ADAMS TWP — Mars Area School Board will welcome five Republicans following Tuesday's election.

Out of the field of nine candidates, unofficial results show the five seats going to Megan Lenz, Sallie Wick, Kevin Hagen, Anthony DePretis and John Kennedy.

Terms expired this year for board members Steven Boggs, Rebecca Brown, Kennedy, William Pettigrew and Bonnie Weaver, who won their seats in 2015.

Kennedy was the only candidate seeking re-election.

Jill Ceasar, DePretis, Hagen, Lenz, John Neurohr, Jill Roda, Bill Sommers and Wick joined the race in May. Ceasar, Lenz, Neurohr, Roda and Sommers ran as a group calling themselves “Mars Community Change.”

In the May primary, Kennedy led the Republican ballot with 1,725 votes. Lenz, who cross-filed, led Democrats with 1,053 votes.

But the roles switched Tuesday night, as Lenz led the school board race with a total of 3,517 votes.

“We're proud of the clean campaign that we ran,” Lenz said. “We set the kind of example our kids and our community deserve.”

Wick claimed the second candidate spot with a total of 3,201 votes for her first political run.

“I'm just honored. And I'm humbled,” Wick said, adding that she's eager to start working with the board.

Lenz, a paramedic and mother of three, said the campaign season turned rocky this week when district residents received a letter from the county Republican committee alleging a connection between Neurohr and George Soros. The Hungarian-American investor was described earlier this week by The New York Times as a “billionaire philanthropist who funds an array of progressive causes.”

According to a copy of the letter provided to The Eagle, Neurohr has a professional history of working for organizations funded by Soros, such as America Votes and ProgressNow. The letter was issued to an estimated one in four households in the district.

“He has professional work experience ... for several organizations that were in part funded by Soros,” said Paul Adametz, southwestern district chairman for the Butler County Republican Committee. “I probably wouldn't have gotten involved with this school board (otherwise).”

Adametz said other committee members researched Neurohr and brought the information to him. Neurohr, Adametz said, might have been planted in Butler to work against established Republicans in the area.

Lenz said the claims aren't true.

“It is all lies or extreme exaggerations,” Lenz said. “Everyone is so ready to jump on any bandwagon.”

Lenz said she's thankful for volunteers, parents and community members who supported Mars Community Change.

“I'm honored and excited to become a board member here in Mars,” Lenz said. “My win is the first step toward transparency and accountability in the district.”

Hagen, who came in fifth among candidates, claimed 3,092 votes from Adams Township, Middlesex Township and Mars Borough.

“I'm thankful to the community,” Hagen said. “And I look forward to serving them.”

Hagen said this race was his first foray into politics. He said he needs to see issues from the board's point of view before tackling any challenges.

“It's a new experience for me,” Hagen said.

“It looks like the new board members are going to continue the policies,” Adametz said. “(Mars) is a well-run district.”

“We have much more work to do,” Lenz said. “We're not going anywhere.”

The new members join incumbents Rita Dorsch, Gordon Marburger, Christine Valenta and Dayle Ferguson. Incumbent members face re-election in 2021.

Ferguson indicated in May she doesn't plan to run again. She said earlier this year she also plans to give-up the presidency after the school year.