Five candidates are running for four, four-year seats on the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education in the Nov. 3 General Election.
On the ballot are incumbents Susan K. Featheringill, Kelly Owen, and Simone Pinter, along with newcomers Dionne Nicole Falconer and Terrance C. Goff. All five candidates live in Van Buren Township.
Former board president and longtime board member Keith Johnston did not file for reelection.
Susan K. Featheringill
Susan K. Featheringill, 50385 South I-94 South Service Dr., Van Buren Township, is running for reelection to the school board.
Featheringill, 63, has lived in the school district for 47 years. She is married to Danny and they have two adult children, Amy Reeves and Sara Cortese.
Featheringill is Retired Assistant Superintendent for Business Operations from Taylor Schools and has been church treasurer from September 2018 until the present.
Featheringill has a Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University, graduating in April 1991. She has a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from Cleary College of Business, graduating in June 1986.
She was a member of Michigan Schools Energy Cooperative, elected to the board for 2001-2005; vice president, 2005-2006; and president, 2006-2007.
She also served on Wayne County School Business Officials, as secretary 1996-97; treasurer, 1997-98; vice president, 1998-99; and president, 1999-2000; and currently is an emeritus member.
She also has been a member of the Michigan Association of School Boards since January 2017.
Her civil involvement includes Girls Scouts of America Council, Southeastern Michigan Finance Committee, Women’s Study Club, Staff Parish Committee, Sunday School Teacher, Junior Girl Scout Leader, Children’s Choir Director, Church Finance Committee, Joyful Noise music ministry from 2015 to present, and Church Administrative Council chairperson from January 2017 to August 2018.
Featheringill said she is running for office because, “With five grandchildren currently attending Van Buren Schools, I want to continue to make sure that they receive the best possible educational experiences. As a retiree and current School Board Vice President, I want to be able to continue to give back to the community with this important position utilizing my more than 30 years of school district work experience.
“I also want to continue to work on the School District Bond issue to use the funds that the community approved to the most effective and efficient way possible,” she said.
As to her goals: “The goals I have are a continuation of what I have been working with the rest of the board on during the last four years. These goals are safety, finance, and communication.
“With the pandemic, we wanted to give our families choices for returning to school. We continue to review all the guidance to allow students to have either an in-person or remote learning option. I think it is important to not only have a balanced budget to maintain an appropriate fund balance, but it is also important to spend the funds in the proper areas. I will continue to work with the board and the superintendent to ensure proper allocation of the funds.
“Communication between the board, community and staff is important and not just one direction of communication. This is something that needs to remain a priority so that the district functions properly. Each of these goals work closely together to develop a strong school district that I am proud to be a part of, a great team.”
Kelly Owen
Kelly Owen, 42607 Maude Ct., Van Buren Township, is running for reelection to the school board.
Owen, 57, has been married to Kyle Owen for 26 years and has lived in the district for 28 years.
Their children are: Kendall Owen, 24, who graduated from Belleville High School in 2014, graduated from Western Michigan University in 2018, and works as a behavioral therapist, living in Austin, TX; Kameron Owen, 22, who graduated from BHS in 2016 and University of Michigan in 2020; and Karlee Owen, 19, who graduated from BHS in 2019 and is a sophomore at Michigan State University.
Owen is a homemaker and has earned an associate’s degree.
She has twice been elected to the Van Buren Public Schools Board of Education and has served eight years.
Owen was a member of the Van Buren Public Schools Education Foundation for eight years and was on PTOs for several years while her children were in school. She has been on several committees and volunteered for multiple events and has gone wherever she was needed.
She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, reading, and beading.
When asked why she is running for reelection, Owen replied: “I have enjoyed being involved in every aspect of my children’s education, and although they have graduated, I would still like to be involved in the education of children in our community. I love Belleville and would like to do my part in helping Van Buren Public Schools maintain a high level of learning for all students, and flourish in the 21st century.”
As to her goals, once elected: “Keeping our children safe, along with teachers and staff are our main focus right now. I’m sure none of us ever imagined living through a pandemic, and we are doing our best to keep everyone healthy, while giving our students the highest levels of learning possible.
“My goal every year since I have been on the board, is to do the best job I possibly can while serving our schools and taking each day as it comes as an opportunity to make the right decisions for a school district that I hold near and dear to my heart.”
Simone Pinter
Simone Pinter, 48496 Ellen Court, Van Buren Township, is running for reelection to the school board.
Pinter, 58, has lived in the school district for 39 years. She is married to Larry Pinter and they have three children, Tiffany Pinter-Allaban, Tabitha Davenport, and Mathew Pinter.
Pinter is a retired florist and attended high school trade school.
She is active in Relay for Life and the Moose. She loves to remodel things.
“I believe if you don’t stay involved in your community, you have no right to complain about it.
Once elected her goal is: “To hopefully get things back on the good direction we were heading before COVID and to get the Early Childhood Center up and running.”
Dionne Falconer
Dionne Falconer, 43705 Dorchester Dr., Van Buren Township, is running for a seat on the school board.
Falconer, 47, has lived in the district for eight years. She is varied to Vincent Falconer and they have a daughter Alessander and son Trevor attends Owen Intermediate and son Myles attends Tyler Elementary.
She works as a Regulation Agent and, “I am a proud product of Detroit Public Schools, Ferris State University with a B.S. in Business Administration, and University of Phoenix, with an M.A. in Business Administration/E-Business.
This is her second try for a seat on the board after being on the ballot in 2018.
She has been active on the Tyler Elementary School PTO since 2014 and is vice president of AGAPE Uniting Families for Christ couples’ ministry.
She said she is running for office because, “As an active parent and PTO member, I have seen first-hand the reward of giving back and engaging with students, staff, educators and administrators.
“I am ready to take on this challenge at a higher level to increase the positive impact I can make in my own community. I feel that it is important for the school board to be representative of the diverse landscape that makes our district such a wonderful place for our children to learn and grow.
“We need active parents on the board with students currently enrolled in the Van Buren school system. The real time engagement of parents who see first-hand the needs of students, faculty and staff will help me as an asset to the board. I can give a perspective that is relevant and current to the immediate needs of the district based on first-hand knowledge.
“As a parent I am my children’s first teacher. When they started school, I became a part of a larger team of educators to assist them in reaching their maximum potential as individuals and students.”
As to her goals, Falconer said: “During these unprecedented times of COVID-19, it is vital that VBPS provide a safe and well-balanced education for all students, whether in-person or on-line virtually. Therefore, I plan to assist the district with tools and strategies which will help parents support classroom learning by leveraging technology as well as one-on-one interaction with their children.”
Terrance C. Goff
Terrance C. Goff, 43690 Cedarhurst Dr., Van Buren Township is running for a seat on the school board.
Goff, 48, has lived in the school district for three years. He and his wife Kera have three daughters, Anaya, Ivana, and Hosanna.
He is a Building Inspector and a high school graduate. This is his first run for public office.
Goff had served an appointed position for a three-year term on a Farmington Hills charter school.
He said he recently stepped down as Parent Coordinator for the Detroit Youth Choir to pursue election on the school board. He also enjoys fitness.
“I believe that we can have the finest schools in the area and I see that our district believes that, as well,” Goff said. “I want to be part of that!”
As far as his goals: “I would like to attract all families in the community to our schools / retention of our students through high school.”