Seven candidates are vying for four open spots on the SAS Board of Education.

To help readers understand their options, The Sun Times News sent five questions to each candidate running for SAS School Board in the November Election. Below are the candidate’s responses to the final three questions. 

Q: Teacher recruitment and retention is a pressing issue across Michigan, with many districts struggling to fill positions. How will you help Saline Area Schools attract and retain qualified educators, and what role will compensation play in this effort?

Shari Barnett
Compensation and environment play key factors in any employee retention program. Saline Area Schools provides state of the art facilities for instruction, athletics and performing arts. However, over the past several years, instructional salary rank in the State of Michigan has declined for Saline Area Schools.

Likely, as a contributing factor, a large proportion of senior staff have retired, jeopardizing mentoring opportunities for new staff. Compensation that is commensurate with the work is paramount, but compensation alone does not retain staff long-term. Long-term retention of employees is achieved through giving our educators and staff a voice in their day-to-day work. Our educators need to be the key stakeholders in development of the teaching and learning pedagogy that they are asked to deliver. People are invested in their workplace if they are able to own their work, have their voices heard and receive the mentoring and opportunities needed to grow in their career. We must let educators be the professionals that they are trained to be and let them practice the profession that won their hearts, without the burden of administrative constraints.

Darcy Berwick
Great educators are called to teaching as a career for so many reasons – their love of learning, the joys of imparting wisdom, dedication to community, the chance to make a positive difference in students’ lives. In Saline, we strive to be that “destination district” for these great educators because we know that a desirable workplace for teachers ultimately improves the quality of our students’ educational outcomes.

As a Trustee, I would ensure that the Superintendent has the necessary resources to create an inclusive organizational structure that provides a supportive working environment all educators need to succeed, including, but not limited to prioritizing: competitive compensation with good health care and a healthy work/life balance, an overall positive school culture, quality professional development training, mentorship for professional and personal growth, and more.

Additionally, I believe in working diligently to retain our great educators for the following reasons: continuity – strong relationships (peer-to-peer, partner-to-partner) take time to develop experience; expertise and well-developed teaching skills improve student achievements by providing high-quality instruction–and, august teachers understand the “Saline rigor” families have come to expect; stability – fewer turnovers mean fewer disruptions in learning; financial security – recruiting and training new teachers is a significant investment of time and money. Our teachers’ working environment is our students’ learning environment – they deserve the best we can give them.

Susan Estep
The staff are the backbone of our district, and it is imperative that we hire and retain the best educators. I fully support the Saline Education Association and Saline Education Support Personnel. The district needs to assess why staff are leaving. I’ve requested that Exit Surveys be given to those who leave our district, so that concerns are addressed and retention practices are improved.

Additionally, we must have inclusive hiring practices. We have to be intentional in recruiting staff who are underrepresented in the district, and provide support to these individuals to retain them. It’s so important for students and staff to see people who look like them or who hold similar identities.

Brad Gerbe
Recruitment and retention of staff is crucial to any thriving organization. There are two primary factors I think that drive recruitment and retention… Number one is that the organization has to be an attractive choice to potential employees… and number two is that once attained those employees must feel supported and appreciated.

How do we do those things in the Saline Area Schools? First, we have to compensate educators as professionals. Through the collective bargaining process, we have to provide salaries and benefits that are indicative of and rewarding of the talent that educators possess. This goes across all job categories- teachers, yes- but also important support personnel positions (paraprofessionals, bus drivers, clerks, maintenance, grounds, etc.), and our administrative leadership positions as well. If we want the best talent, we have to be competitive.

Bottom line: When we take care of our staff, we support our students! How do we best support our staff? Take care of their financial and health benefit needs so that they feel validated and feel prideful and loyal as Saline employees. It goes both ways- and we can earn those things by making our employees feel valued.

