2024 Board of Education Candidates
Aaron Braunschneider - 6 year
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Allendale Public School Board of Education?
As a parent of two daughters who have attended Allendale Public Schools from preschool throughout high school, I have a personal investment in the success of our schools and a firsthand understanding of what it takes to create a nurturing and effective learning environment. My extensive background in K-12education allows me to address the unique challenges and opportunities our district's schools face daily and focus on enhancing the quality of education.
2. What qualities, skills and experience would you bring to the APS board, and what contributions can you make to the Allendale Public Schools district?
I believe my unique experience in education will enable me to make a positive impact on Allendale Public Schools. With nearly 20 years of experience in education, including 8 years specifically in K-12, I have a unique understanding of the challenges and opportunities that our students, teachers, and administrators face every day. I have experience working in data analytics with district administrators, providing them with tools to make informed decisions about curriculum and finance. I also have experience bringing resources to the classroom that support teachers and positively impact student engagement leading to improved proficiency and growth measurements.
I have a Bachelor of Business Administration from Grand Valley State University (2005), a MBA from Cornerstone University (2008), and a Master of Science in Management from Cornerstone University(2011). You can learn more about my background by visiting my campaign website at ab4aps.org.
3. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing public education today?
Public school districts in Michigan are always competing against other educational options for the students in their community. Private schools, home-schooling, and other public schools provide families with many options for their children’s education. APS, like surrounding school districts need to strive for continuous improvement in academics, skilled trades, athletics, and the arts in order to retain and attract students. Public school districts also need to continue to be a desirable place for educators because teacher shortages are a nation-wide problem. Fewer teachers result in larger class sizes, making it more challenging for educators to provide individualized attention and support to students. National proficiency levels in Math, ELA, and other subjects have decreased in recent years. Moving forward, administrators and school boards will need to focus on Math & ELA proficiencies and life skills. I look forward to working with administrators to identify performance gaps, address proficiency levels, and explore evidence-based opportunities to ensure student growth. My years in K-12 data analytics would be a valuable asset to the school board during strategic conversations addressing i-Ready, M-STEP, PSAT, and SAT scores.
4. Describe your experience working with other members of a leadership team?
During my 20 years in education, I have worked directly with university leaders, K-12 superintendents, curriculum directors, teachers, and business managers. My current job allows me to be actively involved in problem solving discussions with educational leaders and the academic community. During those critical conversations, I’ve had the opportunity to listen to all parties and do my best to understand differing perspectives to find the best fit for the school district and community that I am working with. My recommendations to leadership teams are always evidence based and backed with data. This experience will allow me to make current recommendations to APS administration that are beneficial to students and reflective of the educational goals of the community.
Tonya Harris - 6 years
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Allendale Public School Board of Education?
I am interested in serving on the Allendale Public School Board because during covid, I actually started attending School Board Meetings. To be honest, I had never attended a meeting before. After attending a couple of meetings, I learned that if I wanted any changes in the school system, this is where it would happen. Therefore, after many discussions with my family, friends and members of the Allendale Community, I decided I would put my name on this year’s ballot.
2. What qualities, skills and experience would you bring to the APS board, and what contributions can you make to the Allendale Public Schools district?
First, as stated above, I have been attending the Allendale School Board Meetings for the past several years. I have listened over the years to board members and Superintendent Dr. Cooper speak and give their thoughts on many different issues. I have also spoken on several occasions about what I believed needed to be addressed by the Board.
Second, I also graduated from Grand Valley State University with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science which taught me a lot about the political system. I did not continue immediately into the political field but did become a Paralegal which has helped me research laws, statutes, and even cases that may affect our children. I very much care about our teachers, staff, and children.
Third, I also love the extracurricular activities that Allendale Public Schools offer from sports, to robotics, to drama, to the music program and many more activities. I am so glad we are able to offer these programs for all children. I also would like this to be affordable to all students attending APS.
Finally, I do have a Facebook Page – Tonya Harris for APS School Board that will address a lot of what I stand for and how I would like to help our Allendale Public School grow and flourish.
3. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing public education today?
