When polls open Tuesday, there will be 10 candidates on ballots and one announced write-in campaign for six open seats on the Warren County School District board of directors.

Warren County is broken into three separate Regions with respect to the school board.

There are five candidates for seats in Region II, four candidates in Region III, and two, including the write-in campaign, in Region I.

Today’s story will feature the four Region III candidates – incumbent Kevin Lindvay and challengers Kristopher Hodak, Wendy MacQueen, and Daniel Sullivan – vying for two open seats, and two candidates in Region I – John Wortman and Bridget Schwab, who has announced a write-in campaign – for one open seat.

Each candidate was asked the same list of questions – with topics including the budget, reconfiguration and small schools, and transparency and openness. Candidates were also asked for issues outside of reconfiguration that are of importance to them.

Their full answers are provided here.

Kristopher Hodak (Region III)

Utilization of buildings would be the first thing I would want to address regarding budget. There are several underutilized buildings that could be consolidated to improve usage of space which would ultimately allow for the empty buildings to be put up for sale. These buildings require utilities and maintenance, which taps into the budget. By addressing these buildings we would stand to benefit from the sale of each building and from eliminating the expenses associated with these buildings. I would also like to evaluate the salaries of administration, particularly compared to similarly sized districts in the state and realign where necessary.

I believe there are several factors that play into deciding how small is too small and I do not believe there is a concrete answer. There are numerous studies that show the value of small class sizes on education and mental health. This needs to be balanced with the availability of teachers and classes as well as finances. The advancements in technology also play a role in this as there is the ability to offer remote classes to some extent. By putting a hard line on how small is too small the possibility of evaluating this against qualitative factors is limited.

I believe there is a system failure as far as transparency and communication with the public. Unfortunately there is a long history (that predates all of the current sitting board) of mistrust amongst the communities and the school board. Whether intentional or not, there is a feeling of favoritism toward the central attendance area amongst the smaller communities; however I understand there are many factors that my not be seen by the public that play into these decisions. This has caused a considerable amount of discord off and on over the years. I think transparency moving forward is key to start to repair the divide. With the availability and widespread use of technology and social media I think there are ways to provide more transparency and dialogue through these avenues. I also feel that having board meetings at locations in each community periodically would increase the engagement of these communities. Engaged community members would then allow for more widespread dissemination of information. I believe school board members should be involved in the schools throughout the county and have an open dialogue with the administrators, teachers, and students in each building.

One of the biggest concerns facing schools all over is the shortage of teachers. I believe that working with the teachers/union to come up with creative solutions to recruitment and retention of teachers is vital. It is obvious that things like pay, benefits, and retirement affect this but I believe there may be other considerations that could attract teachers to our area. The best people to weigh in on this are the people that are affected by these things on a daily basis. I also think that it is necessary for the board to be involved with local government to attract people to our area. The declining population directly effects all of us in many ways. By engaging with local officials the board can provide their ideas and thoughts as well as stay informed of the current efforts and any impact to the schools.

I do foresee some definite challenges related to the addition of new board members given the current atmosphere. I think it is incredibly important that as elected officials the board is able to engage in discussion with one another and maintain respect for each member’s right to their own opinion. The members don’t have to agree on every decision made, but they do need to work together to come up with the solutions that are the best for the children in our schools. I’m sure that if elected I will not see eye to eye with every board member on every issue. I also know that I can hear them out, make compromises, and, when necessary, agree to disagree. I think each and every person who runs for or is elected to the school board does so with the best interests of our children in mind. As such, I think that with time and a mutual understanding of each other’s positions, most of the challenges related to this transition can be worked through.

Kevin Lindvay (Region III)

The district’s budget has ballooned over the last decade from the $65 million range to the $95 million range. This is in spite of continued, sustained declines in the number of students it serves. What actions would you propose to address that stark increase?

First you need to qualify, what are the factors are that drive the budgetary increases? In my fist term on the School Board we encountered a global pandemic. The governmental response was to provide relief in the form of ESSER grants. WCSD qualified for a little over 21 million in ESSER that needed to be used by the end of August 2024. We need to recognize that the overall grant money that WCSD applies for and receives has increased in the last 10 years. Last year we received 11.8 million up from 3.5 ten years ago. When the ESSER dollars subside the budgetary process should go back to the standard “adds’ and “deducts” the process that was used prior to COVID. This provided the board and the administration the vehicle to qualify necessary and unnecessary spending while establishing the budget.

Arthur Stewart recently asked a question that can be summarized like this: “At what point is a school too small?” Projections show continued decline in the number of students. And, to date, the actual decline has far outpaced the projection. Regardless of the current board’s decision on reconfiguration, how small is too small?

