There are five candidates for three positions on the Onsted Community Schools school board. Four candidates profiles are below, Kevin Brooks did not submit a profile.
Candidate: Alex Gast
Alex Gast
Hometown: Onsted
Describe your qualifications and experience for this office?
My love of learning and education began in my time at Onsted Community Schools. I am a lifelong resident of Onsted and my own children are now beginning their journey at the school that I want to help shape. I am proud to have graduated from Onsted. Afterwards, I went on to earn master’s and bachelor’s degrees in business administration, majoring in accounting. I have worked in financial, performance improvement and business strategy fields and now work full-time with utility regulation as a rate analyst. In addition, I teach part-time as adjunct faculty at Jackson College in the business pathway. I also served two years, as a member and treasurer, on the board of Grace Academic Services, a small nonprofit focused on tutoring and college preparation. I have stayed close to learning and education my whole life because it is truly a passion of mine. I want to help build this in the Onsted graduates that are coming after me.
Explain your reasons for running. How would you be an asset to your local unit of government?
I am running because I am committed to Onsted schools and I care about this entire community. My wife and I were born here, lived here our entire lives and have chosen to raise our kids here. We have had opportunities to leave. There have been new job offers in other areas, but we have chosen to stay here. This is home, and I want to take care of our home. Generations of our families have lived here. I have such a vested interest in seeing this school and community succeed, I will do anything to help make that happen. This is a lifelong promise that I will keep whether I join the school board or not.
I would be an asset to this school because of my extensive financial experience. I am a certified public accountant and have worked for multiple years managing multi-million-dollar budgets. I also have experience as a financial auditor and tax preparer. I am very comfortable digging in with financial matters and understanding exactly where money is best spent to achieve desired results.
Due to our current circumstances, what are the most important challenges facing your community, and how do you propose to address them?
The biggest challenge we face is keeping our kids in school. Protocols are in place and being followed to ensure students that are in school remain healthy and can continue to learn. We need to build confidence for families that our school is the best place for their kids. I believe Onsted is following expert guidelines and I hope it is only a matter of time before everything is back to normal.
We also need to consider the needs of students from low income households. I think helping disadvantaged students starts by leading with love. I have seen this over and over at Onsted and I believe that teachers and staff love helping our children grow. Not all students start from a level playing field. Some have obstacles to overcome that many people could not even imagine. Putting ourselves in their shoes, showing genuine empathy, will make a huge difference in their lives. Onsted has great programs to help students focus on learning while they are in school, but there is more we need to do. Improved access to technology, meals, clothing and connection to wellness resources are all very important, especially during this coronavirus pandemic.
Tell us about your family.
My wife and I are very close with our families. A majority of both of our families were raised here in Onsted and still live nearby. We are lucky our two kids get to grow up around so many people who love them and want the best for them. This is a great place, that I believe I can help make even better.
What are your hobbies and/or interests in your spare time?
My number one interest is spending time with my family. We have a lot of fun just being together. I enjoy coaching my son’s soccer, baseball and flag football teams with the Onsted Community Recreation Committee. Our family loves sports; we are big fans of Onsted football and are proud my brother-in-law is on the team!
Getting outside, experiencing nature, and just sharing the great outdoors with our kids is important too. We go for walks in the woods and go running on trails. We also have a big garden and many fruit trees that we care for. Amongst all the activities of a growing family, I make it a priority to read. Science fiction, nature, activism, history, poetry, psychology and self-help make up much of my bookshelf.
Candidate: Ryan Reynolds
Ryan Reynolds
Hometown: Onsted
Describe your qualifications and experience for this office.
I have been in the aviation industry for nearly 20 years and hold a degree in aviation science. For the past 14 years I have been an airline pilot and currently serve as a captain on the Airbus A320 for a major U.S. air carrier based out of Detroit Metro Airport. Being a professional pilot is more than just being able to fly an airplane. It requires strict discipline, critical and timely decision making, adherence to company policy and federal regulations, continuing education, teamwork, and the utmost professionalism. Above all else, it requires bearing the humbling and tremendous responsibility for the safety of the passengers, crew and a multi-million-dollar aircraft. Prior to the airlines, I taught as an adjunct faculty member and certified flight instructor at Northwestern Michigan College in Traverse City, Mich. At NMC, I was directly involved in the education and mentoring of student pilots, both in the air and in the classroom.
