Published in partnership with Flint. Daily.

Voters in the Beecher School District will elect three people to the district’s Board of Education on November 3, across two races.

Marvin W. Smoot, currently the Beecher board president, is running unopposed for a partial term on the board that ends in December of 2028. He was first elected to the board in 2015.

In a separate race, three candidates are vying for two full 4-year terms on the board. Incumbent Soni Sparks began serving on the board in 2018. One newcomer, Theresa Marble, is on the ballot and another, Sam J. Peters, is running as an official write-in candidate.

The Beecher district is located near north Flint, just outside of the city limits. It borders several other districts, including Flint, Kearsley, Westwood Heights, and Mt. Morris, and serves approximately 600 students.

The newly elected board members come at a consequential time, as the district is nearing completion of an $18 million renovation of Beecher High School. A grand reopening of the building, which has been closed since 2004, is planned for November.

Smoot, Sparks, and Peters responded to our candidate questionnaire, Marble did not. The responses from the three candidates who responded are below, in alphabetical order. 

Age:

Sam J. Peters: 45

Marvin Smoot: 60

Soni Sparks: 59

Occupation/Relevant Professional Experience:

Peters: Landscaping.

Smoot: Executive director of programming.

Sparks: Executive director, Flint Development Center.

Education:

Peters: Some college.

Smoot: Ferris State University.

Sparks: BA-Business Administration, Ferris State University.

How long have you lived in the Beecher School District?

Peters: 30 years.

Smoot: Lifelong.

Sparks: All my life, I went off to school but came back.

What boards, community organizations, or other volunteer initiatives are you involved with, if any?

Peters: I’m the president of the Michigan unit for my family reunion and the director for a mentoring program.

Smoot: John W. Stevenson Lodge 56 F.&A.M.

Sparks: President, National Community Based Organization Network (NCBON).

Do you promise voters that you will file your campaign finance statements by all required pre- and post-election deadlines for the general election? If not, have you filed a Reporting Waiver and do you promise voters that your campaign will not receive or expend more than $1,000 in your election bid, per that waiver’s requirement?

Peters: Yes.

Smoot: Yes.

Sparks: Yes.

What connection(s) do you have to Beecher Community Schools?

Peters: I am a volunteer worker.

Smoot: I am alumni, class of 1983.

Sparks: Board Trustee and Beecher alumni class of 1985.

Why did you decide to run (or seek re-election) for the Beecher School Board?

Peters: To make a change in my neighborhood.

Smoot: Experience. Leadership. Commitment. Since 2014, I have been committed to serving Beecher students, families, staff, and our entire community. I have helped lead through challenges, supported the rebuilding and reopening of Beecher High School, and worked to move our district toward greater opportunity and growth. I’m not running on promises alone. I’m running on experience, service, and a commitment to keep building on the progress we’ve made.

Sparks: Seeking re-election.

What separates you from other candidates running for the Beecher School Board?

Peters: I’m a people person. I love working with the community and I’m a hard worker.

Smoot: KEEP MOVING BEECHER FORWARD: Student Success • Strong Schools • Fiscal Responsibility • Community • Accountability.

Sparks: I have brought many programs to Beecher such as tutoring, started the Buc Bucks program at Tucker, the pilot program Health In Our Hands, which was the pilot program for our Health Science program.

What do you see as the biggest challenges facing the district?

Peters: Community support.

Smoot: 1. Turning new facilities into stronger academic results. 2. Student enrollment and retention. 3. Recruiting and retaining high-quality staff. 4. Academic accountability. 5. Financial sustainability. 6. Building trust and communication. 7. Preparing students for life after Beecher to name a few.

Sparks: Special education.

What do you see as the district’s greatest assets or opportunities for the future?

Peters: We are a growing community.

Smoot: The greatest opportunity is to turn Beecher physical rebirth into an educational and economic rebirth.

Sparks: Our new school and staff.

What would be your three top priorities should you be elected?

Peters: School safety, students curriculum, better technology.

Smoot: 1. Academic excellence. 2. Career & future readiness. 3. Enrollment, financial stability, and community growth.

Sparks: More parent involvement, student achievement, graduating skilled students.

Have you ever been charged with or convicted of a violent or financial crime, and if so, how was it resolved? [NOTE: This question is not intended as a judgement on a candidate’s criminal history. We do not believe that a criminal history should be a barrier to anyone holding elected office. Rather, we want to provide an opportunity for a candidate to directly respond to voters in their own words if any public criminal or financial records do exist or public accusations that have been made that voters may be aware of.]

Peters: No.

Smoot: No.

Sparks: No.

Do you have a campaign website or social media pages for voters to learn more about you?

Peters: Check my Facebook page.

Smoot: Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin. 

Sparks: Not yet.