JACKSON TWP — The Seneca Valley School Board added a member Monday night.

Mike Jacobs, a 2002 alumnus, was sworn in to represent Zelienople following a public interview at the board's first meeting of 2020. He fills the position that had been held by Randall Hart, who resigned in December for personal reasons.

In the interview, Jacobs said he applied for the position because he is a “proud Seneca Valley alum.”

“I would be honored to give back to the district that has given me and my kids so much,” Jacobs said.

Since 2006, Jacobs has served as a senior manager of advisory services at Ernst & Young, a professional services firm headquartered in London. He also volunteers as treasurer of NorthBridge Community Church in Cranberry Township, a position he has held since 2015, and is a board member for Bethany House Academy in Pittsburgh's Northview Heights neighborhood.

Jacobs said his professional experience will be beneficial as a school director.

“I spend a lot of time advising clients in our region ... on issues that, I suspect, are very similar to those that the organization in Seneca Valley faces,” he said. “How do we attract and retain the right talent? How do we thrive in the digital age? How do we manage the risk on all those types of things?”

In the interview, Jacobs told the board he thinks school boards should take a laissez-faire approach, instituting good policies and selecting the right administrators to implement the policies.

“And just stopping just about there,” he added.

Jacobs said the district should keep on the track of promoting education that isn't a traditional classroom experiment. He said the evolving workplace demands a type of education different from what has been the norm.

“What I see, day-to-day, is the way that people work is changing quite significantly, and we're dealing with that,” he said. “And, I think, as a result, the way that we educate will change very significantly over the coming years.”

The board voted 7-0 to appoint Jacobs as Zelienople's representative on the board. Board President Jim Nickel, who was not present to vote at the meeting, said he welcomes Jacobs' appointment.

“I think he'll be a fantastic addition to the board,” Nickel said.