Bethel Park School Board race has 7 candidates seeking nods for 4 ballot spots

Bethel Park School District’s political landscape will change this year as no incumbents sought reelection.

Those on the board calling it a career, for now, include board president Pamela Dobos, Russ Spicuzza, Connie Ruhl and Ken Nagel.

Seven people have cross-filed seeking Democratic and Republican nominations in the May 18 primary, according to the Allegheny County Office of Elections unofficial candidate list.

Candidates on the primary ballot are Sean Browne, Buffie Faes, Dan Grzybek, Gail Hoppe, Sharon Janosik, James Means Jr. and Rory Smith.

Here are the candidates and their responses to election questions posed by the Bethel Park Journal:

Buffie Faes

Why did you decide to run for election? I believe the success of a community is closely linked to the effectiveness of its educational system. I am a staunch supporter of diversity, equity and inclusion and I believe that the foundation of who we become as adults depends largely on the formative years we spend in school. Because of this, it is imperative that all children receive the best possible education.

My desire is to make the schools a safe and positive environment for all children. As an educator, I am keenly aware of the day-to-day functioning of a school. Every day I meet students who are struggling in school because of situations that are beyond the classroom. We need to address these situations and create a safe space for everyone; truly, we must focus on the needs of all individual students in order to improve the culture of our schools.

What do you feel is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed? I believe diversity, equity and inclusion are the biggest issues we are facing right now. The political divide in this country has had a negative effect on everything, including education. We need to move toward building a culture of success which includes increasing trust, removing barriers to collaboration, making sure there is a respectful, supportive environment at all levels. I think the last few years, especially the past year, have eroded these things. We don’t know what the future will look like.

The focus on testing, lack of communication, teachers being placed in competition with each other, and the academic pressure we place on kids are all barriers to developing a truly successful school. We have to start recognizing the needs of the whole child (mental, academic and social well-being) to ensure that every child has opportunities to be successful. We desperately need unity.

What should voters know about you? I am a lifelong resident of Bethel Park. I graduated with honors from California University of Pennsylvania, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in education. I then had a successful career in sales before returning to school to complete my master’s degree in special education, which I earned magna cum laude in 2010. For the last 10 years, I have been working as a life skills teacher in the Chartiers Valley School District. I believe that my prior work experience, coupled with my current profession, has helped me to form a well-rounded understanding of education. Successful schools make successful communities.

Dan Grzybek

Why did you decide to run for election?

I want to ensure we are providing an education suited for the 21st century. With the rise of automation, focusing on memorization and “teaching to the test” no longer adequately addresses student needs. We must utilize research, data and training to provide students with the critical thinking skills necessary to compete in the modern workforce.

We also have the duty to make sure students feel comfortable and accepted at school so they may perform to their fullest potential. That involves providing increased mental health resources for students and expanding the district’s diversity and inclusion program. Having graduated in the last decade, I would bring a unique and fresh perspective to the board that will assist in providing solutions to the problems students currently face.

What do you feel is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed?

Like most districts, BP’s biggest issue is navigating the challenges coronavirus has presented. We must ensure we are providing the best education possible while considering the public health impacts of various educational models. Thankfully, with how effective vaccine rollout has been as of late, students who would like to should be able to safely return to school full time by December when the new school directors will be sworn in.

The highest priority at that stage must be evaluating where students are both academically and from a mental health standpoint. Students have had vastly different experiences throughout the pandemic. Covid has served to exacerbate the inequities faced by students of lower socioeconomic status, students with disabilities and other marginalized groups of students. As we return to in-person learning, we must ensure that we are distributing our educational resources in an equitable manner so that all students have the opportunity to succeed.

What should voters know about you?

I earned my bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering with a minor in economics from Pitt in 2017 and am currently working toward my master’s in engineering at Purdue. I began my career as an operations manager at U.S. Steel and transitioned into an engineering role at the Naval Nuclear Laboratory (Bettis), where I support the safe operation and maintenance of nuclear power plants aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carriers.

During the pandemic, I obtained my emergency teaching certification and subbed at NAMS, IMS and BPHS. I also mentor immigrant and refugee students through SHIM, volunteer at the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and judge PA Junior Academy of Science competitions. If elected as school director, I will make my decisions with full transparency, based on the best data and research available. I will consider student, parent, teacher and general taxpayer input so that no group is left out of the decision-making process.

Gail Hoppe

Why did you decide to run for election?

I feel I have valuable insight and experience to contribute to our district. My agenda is simply to add a reasonable, common sense, and positive voice to the Bethel Park School Board.

What do you feel is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed?

Getting students back to five-day, in-person learning is the issue I feel is most important.

What should voters know about you?

As a former part-time secretary in the Bethel Park School District and parent of five students, I saw the strengths and shortcomings of the district firsthand. More recently, managing a fitness business prepared me to make sound budgetary decisions, assess human resources, set priorities and bring people together for a common goal. I am passionate about education and our Bethel Park community and would be privileged to contribute to its success.

