When she is away from her desk, she spends her time going to concerts, comedy shows or getting lost on hikes in different places around the world. This year, there are eight candidates running for the four open seats. The Forest Hills race is among several highly contested school board races in Kent County this November. Local races have become significantly more politicized than in recent election cycles, said executive director of the Michigan Association of School Boards Don Wotruba, especially as national political leaders have focused on divisive and partisan issues in schools. Voters will choose one of three candidates: Ed Aboufadel, Robert Cribbs, and Mary Vonck (incumbent). One has to do with physical safety. Shortly after he bought the paper in 2020, the editorial section published many columns against critical race theory. Our family is very grateful for the many skilled and caring Forest Hills teachers, coaches and staff who helped shape our sons into the young men they are today. That makes for a total of 262 candidates running for local school. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Ninemeier: I am a mother of two young children in our district, who will graduate in 2033 and 2036, so I have a long-term invested interest in our districts future. Ninemeier: I believe the Boards current challenge is a perceived lack of communication within our community. In Hamilton County, Eilert received 1,531 votes; Washburn received 1,331 votes; and Schwetschenau received 1,307 votes. This is an action plan - not a binder on a shelf. Forest Hills parents and community members have spent the last two years divided over several polarizing issues like COVID-19 mitigation strategies, mask mandates, LGBTQ issues, critical race theory and parental freedom in schools over the last two years. We have incredible, talented, kid-loving people in our buildings and they need to continue to be highlighted. Across the state in the Detroit exurbs of Livingston County, the Hartland Consolidated Schools Board of Education race has nine candidates vying for three seats and two candidates competing for a partial term ending in 2024. It is exciting: I love school! Two Sycamore school board candidates, Bill Laverty and Josh Wooley, raised exceptionally high donations for their campaigns this year compared to other candidates in the region. Michaud (incumbent), Jackie Nickel, Malorie Ninemeier, Justin Sheldon, and Brian Spratke. FHPS Board of Education Candidate Town Hall. , 75% of responding members said they spent less than $1,000 on their school board campaigns. Pittsburgh City Paper May 5, 2021. One student's first-day-of-school Metro journey. Katie Stewart, Sara Jonas, Bob Bibb, and Linda Marie Hausfeld made up the group, all with no prior political experience. The district serves more than 4,100 students, according to state data. Lee did not respond to a request for comment. As a college professor, I know the value of a quality education, and I will work hard to ensure our students are prepared for a lifetime of success. I will always be a hawkish advocate for a safe and supportive school environment that ensures that all students & teachers can attend school as their authentic selves. Bodenschatz will join three incumbents in. I would personally engage with the community through school events and written communications such as emails in an effort to understand and respond to concerns. Fowlerville School Board: John . 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The seven-member board has three, six-year seats and one partial term seat available Nov. 8. Hi, I'm Justin Sheldon, and I am running for Forest Hills Public Schools Board of Education. Always be attentive to the safety of the district 5). http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?mcl-380-10. Here is the complete list of MEA recommended candidates for local school board races (sorted alphabetically by school district): Adrian School Board: Christy Mesaros-Winckles. Theyve expanded the attack to educators who talk about sexuality and gender identity in their classrooms or provide LGBTQ+ resources to students. Vladimir Kogan, an associate professor of global politics at Ohio State University, said public interest in school boards ebbs and flows. checked to make sure they live in the district. We dont want people running on platforms related to political parties. Elections Office. In Grosse Pointe Public Schools, which serve nearly 7,000 students, there are. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Linda Marie Hausfeld won the open spot for an unexpired term ending in 2023 with 5,936 votes. . Its hard in a small town. Jeup, who claims to be a former educator, pushed back on Facebook, sharing her Massachusetts teaching certification from 1993. This Media Release was added AFTER we were asked to participate and later they stated this was there from the beginning. Candidates (4 year term) Rachel Baker; Bob Bibb; Wendy Strickler Biederman . Support FHPS members say they are worried that the Chalkboard Four are using hot button issues to distract from other efforts by national and statewide groups to influence local education policy. (Critical Race Theory), a 10 year decline of in-district student enrollment and school budget wastefulness. The pandemic continues, and school boards need to continually monitor the risks. The Forest