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VOTER GUIDE – NOVEMBER GENERAL ELECTION
OXFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
POLLS ARE OPEN 7:00 A.M. – 8:00 P.M.
LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OAKLAND AREA
Website: www.lwvoa.org
E-mail: contact@lwvoa.org
Phone: 248-594-6602
9 Candidates for School District Board Member for FOUR 4-year terms
CANDIDATES for
SCHOOL BOARD
FOUR 4-year terms
Vote for no more than FOUR
JOYCE
BRASINGTON
140 Amy Lynn Court
Metamora, MI 48455
Question 1 (150 Words or less):
Please provide biographical information and
explain why you are running for School
Board and relevant qualities and skills you
would bring to the position that you are
running for.
Question 2 (150 Words or less):
What are the top three (3) Priority Issues
facing your school district and what actions
would you take to address them if elected to
the school board?
“Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat.” My
Wildcat story started in 1968 as a
kindergarten student. It continued as an
employee of Oxford Schools from 19952013 as a teacher, counselor, middle school
administrator, and elementary principal.
Then my husband and I chose to raise our
family here. My daughter, Jessica, is a 2012
graduate of OHS and my youngest daughter,
Jennifer, is a junior at OHS. I want to
continue being a Wildcat story as a board
member. Local boards of education have a
great responsibility. I would work tirelessly
on behalf of the community to ensure we
provide a quality education for all students.
I’m a parent, taxpayer, alumni, active
community member, former employee of
the district, and currently work as a school
principal for the Troy School District and
am a doctorate student at the University of
Michigan. I “know” Oxford and I “know”
the business of education.
Accountability – There needs to be
accountability regarding initiatives the
district has implemented. As a board
member, I would ask for data to measure the
success of these initiatives such as number
of students participating, cost of the
program to implement, cost of the program
to be maintained, and how does it impact
student achievement?
Copyright League of Women Voters Oakland Area 2014
Page 1 of 7
Transparency – There needs to be
transparency. I have looked and cannot find
on the district website such things as
performance reviews of the Superintendent
and the recently renegotiated contracts for
the Deputy Superintendent and
Superintendent Emeritus. As a board
member, I would ask this type of
information be available and limit the
number of closed meeting sessions.
Student Achievement – Oxford students do
not perform as well on standardized
achievement tests as neighboring districts
such as Lake Orion. As a board member, I
would set policies which focus on preparing
student to be career and college ready.
Published by the League of Women Voters Education Fund
OXFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT (Continued)
CANDIDATES for
SCHOOL BOARD
FOUR 4-year terms
Vote for no more than FOUR
PAULA FOSTER
579 Doral Drive
Oxford, MI 48371
Question 1 (150 Words or less):
Please provide biographical information and
explain why you are running for School
Board and relevant qualities and skills you
would bring to the position that you are
running for.
Question 2 (150 Words or less):
What are the top three (3) Priority Issues
facing your school district and what actions
would you take to address them if elected to
the school board?
I received my Bachelors in Sociology from
Wilmington College of Ohio. We moved to
Oxford 17 years ago and knew this was a
community where we would start our
family. Our son Henry is in 5th grade at
OES and enjoys a variety of activities. For
over 6 years, I have worked in the district in
various positions (Head Start Family
Service Worker, Substitute Teacher,
Paraprofessional and Noon Aide). I enjoy
my time volunteering in our school and with
the PTO. I built my career around working
with children (abused and special needs),
parents and senior citizens. I managed a
blended retirement community offering low
income housing. My goal in running is to be
a voice for parents and students. My slogan
“Every Student Matters” is a philosophy
essential for success. I’m a proactive
advocate and feel that we need to continue
to build trusting relationships within our
district.
Communication: When people are upset
with a situation it is usually due to poor
communication. We need to address this.
When parents and students feel they are
being validated, we build a bridge of trust. I
would make myself available to the public
outside of board meetings, and respond to
emails and phone calls in a prompt manner.
I expect the same leadership from my peers.
Copyright League of Women Voters Oakland Area 2014
Page 2 of 7
Ownership: Board Members and
Administration are accountable for the
direction the district is going. Changes do
not equal failure, but rather a higher
standard of learning from past mistakes. If a
program is not meeting expectations, we reevaluate it. Ownership is key if we want to
teach our children responsibility.
Finance: More research must be done before
we do budget cuts or pay freezes in certain
departments. There is no room for secret
funds. I am highly efficient in asking
questions and getting answers.
Published by the League of Women Voters Education Fund
OXFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT (Continued)
CANDIDATES for
SCHOOL BOARD
FOUR 4-year terms
Vote for no more than FOUR
AMY HAMILTON
27 Park Street
Oxford, MI 48371
Question 1 (150 Words or less):
Please provide biographical information and
explain why you are running for School
Board and relevant qualities and skills you
would bring to the position that you are
running for.