With the current projections, and the decline outpacing the projection there must be a balance between low class size, course offerings, and a financial factor that drives our ability to provide a balanced education. We need to provide the students of WCSD the opportunity to have the best resources available for them to become successful post-graduation.

Several candidates have raised concerns about openness and transparency. Are there failings in this area now? If there are, what proposals would you make to remedy the issues you see?

In the last 4 years of being a board member, the only time that I see the public involved is when there is a major issue. Most of the time at board meetings the administration and board members are the only people in attendance. The public relies on media to gain the information. All School board and Committee meetings are open to the public and so are the agendas. The Sunshine Act requires us to deliberate, and any official action must take place in a public meeting.

Reconfiguration is clearly the dominant issue in this election cycle. If you’re elected to the board, please identify two specific issues – and corresponding solutions – that you would focus on that are NOT related to reconfiguration.

Providing the students of WCSD more opportunity with a wider variety of electives.

Continue to focus on the Warren County Career center to expand programing into other trades that are needed to support our local communities.

The current school board has set a timeline for making a decision on reconfiguration. As a result, the decision will be made, and presumably at least partly implemented, before you take office for the term you’re seeking in this election. In short, the next board will have to live with this board’s decision. What challenges do you foresee there, especially given that you will likely have to serve with people that disagreed with your position on this issue?

Anytime decisions take place that change you will have groups that are in support and groups that do not support the decisions that the Board makes. What ever the outcome we need to focus on providing the students of WCSD with the best possible educational opportunities that we possibly can. I am not running on one issue but with the mindset of providing all of our children a place where they can grow into successful members of our communities. I take my responsibility as a Board member seriously and believe it is a great way to give back to my community.

Wendy MacQueen (Region III)

The district’s budget has ballooned over the last decade from the $65 million range to the $95 million range. This is in spite of continued, sustained declines in the number of students it serves. What actions would you propose to address that stark increase?

One of the biggest ways to cut school budget expenses is to become more energy efficient. Energy costs can eat up a school budget. In fact, experts suggest that around 30% of a school district’s energy is not used in the most useful or efficient way possible.

The good news is that there are ways to become energy efficient. One way is to keep track of energy usage to see when it spikes and make adjustments. These may be a short term cost, but long term benefit. And are there warehouses or other facilities that are sitting idle? Sell off any property that isn’t being used or lease it to a third party. While paper products are a necessity in any school setting, they also are a significant cost. And it’s not too hard to pursue cuts in this category. With tasks such as class registration, job applications and check requisitions, aim to go paperless in these areas, too. Make it easy for applicants to apply for positions through an online portal. And let guidance counselors work with students to complete class registration and provide access to grades.

Arthur Stewart recently asked a question that can be summarized like this: “At what point is a school too small?” Projections show continued decline in the number of students. And, to date, the actual decline has far outpaced the projection. Regardless of the current board’s decision on reconfiguration, how small is too small?

It’s easier to develop more meaningful connections among staff, students and parents in small schools.

Large schools may lack a sense of community, but small schools aren’t able to offer as wide a range of activities and a broad curriculum.

Some studies have shown that small schools demonstrate higher achievement levels among students.

The right size school for your child will depend on his or her needs for attention, curricular offerings and activities.

Size is only one factor to look at in evaluating a school; the quality of the teachers and what they teach are important factors to consider, too.

We need to know what the districts holds as a top priority and what factors given as to the number one reason? We cannot decide how small is too small based upon the numerous pros and cons of school sizes, small and large.

Several candidates have raised concerns about openness and transparency. Are there failings in this area now? If there are, what proposals would you make to remedy the issues you see?

The general public attends a meeting, hears directly what a board member says, then reads an interview in the paper and sees a different response than the one initially given. This creates confusion and distrust. Then the general public was told originally that the MFP Reconfiguration was not about numbers or saving money or eliminating positions. On the budget of proposed add/deducts it is listed that 11 positions…

TBD / Secondary Class Size Reduction/ the dollar amount est. to be over $855,960.10 / “Planned to end – prioritization dependent upon configuration going forward”.

Reconfiguration is clearly the dominant issue in this election cycle. If you’re elected to the board, please identify two specific issues – and corresponding solutions – that you would focus on that are NOT related to reconfiguration.

Focus on – #1 Teacher attraction and retention and how to accomplish this as we face a teacher shortage nationwide.

Salaries and other compensation.

Preparation and costs to entry.

Hiring and personnel management.

Induction and support for new teachers.

Working conditions, including school leadership, professional collaboration and shared decision-making, accountability systems, and resources for teaching and learning.

