Schools

On the Ballot: Jessica Back, School Board

Write-in school board candidate says cut funding is a hot-button issue and the district should seek public and private grant money.

Jessica Back is running unopposed for the open school board seat in the Nov. 8 election. Board secretary Cyndi Peltonen's term ends Dec. 31 and she is not running for re-election.

Back will be a write-in candidate because she filed to run on Oct. 20 – after the Aug. 16 deadline to appear on the ballot.

Back interviewed for a school board seat in September; however was chosen to replace , who resigned in August. 

Find out what's happening in Clawsonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Following is more information about Back:

Age: 35

Find out what's happening in Clawsonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Occupation: research associate, Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit

Family: married to Dwayne; two children, ages 8 (third-grader at ) and 2

Community activities: Girl Scouts, A.S.K. PTA, Clawson Youth Soccer,

What makes Clawson a good school district? "The benefit of our small district is that it allows for great community involvement and support as well as dedicated teachers who are invested in the community. This community support was especially evident in the passage of the this year."

What are the biggest issues facing the Clawson School District? "The biggest challenge facing our district is funding. Because funding is provided by the state it is directly dependent upon the fiscal health of the state. Unfortunately, public school funding becomes a lower priority during times of fiscal crises and schools are finding themselves with less money to spend and under greater pressure to meet mandated testing markers. Clawson has done a good job thus far of reducing costs to stay ahead of this trend and remain solvent as a district, but until our economy improves the cuts will likely continue."

What solutions do you propose? "We need to aggressively seek out and apply for public and private grants that help advance our academic standing while reducing costs. We also need to involve our faculty, staff, and community in the process by encouraging them to find creative ways to help fund new programs as well as identify waste and improve productivity within the district."

What makes you a good school board candidate? "With two young children in the district I have a vested interest in its success. I have a long history in academia that has given me an intimate knowledge of the challenges schools and educators face in helping our children succeed."


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here