Explain your reasons for running. How would you be an asset to your local unit of government?
I view being a school board member as one of the greatest ways to give back and be involved in one’s community. When elected, my number one priority is to be an advocate for the continued success of the students, faculty, administrators and staff of OCS. When our school district succeeds, our community succeeds. As a lifelong learner who is dedicated to my profession, I believe I can directly apply the leadership skills that are required in the aviation industry to effectively serve on the school board.
Due to our current circumstances, what are the most important challenges facing your community, and how do you propose to address them?
I believe there are a few key issues facing our district in the 2020-2021 school year. The current pandemic has been an immense challenge for all of us. Continuing to provide a safe and healthy environment for the students, teachers, administrators and staff is extremely important. I know many parents, including myself, are frustrated with some of the guidelines and restrictions being handed down from Lansing, particularly for those students who are attending class in person. I feel in this situation it is important to focus on the bigger picture and remember that the end goal is to provide the best possible education for our children. As a board member, I will work to ensure that goal is met along with the continued focus on the health and safety of everyone involved. I will also work towards common sense solutions to these restrictions when there is latitude to do so. With patience, kindness, and understanding, I believe we will emerge from these difficult times as a stronger district and community.
Retaining our incredible teachers and attracting the brightest and most qualified new teachers to our district is also a huge priority for me. Our teachers’ dedication and love for students is nothing short of amazing in my eyes. I believe rewarding their hard work and sacrifice is paramount to the future success of OCS.
Tell us about your family.
My wife Allison and I have been married for 13 years. Allison is an ICU nurse at the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor. We have two young children who both attend Onsted Elementary. We are also members of Brooklyn Presbyterian Church.
What are your hobbies and/or interests?
I enjoy spending my free time with family and friends, hunting, fishing, boating, and snowmobiling. I am also an avid music fan and guitarist.
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Candidate: Raymond J. Tessier
Raymond J. Tessier
Hometown: Onsted
Describe your qualifications and experience for this office.
I have over 20 years of experience in the automotive industry working in engineering and executive roles. The experience I have gained leading human resource management for a large global organization (> 70 engineers), complying with legal/regulatory obligations, developing and presenting strategic proposals to senior leadership in my company, setting high-level vision for my department, managing a multi-million dollar budget effectively through good and bad economic times and building effective working relationships with many global stakeholder groups prepares me well to serve the community in a school board role. In addition to working in the automotive industry, I have also served as a community college adjunct professor for both engineering and trades courses and currently serve on volunteer program advisory boards for technical education programs where I assist in setting strategic program objectives as well as setting program and capital budget priorities. I have served regularly as an elder in my church, most recently serving on a board with responsibility to set budget priorities for the congregation. Educationally, I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Science from Alma College, a Bachelor’s Degree in Engineering from Kettering University and a Master’s Degree in Engineering from Purdue University. In addition to graduate coursework in engineering, I have continued my lifelong passion for all things automotive and am an ASE certified automotive technician.
Explain your reasons for running. How would you be an asset to your local unit of government?
