Heidi Frei Brings Science, Service and a Parent’s Perspective to Lansing School Board Race

Courtesy Photo: Lansing School Board Candidate Heidi Frei

LANSING, Mich. — Heidi Frei is seeking a seat on the Lansing School District Board of Education in the November 2026 election, bringing with her a campaign message centered on “Putting Lansing Kids First.” Frei is a Lansing School District parent, scientist, union member, public servant and community volunteer. Her campaign says those roles have helped shape the way she views public education and the challenges facing local families. She is presenting herself to voters as someone who understands the district through both her experiences as a parent and community member and a professional background rooted in science, education and public service.

According to materials provided by her campaign, Frei has experience in education, strategic thinking, community organizing, partnership-building and budgeting. Her professional background includes environmental education, forestry, science and work connected to the trades. Frei says those experiences have reinforced her belief that students need strong academic foundations as well as opportunities that prepare them for life after graduation. Her campaign is particularly focused on connecting students with pathways that include college, skilled trades, technical careers and other forms of postsecondary success.

Frei says conversations with parents, students, community members and families who have left the district have influenced the priorities she has chosen to emphasize. Her campaign calls for stronger support for teachers and staff while keeping students at the center of district decision-making. She has also identified expanded access to STEM and skilled-trades education, athletics and enrichment programs as important areas of focus. Other priorities include sustainable school facilities and operations and ensuring students have access to meaningful library spaces and services throughout the district.

Advocating for School Libraries

Frei points to her advocacy for school libraries as one example of her commitment to both students and district staff. According to information provided by her campaign, Frei worked alongside other community members to advocate for dedicated library spaces to be incorporated into newly constructed Lansing School District buildings. The effort also advocated for library staff so responsibility for managing those spaces and performing library duties would not simply be added to classroom teachers’ existing workloads. Her campaign describes that work as an example of how Frei has attempted to address student resources and staff support at the same time.

The campaign further states that Frei is the only candidate in the current race who participated in that particular advocacy effort. Because that statement compares her involvement with the records of the other candidates, The Chronicle News has not independently verified the involvement of every candidate in the race on that issue. Frei and other community members involved in the school-library advocacy were recognized, according to information provided by the campaign, with the President’s Award from the Michigan Association of School Librarians in 2024. The organization supports school libraries and recognizes individuals and groups for contributions to school library programs and services.

For Frei, the library issue represents more than preserving a room filled with books. Her campaign frames access to school libraries as part of the academic infrastructure students need to learn, explore information and develop literacy and research skills. It also frames appropriate staffing as a way of making sure teachers are not asked to absorb responsibilities that should be supported elsewhere in the school system. Frei’s campaign says that combination of student access and staff support reflects her broader approach to district decision-making.

Connecting Education With the Future

Frei’s emphasis on career-connected learning reflects a broader conversation already taking place within the Lansing School District. The district provides students with a variety of academic, extracurricular, athletic and career-oriented opportunities across its schools. Frei’s campaign argues that career exploration can help students better understand how classroom learning connects to employment, additional education, training and personal goals. Her background in science and the trades is a central part of how she frames that issue.

Frei has said students should be exposed to multiple pathways after graduation rather than being presented with a single definition of success. For one student, that pathway may include attending a four-year college or university, while another student may pursue an apprenticeship, certification, skilled trade, community college program or other professional training. Her campaign says schools can play an important role in helping students understand those options before they graduate. Frei also argues that career-connected learning can give students a clearer sense of purpose by showing them how subjects studied in school can translate into future opportunities.

Investing in Athletics and Enrichment

Frei has also made athletics and extracurricular enrichment part of her campaign platform, arguing that those opportunities contribute to student development and school connectedness. Her campaign says that commitment has included personal financial support as well as volunteer and organizational work. In 2026, according to information provided by the candidate, Frei personally pledged $750 to Eastern High School Cross Country as part of the team’s 10-mile pledge effort. The Lansing School District currently lists cross country among Eastern High School’s athletic activities and publishes its competition schedule through the district athletics system. (Lansing Schools⁠)

According to Frei’s campaign, seven runners completed 10 miles each on the Lansing River Trail as part of the pledge effort, while another runner completed five miles. Together, the athletes logged 75 miles in one day. The campaign says Frei’s $750 pledge was intended to support the team while encouraging students to participate in the challenge. Frei presents that involvement as one example of her belief that athletics can help students build discipline, confidence, relationships and a stronger connection to their schools.

Frei has also been involved with the Lewton Community Organization, formerly the school’s PTSO. Through that work, her campaign says she secured funding from the Michigan Running Foundation to help provide an athletics tent for middle-school sports. The Lansing School District maintains dedicated middle-school athletics programming in addition to its high-school athletic programs. (Lansing Schools⁠) Frei’s campaign presents these efforts as evidence of her belief that athletics and enrichment should be treated as meaningful parts of the educational experience rather than extras that exist separately from academics.