I believe the biggest issue with our public schools is the lack of teaching the basic skills of reading, writing and math. Children are graduating with less than 50% understanding of these basic skills. Another real big issue is governmental interference in our schools. Title IX which is under an Injunction currently should not be allowed in our schools. Boys do not belong in girls’ bathrooms and girls do not belong in boys’ bathrooms. I will fight hard to prevent this from entering Allendale Public School.
4. Describe your experience working with other members of a leadership team?
I have coached softball and ran team camps and work well with others. Also, as a Paralegal, I am instrumental in running 250 files and making sure deadlines are not missed. I also listen to other viewpoints and try to see both sides before making any critical decisions. Another factor in leadership is doing your research, which I do on a daily basis at my job.
This a very brief description of why I would love to be elected for Allendale School Board. Please go to my Facebook Page “Tonya Harris for APS School Board” to see more about me.
Troy Lampen - 6 years
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Allendale Public School Board of Education?
As a parent, ensuring that all children – not just my own – experience the best possible educational journey is of paramount importance to me. From early childhood education through high school graduation and beyond, I am passionate about providing our children with every opportunity to succeed. My dedication to the district is deeply rooted in my active engagement with both the community and the schools.
2. What qualities, skills and experience would you bring to the APS board, and what contributions can you make to the Allendale Public Schools district?
Attending every Board of Education meeting, and actively engaging with board members has given me a greater understanding of policy as well allowing me to advocate for the community bringing their ideas and concerns forward. I am also a member of the school leadership team at the early childhood center, through which I have gained a deeper understanding of our districts approach to education and support structures. Volunteering for the fine arts programs and PTO opportunities is also a passion of mine that keeps me active and involved in the schools.
These experiences have given me a more thorough understanding of the district’s strengths and needs, and I am excited to apply my experiences and knowledge to helping the district reach new heights.
3. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing public education today?
One of the biggest challenges public education faces today is addressing the diverse needs of students while ensuring that all children receive a well-rounded, high-quality education. To combat this, we need to combine a traditional education that focuses on stem learning with a curriculum that highlights the importance of life skills, social-emotional development, and creative thinking. To truly prepare students for life beyond the classroom, we must take a whole-person approach. This means not only emphasizing academic achievement in core subjects like math and science but also teaching critical life skills such as communication, emotional regulation, and problem-solving. A comprehensive education must nurture a student's intellectual, social, and emotional growth.
4. Describe your experience working with other members of a leadership team?
Throughout my professional career I have been both a leader and member of multi-faceted teams across diverse spectrums of both cultural and professional backgrounds. Taking time to understand the perspectives and desires of all team members has been key to helping me successfully navigate my time on these teams. I hope to take my experiences of bringing multiple ideas together, balancing conflicting needs and desire alongside shared goals to the Board of Education to create a robust and successful team experience.
Brandon Tenbrink - 6 years
1. Why are you interested in serving on the Allendale Public Board of Education?
I am interested in serving on the Allendale Public Board of Education to ensure the school provides transparency to parents about the school's curriculum and social environment; recognizing the importance of full disclosure to parents on all issues that affect their children. I am passionate about ensuring all student athletes are able to safely compete in fair sports environments, where biology does not create a competitive advantage; I think there needs to be more conversation about developing separate, standalone co-ed sports teams. I also believe it is important that the school be held accountable to the community on decisions related to taxpayer provided resources.
2. What qualities, skills and experience would you bring to the APS Board, and what contributions can you make to the Allendale Public Schools District?
I am a collaborative team focused leader with technical education and work experience; these are attributes that I will utilize to contribute to STEAM curriculum and activity development. I will be intentional about balancing contribution to the Allendale community with the school district. With a formal education and background in finance, I will have an immediate impact on restructuring the bond proposal along with other capital investments the school administration and school board are considering.
3. What do you think are the biggest challenges facing public education today?
I think the biggest challenges facing public schools today are work life balance for teachers during the school year and student engagement. I also see a widening divide between laws developed at the federal and state level dismissing and devaluing local community value sets.
4. Describe your experience working with other members of a leadership team.
I have held leadership roles throughout my professional career including positions as a business owner, operations leader and within professional associations. My experience has been that collaboration, regardless of title, is critically important to the success of any team.