Senator Harrell’s Newsletter

As a former Stone Mountain Middle School teacher, someone who worked alongside Sonja Szubski during the Tucker cityhood effort and as an elected official, I have seen firsthand the dedication and leadership she brings to our community.

For more than 12 years, Sonja has been deeply involved in our schools, serving in a variety of volunteer leadership roles at the school, cluster, and district level. From PTO leadership to advisory councils and districtwide parent engagement efforts, she has consistently stepped up to support our students, families, and educators. This breadth of experience gives her a strong understanding of how our schools operate, how policy impacts the classroom, and how important collaboration is to student success.

Sonja understands that the success of our students directly impacts the strength of our communities, and she recognizes the critical role partnerships between schools, families, and local leaders play in achieving that success.

Her experience, commitment, and focus on students make her the most qualified candidate to represent our community on the DeKalb County School Board. I am proud to support Sonja Szubski and her vision for strong schools and strong communities.

Between now and May 19, whether you choose a ballot for either party or a non-partisan ballot, the school board seats will be there, all the way at the bottom. These elected seats are rightly neither Republican nor Democrat, as policy making for our children’s education should not fall along party lines. That being said, the seats require someone who can work across all lines, parties and governments to bring about the most effective change. Sonja Payne Szubski is that candidate in District 4.

For over a decade, I have worked alongside and watched Sonja unite communities and bridge gaps. She has an innate gift to make people feel at ease and heard, because she actually does listen. Her years of government experience have taught her how to discern needs versus wants, and duties versus wishes, to find the best way forward. She is familiar with policy-making and large capital project management.

I am confident that Sonja will take these great qualities with her to the board, help unite its vision, and work together to regain the trust of the parents of DeKalb County.

Sonja is my candidate and the candidate for DeKalb.

Given Sonja’s contributions to the City of Tucker, as well as what she could give to the DeKalb County School Board, I am thrilled to support her candidacy. After four years of working with Sonja within the City of Tucker, I can vouch for her innovation, tenacity and dedication in all she does.

As a parent of children in DCSD, it is important to me that the person representing our family has experience in our schools. Sonja has served in elected leadership roles across elementary, middle, and high school, and she understands how local schools operate within the larger school system. She has also been highly engaged in the Tucker Cluster Council and understands the importance of community clusters to positive student outcomes.

Just as importantly, Sonja understands that District 4 is bigger than any one city or cluster. Every school community deserves to be heard, and she understands why it matters that families have a voice when the system is not working for us.

As a local elected official, I value the practical experience Sonja brings from working for the City of Tucker, both in the cityhood movement and as communications director. She understands the critical role of communication between governments in building relationships that are mutually beneficial, and she knows how important clear communication is to building trust with families.

I also respect the way Sonja is running her campaign: focused on voters, conversations, and the work it takes to get people to the polls. That kind of grassroots effort says something about how she will serve.

She is also willing to hold leaders accountable, which we need in a school board member.

I’m proud to cast my vote for Sonja for District 4.

Letter to the Editor – Decaturish.com

I’m proud to support Sonja Szubski for DeKalb Board of Education District 4.

Sonja has a deep commitment to our community, not only as a parent but through her professional work with the City of Tucker, where she has served as a City-Community Connector—helping build strong relationships between local government and residents.

I’ve had the opportunity to learn directly from Sonja through her class on city governance, and I’ve seen firsthand her thoughtful, practical approach to leadership. Just as importantly, I know her as a fellow parent—we have kids the same age who are good friends—and she’s someone I’ve trusted and leaned on for advice and perspective.

Sonja brings a rare combination of real-world experience, community involvement, and genuine care for families. I’m confident she will be a strong voice for students, parents, and our schools.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗷𝗮.

I’ve known Sonja for thirteen years, but I did not know she planned to run until she announced her candidacy.

Even back in 2013 when we first met, it was clear that DeKalb County Schools were a priority for Sonja.

She is engaged and focused on what’s happening, not in a critical, corrective way, but with a “let’s fix this together” approach.

Sonja has been around local government long enough to know that running for office is not a bucket list gig.

This is real work, and it’s messy.

Years before she started working for the City of Tucker, she knew county commissioners, state legislators, mayors, and employees in various departments in DeKalb County, not for social reasons, but to solve problems and get things done.

She brings that larger network of connections, and the insights that come with it to the job on day one.

It’s hard to convey how important that exposure is when serving on a school board. It’s not something a person can build during a campaign or even over a single term in office.

Imagine having to form the majority of the contacts and connections you’ve made over the last fifteen years, and the trust that comes with it, in one year or even in three years. It’s “inconceivable.”

Having someone with Sonja’s level of exposure to government in and around DeKalb County is needed on the School Board.

Sonja has been a behind-the-scenes witness to government land purchases, rezonings, sewer and stormwater changes, annexations, investments in parks, the installation of crosswalks near DeKalb County Schools, the construction of intersections, and years of public safety conversations.

Debates about housing, roads, and traffic impacting schools, vaping and gambling near schools, student parking shortages, etc. This list goes on and on.

These are the kinds of things most people don’t think about, and all of it affects schools.

Sonja has been close to the discussion on all of it. She has done more than read the headlines. In many cases, in her public relations role, she’s written the headlines.

All of it is relevant to the decision-making of the DeKalb County School Board.

We’ve sat at opposite ends of the room and watched city council meetings, county commission, and legislative meetings go smoothly down the tracks, and we’ve seen them go off the rails.

Sonja understands and respects decorum.

In meetings where Sonja is a participant, I’ve never seen her use her authority to cut someone out.

Sonja’s ego is not so big that she needs an extra-large hat or a mirror to admire herself. She is real.

She’s never thrown anyone under the school bus for political or emotional points. She doesn’t even play that bingo card, and that’s refreshing in 2026.

DeKalb needs help and everyone knows it. If Sonja is willing to climb the Cliffs of Insanity, brave the fire swamp, battle rodents of unusual size, duel the six-fingered man, then hand her the mask of the dread pirate Roberts and let her sail the ship for a season. I think she’s even built up a resistance to iocane powder. She is not a Buttercup in need of rescuing.

So if you live in DeKalb County, in the district 4 (Tucker, Lakeside, and a little more) vote for Sonja. Your vote will make a difference.