Hills School Board passed new legislation that will ban "anti-racism training and teaching" at a meeting Wednesday night. Gretchen Whitmer on Nov. 8. I truly believe that humane conversation can bring us back together for the common good of our district. There may be others, so stay tuned. I believe that Forest Hills has the ability to become a top 10 school district in the state of Michigan. I have spoken with teachers, some of whom feel that their ideas or concerns are being overlooked. The Enquirer hosted a debate for CPS school board candidates aweek before Election Day, at which mostcandidates said they do not wish to abolish the school resource officers in CPS schools, though some said they would like to see reform within the program. Dixon is up against incumbent Democratic Gov. In the Nov. 8 election, voters will see two sections on the ballot for the Forest Hills Board of Education. Johns: I see divisiveness as one of the greatest challenges facing the school board this year. It could also be beneficial to have a social media presence to showcase events and programs within our district as a part of our open communication effort. In Grosse Pointe Public Schools, which serve nearly 7,000 students, there are 10 candidates running to fill three seats. All rights reserved (About Us). Forest Hills has a graduation rate of 97.5% across its three high schools and 83% of Forest Hills graduates go to college after they graduate, according to state data. Three to be elected . I am also very active and responsive on social media. I would support and advocate for policies that eliminate harmful distractions. Rachel Baker, School Board Candidate in Forest Hills. Candidate Ginny Jeup was embroiled in controversy this month when the Michigan Caucus of Rank and File Educators, a group independently vetting school board candidates, claimed she didnt have proper teaching credentials. Residents of the Forest Hills School District lined up out the door last month for the first FHPS school board candidate forum, waiting to get past security and have their state I.D. This is something Dixon and top Republican leaders across the country have campaigned on. The candidates spoke during a two-hour forum hosted by a parent group. As a graduate of Grand Valley State University, she has previous experience as a freelance researcher for USA Today and an intern with WOOD TV-8. I have had positive experiences in schools, as a student, a professor, and an administrator, and I want the same for others. The recall petition that launched against the school board last year was spearheaded by a group called Forest Hills for JUST Education. The parent group launched in 2021 in response to growing concerns among parents over issues like mask mandates, critical race theory, transparency and busing issues. Having served on the board throughout the creation of virtually every differentiated learning opportunity in Forest Hills, I am energized to support our staff in delivering rich K-12 experiences to our students that prepare them to live healthy, productive lives. Candidate Ed Aboufadel said the district needs to come up with a better way to facilitate conversation between parents and the school board. I publish a monthly memo as the President. Ed Gentile, Hartland, director of talent acquisition at Teradata Corp. Meghan Glabach (incumbent), Hartland, health care executive, Michelle Hemeyer (incumbent), Hartland, restaurant owner, Thomas Dumond (incumbent), Hartland, civil engineer, George Skendi, Hartland, mechanical engineer. Three of the candidates on the ballot are incumbents who currently serve on the board: Suzanne Callahan, C.J. Gentile wrote in a League of Michigan Voters survey that if we dont start to calm the division within the community, I believe it may elevate quickly into a crisis for our schools., Glenn Gogoleski, Hartland, entrepreneur and business owner, Bob Merwin, Hartland, small business owner, Michelle Blondeel, Hartland, automotive supplier, Vic Bugni (incumbent), Hartland, executive director of instructional services at Saginaw Intermediate School District. I want to give back to Forest Hills schools and the community. The candidates took turns answering questions about postsecondary student readiness, uniting the Forest Hills community, building budgets, and how they would measure good leadership. We hope voters will lean on the nonpartisan tradition of these elections to keep objective, data-driven candidates in office, particularly in our high-performing district, Olson said. Find live election results on The Enquirer's website. The Michigan Advance is a nonprofit outlet featuring hard-hitting reporting on politics and policy and the best progressive commentary in the state. I think our Board and administration are headed in the right direction - for example, weve recently included different interest groups on the Equity Community Council and there was a very informative Safety and Security Forum held recently. There were five candidates running in the Talawanda school board race for two open seats. National and statewide political groups have gotten involved in local school board elections this season by leading candidate trainings, endorsing candidates, sharing talking points and providing resources and funding. The district has 41,879 registered voters spanning Ada, Cascade, Kentwood and Grand Rapids