SPRINGFIELD – The Springfield Education Association (SEA) has recommended Buffy Lael-Wolf for Springfield Public School District 186 board member in subdistrict 5.
Lael-Wolf is a registered nurse with more than 30 years of pediatric experience, working as a Nurse Informaticist at HSHS St. John’s Hospital. She collaborates with disparate teams, translating each team’s needs for the other, making her a good problem solver and a team player. Lael-Wolf is married and has lived in Springfield for 34 years.
The following is a statement from SEA President Angie Meneghetti:
“Buffy Lael-Wolf’s daughter is a 5th grader in District 186 who will be transitioning to middle school in the fall, which is why Lael-Wolf has a vested interest in the district’s success. Her experiences in working with her special needs daughter make her a fierce advocate for special education.
Lael-Wolf believes returning kids, teachers and staff to school is important and can be accomplished responsibly during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The approach will include following recommended mitigations and continued partnerships with community medical experts. She also will support initiatives that diminish student learning loss due to the pandemic. Lael-Wolf is committed to programs and policies that address the social and emotional needs of our students. She recognizes the importance of the student-parent-teacher team and will work to strengthen that bond.
A strong grassroots advocate, Lael-Wolf is dedicated to service leadership, communication and transparency.
The SEA also chose Lael-Wolf because she would work to bring more positive District 186 experiences to light, and to create a more valued asset of our district in the eyes of the community. Lael-Wolf values communication between teachers, parents and families to advocate for students. Ms. Lael-Wolf’s background as a parent, her role in special education issues and her experiences as a nurse provides a unique perspective that the school board needs in the year 2021 and beyond.”
The SEA was chartered in 1961. Its membership consists of more than 1,300 professionals from within Springfield Public School District 186. The SEA is an affiliate of the Illinois Education Association (IEA) and the National Education Association (NEA).
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The 135,000 member Illinois Education Association (IEA-NEA) is the state’s largest education employee’s organization. IEA represents preK-12 teachers outside of the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.
