5 vying for 4 spots on the ballot for Carlynton school board

Editor’s note: Signal Item is only spotlighting contested races in the primary election.

Carlynton School District residents will see a few familiar faces on the school board director ballot as four incumbent school board directors look to retain their seats, according to the Allegheny County Office of Elections unofficial candidate list.

Newcomer Jessica Vogliano is running for the first time and hoping to take one of the four available spots on the November ballot.

Here are the candidates and their responses to election questions posed by the Signal Item:

Joseph C. Appel

Why did you decide to run for election? I want to continue to serve the communities of Carnegie, Rosslyn Farms and Crafton. School districts face many challenges and the pandemic has brought many of those problems into sharper focus. We need to address the learning gap between students and ensure that every student has the tools to be a happy and productive member of society. Remote learning made the disparity very clear with the lack of access to technology that many students faced early in the pandemic. We were able to distribute Chromebooks and make wifi available to help bridge that gap. Our teachers and administrators have worked hard to deliver quality education to students. As with most districts, sadly we are seeing students not engaging and at risk of failing. As a district, we have to do the things that will get all of our students caught up. I’m committed to that mission.

What is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed? Funding. Local tax revenues account for more than two-thirds of Carlynton’s total budget while the state kicks in less than one-third. Our community members value education, but local taxes simply can’t keep pace with increasing costs — many of which are mandated by the state. The governor recognizes this and has proposed more funding to public schools. Hopefully, these much-needed funds will arrive, but Carlynton has to continue to be a careful steward of our resources.

What should voters know about you? I’m the proud father of a Carlynton grad who is a sophomore at the University of Pittsburgh. Her Carlynton education gave her a great foundation for college. Our son is a junior at Carlynton. He did well last year with remote learning and continues to do well. So I’m familiar with the challenges that Carlynton families face with remote and hybrid learning. My wife and I purchased our home in Crafton in 2007. We chose the borough because of the closely-knit neighborhoods and the neighborhood schools where our kids could receive the attention that is available in a small district.

LeeAnne O’Brien

Why did you decide to run for election? I first became aware of the need for community involvement in the district several years ago during the Save Our Schools movement that began when the school board voted to close our two community elementary schools to build a new consolidated school elsewhere. That very active community involvement – which resulted in several new school board members, some of whom continue to serve today – resulted in the decision being reversed. I realized then that we can sit on the sidelines and complain after questionable decisions are made or get involved and help to drive district policy and I joined the board when the next opportunity arose. The decisions we make can be difficult, but it’s rewarding to be able to do something that has a direct impact on our kids, including my own. I’m running for re-election because it feels like there is still good work to be done.

What is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed? Maintaining the financial sustainability of the district while still providing a quality educational product that results in kids who are prepared to be successful in the real world. I do not think that the general public fully understands the insanity of public school funding – the constant balancing of what the district is mandated to do, what the district wants to do and what we have the financial resources to actually accomplish. As a small, land-locked district that doesn’t have the benefit of an enormous business district or continual building and development to expand our revenue stream, this is a constant challenge and sits in the back of our heads with every decision that has to be made. We work hard to be very transparent about this challenge.

What should voters know about you? I have two kids in this district, so the decisions we make impact my family directly as well. I love the close-knit feel of this community. I love the fact that our kids can do and participate in anything that interests them – which is so very different than the large district that I grew up in. It’s part of the charm of Carlynton and I would hate to ever see that change.

Susie Puskar

Why did you decide to run for election? I was approached in November 2020 to fill a vacant seat on the Carlynton School Board. I agreed to join the board then and am running for election now because public schools are critical to the fabric of communities and the future of our society. I want to continue working to ensure that Carlynton School District provides high-quality education to all students, with an intentional focus on equity.

What is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed? The covid-19 pandemic has exacerbated educational inequity throughout the country. While we still don’t have full data on the effect of the pandemic, we know that many students have demonstrated learning loss since March 2020. The effects of the pandemic will take years to remediate; we need to plan for sustained academic and social/emotional supports for students in the district. These challenges add to an existing fiscal challenge. While recent federal relief bills have included significant investment in local education, they are not enough (and not sustainable enough) to resolve the district’s lasting budget challenges. The state’s pension crisis, charter school payments and systemic disinvestment in public education have put Carlynton and other school districts into a difficult position. While the school board has already done significant work to set the district up for success financially, there are large budget challenges looming that must be addressed. We need for the community, board, administration and educators to work together to solve this challenge.

What should voters know about you? I have a son in the district and a daughter who will be in kindergarten in the fall. I work for the Workforce Development Board for Allegheny County and the City of Pittsburgh. This work has given me a depth of knowledge about the role K-12 education plays in developing our future workforce. I care deeply about making sure that all students are college and career-ready when they graduate from high school. High school graduation is a starting line, not an endpoint. A Carlynton education should set students up to be successful whether they go straight into the workforce, into an apprenticeship or the military, or pursue post-secondary education.

Christine Simcic

Why did you decide to run for election? I have been a member of the Carlynton School District Board of Directors since 2017. I am running for re-election because I value community service and feel it is my duty to contribute. My first term has been spent learning about the public education environment among talented administrators, knowledgeable board members and a caring community. Our team has accomplished much together, but there remains work to be done.”

What is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed? The biggest issue is the budget. I am proud of the fact that our current board has worked with the administration to put a five-year plan in place highlighting sustainability, efficiency and thoughtful planning. Now that we have a plan, we must monitor to ensure that we stay on track. Our board members are also community members whose goal is to maintain fiscal stability while ensuring a high qualityhigh-quality learning environment for Carlynton students. Our district has a great team of educators. With properly managed funds, we can give them the tools and the environment they need to nurture student achievement.

What should voters know about you? I have been a resident of Rosslyn Farms since 2002. My children are Carlynton High School students/alumni. As a member of the Carlynton School Board, I am the board liaison for Pennsylvania School Boards Association for our legislative committee and the board liaison for the Carlynton Education Foundation. Professionally, I have been the secretary/treasurer for a small wholesale distribution company since 2002 where my primary function is human resources. I am a member of the CCAC Mechatronics Advisory Committee and have had an active interest in workforce development and education for a long time.

Jessica L. Vogliano

Why did you decide to run for election? I believe as a recent graduate of the Carlynton School District, I can bring new ideas to ensure that our budgets are cost-effective that protect taxpayers from heavy tax increases while also making sure that our administrators and teachers have the resources they need to provide for every student who attends school in the district. I believe I have the experience and ideas to help our beloved school district strive.

What is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed? I understand the concerns that students, parents and teachers share in regard to the delay in making capital improvements to our schools. We need to be fiscally conscious of the money that the taxpayers of the district trust us with, but we also need to ensure that we are making the necessary facility improvements to ensure we are encouraging families to relocate to our school district.

What should voters know about you? As the previous class president for Carlynton High School, I know how to work with administrators and teachers to get tasks accomplished. I have actively participated in the school district, community, youth and charity organizations while attending our schools. I am also advocating to expand extracurricular options for our students. With that being said, I commit to working with local leaders in our business community to help raise funds for our students. I have done this before when I raised funds to pay for our senior prom, and I will do so again.