Create personalized growth plans

Collaborate directly with your teachers to create a plan for their future. When you work with your educators to hear their unique needs and goals, you are not only establishing an open dialogue, you’re also building a relationship.

Give teachers voice and choice

One of the simplest ways to both establish an atmosphere of supportive trust and implement effective professional development is to involve teachers in choosing their own PD. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, consider whether professional learning opportunities are meeting each teacher’s individual needs, providing learning that evolves over the course of a teacher’s career.

Establishing a school culture where teachers feel they have a voice and are being listened to creates a better environment for student growth and achievement. Keep in mind this doesn’t just happen by checking off a list and saying, “Okay, we did it!” Cultivating a positive school culture is an ongoing process. Remember, teacher appreciation isn’t confined to one week — it’s important to remind your teachers they are supported year-round:

Provide continuous and relevant feedback

Offer a mentor program to new teachers

Reward your teachers for their hard work

Give acts of kindness — perhaps it’s snacks, supplies, or free lunch on Monday!

Network with your community to offer discounts or gift cards

#2 – Student, Teacher and Staff Safety

Hiring Additional School Resource Officers (Full Time for each school)

Prevention or minimization of property damage in the school and surrounding areas.

Prevention of student injuries and even death due to violence, drug overdoses, etc.

Reduction of the need for schools to call 911. _Shortage of emergency response in areas of attendance

Reduction of the likelihood that a student will get a criminal record.

Increase of the likelihood that students (particularly those with mental health issues) will get the help they need from the social service and health care systems.

Increase in feelings of safety among students and staff.

      b.  Promoting resources for student / teacher / staff acceptance and the groundwork to layout various programs that bring in outside approved agencies to address mental health, student identity, and overall wellness.

The current school board has set a timeline for making a decision on reconfiguration. As a result, the decision will be made, and presumably at least partly implemented, before you take office for the term you’re seeking in this election. In short, the next board will have to live with this board’s decision. What challenges do you foresee there, especially given that you will likely have to serve with people that disagreed with your position on this issue?

A major challenge will be getting either side to be willing to sit together and collaborate together, respectfully and truly listen to what the other is presenting and digest it. To truly take in what is being shared, and taking bits and pieces from each conversation and working together to make a truly positive movement as a board towards what it is in the best interest of our students, teachers and communities. All members present and candidates for potential members all bring something to the table so to speak, each member is equal and should be presented with dignity and respect despite personal beliefs.

I foresee the sense of “urgency” to be a negative, leaving the possibility to overlook key details that need to be considered and further information and data collected. Acting hastily can have repercussions, and all need to step back and approach decisions with a mindset of “measure twice, cut once”, instead of the other way around.

Bridget Schwab (Region I)

The district’s budget has ballooned over the last decade from the $65 million range to the $95 million range. This is in spite of continued, sustained declines in the number of students it serves. What actions would you propose to address that stark increase?

I would approach the district’s budget in the same way as I would approach my own household budget when the necessity of having to “tighten the belt” in order to maintain a budget within our means arose. Keep the necessities and cut or make changes according to priority. My number one priority is and always will be the children and their overall wellbeing. The fact that the budget keeps growing at this pace certainly needs to be a focus in order to be responsible for our taxpayers that are not able to withstand continued increases.

Arthur Stewart recently asked a question that can be summarized like this: “At what point is a school too small?” Projections show continued decline in the number of students. And, to date, the actual decline has far outpaced the projection. Regardless of the current board’s decision on reconfiguration, how small is too small?

There are many important factors that need to be asked in addition to the “How Small?” question such as; Are the bussing companies able to cover what a consolidation would require? How will a consolidation affect the communities in Warren County that have lost their school? What would it mean to a parent/caregiver to have to drive into Warren to pick up a child who is sick, has an appointment or just simply would like to attend a school function to support their child? Will bullying be a factor when combining these students and how would that play into the mental health of children? I certainly hope that this decision does not get decided on that that one question alone. There are many schools in nearby districts that are graduating students in a range of 12-41 students in a class and many of them are scoring higher than the WCSD academically. These schools are comparable in the teacher/student ratio, provide AP courses, band, sports and are thriving.

If the only option was to move forward with the reconfigurations that are currently on the table this would be a good question, but there are more options to be explored, that have not been added to the list of options. Now is the time to make a significant and meaningful change and that does not necessarily mean taking the easiest road to get there. Investments have been made into most of the schools and those investments will be a great loss if we were to close the schools that are beloved by each and every one of our communities. That loss would be felt community wide, starting with the schools and bleeding into businesses, community, housing values and more. We need to come together and do the hard work to ensure that these communities are able to survive.

