By ZEINAB NAJM
Times-Herald Newspapers
The District 7 and Crestwood boards of education have tight races for their open seats. Both districts have two positions open and three candidates seeking them during the Nov. 4 general election.
The D7 race has one returning board member and two new candidates. All three candidates are seeking four-year terms.
The open seats belong to David Mack, Phil Shannon and Virginia Morgan.
Mack is the only incumbent with an expiring term seeking re-election. He is also a teacher and attorney.
“The top priority is the maintenance and crafting of quality programs in an environment of reduced funding for education,” he said in the League of Women Voters Dearborn-Dearborn Heights voter guide.
Candidate Marcia LeBar has lived in the district since 1990 and graduated from Annapolis High School. She has two children who are students in the district. She is pursuing a degree to become a registered nurse and has served for five years as the president of Padree Elementary PTO.
LeBar said in the voter guide that she wants to be involved in the school board because she has children who are students in the district and can be give her view both as a parent and school board member on the issues.
Candidate Velma Truitt is no stranger to D7 schools. She is retired from the district where she worked for more than 25 years as a secretary in adult education at O.W. Best Middle School.
She said she keeps up with the issues in the district by attending most board meetings. Truitt wants to focus on funding, student achievement, curriculum and technology if she is elected.
“I believe that the foundation of education is a triangle. It is equal responsibility on all three sides, the home, the student and the school district working together to obtain the best education possible for every student,” she said in the voter guide.
The Crestwood School Board features two new candidates and one returning. The two positions up for election are those of Colleen Krizanic and Diane Ward, each are for four-year terms.
Candidate Zaineb Hussein is a state of Michigan eligibility specialist. This isn’t her first time seeking a spot on the board; she was a candidate in 2012 but didn’t win a seat.
Hussein wants to focus on the future of students.
“I advocate for fiscal accountability, improved communication between teachers, administrators and parents and increased technology for our schools to better prepare our students for the future,” she said in the voter guide.
Krizanic is seeking re-election. She was first elected to the board in 1998.
Krizanic and candidate Sue Kaminski could not be reached by press time and did not respond to the voter guide.
For more information, go to lwvddh.org.
(Zeinab Najm can be reached at [email protected].)