Vote for no more than two candidates for Spring Lake Public Schools - School Board Member - At Large, for a 6-year term.School board members are elected officials responsible for the governance, policy-making, and oversight of local school districts, focusing on student achievement and welfare. Their primary duties include hiring/evaluating the superintendent, adopting the budget, setting district goals, and approving curriculum. They also ensure all actions follow state laws.
Campaign Phone
616-842-3182
I am lifelong resident of Spring Lake. I’m a graduate of Spring Lake as are my two children. My three grandchildren are currently attending Spring Lake and are working toward graduation as well. We are all Lakers!
I have over 15 years’ experience on Spring Lake Schools Board of Education. During that time, I have served on nearly all the working committees including the Policy committee for many years. Additionally, I served as president for four years.
One of the top challenges currently in the district is declining enrollment. This causes a financial issue since over 80% of the budget comes from per pupil allocation. Ways to address this issue is through the enrollment of school of choice students to level out enrollment. Promotion of the school’s achievements and successes through will help attract people when moving to the area which is already evident.
We must not become complacent. By nearly all measures including academic achievement, graduation rates and student participation in extracurricular activities, Spring Lake is recognized as one of the top districts locally, statewide and nationally. We must keep moving forward and maintain our focus on what's best for our students.
Being a lifelong resident in Spring Lake, people contact me directly. Additionally, my name and contact information are listed on the Spring Lake Schools website. Anyone that contacts me will receive a response. People are encouraged to attend the monthly board meetings where they have opportunities to address the board directly and they also will receive responses to any questions or concerns they may have.
Campaign Phone
616-283-3636
Age
54
Candidate Information
Registered CPA; most recently working as a CFO in my career; currently on the School Board and serving as Treasurer; formerly a member of the Foundation Board for six years; two kids in the District today; lucky to have an awesome wife!
I've worked in a variety of businesses and in various roles. I understand the need to look externally to determine where we want to be, and the need to look internally to honestly assess where we are today. Implementing appropriate policies helps us accomplish our goals and creates a framework for the team to follow. As someone finishing my first term on the Spring Lake School Board, I already have experience on how to make this happen.
1. Spring Lake Public Schools are rated among the best in the state of Michigan. As a result, there is a risk of complacency. We must create a continuous improvement mindset and find ways to continue to challenge our students and staff to grow. 2. Decreasing enrollment due to smaller family sizes and the high cost of housing, coupled with rising costs, will put stress on the budget. We need to plan accordingly when making decisions that will impact the budget in the future. 3. We need to maintain our focus on creating a space where all students and staff feel welcomed and supported in their efforts. 4. We need to continue to build on the good work of our Communications Director and solicit community feedback.
First and foremost, I have kids in the school who are also active in sports, choir and other extracurricular activities. While attending events, this gives me a great opportunity to talk to others and solicit feedback. In the past, I've attended Chamber of Commerce events as well as a Board representative. Lastly, after years of living in the community, I feel community members are comfortable approaching me to talk about issues, even if we may not agree. I'm always willing to listen.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