For the past four years, in particular as the Treasurer and Finance Chair, I have been an active part of discussions and decisions about how to compensate appropriately our talent and how to recruit and maintain the best talent possible for students. We have existing labor agreements with all three of our bargaining units and it is my belief that we have positioned Saline to be competitive in the market. I will continue to advocate both from the table and in committee to make recruiting the best talent and retaining our excellent educators a priority! I’ve done it- I will continue to do it.

While I am on this topic I do want to see the school district also continue its efforts in recruitment to prioritize hiring practices that reflect the diversity of our student body. We (the Board) have been intentional with this as a goal for our superintendent and as part of our evaluation process for him, and I think it’s important that we continue this focus.

Jennifer Steben
Supporting, attracting, and retaining all of our staff is paramount. There are nearly 700 of them! I have enjoyed partnering with the staff while on the Board these last 6 years, and am honored to have received both the Saline educators and support staff endorsements.

All roles are hard to fill in today’s economy- bus drivers, paraprofessionals, teachers… Our Asst. Superintendent for HR has the ultimate responsibility of recruiting and hiring vs. the Board of Education (we hire and evaluate the Superintendent), so first it is important to really understand a Trustee’s position and what we should be involved with and how. There is a careful balance of roles and responsibilities between the strategic (Board) and the operational (district).

That said, a Board can support and direct high level planning around staffing. This can include writing solid policy to ensure their safety, commitment to attendance/academic excellence, and a positive working culture, working with the Asst. Superintendent for HR on finalizing the collective bargaining process and approving healthy contracts that keep talent in the district, supporting onboarding/mentorship programs, and showing up on a daily basis to model civility, respect, and kindness to all. 

With regards to compensation, we fare better than most districts, but there is a major perception/compensation issue with public education in the United States. There is a saying that teaching is the profession that creates all others, and it’s so true. I’m in their corner, and support elected officials that also value education. I was pleased on Sept. 4 to see $28 million in grants from the Department of Education to support teachers, but none of those grants will be dispersed in Michigan. We need to do more and work together to find funds and grants to get the compensation piece supported, while holding up a positive, safe and powerful academic culture.

Jason Tizedes
I think most people enter the teaching profession to be a catalyst for inspiration to their students. I know that was my feeling when I entered college with the intent of coming out as a teacher. Probably more impactful than compensation is the need for teachers to feel appreciated, supported, and have a degree of autonomy so that they can be the inspirational leaders we need them to be. Finding qualified, dedicated talent in any profession in 2024 is difficult. Saline needs to set the bar for being the district that teachers want to be by encouraging parent involvement, driving community support, and providing a safe work environment. 

Kelly Van Singel
Our district has innovatively combined both bond and grant funds in its budget implementation to create a school community that is a draw for new families and staff. Athletics, performing arts, vocational educational programs and community ties to agricultural science inside and outside the classroom make Saline Area Schools an appealing district to be a part of. Being competitive with salary plays a role in staff retention and new hires.

Q. The mental health and well-being of students are a growing concern in schools. What policies or initiatives would you support to ensure that Saline students have access to adequate mental health education and resources?

Shari Barnett
I think it is critical to keep an open and ongoing dialogue with parents and guardians about student and family mental health. I would encourage regular continuing education with educators and other staff about mental health and identification of signs that students and/or fellow colleagues are having difficulties. It is important to recognize that there are times in everyone’s lives that help is needed and we need to be prepared to provide a resource or referral for assistance. In recent communication from the district, I have learned that SAS has partnered with Care Solace which is a 24/7 confidential care hub and I think this is a great first step in providing resources and working to partner with families.

Darcy Berwick
We know that student mental health has worsened since COVID, and there were already long-standing concerns prior to the pandemic. Growing up, simply put, is hard to do. Primary and secondary school years coincide with children’s notable biological, cognitive, emotional, and social developments.

