Board of Education
Oakwood Schools is governed by a five-member School Board, elected at large and serving four-year terms. As citizens who serve children and represent their community, individual school board members face complex and demanding challenges. Boards establish a vision for the education program, design a structure to achieve that vision, ensure schools are accountable to the community and strongly advocate continuous improvement in student learning.
Board members pull together as a team toward a common goal - helping students achieve. Board members contribute hundreds of hours each year leading their district and are deeply involved in activities, spending many hours at the schools and extracurricular events. Whether crafting policies, hiring administrators, listening to staff and student concerns, or recognizing outstanding programs, board members always keep their eyes on doing what is best for our students.
Board Members
Oakwood Board of Education
Front (Left to Right) John Wilson, Debbie DiLorenzo, Nathan Reiter Garcia Back (Left to Right) Lauren Kawai, Dr. Laura Middleton
John Wilson
John Wilson began his first term on the Board of Education in January of 2019. Elected Board President Jan. 9, 2023
John Wilson and his family have lived in Oakwood for 15 years. He and his wife, Michele, decided to move with their three children to Oakwood because of the district's strong academics, extra-curricular opportunities, the close community and the spirit of volunteerism among the residents.
John is a lifelong teacher. His first five years were spent teaching employment and independence skills to adults with Developmental Disabilities. He transitioned to a Social Studies role in 1998 and now works at the Career Technical High School in Greene County.
He earned his undergraduate degree in Social Studies from Kent State University and his Masters in Special Education from Wright State University.
Term expires 2025.
Dr. Laura Middleton
Dr. Laura Middleton began her term on the Board of Education in January of 2022. Elected Board Vice President Jan. 9, 2023
Laura, her husband Matt, and two daughters moved to Oakwood in 2012. They chose to make Oakwood their home due to the excellent schools and the wonderful Oakwood community.
Laura is a licensed clinical child and pediatric psychologist. She has worked at Dayton Children’s Hospital for more than seven years, focusing on the emotional and behavioral health needs of children with acute and chronic medical issues. She is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University.
Laura earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Clinical Psychology, with a specialty in Behavioral Medicine from the University of Kansas. She completed two postdoctoral fellowships – one at the University of Washington and another at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, Wash. Before her graduate and postgraduate work, she earned a B.S. in Psychology and a B.A. in English with a Women’s Studies concentration and a Spanish minor from Drake University.
Laura has been involved in the community in a variety of ways, including serving as a Girl Scout leader, serving on local boards, volunteering at her church, volunteering within the Oakwood Schools and serving as a precinct captain.
Laura most enjoys spending time with family and friends, reading a good book, traveling and hiking (or really doing anything outside).Laura’s two children are in seventh grade at OJH and fifth grade at Harman School.
Laura is the PTO Liaison and the OSBA Liaison for the Oakwood Board of Education.
Term expires December 2025.
Debbie DiLorenzo
Debbie DiLorenzo began her term in January 2023.
Debbie has been a resident of Oakwood for 21 years, a town she chose for its exceptional schools and close-knit community. While raising her four children, Debbie was very involved in the Oakwood and Dayton communities. She served as PTO President at Harman School and Oakwood Junior and Senior High School. She was a Foundation Board Member at Wright Library for two terms and also served on the Board of Directors of Wright Memorial Library. Upon completion of her library terms, she worked on the successful Library Levy Campaign. Beyond Oakwood, Debbie has volunteered as a Habitat for Humanity Family Liaison and Gala Chairperson, helping to raise funds for the group's annual campaign. Debbie also assisted in the American Red Cross’s annual fundraising campaign and donates blood every chance she gets. Debbie served the schools in many and diverse capacities in her 16 years as an Oakwood parent. Some of her favorite roles included homeroom parent, after-prom chairperson, picture parent, battle of the books, basketball, baseball, volleyball, and water polo team parent, buddy walk participant and donor, and in any other capacity asked of her during her time as an Oakwood School parent.
You will see Debbie in the community running, playing tennis, walking her dogs and cheering on the Jacks and Jills.
Term expires 2028.
Lauren Kawai
Lauren Kawai began her term on the Board of Education in January 2022.
Lauren grew up in Oakwood, attending Smith Elementary from grades K-6 and graduating from Oakwood High School in 2001. She received a degree in Elementary Education from DePauw University in 2005 and a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Dayton in 2008. Lauren has taught preschool at Top of the Hill in Oakwood, second grade at Hemby Bridge Elementary in Charlotte, North Carolina and third grade at Precious Blood Elementary School (now Mother Brunner) in Trotwood.
Lauren and her husband Yusaku (OHS ‘00) have three children. Their oldest daughter is in 7th grade at the Junior High, their middle daughter is in fourth grade at Smith, and their youngest child, a boy, is a kindergartner at Lange.
Lauren enjoys serving the schools and community, having served on the Smith PTO, the Oakwood Farmers’ Market Board, and various committees within the MOMs of Oakwood, including the role of co-president. She is also a member of Citizens for a Better Oakwood and the Oakwood Inclusion Coalition. Lauren has enjoyed the opportunity to be a room parent at Smith for her daughters over the last seven years, including for her 4th grader this year, and volunteering for lunch, recess, and library duty at Lange.
Lauren enjoys hiking with her family, listening to audiobooks, crocheting and traveling. She currently facilitates a monthly crochet group at the Wright Library to share her love for her favorite hobby with fellow community members.
Lauren is the liaison for the Fine Arts and Athletic Boosters.
