The Green Bay school board selected Samantha Meister as its newest board member on June 16, replacing former board member Kou Lee. Lee resigned in early May after a Green Bay Press-Gazette investigation raised questions about his eligibility for office.
Meister is an associate professor of education at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where she collaborates with the Green Bay Area Public School District regularly, according to her letter of interest to the board. She’s previously worked in middle school special education and in higher education, and has a master’s degree in reading and literacy. She’s also a parent of two Green Bay students, and was on the district’s boundary advisory committees.
In her interview, Meister highlighted her work around Act 20 literacy legislation both before and after it passed. When asked about her concerns, she talked about supporting academic excellence and teacher retention, particularly in special education, and she emphasized her appreciation for community engagement in Green Bay.
Samantha Meister answers an interview question during a Green Bay Area Public School board meeting on June 16 at the GBAPS district building in Green Bay. Candidates interviewed with current board members to fill the vacancy left by Kou Lee, who resigned in May after a Green Bay Press-Gazette investigation revealed that he did not live within the school district.
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The board voted 4-2 in favor, with Andrew Becker and Alex Mineau dissenting. It initially split, with James Lyerly, Mineau and Becker voting for Rick Crosson and Jeanette Knill, Lynn Gerlach and Laura McCoy voting for Meister. Becker said he voted for Crosson to ensure the board isn’t all-white in a largely minority district, but he was voted down. The board declined to do a ceremonial unanimous ballot.
Meister’s first meeting as a board member will be July 14, according to a timeline shared at a May 19 board meeting. Her term will last until April 2026, at which point she can choose whether to run for an elected position on the board.
Members interviewed six candidates; one candidate, Brant Pearson, dropped out of the race ahead of interviews. Board candidates were asked to confirm their eligibility for office, including stating their primary residence.
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Board members are expected to make some big decisions in the next few months, including selecting a new superintendent, addressing potential budget shortfalls and overseeing the district’s school consolidation plan.
Knill said she voted for Meister because of the gravity of the decisions the board is facing, including on the superintendent search and budget.
“I feel that Samantha’s experience, maturity, and the other thing that shone forward with her that really resonated with me was her enthusiasm for her school district,” Knill said.
Mineau said he appreciated how connected she was with what’s going on at the ground level in schools, and McCoy said she supported a point Meister made about it being hard to criticize the things you care about.
Lyerly emphasized Meister’s ability to translate her experience into decision-making.
“The pedagogy and understanding of what happens in the classroom and how to translate a strategic plan into something that impacts the students — educational experience — she’s dripping with that,” Lyerly said.
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Who did the Green Bay school board pick as its new member? What to know