Several candidates have raised concerns about openness and transparency. Are there failings in this area now? If there are, what proposals would you make to remedy the issues you see?

The reconfiguration conversation, according to the current school board, had been brought back to the table in 2019 and yet we are just now hearing about it. Not all concerned parents and taxpayers are able to make the meetings, but I think there may be an opportunity to get them more involved if there were committees formed to communicate and be a liaison between the board and the communities.

Reconfiguration is clearly the dominant issue in this election cycle. If you’re elected to the board, please identify two specific issues and corresponding solutions – that you would focus on that are NOT related to reconfiguration.

I have attended many School Board meetings, spoken to teachers, students, parents, School Board Members in the past several years and one glaring issue, in my opinion, is the lack of overall morale in the schools. There seems to be an emphasis on things that divide as opposed to bringing the students and staff together. Our teachers work directly with our children every day and I think that their opinions, suggestions, ideas and perspective on what they think the children would benefit from most would be a great start in fostering a movement of positivity and hopefully teacher retention as well.

The current school board has set a timeline for making a decision on reconfiguration. As a result, the decision will be made, and presumably at least partly implemented, before you take office for the term you’re seeking in this election. In short, the next board will have to live with this board’s decision. What challenges do you foresee there, especially given that you will likely have to serve with people that disagreed with your position on this issue?

The idea of taking on the challenges of decisions made by a previous board and/or having differing opinions and ideas as others you are serving with is not a new concept. These differences are how you collaboratively work through the challenges the board may be faced with and come to the best solutions possible. A fresh set of eyes, opinions and ideas centered around the needs of all of the students may be just the approach that is necessary to get the wheels of progress in motion.

Daniel Sullivan (Region III)

• The district’s budget has ballooned over the last decade from the $65 million range to the $95 million range. This is in spite of continued, sustained declines in the number of students it serves. What actions would you propose to address that stark increase?

The budget, when I looked at it closer was honestly one of my first areas of concerns. To me the first thought is, what has been happening is obviously not working and a second opinion needs to be brought in on how the spending occurs.

· One area of great expenditures is tuition to other districts, cyber schools and charter schools–On May’s bill it appears the school district pays approximately $948,019.27. This to me is alarming, why are parents not choosing our school district? This is something that we as a district need to look in the mirror at and come up with a solution.

· I propose looking through every dollar that is spent down to renovations/repairs. The monthly repair bill for May to outside contractors was approximately $366,000. I know repairs come up, but looking at these repairs closer and cost estimates I would like to see these closer and what exactly is being repaired. These cost add up over time or course and just taking the month of mays estimate and multiplying by 12 that is approximately $4,392,000 a year.

· Again, just looking at the month of May’s bills. The WCSD Spends approximately $8,200 a month to Waste Management Services this equates to $98,000/year. Maybe the current board has gotten estimates from local vendors and maybe Waste Management is the best in price, but I would like to go over this and review it. Maybe another contractor has better rates/deals that we could use as a district.

· Another area of concern that I spotted when looking through the list of bills was Hot Spots to AT&T, we are no longer doing virtual academy through the district since the schools are not shut down and the bill from May has a listing of $38,500 paid to ATT monthly – again, this is of great concern.

· When it comes down to it, what needs to be done is to have the tough discussions of what can be done, maybe finding an alternative company who does just as good of a job, but has better rates, maybe keeping things local would be of good value. These few things I mentioned above are just the tip of the iceberg.

· I would also suggest, possibly looking at surrounding school districts and seeing what works for them, maybe we haven’t thought of something that another school district has. These surrounding school districts are operating on less of a budge than what WCSD is and producing better results and rankings in the state of Pennsylvania.

• Arthur Stewart recently asked a question that can be summarized like this: “At what point is a school too small?” Projections show continued decline in the number of students. And, to date, the actual decline has far outpaced the projection. Regardless of the current board’s decision on reconfiguration, how small is too small?

I believe the rebuttal to that is, how big is too big? What can we as a community come up with to help our schools stay open. There are plenty of ideas out in this world that are “Out of the Box” People are afraid to use them. What’s the problem with trying them and if they don’t work, they don’t work, but my question is what if they do work?

We live in a fast paced world, we need to slow down and realize the capabilities of technology now and in the future.

There is an idea out there that I most recently found after speaking with a community member called community schools. I have been doing a little research into this and the idea is fascinating. Erie, PA has some of these schools and they have been a great success. I would urge the district to look into these.

• Several candidates have raised concerns about openness and transparency. Are there failings in this area now? If there are, what proposals would you make to remedy the issues you see?

