Brandon Twp.- Five is the final number of candidates running for two seats on the Brandon School Board.
The candidates who will be on the November ballot, vying for two available 4-year terms are:
Debra Brady, 50, who has volunteered with the All Sports Brandon Boosters for more than 10 years, helping raise more than $1 million. She has taken courses at Oakland Community College and works for the family business, Northern Construction and Building in Ortonville. Brady has been married to husband Kris for 31 years and is the mother of three children, Nicholas, Amanda, and Mitchell, all Brandon High School graduates and has three grandchildren, Jaelyn, a sophomore at Brandon High School, Jordan, a Belle Ann Elementary fourth grader, and Jada, 3.
‘My focus has always been what’s best for the children of the community, and I want to continue that focus with working on the school board,? Brady said.
Maria Lauinger, 42, received an associate’s degree from Oakland Community College in 1989 and a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Oakland University in 1995. She has been married to Bill for 19 years and is the stay-at-home mother of Breanna, a Brandon High School freshman, Sabrina, a Brandon Middle School seventh grader, Alexa, a fifth grader at Brandon Fletcher Intermediate School, and Bella, a third grader at Belle Ann Elementary.
‘I would like to be completely involved in the education process,? Lauinger said. ‘We are community-based schools and I think there needs to be a solid foundation with clean water in the schools, physical activities and good supplies.?
Sherryl McLaughlin, 48, is the director of program development for the office of professional development and education outreach in the school of education at Oakland University. She earned her bachelor of science degree in education from the University of Detroit Mercy in elementary education and learning disabilities in 1993 and received a master’s degree from Cambridge College in education in 1999. She recently completed an education specialist program in special education administration from Wayne State University and plans to apply for the PH.d program in education at OU next fall. She has been married to Chuck for 13 years and has three children, Aaron, Lauren, and Alaina, all of whom graduated from BHS.
‘I’m seeking election to the board because I want to ensure an excellent education for future and current students in the district,? McLaughlin said. ‘I’m here to serve the school community.?
Debbie Schummer, 43, serves on the faculty of the University of Phoenix as a communications instructor. She received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Walsh College in 1999 and earned her master’s degree in business administration from Walsh in 2004. She has been married to Jeff for 19 years and is the mother of Matthew, a second-grader at Belle Ann Elementary and Nicholas, a Brandon High School junior.
‘I am running for school board to help, contribute and unite the community for the sake of our children and steer the next American competitor,? Schummer said. ‘As a country, we need to make sure we are graduating a solid competitor in the market place.?
Diana Kowalski declined to comment for this story.