Meet This Fall's Seven TCAPS Board Candidates

Depending on how local residents vote this November, Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS) could soon have a majority of fresh faces on its board.

Four seats on the seven-person body are up for grabs, and a fifth recently changed hands following the resignation of former board president Scott Newman-Bale. Additionally, the board’s current president and longest-serving member – Erica Moon Mohr, who won her first term in November 2018 – is not seeking re-election.

Seven candidates are vying for the open seats, including three incumbents (Sara Bageris, Scott Hardy, and Beth Pack) and four newcomers (Diane Arnold, Charmaine Lipscomb, Peter Mooney, and Dee Zuidersma). Both Arnold and Lipscomb interviewed for Newman-Bale’s seat in August, when the board chose to appoint Matthew Schmidt. The Ticker asked all seven candidates to share their qualifications, how they’d grade the current board, and what they see as the district's biggest challenges.

Diane Arnold

Profile: I am an attorney, small business owner, and mom of three TCAPS students. I’ve built my career around listening carefully, solving difficult problems, managing resources responsibly, and advocating for people who need a voice. I am running because our public schools are one of our community’s greatest assets, and I want to help ensure TCAPS remains a place where every student is challenged, supported, safe, and prepared for whatever path comes next. 

Letter grade: B+. They have worked incredibly hard to strengthen TCAPS through responsible financial stewardship, major investments in our facilities and safety, and a thoughtful new strategic plan focused on measurable student outcomes. There is still significant work to do, particularly in academic achievement and recruiting and retaining great teachers in a community with a high cost of living.

Biggest challenge: Turning the goals in our new strategic plan into measurable results. I want to see continued improvement in academic achievement while ensuring students feel safe, connected, and supported, and that we can recruit and retain exceptional teachers and staff. That will require us to be creative with limited resources, measure what is working, and be willing to change course when something isn't.

Sara Bageris

Profile: I am a fierce advocate for public education and feel strongly about educating all students. I have dedicated my work life to public education as an elementary teacher for 26 and a half years in TCAPS, and I am also a TCAPS graduate. I am currently on the school board, having been appointed in 2025 to fill a vacancy.

Letter grade: A-. We have worked really hard at developing a strategic plan that encompasses the primary end goals for the district. As always, there is room for growth, as we strive for transparency as a board, having procedures in place, and doing what is best for our students and staff.

Biggest challenge: Increasing student achievement while closing the achievement gap. We are looking at some different ways we can impact those who are most at risk, and hope to continue making gains while also ensuring our students feel connected to their school and that their needs are being met.

Scott Hardy

Profile: I am a lifelong member of the Traverse City community and a graduate of the K-12 TCAPS system. I have been involved with school boards here in TC and in Illinois for over 18 years. I have also served on several other local municipal boards – including the city commission, the planning commission, the Women’s Resource Center, the Traverse City Opera House, and Aspire North – and I’m in the TCAPS Hall of Fame. I believe public education is the base upon which great communities are built, and the way we support our most vulnerable families.

Letter grade: B+. I think the current board has been a good societal/financial steward for the community and has hired an excellent superintendent. He in turn has a stellar administrative team, but we all agree that student academic performance – while showing great progress – still needs to improve. The TCAPS campus facilities have improved dramatically, but performance inside those buildings continues to need our support.

Biggest challenge: We need to be laser-focused on student academic performance, which means supporting teachers and eliminating the distractions – such as dealing with disruptive classroom behaviors and supporting economically disadvantaged students – that keep them from focusing on teaching.

Charmaine Lipscomb

Profile: My experience as a public school teacher, private school educator, homeschool mom, and charter school co-founder and board member gives me a unique perspective to bring to the TCAPS Board. I hold a master’s degree in teaching and taught in Chicago-area public schools for ten years before starting a family. I've also spent years in business leadership, which taught me to manage budgets and lead with a servant's heart. I'm running because I want to help reignite excellence in TCAPS by strengthening reading, writing, and math, and by partnering with teachers and families.

Letter grade: C+ The board deserves credit for stabilizing enrollment and investing in safer, updated buildings, but too many students still aren't reading and doing math at grade level, and that should be the first measure of success. I believe our student achievement is linked to chronic absenteeism – a measurable problem that must be addressed.

Biggest challenge: Student achievement in the fundamentals of reading, writing, and math. Every dollar and decision should be tied to clear, public goals for academic progress, with regular reports so families can see and partner with our schools to achieve the best possible results for their children.

Peter Mooney

Profile: My background includes leadership roles on boards, in youth sports, and in business, where I have made challenging decisions while prioritizing the people and organizations I serve. Those experiences have strengthened my communication, teamwork, accountability, and transparency. As a proud parent of two elementary-aged TCAPS students, I am running for the school board because I want to make a meaningful difference for our students, support our teachers, and help strengthen our district and community.

Letter grade: A-. I believe they have remained consistent while navigating significant turnover, maintained transparency, and made thoughtful decisions that have helped keep TCAPS moving forward. I’m running because I want to build on that progress by bringing the perspective of a current TCAPS parent.

Biggest challenge: Strengthening communication between the school board and the community. I am a firm believer that everyone we meet knows something we do not, and by listening to teachers, staff, administrators, parents, students, and community members, we can better understand where our people and resources can have the greatest impact. By creating stronger communication and bringing these perspectives together, we can identify opportunities for improvement, support our faculty and staff, and make a positive difference for every student. 

Beth Pack

Profile: I am a registered nurse with 18-plus years of direct patient care experience, 14 years as a clinical instructor, and four summers as a camp nurse at Interlochen. I am seeking re-election because public education is foundational to much of what I do and why I do it. And it is, in my estimation, equally important to our community.

Letter grade: B. We devised a a strategic plan with clear, measurable criteria for evaluating the district, adopted a strong cell phone policy, and approved a major elementary literacy curriculum change after a three-year process. We also approved several major construction and renovation projects after passing a $180 million bond, expanded social worker and counselor support for student and staff well-being, and strengthened safety and security. But to earn an A, TCAPS must improve standardized test proficiencies and show measurable gains in student well-being and engagement.

Biggest challenge: Improving math competence districtwide by building strong elementary foundations and offering flexible pathways aligned with students’ interests and abilities the biggest challenges facing TCAPS. Literacy is a close second. How we meet this agenda is where discussions on AI, accuracy, attendance, engagement, expectations, grades, funding, recognition, and assessment occur.

Dee Zuidersma

Profile: I am a former elementary teacher, a current learning and development professional, a parent of one current TCAPS student and two graduates, a former TCAPS Sex Education Advisory Board member, and chair of the TC West Choir Organization. I have experienced our district from multiple perspectives and have spent years supporting students, families, schools, and the broader community. I am volunteering to serve on the TCAPS board because I believe every student deserves the opportunity to thrive.

Letter grade: B+. The board has worked collaboratively on significant initiatives, including the development of an ambitious strategic plan focused on student success and growth, as well as important facility improvements. I have also seen increased transparency in decision-making and communication with the community. While there has been meaningful progress, I believe there is always room for improvement, and a commitment to continuous growth and accountability is what keeps strong boards moving forward.

Biggest challenge: Ensuring every student achieves academic success while also feeling connected, supported, and prepared for life after graduation. Like many school districts across Michigan and the nation, TCAPS continues to navigate academic recovery, student mental health concerns, attendance issues, staffing challenges and increasingly complex student needs.