The new year is shaping up as a busy one for Rebecca Gagnon in her third year on the Minneapolis school board.

The Fulton resident will serve on all but one of the board's six committees, while taking on four external committee assignments. That's more in each category of any board member. At least that's according to the roster that board members divvied up informally and will ratify at their Jan. 8 organizational meeting.

Gagnon says she needs just three to five hours of sleep daily, which will help, as will the speed-reading course she once took. She's also the only board member without other paid employment. But that's offset by having three children who aren't driving yet, and a husband who travels for work.

Gagnon has shown herself to be the board's most detail-oriented person, often probing staff with repeated questions at board meetings.

"I'm a big puzzle person and I like to put the puzzle pieces together," she said.