Community
Dr. Abdisalam Adam vying for school board position in Fridley
Voters in Fridley, Minnesota will choose Three (3) candidates for Fridley Public School Board seats in the November 5, 2019 election.
Dr. Abdisalam Adam is a candidate for one of three Fridley Public Schools School Board seats that will be up for election on November 5, 2019. Fridley School Board is a six (6) member board that serves the City of Fridley’s school district of 3,000 students. Dr. Adam is a strong candidate who have been involved in bridging educational, cultural, and interfaith understanding in the Twin Cities for over two decades.
Dr. Adam who is a board member currently at Fridley Public Schools have announced his candidacy for the Fridley School Board election on August 3rd, 2019. His campaign kick started officially early September. Dr. Abdisalam Adam, and he supporters hosted meet and greet event at Islamic Center of Minnesota on Saturday, September 28, 2019.
Board member Kim Sampson, who has served on the School Board for 18 years, announced during the November 2018 board meeting that she would be resigning from her board position effective December 31, 2018. Fridley Public Schools held a special meeting on December 12, 2018 to interview three candidates who applied for a school board position currently held by Board member Kim Sampson. At the completion of the interviews, the Fridley School Board unanimously voted to appoint Dr. Abdisalam Adam to complete the remainder of Sampson’s term.
Adam has lived in the Fridley community for 18 years. His son graduated from Fridley High School in 2014. He said that the school board vacancy appealed to him as it represented an opportunity to give back and strengthen his involvement in the community.
“It is an honor and privilege for me to be selected to serve on the Board of Fridley Public Schools and I am very grateful to be a candidate for the School Board,” said Adam. He added that quality public education is the cornerstone of our representative democracy in producing responsible citizens. “As a member of the Fridley School Board, I will strive for equity in governance and work hard to ensure that the students of Fridley Public Schools receive a world-class education that meets the challenges of a global work place,” said Adam.
With 23 years of experience in education, Adam currently serves as an assistant principal at Highland Park High School in the St. Paul Public Schools district. His previous work experience includes teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) at St. Paul Public Schools, and interim principal and social studies teacher at the Al-Amal School in Fridley. His teaching career has also included teaching ESL at Central High School, Como Park High School, Parkway Elementary School, Boys Totem Correctional Program, Washington Middle School, and Highwood Hills Elementary School.
Adam has served on boards of various civic and educational organizations including the Al-Amal School Board, Neighborhood House, the Islamic Civic Society of America, and the American Relief Agency for the Horn of Africa. He has also participated in advisory committees for the Minnesota Department of Education on EL, Special Education, Bilingual Seal, and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
“Dr. Adam brings with him broad community involvement both in Fridley and beyond our borders,” said Fridley School Board Chair Mary Kay Delvo, adding that Adam’s previous school board experience adds to his wealth of knowledge on the collaborative role and function of school boards. “On top of his strong skills and experience, as a career educator, he will bring a valued lens to Board discussions on our priority work of supporting increased achievement and opportunities for all our students,” said Delvo.
Adam received his Bachelor of Education in Teaching English as a Second Language from King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He earned his Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction from St. Cloud State University, and his K-12 principal license from Bethel University. He is currently a Doctor of Education (Ed.D) candidate at Bethel University.