Crafton, Susie - Walled Lake Consolidated School District
Are you an incumbent?
No
Brief Intro of Candidate
I was appointed to the Walled Lake School Board in June of 2024. Me and my husband, Clay, moved our family to my childhood home in Novi in 2018. We have two children; one currently at Walled Lake Western and one that graduated from there in 2022.
I am self-employed as the CEO of Apeira Revenue Solutions, LLC, a consulting agency that provides technical assistance, strategy, and capacity building services in public education, particularly in the realms of fundraising, governance, and sustainability. I have served in the senior-most fundraising roles and on the senior leadership team of the following nonprofits: Institute for Citizens & Scholars, Education Pioneers, Stand for Children, and IDEA Public Schools. Early in my career, I also led a program based on “What School Boards Can Do: Reform Governance for Urban Schools” which established my belief in the power of school board governance. I supported 16 large, urban districts’ school board/superintendent teams in defining their core beliefs & commitments, theory of change, policies & management oversight systems, and engaging community stakeholders in the K12 system; many of these districts received national recognition for improving student academic outcomes.
Endorsements
Michigan Education Association and the Huron Valley Democratic Club have endorsed me. I have endorsements pending with Fems for Dems and the United Auto Workers Union. I am also seeking to be designated a Gun Sense Candidate.
Top financials Contributors
Website and social media links
Michigan Education Association
https://www.facebook.com/crafton.schoolboard; www.class4walledlake.com; https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563120334477
How would you engage and include parents, caregivers, community members and students in decision-making in your district around things like curriculum, budgeting and district policy?
School board members work together to set policy for the district. Ideally these policies are rooted in shared core beliefs and commitments and a theory of action for change (i.e. a strategic plan). The core beliefs and theory of action should be agreed to by the board and remain stable over many years, ideally a decade or more. Growing from that stability of vision are policies that support the theory of change.
I commit to extensive listening and partnership with all stakeholders – parents, students, teachers, school staff, business community, residents without children in school, etc. – so that I can help the Board adopt the district’s mission and vision and maintain a policy framework that addresses the priority issues facing the district.
The day-to-day management of the district, including curriculum decisions, is the responsibility of the Superintendent and their management team. They are all employed to ensure that curriculum aligns to state standards, that there are consistent assessments to monitor student progress toward the state standards, and that students grow academically and personally in order to be prepared for their chosen future.
What are your thoughts on school discipline and the way it is exercised in your school district? What are your thoughts on restorative practices?
School discipline is a complex topic, with a majority of the decisions made at the teacher/school level. There are numerous layers of oversight and due process before specific incidents would warrant school board involvement. Instead, the school board approves the Code of Conduct and the types of consequences allowed. Regarding consequences, restorative practices can be most effective in most settings.
That said, bullying, especially regarding race, religion, gender identity and sexual orientation is the top safety issue in our schools. While not perfect, the implementation of the Anti-Defamation League’s “No Place for Hate” program at WLC has seen promising results and could be expanded to our other high schools and middle schools.
What are your thoughts on how to improve student mental health
The students of today, who will be our leaders of tomorrow, will likely live in a world we cannot yet imagine. According to the Department of Labor, more than 65% of today’s students will grow up having careers that do not exist yet. Because the world is changing rapidly, we need to fuel career exploration and transferable skills across industries and sectors like health sciences, math and computer science. This can be done through partnerships with the corporate and nonprofit community by offering work-based learning and hands on experiences.
I have had the opportunity to develop trusting relationships with numerous high school students through my involvement in the performing arts. When I ask them what they wish adults in the district know, they consistently mention the need for more mental health supports. They have shared how they don’t feel like they are enough, even when the friends they compare themselves to are feeling the same way. I think that most people want to see mental health support increased, but we need to be aware that the cost of that may end up being larger class sizes since counselor and teacher pay come from the same funds.
I propose that we explore creative options such as having private counselors that bill insurance in our buildings, student peer-to-peer groups, and workshops on managing academic stress with our current staff.
What are your thoughts on ways to improve Black student achievement in your district and in Michigan schools overall?
It is essential that all student data be disaggregated to assess how all student sub-groups by race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economics, and learning designation (special education, homeless, etc.) so that we can make sure that we are allocating resources to provide equitable education for all. Students learn best from educators that look like them, so one way to improve student achievement is to recruit and retain educators of color. Another way to improve student achievement is to increase the culture of belonging within the school community, which might include forming or supporting groups like the Black Student Alliance or the Gay Straight Alliance.
What are your thoughts on how to ensure that all students and their families, regardless of race, gender identity, sexuality, disability, religion, income status, etc., feel safe and included in your district?
To ensure that ALL students and their families feel safe and included is to intentionally and explicitly foster a culture of belonging, and develop policies that support that culture. Creating a culture of belonging for ALL students is not political and should not be politicized. This culture of belonging is about recognizing our shared humanity and signals the inherent worth and dignity of all people.
Students of color and LGBTQIA+ students deserve to be treated with respect, to see themselves in books and curriculum, and to be safe at school. DEI is about recognizing our shared humanity and our diverse experiences.
That said, I try to use this framework when thinking about creating a culture of belonging, using shoes as the example.
Equality is everyone getting a pair of shoes.
Diversity is everyone getting a different type of shoe.
Equity is everyone getting a pair of shoes that fits.
Acceptance is understanding we all wear different kinds of shoes.
Belonging is wearing the shoes you want without fear of judgement.
I believe WLCSD is working toward belonging, and I am committed to living that value.
What are your thoughts on how to recruit and retain staff, particularly staff of color, in your district with regard to pay, benefits, and working conditions?
Recruiting and retaining staff, particularly staff of color, is key to creating and maintaining that culture of belonging. Regarding recruitment, districts might consider developing partnerships with local universities and/or demographic-specific affinity groups. Regarding pay and benefits, I affirm the tenets of the Equal Employment Opportunity Act where pay and benefits does not take demographics into account. Working conditions are directly related to fostering that culture of belonging, and will likely require professional development of school leaders to ensure that all staff is treated equitably.