Question 2 (150 Words or less):
What are the top three (3) Priority Issues
facing your school district and what actions
would you take to address them if elected to
the school board?
I grew up in Lake Orion and moved to
Oxford shortly after graduation. My
husband and I have lived in Oxford for 20
years and we have three wonderful children,
two of which attend Oxford Middle School.
Although a staff nurse by heart, I have a
master degree in nursing and currently run a
busy medical surgical nursing unit and
telemetry room at McLaren Oakland. My
objective in life is to make sure my children
receive a quality education and grow up to
be successful, happy adults. In the last year,
I have learned that this goal may not be the
same for all the individuals that we trust our
children with on a daily basis. This is the
reason I would like to serve on the school
board. I want to make certain decisions that
are made are made for the children that we
are responsible for and nothing else.
With all the challenges that society and our
children face today, we need to make sure
that our schools are a place the community
and children can trust and we are able to
provide an environment for them to be
successful. Our exceptional teachers need to
be given the resources to teach the children
in the classrooms. The need for
communication and open discussion is well
past due. Decisions that affect our children
and our community should not be made
before a forum is presented. School boards
should be more accessible to the
community. I fear our school district has
become a political environment and we have
forgotten what is really in the best interest
for the children in our actual classrooms. I
am a concerned mother who loves Oxford
and my objective is to make sure our
children receive the best possible education
that I know Oxford Schools is capable of
providing.
ANGELA R.
MITCHELL
DID NOT RESPOND IN TIME FOR INCLUSION
651 Sandpiper Way
Oxford, MI 48371
PAM PHELPS
1490 W. Drahner Road
Oxford, MI 48371
Copyright League of Women Voters Oakland Area 2014
DID NOT RESPOND IN TIME FOR INCLUSION
Page 3 of 7
Published by the League of Women Voters Education Fund
OXFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT (Continued)
CANDIDATES for
SCHOOL BOARD
FOUR 4-year terms
Vote for no more than FOUR
MIKE SCHWEIG
54 Spring Lake Drive
Oxford, MI 48371
Question 1 (150 Words or less):
Please provide biographical information and
explain why you are running for School
Board and relevant qualities and skills you
would bring to the position that you are
running for.
Question 2 (150 Words or less):
What are the top three (3) Priority Issues
facing your school district and what actions
would you take to address them if elected to
the school board?
After over 29 years as a Parent, Teacher,
Coach and Administrator, I've developed
the skills and abilities vital to becoming a
successful school board member. Having
recently retired, I spent my last 15 years as a
high school principal in the Oxford School
District. Previously, I had been a high
school administrator in Oshkosh, WI. This
recent experience provides me a keen
understanding of our district's programs
and policies. Having lived in the district for
16 years, I've had the opportunity to build
strong relationships with students, parents
and community members, enabling me to be
a trusted representative of the people. All
three of our children have graduated from
OHS, a further indication of my belief in
our school system.
With four new Board members being
elected, this provides a great opportunity to
take a fresh look at all aspects of the District
and determining the future direction of our
schools. However, three priorities I would
like to review are:
1. Academic achievement and how well the
exam exemption policy is working
regarding getting our students college
ready. 2. Improving employee morale - do
they feel valued and appreciated? 3. Our
Superintendent's leadership of the District what are his accomplishments? What areas
need to be improved? The leadership of the
District is entrusted to the Superintendent,
but it's the responsibility of the school board
to evaluate his results.
Overall, our District is positioned well in
terms of moving forward. As a contributing
member of the Board team, I would keep an
open mind as to how best to address these
and any other issues that come before us.
Copyright League of Women Voters Oakland Area 2014
Page 4 of 7
Published by the League of Women Voters Education Fund
OXFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT (Continued)
CANDIDATES for
SCHOOL BOARD
FOUR 4-year terms
Vote for no more than FOUR
KIMBERLY
SHUMAKER
56 Crawford, Apt. 5B
Oxford, MI 48371
Question 1 (150 Words or less):
Please provide biographical information and
explain why you are running for School
Board and relevant qualities and skills you
would bring to the position that you are
running for.
Question 2 (150 Words or less):
What are the top three (3) Priority Issues
facing your school district and what actions
would you take to address them if elected to
the school board?
I am running for the School Board because
I enjoy being part of planning and
implementing programs that benefit
students. As evidenced below, I am a leader
who believes in education and service to
others. I am professional, ethical and
diligent.