Township, according to the Kent County Clerks Office. The district also serves families in Clermont County, though no votes from the county came in for the Forest Hills school board race. Pittsburgh City Paper compiled this voters' guide to the 2021 election to help you get the information you need to cast your ballot. In a wide-ranging motion, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday, Feb, 28, to explore expanding the board beyond five members, as well as examining ways to increase transparency . According to The Clean Slate webpage, the groups focus is on academics and achievement for our children, not social engineering and the social justice causes of those HCS personnel who work with them. It lists concerns about transparency, parental rights and the threat of boys in girls sports and restrooms.. Wineberg received 35,672 votes; Moroski received 30,153 votes; Moffett received 29,303 votes; and Craig received 29,240 votes, unofficial results show. Voters elected incumbents Eileen Washburn and Eric Schwetschenau and newcomer Jonathan Eilert to Loveland City school board Tuesday night, according to unofficial election results. Seven candidates ran for the district's four open board member seats. Sycamore Schools came in at No. Pittsburgh City Paper compiled this voters' guide to the May 18 primary to help you get the information you need to make choices about the next Pittsburgh mayor, city and county council members, judges and more. Forest Heis | 4-Year Candidate Forest Hills School Board T he last couple years have provided unprecedented challenges and our district needs people with leadership experience to help guide decisions for the betterment of our students, our parents, our staff and the community at large. Warren County Board. One student's first-day-of-school Metro journey, mostcandidates said they do not wish to abolish the school resource officers in CPS schools, repeatedly stated the district does not teach the theory, changing the Anderson High Schoolmascot last summer, told The Enquirer they did not appreciate the way the district handled this change, It was ranked as No. Donovan: Im Kevinn Donovan and Im your candidate for the FHPS Board of Education. Increased exposure to cyber bullying, divisive ideas and sexually-explicit content has contributed to anxiety and depression.I would focus on learning fundamentals, such as reading, writing, math, science, and civics and augment this with important 21st century skills such as critical thinking, creativity and collaboration. I grew up in Forest Hills, graduated from FHN, and am now raising 4 young kids in the district. Times have changed and the way to Board has operated for decades requires updating. C.J. "There's a . Unlike any other time in my 18 years of service, our board could be extremely inexperienced in January, with a potential total tenure of eight years. What I believe is the long term metric is where are our students in five years, 10 years, 15 years? 2956 Richardson Drive Auburn, CA 95603. The Forest Hills Board of Education works collaboratively with the superintendent in crafting strategies to execute the district's mission and vision. After protesting at the school board, Cross is now running in partnership with Ziemer, the self-proclaimed conservative candidates.. School board member Nicole Meloche-Gregory is not seeking reelection, guaranteeing at least one new face on the board that servers over 9,000 students. Johns: I am a mother of three boys who have all grown up attending Forest Hills Schools. This would exclude personnel files and student files which should be confidential. Having so much attention focused on parents and education in top races has changed the face of local elections, as well. School board candidate Doug Lee was the only candidate who did not participate in the debate Wednesday. The unfortunate reality is that the school board and issues relating to public education have been weaponized for political objectives by vocal members of our community. Lee later told MLive he did not sign the release because of a hold-harmless clause written in the document. Republicans and right-wing groups have been focused this election on parental rights over whether transgender girls should be playing on the sports team that aligns with their identity; books that some deem pornographic, which often discuss LGBTQ+ or racial issues; and conversations about gender identity, racism or sexual orientation with students. Going forward, the school board must find creative ways to interact with parents and others who are interested in the future of the district. We all know each other. 