The Butler Eagle recently spoke to school district administrators and school board members about the role of leaders in public education, which shined a light on how these elected and appointed public servants view their own duties.

Eric DiTullio, Seneca Valley’s school board president, said school boards don’t micromanage district activities, but set policies and approve recommendations made by the superintendent. Kathy McBride, vice president of Moniteau’s board of school directors, said it’s important for school board members to have a wide range of knowledge on the ins and outs of creating school policy. It’s also important to be accessible to the community.

With this mentality in mind, voters in Butler County should make their choices at the polls accordingly on Tuesday, May 20.

Across Butler County, a combined 22 candidates are competing for 14 contested school board seats in the May 20 primary. Six candidates are competing for four Butler Area School District seats; five candidates are competing for four Karns City Area seats; seven candidates are competing for four seats in Moniteau; and a combined four candidates are competing for two different seats in Seneca Valley.

The Pennsylvania School Boards Association, made up of board members from all districts across the state, said a school board’s role includes governing the district and setting policies, while the superintendent manages day-to-day operations.

Brian White, superintendent of Butler Area School District, said in his position, it’s good to work with others who keep themselves well-informed and in touch with the community. Voters should focus on the same thing when selecting a person to represent themselves on their local school board.

“We’ve been very blessed to have board members that focus on the children, the students, the staff they serve,” White said. “They really want to see our district put in a situation where it can succeed.”

— ET