Candiate Profiles: South Lake Board Candidates Share Views

South Lake Schools is the only district in the city this year with a contested race for seats on the board of education.

On Nov. 8, voters will select two out of three candidates to fill four-year terms.

The race includes incumbent Ellen Dunn and district residents Michael Damiani and Charlotte Rebelein. Veteran board member Vince Marino, whose term expires this year, has opted not to seek re-election.

Below are the candidates' profiles, listed in alphabetical order by their last names:

Michael R. Damiani
Occupation: Automotive engineer
Resident of: Eastpointe
Any children currently attending the district’s schools? Yes
Biggest challenges facing South Lake:
“The biggest challenge is to cope with the funding issues we have coming out of Lansing. The district’s focus should be on improving the quality of the programs it offers our students, not if we can afford to offer the programs that South Lake does. Everyone needs to live within their means, but, by the same token, people usually know what they have to work with in order to establish a budget; this is not always the case with the State of Michigan. A district is required to submit a budget, and when they do, and it is accepted, they should have a reasonable expectation that those funds are forthcoming; this is not always the case. If we ever hope to change the way Lansing treats educational funding, we collectively need to exercise our right to vote and let our legislators know that we think education deserves a higher priority.”
Top three goals if elected:
“To improve the quality of the programs offered to our students and strive to establish South Lake as the standard by which other school districts gauge themselves.

To reach out to our elected legislators in Lansing and work to make them understand that education is not an area they want to skimp on. I want them to understand that in order for Michigan to thrive, we must better prepare our children for the future. We can do this by making sure that funding for education is not a ‘Moving Target.’

And finally, Our children are our future, but in order for them to live up to their potential, we need a to continue to provide a safe, nurturing environment in which to flourish, leading-edge curriculum and technology, faculty of the highest caliber and the tools that will carry them down whatever path they choose into the real world.”

Ellen L. Dunn (Incumbent)
Occupation: Registered nurse, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, 31 years. Also, member of the South Lake Board of Education, 2007-2011
Resident of: St. Clair Shores
Any children currently attending the district’s schools? No; they are South Lake alumni, 2005 and 2009
Biggest challenges facing South Lake:
“Preparing students for their future, not our past. This is a challenge, but also exciting. It comes down to people. The board of education, administration, teachers, parents and the community all collaborating to provide an excellent education in a caring environment for all children. Protecting public education takes dogged perseverance, common sense, compassion and intelligence. Another one of South Lake’s challenges is using our rich diversity as an asset to meet our global learner goals. When we embrace this environment with open-mindedness, we all become lifelong learners.”
Top three goals if elected:
“Ask any parent across the country, the top concern for their child would be safety. Setting policy for South Lake Schools that promotes a safe and healthy environment for the school community is a priority. 

Promoting education excellence with a rigorous curriculum. South Lake’s International Baccalaureate, numerous Advanced Placement classes, consortium classes and enhancement opportunities support this goal.

Thirdly, working with teachers and students to provide the best environment for learning. Celebrating individuals will lead to a global perspective. This helps each young person grow into a productive adult in this ever-changing world.

Understanding that the current funding crisis at the state and federal levels affects these ‘top three things,’ along with the daily operations. The basic job of the board is to set policy and employ the superintendent. A genuine compassion for children is forefront in my decision making within this job.”

Charlotte A. Rebelein
Occupation: Customer service representative
Resident of: St Clair Shores
Any children currently attending the district’s schools? No, but has had five children graduate from South Lake High School
Biggest challenges facing South Lake:
“As with all of the other districts in the state of Michigan, I believe that South Lake’s biggest challenge is the budget restrictions that are in place due to the economy and the state financial system. The focus of the district is to give our students the best education possible, and that is extremely limited due to the financial constraints that the district needs to work with. These financial constraints have the district cutting staff at all levels and programs that are important to providing a solid education for the students. This is a challenge the district has been facing for several years and will continue to face for several years to come.”
Top three goals if elected:
“As a member of the South Lake Board of Education, I will focus my attention on three areas related directly to our students’ education. Our students need to be provided a solid educational base so they can succeed.

The first area I will focus on is fiscal responsibility (fiscal priorities). I will work to ensure that our limited financial resources are always used in ways that are solely in the best interest of our students.

Second, South Lake has always had a reputation for educational excellence. I will work hard to ensure that we continue South Lake’s educational excellence and, where necessary, that we develop action plans to regain it.

Finally, I will also work to ensure that the curriculum offered by South Lake Schools is designed to benefit all of our students’ abilities and not just select groups.”

Incumbents Mark E. Beghin and Shannon R. Harvey are running for the open two seats on the board of education. Each are four-year terms.

Incumbents Michael McCain and Phil Thomas are running for the three open seats on the board of education. Each are six-year terms.