'Untrue and absurd' political mailer sent to Forest Hills Schools parents Justin Sheldon is the only publicly LGBTQ+ candidate for Forest Hills School Board. Incumbents David Evans and John Mercurio came in last with 1,921 votes and 2,402 votes, respectively. The other candidates include two incumbents, Mary Vonck and. Before the next election cycle, communities need healing, he said. Russ Fussnecker is currently the superintendent of Edgewood City Schools in Butler County. Alongside this, there are myriad of factors from social pressures to economic realities facing a family or uncertainty about what they want to be when they grow up and the purpose of school. The recent challenges our district has seen have convinced me that I must do everything in my power to defend the integrity of education from forces that want to dismantle it. Someone willing to do general neurology Board Certification within 5 . The least employee in the administration building costs taxpayers $42.05/hour. County Clerk-Recorder-Registrar of Voters. The League never supports or opposes any candidates or political parties. My background in teaching helps me to understand the unique challenges of educators. I will be attentive to emails and messages sent to me, and work with the concerns that are raised in our district. All the while, paying our bus drivers less than half that rate. As a Board member I would support continuing down the path of transparency. Malorie Ninemeier. Michaud, and Mary Vonck. What is the greatest challenge facing the office you seek? Michaud (incumbent), Jackie Nickel, Malorie Ninemeier, Justin Sheldon, and Brian Spratke. Ill make sure that the district transports our kids to and from school consistently and on time, and that our drivers know that the school board has got their back regarding their safety and that of the students under their care. I would advocate with the School Board for improved responsiveness to community concerns and an improved process for communication with community members. Candidate Scott Schitter came in next with 2,022 votes. However, VanSolkema told 13. Becky Olson, a spokesperson for Support FHPS, said Lee left the event before it started because he reportedly declined to fill out the groups media release form, which asked each candidate for permission to record the event. (Illustrations by Abbie Adams/Pittsburgh City Paper) Politics in America after Donald Trump are . Michaud: I want to continue serving as a school board member in FHPS to ensure the spotlight and focus continues to shine on our outstanding students, teachers, and staff. The Clean Slate consists of Glenn Gogoleski, Greg Keller, Bob Merwin and Michelle Blondeel. I look forward to receiving your vote and advancing the progress of Forest Hills Public Schools. Moore said she wants to help return Whitehall back to its small town charm and patch up the political divisiveness that has crept into the sleepy lakeshore community. Lee: The residents of Forest Hills have been extremely generous by passing all bond and millage proposals put before us. I want to support other Forest Hills parents striving to raise kids who are confident, caring and contributing members of our community. Each candidate was asked to outline their stances on a variety of public policy issues listed below. Critical Race Theory is a framework for understanding or analyzing society. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Looking for a leader H1B candidates welcome to apply Current Office Volume: 10-12 returning patients per day Approx. The Forest Hills Council PTA/PTO is hosting the event and an outside moderator . Please click on each candidate's name below to view his profile. Candidate Brighton Smith was not far behind with 2,668 votes. 22 in the country this year, voters passed the district's combined five-year operating levy and 30-year bond issue in May, U.S. Senate candidate Josh Mandel was escorted out of a school board meeting, Enquirer investigation into two candidates' possible campaign finance law violations, Sycamore Schools came in at No. I dont think board meetings are the right place for these sort of conversations, Aboufadel said. Many parents often showed up with coordinated signs and matching t-shirts. Vonck: Regular, accessible communication is key. Duties of the board include: Adopt District bylaws and policy Employ and evaluate a superintendent As polling began for the Meghalaya Assembly on Monday, the first five voters received mementoes in a bid to encourage robust turnout and voting in the early hours. The event was hosted by Support FHPS, a parent-based political action committee that launched in 2021 in response to a recall effort against five members of the Forest Hills Board of Education. TOP PERFORMERS: Appleby is scoring 18.6 points per game and averaging 3.2 rebounds for the Demon Deacons. Our communitys generous support of our recent bond issue is allowing for safe spaces where rigorous teaching and learning can take place and students can acquire the 21st century skills being demanded by employers: communication, collaboration, creative problem solving. But, as incumbent candidate C.J. Ginny Jeup, Grosse Pointe, small business owner, Sean Cotton, Grosse Pointe Farms, newspaper owner and attorney, Terry Collins, Grosse Pointe Park, finance supervisor, Clint Derringer, Grosse Pointe, program manager at Stellantis, Timothy Klepp, Grosse Pointe Park, partner at IBM Consulting, Valarie St. John, Grosse Pointe Park, public health consultant, Joseph Herd, Grosse Pointe Woods, retired deputy chief, Christopher Lee, Grosse Pointe, orthopedic surgeon, William Broman, Grosse Pointe Farms, patent attorney, Je Donna Dinges, Grosse Pointe Woods, small business owner. On Oct. 16, Cross joined Dixon, GOP attorney general nominee Matt DePerno, GOP U.S. House nominee John Gibbs and Ryan Kelley, a former GOP gubernatorial candidate and accused insurrectionist at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, at a church in Muskegon for a. , where they discussed school boards/curriculum/CRT. 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