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Education
High School, BA - Language Arts / Industrial Technology, MA - Public Administration
For 51 years, I’ve been privileged to live and work in Marquette. During that time, my wife taught math and language arts for MAPS, and our two sons, both MAPS graduates, found their K-12 experience key to launching successful careers. I’ve seen firsthand the programs, services, and extracurricular activities that help our schools educate students successfully. I'm running for school board because I want to ensure future MAPS students and teachers have the same opportunities my family had.
My decision to become a school board candidate also stems from understanding that Marquette’s ability to grow and prosper builds on a foundation that includes a strong, healthy school district. In part, our community’s growth depends on people choosing to live and work in Marquette because of its schools. While not every MAPS student decides to live in Marquette after graduation, many do stay, and our business community needs an educated workforce to grow and prosper.
Funding and budget pressures. While MAPS district voters approved a $60 million bond to fund critical building infrastructure repairs, independent studies show that actual costs exceed $100 million. Unfortunately, Michigan is part of a 12-state group that fails to fund school infrastructure, leaving local districts like Marquette to shoulder the entire burden. State funding for schools in Michigan is complicated and desperately needs change. I believe that administrators, legislators, and school boards should catalyze new ideas to address the problem.
Similarly, special education services require additional staff and learning spaces that are costly and difficult to maintain. Teachers, administrators, and the school board must work collaboratively to ensure each student receives an appropriate education.
While MAPS has made significant progress in core curriculum student performance, Board support for programs that promote student achievement in core subjects remains critical.
With 47 years of professional experience in education, I have designed, managed, maintained, and administered learning technologies at the college and K-12 level. As NMU’s Director of Broadcasting and A/V Services, I also served on the University’s building design teams for five instructional, administrative, and sports facilities, working with contractors and vendors on various construction-related activities. My experience includes creating, implementing, and overseeing learning technology systems, schedules, budgets, project closeouts, and regulatory compliance, as well as managing the finances associated with federal grants, state appropriations, and local fundraising. I also served as president of the Michigan Association of Educational Broadcasters and the National Educational Broadband Service Association. These state and national organizations lead policy development and implement the deployment of educational programming and technology throughout Michigan and the nation.
