Two incumbents and two write-in candidates are in a race for three seats on the Plainwell Community Schools Board of Education. They are four-year terms.
Thom Berlin, incumbent
Berlin is a long-time Plainwell resident. He spent 26 years working as an educator or Allegan Public Schools. Berlin is a magna cum laude graduate of Western Michigan University. He is also a sitting trustee on the Allegan County based Delano Foundation.
“I and my wife Toni chose to settle in Plainwell in large part for the education our two children would receive; we were not disappointed.
As retirement approached, I felt a sense of duty to give back to my community when I ran for school board trustee in 2014. I believe strongly that providing a positive work environment is curcial for success.
“My experience in the classroom and in employee collective bargaining is being put to good use.
“Plainwell Community Schools are premier.
“I ask for your support in the Nov. 8 election.”
Jill Dunham, write-in
Dunham is a lifelong Michigan resident, living in Plainwell for the past 11 years. She and her husband David have two sons; Alex graduated from Plainwell High School in 2012 and Andrew is currently a freshman. Dunham has worked in the telecommunications field for over 30 years and currently works as a technical project manager for AT&T. She earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering from Michigan State University in 1982. She has served on the board of the Pine Meadow’s homeowners’ association for six years and teaches Sunday school at Unity of Kalamazoo Church.
“Public education is one of the most important entities in our community. I wish to serve on the Plainwell Community Schools Board of Education to insure we are providing the most effective and extensive educational opportunities to our youth.
“We are blessed to have amazing teachers and staff. I want to insure we provide them with the necessary tools to prepare our youth for success in life.”
Christine VanDenBerg, incumbent
VanDenBerg has lived in Plainwell for 30 years. She’s been married to Michael VanDenBerg for 28 years and has three children. VanDenBerg is currently employed as the operations manager for a local retail store.
“I am running for the Plainwell Community School Board of Education because I believe I can bring integrity, helpful communication skills and the type of fiscal responsibility that our community demands of its schools.
“In the past 12 years, I has also been trained yearly in problem solving, spotting and eliminating wasteful practices, and security and safety issues. In the past five years, I had had advanced MASB training to be an effective school board member and I’m currently ranked at Level 3 by MASB.
“Most of all, I want to continue to represent the citizens of Plainwell as a person they can trust to make decisions that involve their children.”
Sarah Reardon, write-in
Reardon has lived in the Plainwell area for 26 years. She was a Plainwell graduate in 1996. Reardon has raised all three of her children in the Plainwell school district; her son is a recent graduate of Plainwell High School and her twins are current students in the high school. She is a registered nurse at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo.
“My involvement in the Plainwell community over the past 26 years has included: coaching for the high school, AYSO, Force Soccer, Junior Hoopsters, coaching Girls on the Run and transporting the ski club equipment for the middle and high schools.
“I have helped organize and volunteered within the classrooms and chaperoned numerous field trips, most recently a trip to Washington, D.C., with the middle school.
“I would like the opportunity to give back to this wonderful community that has given so much to me and my family.
“I’m proud to say I’m from Plainwell and I’m proud of our students and teachers. I look forward to being a positive and fair voice for the students, teachers and parents of our school district.”
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