Sharon Janosik

Why did you decide to run for election?

So that I can better serve the community by helping to shape the future of public education in the district. I believe that the main jobs of a school director are to advocate, lead, plan and evaluate — all things I have experience doing.

I would like to harness community spirit to increase family engagement; create more cooperative opportunities to improve whole-child education, including mental health and social-emotional learning; and build a culture of genuine acceptance, inclusion and diversity. I believe that all this can be achieved while remaining mindful of the board’s fiscal responsibility to taxpayers. Learning new ways to do things and working on a culture of kindness, acceptance and respect are not expensive endeavors.

What do you feel is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed?

While some might think the biggest issue is returning to school five days a week, that is something that will be resolved long before the new school directors seated in December. Our teachers, administrators, and staff have all been offered vaccination; family members and older teens are being vaccinated and we may even have a vaccine for younger children by then.

Regardless of the circumstances, the health and safety of everyone in our community will always be the district’s highest priority. The biggest issues in front of any newly elected director will be finding ways to increase the mental health and social-emotional learning opportunities available to our students and remediating any learning losses from the year-plus disruption in schools. I’m looking forward to working together with the administration to efficiently use the increased state and federal funds for this purpose and move forward with innovative practices and improvements.

What should voters know about you?

I graduated summa cum laude from Duquesne University earning a B.S. in professional studies. In 2019, I completed Temple University’s Institute on Disabilities, Competence and Confidence: Partners in Policymaking program, as well as the PEAL Center’s Family Leadership Institute, and was appointed by the Governor to serve on Pennsylvania’s Special Education Advisory Panel.

In 2020, I was honored by Autism Connection of Pennsylvania with the Joseph Vernon Smith Benevolence Award. In 2015, I helped found the Bethel Park affiliate of the Pennsylvania Association for Gifted Education. And I’ve been volunteering since then as a speaker, trainer and advocate to shift hearts and minds to work toward true inclusion, acceptance and equity for people with disabilities. We are all richer for the experiences we can have when we always include people who are different than ourselves and treat them with the respect and dignity all people deserve.

James Means Jr.

Why did you decide to run for election?

I am an electrical engineer with 30 years of experience teaching electrical engineering technology at California University of Pennsylvania. My experience as an engineer, educator and my previous eight years on the school board qualify me to serve well. I would like to use my experience to improve the academics in the Bethel Park School District.

I believe it is imperative that we return to face-to-face instruction five days a week, use time-tested teaching techniques, improve high school academics, save our neighborhood schools (and) spend taxpayer’s money wisely. As a board member, I promise to consider the interests of all affected parties when making decisions. My only agenda is to provide an excellent school system for our youth and our community.

What do you feel is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed?

First and foremost, we need to return the students to face-to-face teaching five days a week. Over the past year, the students’ education has been short-changed. It is imperative return students to classroom education and determine how much they have learned over the past year. To assume they have progressed a full year would be a mistake. We need to identify their deficiencies remediate those deficiencies.

We also need to improve academics at the high school. The last time statewide assessments were given, our middle school students are ranked in the 98th percentile, but the high school students were only ranked in the 86th percentile. There is no reason the high school scores should fall so far.

What should voters know about you?

I’m a 39-year resident of Bethel Park. I’m married with five children and three grandchildren. I’m invested in the school district. My oldest grandchild graduated from Bethel Park. My middle grandchild is enrolled in Bethel Park and my youngest soon will be.

I am an electrical engineer with a B.S.E.E. from WVU and a M.S.E.E. from Pitt. I spent 11 years in mine research and the last 30 years of my career teaching electrical engineering technology at California University of Pennsylvania.

I am a member of the Bethel Park Historical Society, teach Sunday school and hold a black belt in two different martial arts.

Rory Smith

Why did you decide to run for election?

I am a conservative and I decided to run when I learned there were four open positions and only socialist Democrats were running. If elected, I pledge to restore full-time in-person learning, promote excellence in education, keep property taxes affordable and represent the taxpayers’ best interests during contract negotiations.

What do you feel is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed?

Restoring full-time in-person learning.

Our children are our greatest treasure, and their education is our most valuable investment. A properly functioning school district is essential for their future and for the lasting well-being of our community.

What should voters know about you?

In my professional life, I have been an (information technology) analyst for over 25 years. My work requires challenging problem-solving, complex decision making and a passion for helping people.

I believe that my background provides me with ideal preparation for the difficult work of being a Bethel Park school director. My IT background will also be helpful in making judgments regarding school district technology upgrades.

I would like the opportunity to use my life experiences, ability to make difficult decisions, and my professional skills to benefit our students by ensuring that we are able to continue to offer them the environment, resources and support required for an excellent education.

Sean Browne did not respond to messages seeking comment.