I have been a part of the Onsted Community for the last 17 years and appreciate how our community supports each other and our schools. My wife and her siblings all graduated from Onsted Community Schools and have done very well after graduation which shows how well our schools are doing to prepare our young people for their lives after graduation. Both of my children have attended Onsted Community Schools since kindergarten and I’ve greatly appreciated the excellent work our skilled educators and administrators have put into my children’s education. I am in a position where many of the skills I’ve learned through my years in industry could apply to serve the community that has given so much to me and my family and am looking for an opportunity to give back. I can bring a unique perspective having background in both automotive mechanics and executive leadership to help guide our administrators and teachers as they tailor programs to students who may pursue vocational training as well as those who continue their studies through graduate school. My mother was an elementary school teacher and I observed first-hand her tireless work on behalf of her students, so I’m passionate about making sure that our teachers know their efforts are appreciated. I am also passionate about assuring our students are prepared to excel working with advanced technology that’s changing rapidly; my STEM background prepares me to help guide our district as we must continually adapt to and embrace new technologies. I have relationships with many in the local STEM educational community and would like to explore opportunities to bring additional STEM opportunities to our Onsted Community Schools students as well as provide more opportunities for people in our community to offer insights on their career path and potential job-shadowing opportunities for our students.
Due to our current circumstances, what are the most important challenges facing your community, and how do you propose to address them?
From my experience, we have many talented administrators and teachers who work unselfishly on behalf of our students. I have learned in my automotive experience that having a clear strategic vision and empowering employees to achieve the vision is the key to success. Unfortunately, we have lost some very talented teachers over the course of my children’s time in Onsted Community Schools. While there are many complex factors to consider when someone resigns and I understand there are situations where it’s impossible to retain a good employee, I would work with the administration and other board members to make sure no good teacher leaves OCS because they feel the district and community don’t appreciate what they’re doing for our children. If there are policy changes we can make to improve teacher morale and retention based on exit interview lessons-learned, I would advocate to make these changes. If there are teachers who need improvement I would work with our board and administration to assure proper training and mentorship opportunities are available and that teachers are being coached effectively. Our current times and the pandemic are creating uncertainty in student enrollment numbers as well as public funding as tax revenue projections are uncertain due to the economic recession. Having served in automotive and church board leadership roles through the 2008 recession, I understand that we need to be good stewards of funding entrusted to the district and don’t take this responsibility lightly. I would plan to work with other board members to address financial challenges head-on but also assure that we do so in a way where financial transparency is maintained and OCS staff morale is highly considered in any decisions the board makes. I fully support and advocate for Onsted athletics, Onsted band, and other clubs that offer students opportunities to learn valuable life skills outside the classroom and would support these areas in decision making.
Tell us about your family.
I have been married to Pamela (PJ) Tessier for over 18 years and we are proud Wildcat parents to Caitlin (ninth grade at Onsted High School) and Jack (sixth grade at Onsted Middle School). I am also the proud uncle to Onsted Community School students Sean, Cade, Lizzie and Leo Symington.
What are your hobbies and/or interests?
I enjoy attending my children’s events, spending time on the lake, camping with friends, working on classic cars, and swimming two miles most mornings before work for exercise.
Candidate: David L. Van Brunt (No Photo Submitted)
Hometown: Onsted
Describe your qualifications and experience for this office.
I have been on the board for the last six years. I have been in business for the last 30 years and a lifelong resident of Onsted. I feel my business and life experiences give me a good foundation to continue being a school board member at Onsted Community Schools.
Explain your reasons for running. How would you be an asset to your local unit of government?
I have decided to run again because I have enjoyed my time on the board. I have gained knowledge and experience over the last six years. The first thing I learned was it takes time to get used to how the education
system works, good or bad. We have a good board in place, and I would like to see that remain. Every school district needs continuity with keeping in mind to grow and always look for being the best at what we do. I feel that my business experience helps add a different aspect to the board and helps to bring about a different level of understanding to some of the issues that we deal with at OCS. I hope that my time on the board and my
background will help keep us moving forward.
Due to our current circumstances, what are the most important challenges facing your community, and how do you propose to address them?
Unfortunately, everything these days is a moving target with education. The most important challenge is providing our students with the opportunity to get the education they deserve in the safest and absolute
best environment possible. We need to make decisions based on the information we have keeping the best interest of the students and staff in mind. Unfortunately, there is no roadmap.
Tell us about your family.
I am a lifelong resident of Onsted and I am proud to say so. I have been married for 26 years with four children; three have graduated from OCS and one is still attending.
