This year’s election for the Oxford Board of Education promises to be a competitive one, based on the number of candidates who filed with the Oakland County Elections Division.

Nine people are vying for three open seats on the board. All board members have four-year terms.

Many of the school board candidates are active members of the community and school district. They include: Stacey Beane, Dan D’Alessandro, Tom Donnelly, Katherine East, Jennifer W. Guthrie, Bruce Meyers, Kallie Roesner, Heather Shafer, and Rick Vandecar.

The Oxford Leader will examine three candidates per week, in alphabetical order, for the next three weeks.

Following are brief introductions of Beane, D’Alessandro and Donnelly:

Stacey Beane, currently a varsity sideline and competitive cheer coach at Waterford-Kettering High School, has been an Oxford resident for 10 years.

Beane has spent the past nine years coaching sideline and competitive cheer within several districts, including Oxford. She said she’s coached at every level from junior high to high school. She was also the General Manager of Cheer at the Northern Youth Football League (NYFL) for four years.

Beane, whose six children have all attended Oxford Schools, said she is looking to make a positive impact on the district.

“I think it’s important as a parent to get involved in the school because there have been a lot of people who have wanted to see change and they’ve wanted to see that the kids’ best interest is put first,” Beane said. “If (we) all sit back and don’t do anything about it then it’s not going to make anything better. I decided that I wanted to have a positive impact and I can’t do that from home not being involved.”

According to Beane, if elected, she will work to establish stronger district policies and procedures, which is something she feels is currently lacking.

“I’ve noticed a huge problem from academics to faculty that there’s no accountability and I think it’s important that the school board makes sure that we don’t just have procedures and rules in place that nobody has to follow,” Beane said.

Dan D’Alessandro is the only incumbent running. He was first elected to the board in 2012 and currently serves as school board president. He holds a bachelor’s of business administration and marketing from Northwood University in Midland.

D’Alessandro said he hopes to continue helping Oxford students reach their full potential as a board member.

“There is a desire on my part to make sure that all students have the ability to reach their educational potential,” D’Alessandro said. “All of those kids should have the same opportunities, and in Oxford, right now, they do . . . I want to continue to see them flourish. We’ve put a lot of money towards educational intervention at first, second and third-grade levels because the thought is, if you can catch it there, you won’t have the (need for) remedial (education) later. We’ve put a tremendous amount of effort into that and I want to see that continue.”

D’Alessandro, a Brandon resident, has had both of his children attend Oxford Schools. His daughter, Malena, graduated from OHS in 2013 and his son, Anthony, is currently a senior.

D’Alessandro said during his time on the board, officials have worked to come up with innovative ways to cut district costs, including parting with the district’s previous insurance provider and switching to more cost-effective sources. “Those are things that you have to do and we cut our insurance costs by hundreds of thousands of dollars. We’re able to put that money back into educating kids.”

He also said that his focus, if re-elected to the board, will also be on teachers. “When the staff is excited, energized, and understands that the district is going to support them as best as we can, then the students will get the best education,” D’Alessandro said. “Our teachers are the number one factor in making sure our students get the best education possible.”

According to D’Alessandro, his strength as a board member lies in his ability to communicate effectively with others.

“I have always been very good with understanding people. I listen and communicate very well,” he said. “I may not agree with others on every topic, but I will do my best to listen and see if a common ground can be achieved.”

Tom Donnelly, pastor of Firmly Rooted Ministries, has lived in Oxford for more than 15 years. He has seven children, five of whom have been educated within the Oxford district.

He holds a master’s degree in theology and philosophy from Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Donnelly served as the vice president of operations for Allied Metal Corporation in Troy for several years before he began yearning to make a difference in his community and switched to ministry work. This same desire is pushing him to pursue a school board seat.

“(I want) to give back to the community that has given to me and given to my kids and I want to make a difference,” said Donnelly.

According to Donnelly, his experience working in operations would be an asset to the board. “I think through issues logically and rationally,” he said. “I am a process guy, that’s what I did at my previous position in operations, so I can see the bigger picture and I can see the connectiveness. I’m a fairly good communicator, so once I see those connections I can communicate and hopefully work to bind a group of people together so we can reach our objectives and goals for our kids.”

If elected, Donnelly said he would like to focus on several issues.

“Obviously, the (failure of the non-homstead operating) millage needs to be addressed and I hope that I can be a communicator and help (convey) the message in the clearest form, so that the community can make decisions that are well-educated and informed,” Donnelly said. “We have to focus on the kids. We have to make sure that we’re providing them (with) the best education possible and that we’re providing them a safe environment (in which) to get that education. I think those two things are at the heart of why I want to run for school board.”