I was fortunate to teach in the Grandville School District for 25 years. My wife got her first and only teaching position with Grandville and retired after 31 years with the district. I decided to run for a seat on the school board because I want to give something back to the district and community for giving my family such a wonderful opportunity and career. Our son graduated from Grandville High
School in 2003. He received a great education and had many opportunities to participate in extra and co-curricular activities. I want to do what I can to ensure that today’s students and future students have the same opportunities that my son had. I want to help Grandville continue to move forward as we tackle issues such as keeping up with technology and making sound financial decisions while offering the best possible educational experience for our children. I will be supportive of our teachers, our administrators, and our support staff. They need to know that we as a community value their expertise when it comes to educating our children, and that we value their input and knowledge. Why I deserve to be elected-
1. I am passionate about the Grandville school district, having taught there with my wife and having our son graduate from GHS.
2. I have 33 years of teaching experience at Grant, Cedar Springs, and Grandville Public Schools.
3. I negotiated contracts for 12 years with Grandville.
4. As a retiree, I have time and energy to put into the duties required of a school board member. I offer some flexibility to the school board because I can be available at times when other board members may not be available.
5. Being a retired educator, I bring a different perspective to the school board. As a band director, I developed relationships with students, parents, and business owners. My experience negotiating gave me an understanding of the business aspect of running a school district. I learned to problem solve in a collaborative way, making compromises that both sides could be comfortable with.
