DISTRICT
Chelsea
PHONE
734-408-1544
WEBSITE
voteforheatherscott.com
Campaign Phone
734-408-1544
Number of years as resident
9
My qualifications come from seeing public education from more than one side. I attended public school K-12, so I know what a well-supported education gives a kid: attentive teachers, classmates from every background, real opportunities. My mom worked in public school administration my whole time in school, so I saw the behind-the-scenes side too.
At Central Michigan University, student orgs and Greek life gave me leadership roles and experience across backgrounds.
Chelsea has been home nine years, where my kids have grown up in Chelsea schools. Our family is deeply connected here, and I've taken leadership roles in community groups.
That combination, education from both sides, real leadership, deep roots, is what this seat requires.
By the end of my term, I want Chelsea families to trust their school board. That means transparency, but also listening. I want to seek out the voices of parents, students, teachers, staff, and community, and make sure people understand how and why decisions are made, with clear, consistent communication on safety, budget, millages, and state funding. Families deserve more than being told the decision; they deserve to be heard and understand the reasoning.
I also want real progress on student mental health and safety resources. Kids can't wait for that support.
If I leave having built that trust and moved the needle on mental health and safety resources, I'll consider the term a success. Everything else builds from those two things.
Student achievement starts with well-supported classrooms. I'd want the board closely connected to what teachers and principals see day to day, since they know where students need support, and I'd protect funding that keeps teacher positions and programs strong.
Achievement isn't only test scores. Kids find success in different places, so I'd want the district investing in academics, arts, and athletics, so every student has a shot at excelling.
I'd also want a real focus on early literacy, catching kids up before gaps widen, and keeping strong, experienced teachers year after year, since consistency matters.
Alongside that, I'd want the board communicating clearly with families about progress, so everyone sees if it's working.
My top budget priority is keeping money as close to the classroom as possible: teachers, programs, and the day-to-day support that directly affects students, before anything else.
Right behind that is keeping our buildings safe and well-maintained through the sinking fund, so facility costs don't end up competing with classroom dollars for the same money. Those two funding streams are meant to stay separate, and I'd want to keep it that way.
I'd also prioritize keeping class sizes manageable and staffing levels strong, since that's one of the most direct ways a budget shows up in what actually happens in the classroom every day.
Across all of it, my priority is transparency: showing the community exactly where the money goes and why.
The first issue is the two millages on the ballot: the operating renewal, funding classroom learning and teacher positions, and the sinking fund, covering building safety and maintenance. Both are renewals, not new asks, but voters may not see it that way. I'd push for clear communication on what each funds and what happens if either fails.
The second issue is the state's 31aa mental health funding. Like 30+ Michigan districts, ours faced a choice: take funding or keep legal protections on safety data. Our board declined for now. I support that, and as trustee I'd push the state to fix the waiver so districts aren't forced to choose funding over safety.
Both come down to the same: full picture for the community, kids protected first.
WRITE-IN?
No
DISTRICT
Chelsea
PHONE
7202317686
WEBSITE
www.facebook.com/tracyforcsd
Campaign Phone
7202317686
Number of years as resident
6
I am the best candidate because I bring board experience, professional expertise, and a direct connection to the students we serve. As Secretary of the School Board for the past year and a half, I understand board responsibilities and the governance work that moves our district forward. As a parent of three children in the district, I see daily what students and families need. With a Master’s in Public Health and experience in project management and healthcare, I offer strengths in data evaluation, process improvement, policy development, and understanding issues affecting student wellbeing.
My goals are to continue the board’s essential work advocating for students through policy, budgeting, and oversight. I will work with the superintendent and our bond committee to assess the need for a new bond and identify priorities that benefit the most students, including key building renovations and evaluating a new community pool. I will also continue supporting student career‑path development by strengthening CTE, dual enrollment, and partnerships that expand real‑world learning. Finally, I plan to deepen collaboration with the Chelsea Senior Center to support programs that serve our community.
Improving student achievement requires supporting the whole child. Health, well being, and stable home environments shape a student’s ability to learn. Our district should maintain evidence based curriculum and interventions, regularly assess their effectiveness, and closely monitor student mental health. By identifying students who need additional support or face learning or home challenges, we can better ensure every student reaches their academic potential.
Our district is fortunate to have strong and diverse funding sources. My priority is ensuring we remain financially healthy through consistent oversight, transparent audits, and thoughtful board review. I support maintaining a solid fund balance and a responsible sinking fund to protect long term needs. I will continue evaluating all funding requests carefully, focusing on investments that benefit the greatest number of students and keep student needs at the center of every decision.
Chelsea faces serious challenges, including preparing students for life after high school, supporting mental health, and maintaining enrollment amid declining birth rates. As a board member, I will strengthen partnerships with colleges, employers, and training programs and expand AP, CTE, and dual enrollment options. I will support School of Choice to stabilize enrollment and ensure policies, resources, and staffing levels protect student mental health and create clear, well supported pathways for life after graduation.
DISTRICT
Chelsea
WEBSITE
www.voteforericwilkinson.com
Number of years as resident
9
I'm a graduate of West Point and served six years as an Army Armor officer, including tours in Kosovo and Iraq. West Point taught me about selfless service, and that's why I continue to serve. I'm the son of a public school teacher and I went through public schools start to finish, and I'm grateful for the foundation that gave me. After the Army I worked for global manufacturers, and today I own a small construction business, so I see firsthand the skills our students need for today's world. My wife and I have three sons in Chelsea schools, so I relate to the needs of parents in our district. Since 2021 I've served as trustee, vice president, and president, so I understand how this district operates and what a trustee's job really is.
First, we have to build an organization that can adapt to the ever-changing world our students will enter when they graduate. I will continue to push for clearly defined district goals and for the process to make sure those goals are achieved, not just written down. Second, changing demographics and declining enrollment are affecting schools across Michigan, including ours. Our job as a board is to give parents and students the best educational opportunities to meet their needs, and to manage the district's finances so we can keep meeting them as conditions change. I'll do this the way I have: asking hard questions in public, insisting on measurable results, and working with fellow trustees on decisions our community can see.
The board's job is to give our teachers and district team the tools they need to succeed: training, reasonable class sizes, and a strong curriculum. High expectations matter too, so a Chelsea diploma means something whether a student is headed to college, a trade, the military, or a job. We also must be honest about results. Set specific, measurable goals, report progress to families in plain language, and change course when we aren't meeting them. And achievement is more than just a test score. It's the band, the robotics team, athletics, afterschool clubs, and more that round out our children's learning and prepare them for life after school.
As a small business owner, I know what it means to balance a budget when every dollar has to work hard, and I bring that mindset to the board. Our finances represent the trust taxpayers place in us. My priorities: protect a healthy fund balance so we're prepared for the unexpected; keep our compensation competitive to attract and retain great teachers and staff; fund safety, including secure entries and the counselors and safety leadership we've added; sustain the breadth of programming that makes a district our size special; and spend approved bond dollars responsibly on the facility work they were intended for. Financial discipline isn't cutting corners on kids. It's what makes those investments possible year after year.
Enrollment and funding pressure is a big one. Declining enrollment across Michigan puts programming at risk, so I've supported using schools of choice deliberately to maintain healthy grade-level populations and sustain the activities and course offerings our students count on. Second, student mental health and safety. We've added counselors, building improvements, and a Director of Safety and Security, but the work isn't done. Third, public trust. Boards lose it when decisions feel rushed. I'll keep insisting the board's work happen in the open, with major items discussed over at least two meetings and real chances for residents to be heard before we vote.
