Stratford PTA Prez. Michele Nellenbach To Run For School Board

Stratford Landing PTA president Michele Nellenbach has thrown her hat in the ring for Mount Vernon’s Fairfax County School Board representative seat.

Nellenbach, who was heavily involved in advocating for full-day kindergarten over the last two years, will run against incumbent Dan Storck.

If elected, the Mount Vernon area resident hopes to increase communication between the school board and the community.

“I want them (parents and students) to know that there is someone there listening and is going to act on what they want do,” she said in an interview Sunday night.

Among the thorniest issues she thinks facing the school system now, is the county’s decision to , responsible budgeting, and addressing the unspoken issues that face students in general education.

“I get what they are trying to do,” she said, referring to the school system’s policy towards honors classes.  “And I think there is some value to what they are trying do for some schools, but maybe not for [all] schools.”

If elected, Nellenbach said she also hopes to address some of the concerns from parents in Cluster IV schools in particular, including the lack of admits to from area schools and overcrowding at South County Secondary School.

Nellenbach said she first became interested in pursuing a school board seat during last year’s budget negotiations, when multiple student programs, including full-day kindergarten, faced potential cuts.

Nellenbach said though both the county and school system face budget constraints, there is a “responsible” way to save money and communicate with members of the community about their budget concerns.

“We are not going to be back to where we were in 2008 for several years,” she added. “But I think we need to take a better look at some of the administrative spending.”

Local residents will have a chance to vote for school board candidates in November. Until then, Nellenbach plans to be pop into local education meetings listening to local residents concerns on education issues.

“What I hope to be is a really voice for them school board. That’s what I have tried to be as PTA president,” said Nellenbach.

She is married with two kids at Stratford Landing Elementary School.