The Mercury (Pottstown, PA)

Candidates compete for open board seat

- By Evan Brandt ebrandt@21st-centurymed­ia.com @PottstownN­ews on Twitter

There is an election contest in only one of the three regional seats up for the Spring-Ford Area School Board election on Nov. 7. Voters in Region 2 will get to pick from two candidates.

In Region 1, Linda C. Fazzini holds both the Republican and Democratic lines she won in the spring election and is unopposed on the ballot. Region 1 covers a portion of Upper Providence Township.

In Region 2, Kathleen Drennan holds the Democratic ballot line and is facing Clinton Jack-

son, who holds the Republican line. Region 2 represents portions of Upper Providence and Limerick townships.

In Region 3, incumbent Tom DiBello and Christina Melton each won a Republican and Democratic ballot line in the spring primary, virtually assuring their election to the two open seats in that region. Region 3 covers portions of Royersford and Spring-City boroughs along with Limerick Township.

In her candidate response, Drennan, 65, wrote that she decided to run because “I am concerned that some groups of children tend to not have their needs met to the best of the school district’s ability. I have extensive experience with gifted, minority, economical­ly disadvanta­ged, students with disabiliti­es and at risk students.”

Drennan holds amaster’s degree in education and wrote that “I have been an educator for both regular and special education students for thirty years. I also have experience as a school administra­tor and have knowledge of budgeting, evaluation, grants, curriculum developmen­t, curriculum developmen­t and federal and state programs.”

If elected, she wrote that “I believe I can provide a much needed voice for all students. I have the experience in the classroom and administra­tively to provide insight into school systems.”

In his response, Jackson, 52, wrote “My reason for wanting to run is simple: Continue to move SpringFord Forward (SFF), I want your kids and my kids to prepared for the next stage of life, whether that is grade to-grade or after graduation. I want them to have a solid and well-built foundation to be able to build on with whatever endeavor (college, military, or workforce) they chose in life.”

Jackson is a senior constructi­on program manager with a bachelor’s degree in

engineerin­g.

In addition to being a member of Spring-Ford Area School Board from 2013to 2015, during which he served as chairman of the property committee, Jackson has serves on the Upper Providence Township Zoning Hearing Board and was an alternate member from 2012 to 2017; Spring Valley Advisory Board, (2011-Present), Board Chair (2013-2015); Philadelph­ia Freedom Valley YMCA Associatio­n Board Member, Facilities Committee (2013-Present) Governing Board.

If elected, Clinton wrote his priority would be to “continue to move SpringFord Forward. In a governing board of nine there is no single goal, however my initiative­s -- ensure taxpayer dollars are spent in a fiscally responsibl­e manner; advocate for the continued goal of the STEAM Program; provide continued support for the Western Montgomery Technical Career Center; advocate for property tax reform for our senior citizens; advocate for reforming standardiz­ed testing (PSSA’s and Keystone exams).”

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