Three candidates stand out in Brown Deer schools race

Public Forum:

Mike Bembenek, Michelle Schofield and Leslie Galloway-Sherard will continue the unprecedented success of the Brown Deer School District in the election on April 3.

Over the past five years, we have seen major improvement in: reducing the ethnic achievement gap, student performance; and curriculum upgrades. In addition, voters approved three referendum, which are making the Brown Deer schools and campus the envy of the state.

The voters of Brown Deer have demonstrated their support for quality public schools in the last several elections. I anticipate that trend continuing with the election of Mike Bembenek, Michelle Schofield and Leslie Galloway-Sherard.

Mike Bembenek, Michelle Schofield and Leslie Galloway-Sherard are part of this process. These are the only candidates to support both referendum questions in the referendum vote last November.

Bembenek brings 27 years of banking experience. Schofield is a physical therapist. Leslie-Sherard is a director of diversity and inclusion at a local health care organization.

Bembenek and Galloway-Sherard are both incumbents. Schofield serves on the Teaching and Learning Committee.

As a retiring six-year Brown Deer School Board member, I do not make these recommendations lightly. These candidates have demonstrated the commitment to build pragmatically on the successes, and a willingness to put students first.

In the March 8 edition of NOW, Mary Buckley emphasizes that three candidates were coordinating efforts. I suggest that this is not unusual and is not newsworthy. In the Public Forum, Mike Christopulos complains about the same thing. He fails to mention his own deep involvement in previous coordinated campaigns. Hypocrisy?

If residents wish to see our schools continue to improve and property values rise as a result, they would be wise to vote for Mike Bembenek, Michelle Schofield and Leslie Galloway-Sherard on April 3.

Dennis Lowder

Brown Deer