Vote for 5

Steven B. Boggs

Residence: Middlesex Twp.

Education: Associates Degree

Occupation: Owner of Boggs Construction

Rebecca S. Brown

Residence: Adams Twp.

Education: BS in Pharmacy from Duquesne University

Occupation: Pharmacist

John L. Kennedy

Residence: Middlesex Twp.

Education: Graduate of Knoch High School

Occupation: Self-employed business owner in farming and natural meat sales throughout the Pittsburgh area

Amy Nassif

Residence: Adams Twp.

Education: West Mifflin High School; BA in Psychology from Arcadia University, Glenside, PA; Masters in Physical Therapy from Slippery Rock University; 2015 Regional Workshop for School Board Candidates

Occupation: Physical therapist

Michelle Obid

Residence: Adams Twp.

Education: Bachelor of Arts, English Literature, Dickinson College; Second-degree Diploma, French Language Studies, Université de Montpellier, France

Occupation: Stay-at-home mother

William Pettigrew

Residence: Adams Twp.

Education: Doctoral Degree from Penn State University, Masters of Education Degree from Penn State University and B.S. Degree from Edinboro University

Occupation: Acting Superintendent of the Mars School District and president of ACCU-Temp Inc.

Patrice Tomcik

Residence: Adams Twp.

Education: B.A. Physical Anthropology, A.S. Nuclear Medicine Technology

Occupation: Stay-at-home mother

Bonnie L. Weaver

Residence: Adams Twp.

Education: No response

Occupation: Vice President Sales and Marketing, Weaver Master Builders. Realtor with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices

QUESTION: Why are you running for school board?

BOGGS: I am running to continue working with the administration and faculty to help the students fulfill their maximum potential. Also, to help prepare students for college, trades or employment after graduation. Work to maintain and improve on buildings and grounds and the advancements with technology.

BROWN: Educating our children is one of the most important responsibilities we have as parents and a community. As a voice of proven experience, I’m seeking re-election to advocate for our Mars Area students and to represent the taxpayers with a fiscally conservative approach. I’ll continue to promote academic achievement for all students through a rigorous curriculum and effective instruction, by expanding innovative opportunities for students and staff, and by providing a safe, supportive learning environment.

KENNEDY: An important reason I am running for the Mars School Board is to be involved in all aspects of my three children’s educations at their schools.

Some of my main initiatives include maintaining the stability of the board in regards to no further taxation, and also elevating the students’ and staff’s school day safety to the best quality level possible.

NASSIF: I am prepared to represent the community and play an active role in ensuring our educational system provides our children with the opportunities for a successful future. As a parent and a taxpayer, I have a vested interest in this district. Life experience and my professional career have prepared me for open communication, team work, transparency and fiscal responsibility. I will be a strong voice for education excellence while maintaining the desirable low taxes in the district.

OBID: I have children who attend school in the district and feel all our children will be better served by a board that is a balanced representation of our growing community. I see the school board as the body who puts resources in place to foster a culture of educational excellence. I want our children to receive the best education for the tax dollars we spend. I believe that exceptional education and fiscal responsibility can coexist.

PETTIGREW: I am running for the Mars School Board to continue my efforts in assisting the district to become the number one school district in the state in both student achievement and academic success. It is also one of my goals to maintain the fiscal responsibility that the district has experienced over the years.

TOMCIK: My two sons attend the elementary school and I want to take an active role in moving the district forward and taking education to an exceptional level of learning and growing. This would give the children tools they need to have the cutting competitive edge in our global environment. I am the candidate to represent the community on the school board and am committed to quality education, transparency and fiscal responsibility.

WEAVER: I’m seeking re-election to maintain and enrich our quality educational programs while respecting the local investment of taxpayers. As a businesswoman and grandmother of Mars students, I’m committed to student achievement and workforce readiness, yet I’m sensitive to those in our community who are on limited incomes. I also serve as president of the Mars Planet Foundation, which is a nonprofit organization committed to securing private funds to underwrite programs that directly benefit our students.

QUESTION: What are the pressing issues the board will have to tackle and how should they be addressed?

BOGGS: Some pressing issues at Mars are the explosive growth of new construction within the district. We must keep an eye on the enrollment number then make changes as needed and maintain a reasonable student/teacher ratio. Another issue is the student and faculty safety and security. We should constantly review our safety and security measures with local law enforcement and security companies and work toward their recommendations to make any changes to our buildings.

BROWN: The school board will continue to face funding challenges, including those related to rising PSERS (pension) and health care costs, special education expenses, and cyber-charter reimbursement. Also, there are new unfunded mandates, such as the teacher/principal evaluation system, that require time and money investments. With common sense, data-driven decision making, I’ll work collaboratively to balance these budget realities while responsibly addressing enrollment growth, curriculum revisions/enhancements, expansion of 1:1 technology initiatives, and continuous improvements for safety.

