Dan Lemieux is running for the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools Board of Education in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.
Three full-term seats are open in the nonpartisan contest, and voters may choose up to three candidates. Aamina Ahmed, Craig Olzak and Joe Tollefson are also running.
Lemieux responded to the Plymouth-Canton Post candidate questionnaire on Oct. 6. Unless otherwise noted, the information and responses below come from that questionnaire.
Asked why he is running, Lemieux emphasized his connections to the district as a parent, substitute teacher and volunteer. He said he wants board members to question proposals and make decisions independently.
“Seven board members should mean seven independent voices,” he said. “I'm running to be one who listens first, asks hard questions, and votes on each decision based on what's best for students, teachers, families, and taxpayers.”
Candidate information
Party affiliation: Lemieux described himself as independent. The school board election is nonpartisan.
Education: Lemieux said he studied acting at Western Michigan University and earned a Master of Fine Arts from The Theatre School at DePaul University.
Family: Lemieux said he is married with three children. Two graduated from the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park, and one currently attends school there. His wife is a teacher in the district.
Occupation: Lemieux works as a stunt performer and stunt coordinator for film and television productions. He also reported years of substitute teaching throughout the district.
“A lot of that job is unglamorous,” he said of stunt coordination. “You plan every detail ahead of time, you work within a fixed budget, and you're responsible for the safety of everyone on set.”
Experience and public service
Lemieux said he has served for more than 15 years on the board of Special Days Camps, which serves children who have experienced cancer and their siblings. The organization’s leadership page lists him as a board director.
“That work taught me that a good board asks questions, knows the budget, and keeps the focus on the kids,” he said.
Lemieux also reported serving on a state film advisory body during the administrations of Govs. Rick Snyder and Gretchen Whitmer. A 2016 governor’s announcement confirms Snyder appointed him to the Michigan Film Office Advisory Council.
“This would be my first elected office,” Lemieux said.
Asked what accomplishments prepare him for the board, Lemieux cited nonprofit governance, substitute teaching and responsibility for planning, budgets and crew safety in his film work.
On the issues
Student opportunities: Lemieux said district decisions should start with whether they help students learn and succeed. He supports protecting athletics, arts and extracurricular activities during tight budgets and expanding career and technical education.
“College is one path, not the only one,” he said.
Teacher support and staffing: Lemieux said teachers should have a meaningful role in curriculum decisions. He wants new curriculum to include teacher feedback, training and measures of whether it improves learning.
He also expressed concern about class sizes and reductions in classroom support staff.
“I'll push to catch staffing problems early, retain great teachers, and cut paperwork that doesn't help teaching,” he said.
Budget oversight: Lemieux said he would examine administrative costs and major expenditures and make district finances easier for families to understand.
His campaign platform also emphasizes long-term planning and checking whether spending matches student and teacher needs.
“When money is tight, the board has to be honest about the tradeoffs and explain them in public,” he said. “Families deserve to know what we're choosing and why.”
Mental health and school safety: Lemieux said academic achievement, student support and safety should be considered together.
He supports protecting classroom staff and paraprofessionals before expanding administration, keeping counselors and mental health services accessible, and ensuring safety plans are practical and rehearsed.
“On a film set, safety is planned in advance, not added after something goes wrong,” he said. “Schools should work the same way.”
Independent decision-making: Lemieux said he is campaigning separately from the other three full-term candidates, who are running together as part of a slate.
He said he would listen to residents, question assumptions and evaluate each decision on its merits.
Advice that guides him
Asked about the best advice he has received, Lemieux shared a quote he attributed to basketball coach John Wooden: “Never try to be better than someone else. Learn from others, and try to be the best you can be.”
Lemieux said his father, a professional coach and general manager, frequently quoted Wooden.
“So I've read most of his books and love his message,” he said.
This profile draws primarily on Dan Lemieux’s responses to the Plymouth-Canton Post candidate questionnaire, with additional information from his campaign website, Special Days Camps and state appointment records. Responses have been excerpted and paraphrased; direct quotations retain his wording.
