Preserve Lakewood Schools
Monica Bruaw
Educational Planner
LHS Graduate
Mom of 3 Rangers
A Facilities Expert with a Heart for Lakewood
Born and raised in Lakewood and now raising three children in the district, Monica Bruaw is deeply invested in the future of our schools. “Our schools are more than buildings. They are the anchors of our neighborhoods, the hubs of our community, and the foundation of our children’s futures,” she said.
With over 20 years of experience as a K-12 education planner, Monica has experience leading successful community engagement for school district construction projects, and helps districts make critical long-term decisions related to enrollment and facilities. She also served six years on the Lakewood Rangers Education Foundation Board of Trustees and has been an active mentor and leader in education and construction organizations for decades.
Monica is a strong advocate for transparency and authentic community engagement. “Any process we use should… be community-driven, transparent and accurate, and have no predetermined outcomes,” she explained. She believes neighborhood schools are the “backbone of Lakewood’s educational ecosystem” and pledged to prioritize walkability and cohesion when making decisions about the future of our facilities.
She also warns against short-sighted closures: “In the short term, we may experience families delaying sending their students to Lakewood schools… In the long term, families may not move to Lakewood if it appears to be divisive with a decline of the school district.”
Learn more about Monica’s campaign for Lakewood school board at LakewoodMovesWithMonica.com, and on her campaign’s Facebook page.
Katie Slife Rustad
Business Executive
LHS Graduate
Mom of 4 Rangers
A Strategic Leader with a Community Focus
Katie is a lifelong Lakewood resident and proud Lakewood graduate, now raising four children in the school district. “We like to say that our house bleeds purple and gold,” she shared, reflecting her family’s multigenerational connection to Lakewood schools.
Professionally, Katie brings two decades of experience at American Greetings, where she currently serves as Sales Director, leading a team responsible for $60M in revenue. She is well versed in strategic planning, negotiations, and data-driven decision making. “I use data every single day in my job to inform my decision-making… I hope to bring a critical eye, analytical approach and fresh perspective,” she explained.
Katie strongly believes in preserving neighborhood schools, stressing that consolidation should only ever be a “last resort.” She warned that closures could create a “self-fulfilling prophecy” of declining enrollment that harms the entire district. Instead, she calls for a new strategic plan with clearly defined goals around academic excellence, fiscal health, enrollment stability, and community engagement.
Learn more about Katie’s campaign for Lakewood school board at KatieSlifeRustadForLakewood.org
United for a Brighter Lakewood
Together, Monica and Katie represent the strategic, analytical, community-driven leadership our schools need. They are committed to:
-
Preserving neighborhood schools and protecting walkability.
-
Restoring transparency, accountability, and public trust.
-
Developing a forward-looking strategic plan that strengthens our schools for the next generation and leverages our community tax dollar investments in these facilities over generations.
Both candidates understand that strong schools make a strong Lakewood. Their vision puts community first and protects the investment that our community has made in these new schools for generations. Preserve Lakewood Schools is proud to endorse them for the Board of Education. In the march to Election Day, We will be providing concrete ways to support these candidates leading up November 4.
How You Can Support
As We Approach Election Day
on Nov. 4th
Make a donation to Preserve Lakewood Schools PAC - every dollar gets us one printed postcard mailed to a Lakewood voter and every 61 cents buys a stamp.
Learn about the candidates! Watch this video of our Meet the Candidates Event to hear from Monica Bruaw and Katie Slife Rustad and how they would approach governing our public school system if elected to the Board of Education.
Email us if you'd like to host a Backyard Beers or Porch Chat party at your home for your friends and neighbors to meet these two impressive candidates in a casual setting