Residents will vote to fill two seats on the Lakewood Board of Education in the November 4 election.
Incumbents Nora Katzenberger and Betsy Bergen Shaughnessy are challenged by newcomers Katie Slife Rustad and Monica Bruaw. Katzenberger is currently serving as board president, after being nominated in the fourth year of her first term in office. Shaugnessy is currently the Board’s vice president and is serving her 32nd year on the school board.
All four candidates are women between the ages of 43 and 77. Katzenberger, Shaugnessy and Rustad all self-identify as Democrats, while Bruaw left the question blank and listed herself as Republican in response to another question.
Current issues identified in candidate responses include loss of federal funding, changing neighborhood demographics, local school closure decisions, and diversity and inclusion initiatives, including student privacy concerns.
Read about each candidate below.
How to get involved
The Lakewood School Board meets twice monthly, on the first and third Monday of the month. Regular board meetings are scheduled in advance with a prepared agenda, and the agenda is available to any interested parties.
The board has the ability to change regular meeting times as needed and is required to give no less than two days advance notice for any meetings. The board can also call special board meetings with just 24 hours advance notice and emergency board meetings, which require immediate public notice.
The Lakewood League of Women Voters and the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce are hosting a candidates forum on Wednesday, October 1 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Lakewood Library Auditorium at 15425 Detroit Ave. All 4 Lakewood School Board candidates will be in attendance as well as City Council candidates.
A “Meet the School Board Candidates Night” will be hosted by the Preserve Lakewood Schools PAC on Thursday, October 2 at 6:30 p.m. According to Preserve Lakewood Schools Facebook event, “All four candidates have been invited to participate. As of today’s date, two have accepted the invitation – Monica Bruaw and Katie Slife Rustad.”
The next Lakewood School Board meeting will be held on Monday, October 6 at 7 p.m. in the Lakewood High School Cafeteria at 14100 Franklin Blvd.
To add your contact information to the mailing list to receive school board meeting notices, please call the Treasurer’s office at 216-529-4096.
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