Her platform also emphasizes removing barriers that may prevent students from participating in extracurricular activities. Frei argues that opportunities outside the classroom can expose students to new interests, mentors, teamwork and leadership experiences. Her campaign says schools should consider enrichment and athletics as part of educating the whole child while maintaining strong academic expectations. That approach forms part of her broader argument that student success cannot always be measured solely by what occurs during traditional classroom instruction.

Leadership and Community Service

Frei’s campaign materials identify her as a member of SEIU 517M, an environmental educator, a forester and scientist working in the trades, a school and community volunteer and a Lansing School District parent. She says she brings approximately 20 years of leadership and budgeting experience to the race. Her campaign presents that combination of professional and community experience as preparation for the financial, policy and oversight responsibilities associated with serving on a school board. Those responsibilities can include reviewing district budgets, setting priorities, evaluating policies and helping guide long-term decisions affecting students, employees and facilities.

Her community involvement extends beyond individual school activities and campaign work. The Westside Neighborhood Association lists Frei as a member of its board in 2024, 2025 and 2026. (Lansing’s Westside Neighborhood⁠) Her campaign says that type of neighborhood involvement has allowed her to hear directly from families and community members about issues affecting children and local schools. Frei argues that school board leadership requires relationships beyond district offices because decisions made by the district can have effects throughout Lansing neighborhoods.

Frei says her professional experience has also influenced the way she approaches policy questions. Her campaign emphasizes data-driven decision-making, collaboration, budgeting experience and the ability to evaluate information before reaching conclusions. She says working in science and public service has taught her to examine evidence carefully while also building partnerships among people who may approach an issue from different perspectives. Her campaign presents those skills as relevant to a board that must make decisions involving educational priorities, finances, staffing, facilities and community expectations.

A Parent’s Perspective

Frei’s role as a district parent is central to the way she talks about the campaign. She describes public education not only in terms of programs, budgets and policies, but also through the everyday experiences of families, teachers and students. Her campaign emphasizes listening to people who are already navigating the district and understanding where they believe the system is working well and where improvements remain necessary. That parent perspective is part of the message she is bringing to voters as she seeks a place on the Board of Education.

The Lansing School District serves students across numerous schools and offers academic programs, athletics, enrichment activities and specialized educational opportunities. Eastern High School, for example, currently maintains an athletics program that includes cross country along with numerous other sports. (Lansing Schools⁠) Frei’s campaign says maintaining and expanding meaningful opportunities for students should remain an important part of the district’s future. She argues that those opportunities should be considered alongside the district’s responsibility to provide strong academic instruction and effective support for educators.

“Putting Lansing Kids First”

The Lansing Board of Education is responsible for district governance and policy and participates in decisions affecting budgets, facilities, academic priorities and administrative oversight. Board members also serve as public representatives of the district and must consider issues affecting students, families, employees and the broader Lansing community. Frei’s campaign says she would approach those responsibilities with an emphasis on collaboration, evidence and student-centered policy. She also says her experience working in science, community organizations and public service has prepared her to evaluate information carefully and work with others around shared goals.

For Frei, the central message of the campaign remains focused on students and the people who support them. Her platform calls for stronger support for teachers and staff, functioning school libraries, more opportunities for career exploration, athletics and enrichment, responsible management of district resources and continued investment in student learning environments. She is asking voters to consider her combination of professional experience, parent perspective and community involvement when evaluating candidates for the board. Her campaign slogan, “Putting Lansing Kids First,” is intended to summarize that approach.

Voters interested in learning more about Frei’s campaign can visit http://Heidi4LansingSchools.net or email Heidi4Lansing@gmail.com. Her campaign also maintains a Facebook presence under Heidi Frei for Lansing Schools. Additional information about Lansing School District programs, athletics and Board of Education activities is available through the district’s official website. The November 2026 election will determine which candidates are selected to serve on the Lansing Board of Education, and voters can review information from the candidates and other reliable sources before making their decisions.

Editor’s note: Biographical information, campaign priorities and details regarding Heidi Frei’s library advocacy, recognition from the Michigan Association of School Librarians, Eastern High School Cross Country pledge and Lewton Community Organization activities were provided by Frei and her campaign unless otherwise noted. The Chronicle News independently reviewed publicly available information regarding Lansing School District athletics and Eastern High School and confirmed that Frei has served on the Westside Neighborhood Association board. Comparative statements involving Frei and other candidates are identified as campaign claims where The Chronicle has not independently reviewed every candidate’s record on the issue. Candidate-provided claims are attributed accordingly so readers can distinguish campaign information from independently reviewed material.