I have seen the failure of transparency with living in Youngsville and having attended Youngsville myself. We all know that the school district has a dozen ways to communicate at the palm of their hands, yet they do not utilize all areas when communicating messages. Also, several people can attest that when emailing the entire board, it is hard to get a response sometimes, unless you email individually.

Having open discussions with the community and in the community’s on what we can do to improve our schools.

I believe a steering committee from each local area would be beneficial to meet with too to get the word out and also hear concerns from the individual communities. These steering committees could be an extension of communication to each individual community on upcoming events, concerns and also board meetings.

• Reconfiguration is clearly the dominant issue in this election cycle. If you’re elected to the board, please identify two specific issues – and corresponding solutions – that you would focus on that are NOT related to reconfiguration.

Teacher Retention–it is important to our schools to have teacher retention. By doing this, we have to reach out to the current staff and work with them to find solutions on what we as a district can do to entice not only new staff to come and stay, but also current staff.

Budget- When looking at the budget there seems to be a lot of spending in question. I would like to take a better look at the finances. Just like any person would do when

they are looking at their household and finances they sit down and look at what can be trimmed away as well as possibly sitting down with an outside financial expert to go over all expenditures.

• The current school board has set a timeline for making a decision on reconfiguration. As a result, the decision will be made, and presumably at least partly implemented, before you take office for the term you’re seeking in this election. In short, the next board will have to live with this board’s decision. What challenges do you foresee there, especially given that you will likely have to serve with people that disagreed with your position on this issue?

I am foreseeing having open ended conversations, debates and mutual understandings, tough conversations and hoping meeting at the end on a final agreement that will make our district and Warren County a better place for our community and students.

John Wortman (Region I)

1. If I am given the privilege to serve on the Warren County Board of School Directors, I am going to advocate for a line by line, zero based budgeting strategy. I believe that adopting this method will allow the District to examine areas where costs can be managed without impacting essential pupil services. During my tenure on the Warren City Council, I have never voted for a tax increase, while supporting budgets that secured our core services. Over the course of three municipal budget cycles, I have partnered with administration and my fellow Council members to discover cost saving line items. Bringing this experience to the Warren County School District will allow me to help ensure responsible management of taxpayer dollars while maintaining the integrity of student programming.

2. I want to begin by saying how grateful I am that over the course of my life I have had the ability to work in numerous communities throughout Warren County. My jobs over the years have allowed me to meet so many incredible people and recognize the amazing places that exist here. Additionally, I am fortunate to instruct and coach students each day in two very small schools which are both vital parts of Forest County. The questions that the Warren County School Board needs to consider in regard to your question are as follows:

– Do schools in the Warren County School District have the ability to offer the necessary variety of courses to meet each of their students’ needs?

– Do schools in the Warren County School District have the enrollment to offer and maintain the extra curricular programming students deserve such as Mock Trial, National Honor Society, Key Club, Drama Club, Foreign Language Club, Varsity Club, Etc.?

– Do schools in the Warren County School District have the ability to field athletic and academic teams which are critical components of the student experience for many young persons?

– Can the Warren County School District ensure that each classroom is being instructed by an educator certificated within that subject?

Possessing detailed answers to those four questions would be essential in making any determination.

3. One area where I believe it would be important for the school board to make changes, would be through holding town hall meetings. During my Council tenure, I have fought to make City information more accessible to our citizenry and also pride myself on quality constituent service. Providing the avenue for increased interaction and feedback from the public in town hall meetings with the school board could lead to greater collaboration for students, parents, faculty, administration, and staff.

4. There are many areas of school policy that I would like to focus on if I am given the opportunity to serve the citizens of Warren City, Elk Township, and Glade Township. Two of them would be the teacher certification shortage and enhancing career/vocational education. First, our school board needs to take a hard look at how we can combat the high percentage of classrooms without educators certified in those subjects. Possible solutions could include adjusting current master schedules, incentivizing existing faculty to attain more certifications, and conducting an in-depth analysis of our salaries and benefits packaging to increase competitive advantage over other school systems. Second, I want to continue to grow our thriving Career Center and work to help more pupils have the opportunity to engage in cooperative learning. Providing more opportunities for Warren County School District students to earn money, be trained in skills, achieve certificates, and receive on the job training that can help them attain employment, without the skyrocketing cost associated with higher education, is of the utmost importance.

5. Two separate seatings of Warren City Council, with members of different political parties, unanimously voted for me to serve as Council Vice – President. I have complete faith and reverence for the democratic process. If the citizens of Region #1 honor me with the chance to serve them, I will treat my colleagues with respect, listen to their perspectives, and work with them on making sure the Warren County School District is providing a strong education to our County’s children.