To ensure that our students have access to adequate resources, I would encourage and support the Superintendent in establishing comprehensive, sustainable support systems that address the needs of the whole child. This would include, but is not limited to: incorporating mental wellness education into academics and extracurriculars; training staff, students, and families to proactively recognize mental health concerns; offering counseling services in school and referrals for out of school; identifying and providing extra academic and socio-emotional supports for those who need it most; supporting student organizations that promote well-being; fostering supportive communities in the schools, across the district, and with families; collaborating with families and local organizations to provide additional services (e.g. educational workshops/trainings) for students and their families; ensuring that reporting mechanisms are in place for when students are identified as needing help; policies that address bullying, harassment, hazing, hate speech and more are enacted.

I would also advocate to obtain and allocate greater funding for supportive SEL services through grants, partnerships, and programming. We know that students’ mental well-being factors into school safety (both physical and psychological); so, when we think about improving security to protect our students from school shootings, we also have to walk the talk on improving student mental health.

Susan Estep
There is a growing need to address the mental health of our youth. There has to be a culture change in the schools, not only to promote mental health, but to increase awareness of mental illness that students, staff, and/or families may be experiencing.

Our staff must be trauma-informed and well-equipped with tools to be proactive and responsive to the needs of all students, while also feeling supported in their own mental health. We have to invest in mental health, safety, and security, and I’ll continue to advocate for additional state and federal funds that our public schools need.

Brad Gerbe
First, as a teacher myself (science at Manchester High School) I have to say that I am SO glad that student and staff mental health and well-being has become a focus of schools and the State of Michigan and Governor Whitmer. Over the past four years the State of Michigan has been allocating dedicated resources, first through COVID funding, and now through categorical funding and grants to provide mental health services to students. We (the district) have been intentional about hiring additional counseling support and we have also hired social emotional professionals (behavioral technicians, etc.). In addition, we have hired additional dean support at buildings and we have prioritized retention of staff members because we know that students having go-to individuals that they have developed relationships with is important. Academically we have hired additional supports as well in the way of literacy coaches and academic coaches. 

Furthermore, we have an established Wellness committee, led by Ms. Deneen at the high school, that has been able to utilize funds to prioritize our staff’s health and wellness. The Wellness committee reports to the Board as part of its regularly scheduled reporting cycle. Our efforts to provide strong compensation to staff members also ties to mental health and wellbeing for students. Again, when we support our staff, we draw stronger connections for students- and be retaining and supporting our staff- we provide better outcomes for students! I strongly support the continuation of all of the above stated initiatives and I support the financial side which requires dedicated funding.

While I am on this topic- with regards to funding- the fact that mental health and social- emotional funding has been allocated using categorical funding requires that our district leaders, including myself, must maintain a presence with our elected representatives to continue to prioritize this funding. I will do that. I’ve done that. It is important. In fact, we discussed this at our most recent finance committee meeting when analyzing the 2024 school aid budget. This funding is essential as our district is working diligently to support student and staff mental health and wellness.

Jennifer Steben
This is incredibly important. In my work at U of M, I am very involved in understanding research around mental health and well-being for students, but also workers in today’s world. I have also been on the Wellness Committee for SAS. The pandemic has changed how we look at leadership, academic rigor, culture and self. This will remain a high priority for years.

But besides the professional experiences I have around this and the supports I design in my curriculums in higher education, I want to answer this one as both a Trustee and a mother of two high school students. Nothing is more important than the safety- physical and mental- of our almost 5000 kids in Saline Schools. Nothing. They cannot learn if they are scared, bullied, feel alone, do not have a trusted adult, etc. So I will continue to fight for them (and the staff!) to have supports through policy, grants, and culture in each building. I encourage them all to keep talking to Trustees, so we know their thoughts also, on how to help.

