active and engaged - at the local level as well as in legislative affairs, statewide races, and our federal government.
Elections matter. Good schools matter. I am thankful for all of the candidates who are campaigning for seats on the School Board, and I will be watching and listening to their thoughts and perspectives with great interest. As I noted in my own campaign four years ago, we simply cannot predict what the next four years will have in store for us, but we can prepare by electing leaders with accountability, reason, and a broad perspective.
I want to close by thanking all of my colleagues in this work - our amazing students, their supportive families, all of our talented certified and classified staff members, principals, directors, and other administrators. A special thank you to my fellow School Board members, both past and present. Thank you for your hard work, your dedication, and your willingness to put service before self.
Three months from now, I will not have a seat on the School Board. That reality will not change how much I love Grand Forks and our great schools. Rest assured that - just as I promised during my campaign four years ago - I will remain collaborative, committed, and community-minded in all of the ways that I am able.
Thank you for placing your faith and trust in me and allowing me to serve in this role. I am forever indebted to all of you.
With gratitude,
Dave Berger, President
Grand Forks School Board
