Michelle Ellinger: Vander Meulen is a voice for the voiceless

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Dear Editor: I am writing to express my full support, appreciation, admiration and endorsement of Nicki Vander Meulen for MMSD Board of Education.

I met Nicki when we spoke after a candidate panel during the 2018 election. She listened as I described my children; one with an IEP and two who qualify for advanced learning programming. A few months later, we ran into each other at an event. She remembered me, and more importantly, she remembered my children and their stories.

Nicki visits all of the schools in our district, and truly takes the time to get to know teachers, support staff, and most importantly — students. Especially the most vulnerable. She fights for them, as she has in her work as an attorney. She truly is a voice for the voiceless.

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Jeff Spitzer-Resnick: Nicki Vander Meulen deserves reelection to the MMSD School Board

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Dear Editor: In my role as an attorney who represents children with disabilities, I have been an advocate for improving our schools for the past 25 years. Early in my education advocacy, Nicki Vander Meulen’s parents sought my assistance when Nicki was 7 years old. At the time, they lived in Walworth County, home to Lakeland School, one of only three public schools in Wisconsin, where only children with disabilities attend, separated from their non-disabled peers for their entire education.

Nicki’s parents knew that if she attended Lakeland, she would not have the opportunity to thrive among non-disabled people. They knew, that regardless of her disabilities, Nicki deserved a chance to prove to the world that she could be a contributing member to society. Fortunately, I was able to help keep Nicki out of Lakeland so she could attend a regular public school.

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Bill Keys: Support Nicki Vander Meulen for MMSD Board

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Dear Editor: Please join me in voting for Nicki Vander Meulen for MMSD School Board. In her first term on the Board of Education, she quickly grasped the complicated issues of the Madison School District. Her insights, knowledge and ideas for implementation show both broad and detailed advocacy for students and their families, teachers and support staff. She is forceful when she needs to be, especially about fairness and equity for those who may need specialized or individualized services. She is versed in the issues of those with physical/cognitive/emotional disabilities, and students from a diversity of racial/linguistic/ethnic communities, or who have sexual identities or orientation that may or may not set them apart in the school setting. She is collaborative to achieve goals. She will again provide alert leadership and awareness as a Madison School Board member. That continuity will be important as the MMSD community traverses unusual times that require experience and creativity. We need her. Please join me in voting for Vander Meulen for Seat 7 on April 7.

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Madison School Board incumbent Nicki Vander Meulen wants to build on first term

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Nicki Vander Meulen visited every single Madison Metropolitan School District site in her first term on the Madison School Board.

She’d proud of that effort to experience what’s really going on in buildings, but as she runs for a second term on the board, she’s ready to consider what’s next.

“I’m running on my record,” she said. “Not just my record, though. But what I’m going to do.”

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Vander Meulen is dedicated leader -- Adam Gallagher

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I have known Nicki Vander Meulen for almost a decade.

She has impressed me with her intellect, her support for others in need, and her passion for any and every initiative she sets out to accomplish. This is seen in her completion of law school and her advocacy efforts to assist underrepresented youth.

Vander Meulen’s experience and personal values benefit the Madison School District by bringing together her legal expertise and her dedication toward improving a system to be more equitable for all students. Part of her initiatives includes personally visiting every school in the school district to better understand their needs and what changes can best help the schools as a whole.

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Kristine M. Gallagher: Vander Meulen will serve children with special needs

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Dear Editor: I am a mother of a Black child who has cognitive disabilities. I am voting for Nicki Vander Meulen on April 7 for Madison School Board. I hope you will too.

I am grateful to have not one, but two school board members who have gone through the IEP process (Savion Castro and Nicki Vander Meulen). Anyone who has understands how mired in legalities you are if you or your child has special needs. And the rules are continuously changing. Children and their families need someone who gets that.

With Nicki, we not only get someone with lived experience, but we also get someone with expertise. Nicki is a lawyer.

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Madison School Board incumbent challenge has both candidates looking for ballot box success

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When voters choose between Madison School Board member Nicki Vander Meulen and Wayne Strong next month, it will be the incumbent’s first competitive general election match-up and the challenger’s third attempt at winning one.

Vander Meulen, a defense attorney for juveniles and adults, said she wants to continue being a voice for students with disabilities, particularly minority students with disabilities, while Strong, a program associate for the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, said the issues that compelled him to seek a board seat twice before persist, such as the racial achievement gap.

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