Jason Tizedes
Mental health awareness is rising and that is a good thing. Mental health issues used to be viewed through a stigmatized lens, when in fact it is like any other condition—with the right help it can be corrected, improved, or be a part of a managed lifestyle for those that experience mental health problems. As someone that battles ADHD, I can say from first hand experience that finding the right help made all the difference in the world. For our students, they need to feel safe and not judged if they need to talk to a mental health professional. As a district, we need to find ways to be able to increase the touchpoints with our students that we know struggle with mental health issues, and also recognize students that may be in environments where mental health issues can arise. 

Kelly Van Singel
Our existing board has done important work in recent years to promote and protect student safety and staff wellbeing. From community learning opportunities such as the “School & Family Partnership Series,” and collaborative work of the DEI and wellness committees, the board of education strives to promote and maintain a safe learning community for staff and students. As a parent of students with disabilities and differences, another initiative that I have a passion for is the idea of accessible learning. Innovative use of instructional and assistive technology and instructional strategies such as universal design for learning can help build student success.

Q. How would you promote programs that enhance STEM and vocational learning along with other critical skill areas for Saline Area Schools students?

Shari Barnett
The plans that are underway for the STEAM Center at Saline Area Schools (funded by the approved Bond in November 2022) is one of the most innovative and state-of-the-art facilities in the State of Michigan. If elected to the board, I would like to encourage ideas that are already in action in my workplace which bring together multidisciplinary business, legal, engineering and medical teams to construct real-world solutions to complex problems. I could see this type of coordination arranged at the middle and high school student level and making a major impact on learning and critical thinking about all parts of problem.

In addition, I would like work to build bridges with university colleagues to introduce AI technologies to the students and staff and begin the process of constructing our work in learning to use and integrate this evolutionary technology into our future. 

Lastly, the award-winning Saline Robotics Teams (high school, middle school and elementary school levels) provide exceptional mentoring, competition and STEM-focused learning opportunities that provide the foundation for collaborative, cooperative and hands-on learning. The Saline Robotics Teams are the best example of Saline’s work and dedication to STEM-based learning and enrichment.

Darcy Berwick
The short answer: rely on our experts, involve students in decision-making, support initiatives like the 2022 bond, support organizations like the Saline STEM Boosters and PTAs/PTOs through volunteering and funding.

I believe that preparing our future generations with the skills and curiosity they need to be successful in our fast-paced world is one of the greatest things we can do for them. To promote critical skill areas, I would lean in to our school leaders’ expertise in order to be responsive to any recommended changes and/or enhancements to: curriculum, programming and initiatives, tools/technology, and learning spaces.

In looking to engage with students, I think it’s important that we: encourage involvement: experiential and applied learning is critical for gaining and retaining new skillsets; provide supplemental opportunities: extracurricular programming ignites curiosities and strengthens student success; collaborate with businesses and community members: many of our SWWC CTE programs partner with local businesses to provide on-site learning, mentorship, and internships.

As a parent and community member, I supported the 2022 bond, which had a focus on STEAM updates at all schools, including the construction of a new STEAM center currently being built at the high school – Science Olympiad and Robotics very much need this space in order to learn, work, and compete.

As a Board member for the newer non-profit Saline STEM Boosters, I’m grateful to work alongside families, students, coaches, and volunteers to foster the educational and social growth of our STEM teams (currently Girls Solve IT, Girls Who Code, Robotics, Science Olympiad).

As a long-time PTA/PTO Board member, I also have to recognize these amazing organizations for all that they do to support our students’ education. Over the years and across the district, in collaboration with SAS families and businesses, we worked very hard to raise tens of thousands of dollars every year in order to fund numerous programs and events, including STEAM and vocational learning like Project Launch at Heritage (an initiative that focused on project/problem-based learning), high school classes such as AP Computer Science, Astronomy, and Biology, and, of course, technology at every grade level. And none of this would be possible if it weren’t for our dedicated and hardworking staff, families, and students. So, as much as I’ve worked to support students in their endeavors these past 16 years, the work we’ve done together, and continue to do, is incomparable!

