I am an incumbent trustee of the West Bloomfield School Board and have served as Board President for the past eight years. As a 24-year West Bloomfield resident with 12 years of school board service, I bring extensive knowledge of our district and community.
Endorsed by the MEA. I hold the Michigan Association of School Boards (MASB) Master Platinum Award, Data Specialty Award, and currently serve as Vice Chair of Government Relations. I also serve on several district committees, including Policy, Curriculum Council, Behavior Task Force, Global Equity, and Interest-Based Bargaining. These experiences have provided me with a broader understanding of the challenges facing public education and the importance of advocating for our students and schools at the local and state levels. I believe in our students and our staff. I believe in maintaining high academic standards, responsible stewardship, equitable opportunities, safe environments, and the willingness to dream big for every student.
The top three priority issues facing our district are closely connected to declining enrollment and unreliable funding, challenges facing school districts across Michigan. Since Proposal A, much of Michigan’s school funding is based on enrollment, making it increasingly difficult to maintain the programs and services our communities value.
At the same time, the School Aid Fund is supporting an expanding range of initiatives, including free Pre-K, school meals, and community college, making sustainable K-12 funding more important than ever.
Our Board must ensure resources remain aligned with our strategic plan and focused on:
1) Increasing student growth and achievement.
2) High quality programming, curriculum, and student support.
3) Attracting and retaining students, educators and staff.
Our responsibility is to plan for the future, advocate for reliable school funding, and ensure every dollar is aligned with our strategic plan and, most importantly, the needs of our students.
As a parent and resident of the West Bloomfield community, I'm running for WB School Board because I strongly believe our children deserve quality education, strong leadership and a community that values them. Our children, are future leaders and we must care about them. If we collectively are focused on our students, their families, our teachers and staffs, we will provide a school district of excellence for generations to come.
I'm from a family of educators and born on a school campus in Monrovia, Liberia West Africa. Before I was 18 years old, I was teaching and the school registrar at my late parents institution in Liberia. I have been involved in education(working for many decades as subtitute teacher here in Michigan) and politics all my life. I hold a Political Science Degree from the University of Detroit Mercy, serves my community as a volunteer in many different roles and a small business owner. I want to be the voice of common sense for our students, parents, and teachers.
I will say academic and our students achievement- keep and support the current teachers and staff while also hiring great substitute teachers-and managing funding & resources of the school district.
If blessed to be elected, I will put our students and excellent learning as my top focus as in doing so will attract more families to our school district. Make sure our educators/teachers are well funded in the classrooms at all times(by working with members of the school board to locate funding, services, opportunties etc that will provide help to them) & our school district is providing clear & full transparency on how funds are allocated that benefits the students and the community as a whole.
I will work hard to make sure that our students receives quality education, be ready for college upon graduation, and are career minded knowing that they are our future leaders. Strong Leadership, Community Values, and Student-Teacher Focused Results is what I look to bring to our school board.
I am Ken Ferguson, a 20-year West Bloomfield resident and proud father of two WBSD graduates and one current student. I am also a career special education teacher. After retiring in 2023, I moved to Japan to serve our military families. Now, I am home and ready to once again serve our community.
In 2016, I ran for school board because I believed our Board needed the perspective of a parent and frontline educator. I was honored to be elected and served six years, advocating for students, supporting families and educators, and gaining valuable experience in responsible leadership.
Today, I return with even more to offer - prior Board service, decades of student advocacy, a deep understanding of diverse learners, and knowledge of the legal and fiduciary responsibilities of school boards.
Most importantly, I am committed to all our students, families, and educators. I am ready to put my experience, knowledge, and commitment to work for WBSD families once again.
Student Achievement & Success:
We must continue preparing every student for a changing local and global workforce. That means maintaining rigorous opportunities for our highest achievers, preparing students entering the workforce after high school, and providing consistent support for those still deciding their path.
Financial Sustainability & Transparency:
As Trustee from 2017–2022, I helped our district increase fund equity from single digits to more than 18%. As Treasurer for three years, I took deep dives into our finances and helped make difficult decisions to maintain a healthy fund balance, ensure accountability, and protect our district’s future.
Enrollment & Retention:
Future financial strength and success depends on enrollment. We must find new ways to connect with and attract families to our community. New buildings are important, but our commitment to supporting and respecting the diverse families of W. Bloomfield, Keego Harbor, and Orchard Lake makes us a destination.
I have been a West Bloomfield community member for 18 years, a parent of five, and a public educator for 26 years. My career has progressed from paraprofessional to special education teacher, school and district administrator, and executive educational leader. I currently lead early intervention and special education programming in Michigan’s largest school district and I've served WBSD as Director of Student Support Services. I hold a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Special Education from Wayne State University.
I am running because I believe leadership is a public trust. I bring educational expertise, organizational leadership, fiscal and program oversight, and an understanding of how governance decisions affect students, staff, and families. My commitment is Every Student. Every Family. Every Dollar. I will bring experience, transparency, accountability, thoughtful questions, and a commitment to keeping students at the center of the Board decisions.
Student Achievement & Opportunity: Ensure every student is seen, supported, challenged, and included. The Board should monitor multiple measures of achievement and growth, identify gaps early, set measurable expectations, and hold the superintendent accountable for results.
Transparency, Accountability & Community Trust: Strong districts require strong relationships. I support meaningful engagement before major decisions, clear two-way communication, and accessible academic and financial information. Every family should have opportunities to be heard and understand the reasoning behind Board decisions.
Fiscal Sustainability & Enrollment: Enrollment and fiscal health are closely connected. The Board should monitor enrollment and financial trends, establish clear fiscal priorities, ask informed questions, and hold the superintendent accountable for implementation. Every dollar should support student opportunity that leads to students achievement and long-term district sustainability