Term expires December 2025.
Nathan Reiter Garcia
Nathan Reiter Garcia began his term on the Board of Education in January 2024.
Nathan and his family moved to Oakwood in 2020. With the combination of excellent schools, the neighborhood's walkability, and the community's close-knit feel, they chose to make Oakwood their home.
Nathan currently serves as a Quality Improvement and Health Equity leader in healthcare administration, working with health plans that administer Medicaid, Marketplace, and Medicare programs. He focuses on addressing health disparities and improving health outcomes for individuals who receive government-sponsored healthcare.
Nathan also has a background in education. After earning his dual undergraduate degree in Spanish and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from Wright State University (WSU), he earned his Master’s in TESOL from WSU. Nathan taught ESOL in Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Schools before providing professional development and best practices on whole-classroom support with the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO) for English Learner (EL) students and staff of 28+ school districts throughout Central Ohio.
Nathan has been involved in the community in several ways, including serving on local boards, volunteering with various organizations, and interpreting between Spanish and English as needed.
Nathan’s three children are currently in 1st, 2nd, and 5th grades at Smith Elementary.
Nathan values his time with family and friends, including his husband, Eladio. He frequently enjoys outdoor activities, such as going on walks in the neighborhood or traveling when possible. You often find him drinking coffee, working on a puzzle, biking, or jumping on the trampoline with his kids.
Nathan serves as the Tech Plan Committee and Board Policy Liaison for the Oakwood Board of Education.
Term expires December 2027.
Board Meetings
All recorded Board of Education Meetings are available on our District YouTube page.
Attend BOE Meetings
Oakwood Board of Education Meetings are held in person in the band room at Oakwood High School’s Rick and Jane Schwartz Performing Arts Wing. Meetings are recorded and videos are posted to the district’s YouTube channel.
Meetings begin at 7:00 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month and are open to the public.
Work sessions begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Junior & Senior High School Library before each Board of Education Meeting. Work sessions are also open to the public.
Public Comment
Members of the public are invited to address the Board of Education in accordance with the following instructions.
The Board of Education recognizes the value to school governance of public comment on educational issues and the importance of allowing members of the public to express themselves on school matters of community interest. The Board offers public participation to members of the public in accordance with the procedures below. The Board applies these procedures to all speakers and does not discriminate based on the identity of the speaker, content of the speech, or viewpoint of the speaker.
The Board is also committed to conducting its meetings in a productive and efficient manner that assures that the regular agenda of the Board is completed in a reasonable period of time, honors the voluntary nature of the Board's time and using that time efficiently, and allows for a fair and adequate opportunity for input to be considered. Consequently, public participation at Board meetings will be governed by the following principles.
In order to permit the fair and orderly expression of such comment, the Board shall provide a period for public participation.
The presiding officer shall be guided by the following rules:
- Public participation shall be permitted only as indicated on the order of business or at the discretion of the presiding officer.
- District employees, parents/guardians, students, residents, locally elected officials, or local business owners having a legitimate interest in the actions of the Board may participate during the designated public participation portion(s) of a meeting.
- Attendees must register their intention to participate in the public participation portion of the meeting.
- Individuals may not register others to speak during public participation.
- Participants must first be recognized by the presiding officer and must preface their comments by an announcement of their name, address, and group affiliation, if and when appropriate.
- Each statement made by a participant shall be limited to three (3) minutes duration.
- During the portion of the meeting designated for public participation, no participant may speak more than once.
- All statements shall be directed to the presiding officer; no person may address or question Board members individually.
- No interviews can be conducted in the meeting room while the Board is in session.
- No obstructions can be created between the Board and the audience.
- No disruptions of the Board or members of the audience will be permitted while the Board is in session.
The presiding officer may:
- interrupt, warn, or terminate a participant's session when they make comments that are repetitive, obscene, and/or comments that constitute a true threat (i.e., statements meant to frighten or intimidate one (1) or more specified persons into believing that they will be seriously harmed by the speaker or someone acting at the speaker's behest).
- request any individual to stop speaking and/or leave the meeting when that person does not observe reasonable decorum or is disruptive to the conduct and/or orderly progress of the meeting;
- request the assistance of law enforcement officers in the removal of a disorderly person when that person's conduct interferes with the conduct and/or orderly progress of the meeting;
- call for a recess or an adjournment to another time when the lack of public decorum so interferes with the orderly conduct of the meeting as to warrant such action;
- waive these rules with the approval of the Board when necessary for the protection of privacy or the administration of the Board's business.
The portion of the meeting during which the participation of the public is invited shall be limited to thirty (30) minutes subject to the discretion of the Presiding Officer.
Register for Public Comment
Contact Community Relations Director Amanda Brown no later than noon on the day of the scheduled meeting.
Regular Meeting
Regular Meetings are generally held on the second Monday of each month at the OHS/OJHS Band Room located in the Rick & Jane Schwartz Performing Arts Wing at 1200 Far Hills Ave. unless otherwise noted on the district calendar. These meetings are convened to conduct the business of the Board of Education in public in accordance with Ohio Revised Code.
Special Meeting
Special meetings may be convened by the Board of Education to conduct school business as necessary to meet District needs. A special meeting requires greater than 24 hour public notice of the intent to meet.
Emergency Meeting
An emergency meeting may be convened by the Board of Education to conduct school business as necessary to meet District needs. An emergency meeting may be called with less than 24 hours public notice of the intent to meet.