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Shelly Soffer {courtesy}

Broward County School Board District 7 candidate Shelly Soffer says more than two decades working inside the county’s public schools have convinced her that the district needs leadership with firsthand experience and a greater focus on transparency, employee pay and school safety.

Soffer, a licensed speech-language pathologist who has worked in Broward County Public Schools for more than 20 years, recently told Margate Talk that the district is at a “crossroads,” pointing to declining enrollment, budget pressures, and what she described as damaged community trust.

The District 7 School Board race will be decided in the August 18 primary election, with Soffer facing Cynthia Alceus Dominique, a nurse and longtime district volunteer who was recently endorsed by Margate Mayor Antonio V. Arserio.

“I decided to run because I kept asking myself one key question: who at that board actually knows what this looks and feels like on the ground?” Soffer said. “I felt the pull to stop suffering from the inside and start fighting from the dais.”

Soffer identified the district’s budget, teacher and staff compensation, and declining enrollment as three of its most pressing challenges.

“The teachers and support staff who just delivered an A grade for the third straight year while navigating layoffs and school closures deserve to be paid like the professionals they are,” Soffer said, adding that she supports the November referendum while also calling for scrutiny of administrative compensation.

If elected, Soffer said she would seek a “full and transparent audit” of central administrative costs and greater disclosure of how referendum dollars are distributed.

She also pledged to strengthen the School Board’s relationship with Margate and the other municipalities she would represent.

“The school board does not operate in isolation from the cities it serves,” Soffer said. “A board member who has strong working relationships with local elected officials can do far more for their district than one who only shows up at board meetings.”

On school security, Soffer called safety her “first priority” and said the lessons of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas tragedy must continue to guide district decisions.

She supports metal detectors and wand screenings at schools and school events, continued partnerships with municipal police departments and the Broward Sheriff’s Office for school resource officers, and the protection of counselors, social workers, and mental health support positions from further cuts.

Soffer said her experience separates her from her opponent.

“If District 7 voters want the status quo, they should vote for my opponent,” Soffer said. “But if they want someone with real standards, a steel backbone, and 20 years of skin in this game, I am their candidate.”

For Margate voters specifically, Soffer said she intends to earn support by being present.

“I am not going to win Margate by telling people what they want to hear,” she said. “I am going to win it by showing up, listening, and making clear that when I am at that board table, every city in District 7 has a seat.”

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Ryan Yousefi

Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiples outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.