The Editorial Board of The Shakerite endorses Kate Nielson, James Reed and Jenny Steadman for the Shaker Heights Board of Education.
With a background in policy and sharp advocacy skills, Kate Nielson would be a valuable addition to the Board of Education.
Nielson grew up in Shaker Heights, attending Shaker schools from Boulevard Elementary School through the high school (’02). After college, she moved to Washington, D.C. and worked as a student organizer on college campuses. She then earned a master’s of public policy and a law degree and spent the next decade working as an attorney on education, civil rights and gender equity policy – predominately at the state level.
Nielson is also a parent of two, one of whom is in the Ludlow pre-K inaugural class. One of her key priorities is to make Ludlow’s pre-K successful and accessible for all Shaker Heights families in order to shrink the achievement gap. As the district makes hard decisions about spending in the next several years, even if Issue 51 were to pass, the Board will benefit from a member committed to the success of its pre-K investment.
She also aims to support teachers by providing them with adequate resources to successfully teach in detracked classrooms. Nielson’s policy experience makes her uniquely qualified to interpret state and federal laws impacting education. The Trump administration’s crackdown on DEI and the signing of executive orders that affect K-12 education will be matters that she can advise the Board on in an effort to preserve the district’s identity while it follows mandates. With her policy expertise and goals, Kate Nielson is an essential addition to the Board of Education.
More than 30 years in education have done James Reed well, and they will do the same for the district when he joins the Board of Education.
A capable instructor and principal who has worked at Shaker Heights, Chardon, Cleveland Heights, Beachwood, St. Edward and Campus International high schools, Reed is uniquely qualified to join the board. He attained a bachelor’s degree in political science at Eastern Michigan University and a master’s degree at Cleveland State University. Since then, he has dedicated his career to serving thousands of students at middle and high schools in Northeast Ohio.
Following his retirement from Cleveland Heights, districts repeatedly asked him to take on administrative roles. He served as interim principal of SHHS in 2015 after Michael Griffith’s resignation, and applied to become the permanent principal that same year with enthusiastic support of the high school faculty. Reed is the only candidate who has taken school board strategic plans and enacted them in schools.
Reed, whose four children graduated from the high school, is committed to upholding Shaker’s standards for individual student support to ensure success, especially in the wake of the Trump administration’s attack on education. Reed pioneered the SHHS Bridges program, a summer session for rising 10th graders focused on increasing enrollment of Black students in AP and IB classes. His wide experience equips him with a well-informed perspective on what our schools need and what ideas will work. A Shaker Heights resident of 62 years, James Reed will bring unique knowledge and experience to the Board of Education.
A mother of two current high school students, Jenny Steadman’s goal is to ensure that every student has the chance to thrive. Having raised children in the district, she has seen firsthand the impact that a school can have on who they become.
Steadman managed internal communications and international public relations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for 10 years. She leads the local TroubleNation advocacy group, a branch of the Red Wine & Blue organization, formed to push back against extremism at the state and local level.
As an advocate for affordable, healthy food options, Steadman successfully urged the introduction of a salad bar at Onaway Elementary School and also founded the Macaroni Kids Cleveland Sector to help caregivers find local events to put food on their tables stress free. Those experiences will prove valuable as the district evaluates its food service contracts.
Her goals for serving on the board include enhancing communication with residents; ensuring every voice is heard; protecting Shaker schools from government policies that could harm our students; and guaranteeing every student the materials they need to thrive in their school environment.
Steadman spoke of ensuring that teachers have the resources and support necessary for detracked classrooms. Her professional communications experience will be an asset as the board addresses persistent charges of poor communication, especially as it faces increasing political and financial challenges. Jenny Steadman is a fitting candidate for The Board of Education.
The election for Shaker Heights City School District Board of Education will be held Nov. 4. The Shakerite encourages all eligible voters to go to the polls.
Before writing this endorsement, members of the Editorial Board researched and interviewed each candidate. All candidates were asked the same series of questions. The board discussed the endorsement thoroughly and voted by secret ballot. The Editorial Board constitutes Editor-in-Chief Isabel Siegel, Managing Editor Daniel Carroll, Copy Editor Natalie Better, Policy Reporter Emma Barker and Opinion Editor Leila Cohen.