Susan Estep
I’m from a working-class family, and know the importance of skilled hands-on training through Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs. I’m very proud of what Saline Area Schools and other school districts in Washtenaw County offer our students through the South & West Washtenaw Consortium (SWWC). I’m committed to supporting our amazing CTE programs. Thank you to our voters for approving the 2022 bond! Our students will have access to STEAM Centers and labs through curricular and extracurricular activities. Additionally, the Cosmetology program and the Physical Therapy program will have renovated space in the coming years. I’m very excited!

Brad Gerbe
STEAM programs and vocational learning are two points of pride for Saline.

The voters provided us with the best promotional opportunity when they passed the bond of 2023. I am so excited about the enhancements that are going to happen to our facilities and resources, and I strongly believe that these enhancements will greatly impact and reward the excellence of our STEAM programs with competition fields, facilities and with state of the art technology. We have state championship level robotics, science olympiad, e-gaming and debate programs who have visit us at the Board table regularly- supporting these thriving programs will drive families to choose Saline. I am also excited that our top notch cosmetology program is going to be coming “home” to the Saline campus. In a world where students (enrollment) and per pupil allowance is essential, these facilities and programs will be enticing to families. These investments will continue to make Saline a destination school district.

Furthermore, as we do these things I have confidence that our Communications Director and our Superintendent will be advertising these strengths of Saline. Again, I am hopeful that when families see the strength of our programs, via social media and through district advertising initiatives, this will drive families as they make decisions about where to raise their families and where to send their students to school.

Seeing the bond through, and the incredible opportunities we are going to be able to provide for staff and students- STEAM and CTE improvements- but also the new operations center, senior center updates, technology enhancements, etc., is one of the main reasons that I wish to continue with School Board service for four more years. I am tremendously excited about the future for Saline students! It is easy on social media, etc. to be negative- I CHOOSE to be positive!

Jennifer Steben
I will continue to promote STEM/STEAM (Arts also!) programming and career and technical education as always! I was President of the Board of Education when we passed our recent $180 million bond and am thrilled to see the prioritization of these disciplines since they serve many students, and can also support our drive to push even higher in academic excellence. 

At the High School, the STEAM Center is deep in construction, and will provide a unique opportunity to our Science Olympiad and Robotic teams to showcase their continued excellence, but also act as a revenue generator for Community Education with rental possibilities. 

Also at SHS, we have over 900 students enrolled in the SWWC, our career and technical education classes we partner with 5 area school districts on. The range of class choice is amazing– from health sciences, to cosmetology, to auto, to business, SWWC is a great example of why Saline is special. No matter what your passion is as a student, we have a class or club for you. This past year, I was asked to collaborate with others on the Business and Information Technology Advisory Committee, due to my role at Michigan Ross. I also enjoy being a guest speaker each year for our Intro to Business classes.

But another great thing about our investment in STEAM is that it’s not just at Saline High School. We invest in every building, and this foundational anchoring in STEAM only gives students even more of a leg up in these great fields. It’s one of the reasons I got involved with Junior Achievement also, to give students (even at age 6 & 7), an idea of community responsibility, financial literacy and entrepreneurship. 

Jason Tizedes
I think Mike Rowe is a fantastic leader in this area, and school systems throughout the country would be wise to adopt some of his philosophies when it comes to work ethic and learning skills. In a recent interview he pointed out that bypassing college for a trade does not mean that we expect our skilled laborers to stop learning. And likewise, the doctoral candidates and university professors should know how to work with their hands. STEM, vocational training, skilled trades, and traditional academia should not live siloed. Students should experience all of those things and be well-rounded for having those opportunities to learn. 

Kelly Van Singel
STEM and vocational learning continue to grow in our district. We have both the consortium vocational program offerings in collaboration with the WISD and STEM promoting instructional spaces like next-generation classrooms, maker spaces and bond improvements such as the new STEAM center under construction at the high school.