Frequently Asked Questions

• Why are you running for the one-year term?
  I am running for the one-year term because it allows me the opportunity to complete the term to which I was appointed by the members of the GR Board of Education back in Oct. 2007. Two of my colleagues are up for reelection, and because of our relationships, I do not believe it would be advantageous to run against them. I will wait my turn for the four-year seat and run again in 2009.
• Will you have to run again after the one-year is over?
  Yes, the one-year term will expire June 2009. This means I will be up for reelection as early as a year from now. At that time, it will be a four-year term.
• Do you have children who attend GRPS?
  Yes, I have one child, and she attends Grand Rapids Montessori High. My daughter attended the GR Christian Schools for most of her academic tenure; this marks the second school year that she has been with GRPS. We are one of those families that made GRPS our choice because of the plethora of programs that are offered!
• Can you tell us the significance of the blue and gold colors seen throughout your website?
  Yes. I am an alumnus of Creston High school and Cornerstone University. Both of these institutions have the great colors of blue and gold as their theme colors; therefore, I thought it befitting to utilize these colors for my campaign. On another note, my husband is an alumnus of the University of Michigan and Grand Rapids Theological Seminary of Cornerstone University whose colors are also blue and gold.
• How much time do you believe members of the Board of Ed. should spend in the schools? Why?
  I believe the role of the Board of Education is not to spend most of its time in the classrooms, that’s actually the role of the teachers and administrators, but to spend time reviewing and creating policies that assist those in the classroom. I believe we should have measures in place to assist us in monitoring the needs of the teachers, faculty, administrators and students. I also feel we should make visits on a sporadic basis in order to monitor to see if the policies implemented are successful. We are accessible for the parents, students and community to share their ideas, concerns and thoughts, too.
• Why do you need more money (millages) for the smaller school model?
  The bond request that we may propose in 2009 is to help renovate and rebuild the buildings in which our secondary schools are housed. Our students deserve to be in state of the art facilities that provides a more conducive environment for academic success. We are grateful that the community entrusted us, by voting yes, on our last bond proposal and we were good stewards over those resources. We met the goals of the facilities we renovated, and still renovating, as well as made upgrades to others. We are seeking the support of the taxpayers, once again, because our high school students deserve a better environment, too!
• Have you ever disagreed with the Superintendent or members of the Board of Ed. on issues?
  Disagreements are inevitable when you have 9 people and a superintendent sharing thoughts and ideas. I, personally, have asked challenging questions to help me to see the viewpoint of others when a disagreement arose. Usually those conversations, if necessary, have taken place behind closed doors, as to not draw attention to the disagreement. In each instance, the disagreement was resolved amicably.
• What are your thoughts on Union/GRPS controversy?
  Most of the disagreements, between the teacher’s union and superintendent, surround privy topics of our contract negotiations. Because of the Fair Labor law, I am not able to disclose those specifics. I suggested that these issues be resolved in a different manner and I’ve communicated this to the board’s president, superintendent and president of the teachers union.
• What is one thing you think the community should know about GRPS but may not?
  I would like for the community to understand that there are great things happening in this district and I would like to see parents shop to see if we can fulfill their academic goals. When you began to measure our schools up against other districts you will find that we are not overzealous with violent incidents, increasing standardize test scores, winning prestigious awards for our successes and aggressively moving towards positive changes in every area of the district. We are made up of a diverse pool of board members, administrators, teachers and faculty, because we are representing the students that we serve.
• Why should I support your campaign and vote for you?
  You should vote for Senita Lenear because you want someone with experience, innovative ideas, caring spirit, who’s a positive role model and a proud graduate and parent of the district! For more information on what makes me qualified, please visit the “qualifications” section of my website.

The Senita you don't know!

Senita Lenear is a 13-year employee with the Blues Enterprise (Blue Cross Blue Shield and Blue Care Network of MI). She has held numerous positions within the organization, most recently in the Human Resources department. Senita has held the position of Community Affairs Representative for both organizations for the West MI Region. Senita is a board member of Student Advancement Foundation a non-profit organization designed to assist with funding programs to meet the needs of the Grand Rapids Public School District . Senita also contributes to a host of other non-profit organizations within the community by way of committee involvement. She is the founder of the My Body is a Temple program, which helps teens and young adults to discover the benefits of sexual abstinence before marriage.

Senita is a resident of the city of Grand Rapids together with her husband Pastor Dallas Lenear and daughter, Nina. Senita is an alumnus of the Creston High in the Grand Rapids Public School district where she received her high school diploma. She is also a summa cum laude graduate of Cornerstone University with a Bachelor's in Business Management and minor in Ministry Leadership. Senita is an active member of New Hope Baptist Church .

Senita was selected, by her colleagues, out of 16 candidates, to fill the open seat on the Grand Rapids Board of Education in October 2007. During this short tenure, she has learned that there are tough decisions to be made in order to build to successfully impact the educational experience for the students in GRPS. Senita is willing to continue to make these decisions, because she supports our future leaders!

Senita is a Spider Solitaire aficionado and an Outback Steakhouse connoisseur. Those who know and love Senita describe her as deeply passionate and eternally loyal. Senita displays excellence in all things to the glory of God.