Priority Issues facing Oxford School
District:
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Married with four children
Dental Hygienist
Former small business owner
MASB Certified School Board Member
Award
MASB Award of Merit
Completed 20 School Board courses and
130 education credits
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Served on Howell School Board as
Secretary, Curriculum and Negotiations
committees
Served on Oxford School Board five years
Authored/taught a "Skills for Life"
curriculum
Volunteered for wrestling, soccer, and
FIRST robotics teams for over eleven
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years
Served as youth group leader for 20 years
Donated interior decorating services for
renovation of a warehouse into a teen
center
Served on Homeowners Association
Board, Deaconess Board and Building
Committee
Copyright League of Women Voters Oakland Area 2014
Page 5 of 7
Providing interventions for all students
who need assistance to meet state
standards and increase scores on state
assessments
I will continue to consider new
approaches and support proven methods
of increasing student knowledge and
skills to enable them to reach their full
potential. I will expect continued upward
progress in scores while striking a
balance between scores and skills.
Creating a sustainable structure that
affords increases in pay for employees
I will thoughtfully consider the
information provided by our
business/finance department, be open to
proposals, and seek employee input.
Evaluating the effectiveness of initiatives
implemented over the last five years and
assessing their financial impact.
I will continue to listen to parent and
employee input, seek out information
concerning the cost vs. revenue of
initiatives, and bring forth concerns as
well as compliments.
Published by the League of Women Voters Education Fund
OXFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT (Continued)
CANDIDATES for
SCHOOL BOARD
FOUR 4-year terms
Vote for no more than FOUR
MARK W. STEPEK
1890 Lakesview Drive
Oxford, MI 48371
Question 1 (150 Words or less):
Please provide biographical information and
explain why you are running for School
Board and relevant qualities and skills you
would bring to the position that you are
running for.
Question 2 (150 Words or less):
What are the top three (3) Priority Issues
facing your school district and what actions
would you take to address them if elected to
the school board?
Oxford resident since 1991. Profession:
Attorney at Law; graduate of Detroit
College of Law. Wife: Kathleen. Children:
Myles 19, Blake 17 & Jenna 13. Oxford
Booster President, Oxford Turf Committee
& Oxford Ski Club Co-Director .
My goal is to ensure full and proper
communication to the public. Board
members need to follow a strict protocol
when making decisions impacting the
district. I will support and assist in training
board members to research issues, present
facts, listen to opposing views thereby
enabling them to select the best decisions
for students.
I love Oxford and feel it is a great place to
raise children. I think it is the right time to
bring my passion and expertise to a new
level serving the school district and the
families of Oxford.
My experience as a father of Oxford
students, Cub Scout leader, coach and
community member along with my legal
expertise will enable me to listen objectively
to information and ideas, to generate new
ideas and to make equitable decisions to
move the district forward in offering
students outstanding educational
opportunities.
Copyright League of Women Voters Oakland Area 2014
Page 6 of 7
I believe that “it takes a village to raise a
child”. Consequently, the parent/teacher
partnership is essential and vitally important
to the overall success of a child’s education.
I therefore advocate and support needed
pay-raises for teachers and will seek funds
in the budget to increase their salaries.
Our nation is falling short in preparing our
children adequately for competing in the
world market. My intent is to support
policies and procedures to create curricula
offering both college-prep and skilled trades
to equip our children in today’s world
market.
Published by the League of Women Voters Education Fund
OXFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT (Continued)
CANDIDATES for
SCHOOL BOARD
FOUR 4-year terms
Vote for no more than FOUR
NOAH STEVENS
625 Lakes Edge Drive
Oxford, MI 48371
Question 1 (150 Words or less):
Please provide biographical information and
explain why you are running for School
Board and relevant qualities and skills you
would bring to the position that you are
running for.
Question 2 (150 Words or less):
What are the top three (3) Priority Issues
facing your school district and what actions
would you take to address them if elected to
the school board?
I am a nineteen-year-old male in my
sophomore year in college. I was active in
sports in high school being part of the
soccer team and bowling. I have been part
of the Oxford School District my whole life.
I Graduated Oxford High School in 2013, I
saw first hand as a student the way certain
programs were implemented. Now I seek a
school board position to see the flip side of
things. I plan to bring youth, energy and
new ideas to the board. In the Oxford
Leader on the April 9, 2014 edition, CJ
Carnacchio, had an article named “Its Time
for School Critics to put up or shut up.”
Taking that into consideration I would like
to be an active citizen and not one that
points the finger but rather a citizen that
makes a positive difference.
As a candidate for Oxford School Board my
three top priorities are:
Technology: Is becoming more relevant in
education. As the board has implemented
some right technology programs, like smart
boards. I would wish to keep the spending
on technology beneficial to the students.
Representation: To represent the Oxford
Schools would be an honor. I would hope I
could represent all alumni, taxpayers,
parents and students. I would listen to the
community and hear what your concerns
are, and try to understand all point of views.
Academic achievement: To be able to set
our students up for success by giving
teachers and administrators the correct tools.
To be focused on students no matter where
their education could or will take them. To
be aware of class sizes, teachers morale, test
scores, exam policies and more play into
success and we must be focused for our
children’s future is at stake.
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Copyright League of Women Voters Oakland Area 2014
Page 7 of 7
Published by the League of Women Voters Education Fund