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Politics & Government

4 Things to Know About 2 New Ferndale School Board Candidates

Elections aren't until November, but now that these trustee-hopefuls began the discussion during last night's flash mob, there's a few key things to know about their background and campaign.

It may only be March, but two Ferndale residents hoping to win seats on the Ferndale school board are ready to start their campaign.

and made their public commitment to the November race Tuesday night during a at the . More than 50 people turned out, including Mayor David Coulter.

The candidates didn’t go deep into their platform at the event – and have quite some time to now that a political action committee encouraged them to commit early in order to meet its endorsement deadline – but there are a few key things to know now that the discussion has begun:

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  • The basics: Deegan-Krause attended Georgetown University and received his Ph.D. in government and international studies from the University of Notre Dame. He is a member of the Wayne State University Political Science department. O’Donnell is a graduate of the University of Michigan and also has a master's of business administration degree from Oakland University. He serves as the director of financial planning and analysis with Gateway Foundation Inc., a nonprofit providing substance abuse treatment services.
  • Active in the Ferndale community and parents of children in the district: Deegan-Krause, a father of two, is the former president of the Ferndale Library Board and worked closely with other community leaders to plan the renovation of the library and guide the library’s successful 2007 bond campaign. He has also served as president of the Friends of the Ferndale Library group, sat on the Ferndale Schools Superintendent’s Advisory Council and was the recipient of a Citizens for a Fair Ferndale - Good Neighbor Award in 2010. O’Donnell, father of three, serves on the Ferndale Public Schools Operations Committee and was a tri-chair with the ad-hoc committee that reviewed and recommended the scope of the recently passed school bond.
  • Building a campaign around the future of the school district: “We must act now to secure the education of our children in the next decades by electing new school board members who will ask tough questions and use every kind of information and engagement to push for education excellence and equity,” Deegan-Krause said in a press release. These tough questions include asking why parents are sending their children to other school districts, the candidates explained at the flash mob. O’Donnell commented that “new blood” is what the school board needs.
  • Grounded on transparency and community dialogue: Deegan-Krause and O’Donnell say they share a vision that demands “more checks and balances between the Ferndale Schools’ administration and board of education.” They told the crowd Tuesday that they hope for community cooperation and accountability if elected. Deegan-Krause told the crowd to keep them on their toes if they are elected to the school board. O’Donnell echoed that, saying, “I choose to run for the board to help lead the discussions, challenge assumptions and build a better school district now and for the future. We will no longer accept isolation, poor planning and unchallenged assertions.”

Four of seven seats will be open on the Ferndale Public Schools Board of Education. Elections will be held in November.

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