KENNEDY: Some pressing issues the board will have to tackle include continuing the 1:1 technology program and to implement other technology programs throughout all the remaining elementary grades. I believe the board will need to be successful in the introduction of its new superintendent, in order to have all facets of the district function as cohesively as possible under his new direction and leadership.

NASSIF: Inconsistent state funding, mandated educational requirements, and pension contribution affect the district each year. I will be a catalyst for open dialogue and direct communication with local and state officials. I will advocate for our students and community to ensure the district has a voice in the changing state environment. Our district is also growing and diversifying exponentially. I will advocate for community input and cultivate administrative expertise to realize the maximum potential for each student.

OBID: As our community continues to grow, we need to maintain a balance between the desire for additional educational services and fiscal responsibility. We also need to restore trust within the community that our children’s safety and access to exceptional education is our focus. These should be addressed by promoting greater transparency and open dialogue with parents and the community, as well as fostering a culture of support among teachers, administrators and the board.

PETTIGREW: As with any district, Mars School District will always face any number of issues, which include financing pensions, managing escalating health care costs, construction projects to address the needs of a rapidly growing community, school safety and security, etc., but most importantly, academic achievement and success. One can never rest. Every day there is a new issue to face and a new challenge to overcome.

TOMCIK: An issue I see in the present and future is the growth of our community with new families moving into the school district and within the next 10 years there will be a significant increase in the number of students enrolled at the schools. Planning and preparation for this increase is extremely important so that the education of the children is not disrupted.

WEAVER: In addition to responsibly managing the financial challenges related to health care and pension increases, I plan to work to continue the evaluation and expansion of curricular offerings, including more AP and CHS courses; support the districtwide technology integration program; upgrade security infrastructure and protocols; and promote the importance of technical/vocational training. Also, I look forward to working with the newly hired superintendent through the leadership transition.

QUESTION: How would you balance holding down expenses with maintaining quality education in the classroom?

BOGGS: The quality of education in the classroom is a priority at Mars. Some of the ways the district is holding down expenses are: refinancing long term debt and taking advantage of low interest rates. The district can continue to shop for the best gas and electrical rates. Prioritizing the districts expenditures will help maintain the quality of the education the students receive.

BROWN: As a current board member, I’m proud of the proven results that we, the board and administration, have repeatedly achieved to ensure both student success and fiscal responsibility. Mars is recognized in the region and state as a high-achieving school district, delivering quality programs, technology access, and well-rounded opportunities. Mars’ rising achievement status has been accomplished without raising taxes for eight consecutive years. With student-centered focus, we budget conservatively and manage within our means.

KENNEDY: Balancing conservative spending while maintaining a high-quality education can be attainable through the continuance of highly professional teacher and staff development. Implementing the most current technology in classrooms and introducing classes to utilize this current technology will produce balanced results. A conservative board fiscal approach stabilizes the district in all aspects of management expenditures to continue the high quality of education the Mars area has come to expect and deserves.

NASSIF: As the community grows, so does the skill, talent, and knowledge in the district. I plan to tap into those creative minds for innovative educational opportunities. I will work to balance quality education with budgetary expenditures through utilization of the latest technology and gathering resourceful ideas from parents, teachers, administrators, and community members. I am excited about the tremendous opportunities that we now have in the Mars School District.

OBID: We are fortunate that as a growing community we have enjoyed an expanding tax base. We need to be aware of any factors that may constrain future growth and ensure that we do not rely on inflated projections when developing budgets. The quality of our schools is integral to the continued growth of our community. Careful planning and strategic choices that take community and teacher input into consideration is critical to maintaining the balance.

PETTIGREW: With more than 42 years of public education experience, maintaining quality education requires analyzing all programs whether they are educational in nature or are for support services, such as transportation, food service, maintenance and technology. The board and administration must continue to review the maintaining, removal, replacement and updating of its district operations, seeking the most beneficial and cost-effective solution. The needs of the student will always come first.

TOMCIK: Fortunately, the Mars School District is a growing community and the tax base is able to support the expenses that the school district incurs without having to raise taxes. In regards to quality education, I would encourage partnerships with academic institutions and businesses to offer students cutting edge technology and learning experiences through hands on labs that are dedicated to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) while maintaining fiscal responsibility.

WEAVER: With my board colleagues, administration and staff, I’m proud of our district’s rising student achievement results. Mars touts the highest School Performance Profile scores in Butler County and is ranked 10th in the 2015 Pittsburgh Business Times regional School District Honor Roll, up from 12th in 2014 and 19th in 2013. And, notably, we’ll adopt a 2015-16 budget with NO tax increase for the eighth consecutive year. Proven results that benefit both students and taxpayers.