Three seek 2 seats on Chardon School Board

There are three candidates and two seats up for election on the five-member Chardon School Board.

Incumbent Madelon Horvath, Tony Kramer and incumbent Paul Stefanko are all competing in the Nov. 7 election.

There are more than 15,600 registered voters in the school district, and board members are paid $125 per board meeting attended.

Horvath

If re-elected, Horvath intends to focus on restoring programming at the schools and instituting the strategic plan, backing building improvements, and meeting the challenges of education in a rapidly changing world.

“With the change in the kinds of jobs that are needed today, we need to support a system of education that will help students be creative problem-solvers, who know how to work together,” she said. “Some experts say that as many as 90 percent of jobs that our students will be doing aren’t even invented yet.”

Among accomplishments in her time on the board, she said the district has updated curricula, provided Chromebooks for every student in grades 3 through 12, successfully concluded staff negotiations and created plans for constructing new buildings.

“As a former teacher, I have a good understanding of the educational needs of our district,” she said. “Things are changing very fast, but I work hard to keep abreast of these things, attend Ohio School Board workshops and read professional literature. This work takes time, but I enjoy doing it and believe it is important work that benefits our entire community.”

Kramer

Kramer’s goals include requiring students to complete a personal finance course before graduating, and evaluating technology for potential cost savings.

“Most importantly, we need to stay on budget and invest in our teachers,” he said. “Chardon schools have become a stepping stone to better teaching jobs instead of a career destination. If Chardon’s retention falls, then so do school ratings.”

He noted that he and his wife have been Geauga County residents for more than 20 years and that he graduated from Chardon High School, in 2005.

“We bought a house in Chardon and are a growing family, which will be attending Chardon Schools,” he said. “I don’t affiliate myself with a party and have a vested interest in the schools because we are a new family. I have no doubt the current board members are making what they feel are the best decisions. The beauty of local government is that, instead of complaining, I can run for office and contribute to solutions.”

Stefanko

Stefanko has served on the board for three terms. He advocates improving the taxpayer/School Board relationship, improving the readiness of high school graduates for careers and raising awareness of the impact poverty has on education.

He believes he should be re-elected based on his “experience, determination, open-mindedness and (being) goal-oriented.”