Emma Petrie Barcelona School Board Candidate Attributes Success To Lakewood Schools

I am running for the Lakewood Board of Education because I believe my resourcefulness, passion, and range of experience combine for a fresh approach that would serve the homeowners, students and community well. The Lakewood City Schools fully prepared me for my career and for life in general. I can think of no better way to return my gratitude than to help ensure that the traditional exemplary education continues for all of children.

After graduating from Lakewood High School in 1995, I earned a BA from St. Mary's College of Maryland in 1999, where I majored in economics, public policy history, and political science. I subsequently earned an MA from Cleveland State University in 2003, in urban studies with a concentration in economic development. I attribute my collegiate success to the superior preparation in writing and analytical skills gained from our schools.

My husband and I are now parents of Edie, age five, who just began her own journey through the Lakewood school system at Lincoln Elementary. She will soon be followed by her younger sister, Cora. My supportive husband, Rob, and I have been married for seven years. After renting in Lakewood for a few years, I purchased my first home in Lakewood in 2001, so I am attuned to the needs of the many renters in our community while I sympathize with the challenges and responsibilities of those who own.

Since 2009, I have been privileged to serve as a trustee for the Lakewood Alumni Association, a non-profit organization that provides funding and grant support within the school system. This has equipped me with firsthand knowledge of our schools - its students and its needs - as well as the many resources in our community that can be tapped to enrich the education process.

My employment in the public and private sectors includes six years as an economic research analyst for the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland, four-and-a-half years as a grants and development officer for the Planning and Development department in the city of Lakewood, and a present position as the deputy director of the Northeast Ohio Sustainable Communities Consortium. With such experience, I have become well acquainted with government regulations, public budgets, and tax policy, not to mention the importance of building solid relationships with those whose expertise can be called upon to help inform my discussions with educators, Board members, and residents.

As a member of the Board, I would serve with versatility while striving for fiscal discipline and a balanced budget. I would seek untapped revenue sources to support the schools, as I am strongly in favor of providing tax relief and revenue building by better utilizing existing school properties. Building on Lakewood�s educational diversity is a key element of my campaign. Such diversity should be leveraged to achieve better relationships within the school system, new funding sources, and better use of our existing facilities to aid both the schools and the community.

I have been endorsed by the Lakewood Teachers Association and the Sun-Post Herald, in addition to many Lakewood residents. While that alone may not convince you to vote for me, my hope is that the qualifications I have laid out here, and the priorities I have specified, will give you the confidence to elect me to the Lakewood Board of Education on November 8.