Highlands School Board: Region 3 — Field sees 4 vying for 2 seats

The Highlands School District drew a large field of interest in the upcoming primary election with 11 people vying for five open seats across three regions.

In Region 3, a soon-to-be Highlands graduate and a former board member are among the mix of four candidates for two open seats.

Elijah Majocha and Misty Chybrzynski Woody will vie against incumbents Laura Butler and Kristie Babinsack. All are cross-filed.

Region 3 includes a large portion of Harrison. It stretches from Route 28 to the Allegheny River, from Silverlake Park to the Freeport border in one section and from Alsco Park to Freeport in another.

The Valley News Dispatch asked each candidate the same questions to give readers a chance to compare their positions. Here are the answers from the Region 3 candidates:

Why did you decide to run for election?

Babinsack: “I enjoy my work as a board member, being the voice of my constituents,” she said. “I feel like I really got shorted with covid hitting right at the beginning of my first term, and all my priorities had to switch to whether or not to mask, virtual learning and keeping the students and staff safe.

“I didn’t get to accomplish nearly a fraction of what I had hoped to during my first term. I would like to now focus on those important topics that haven’t been addressed, still need more work or have just begun and need to be seen through to completion.”

Butler: “I am not, nor ever will be, a keyboard warrior on social media,” she said. “When I moved here, I continuously heard people stating there was no transparency, the district was going downhill, children were not getting a good education to be able to get a good job — let alone go to college. I had three grandchildren that I believed were entitled to a good public education, as was every other child in the district.

“My focus is transparency, making sure tax dollars are used appropriately, legitimate hiring processes and doing what I can to ensure a safe and equitable learning environment for all children.”

Majocha: “I decided to run for school board to bring transparency to the parents and a voice to the students,” he said. “I want to set up a structured plan to tackle the wide varieties of bullying that our district faces.

“Many of the parents don’t even know about the bullying app that we adopted so they will have a place to go for help.”

Chybrzynski Woody: “Our school district has a huge impact on our communities, our economy and the future of our children,” she said. “I am running because it is important for families and homeowners to be represented and heard in order to improve operations, reduce economic pressure for our senior citizens and increase positive outcomes for all of our students.

“I see challenging areas that desperately need improvement and am willing to be a part of the solution-seeking that is needed at the district’s board level right now.”

What are the biggest priorities facing the district?

Babinsack: “Putting into motion a solid anti-bullying program so that all kids feel safe, building a culture of open communication and support among staff, and regaining morale,” she said.

Babinsack said the district also needs to continue building the career workforce curriculum so students can choose their own pathways after high school.

“We also need to focus on understanding why kids aren’t in school to improve truancy,” she said. “Lastly, we need to focus on transparency between the district and community so that the trust can be regained and the taxpayers feel that their elected board members are doing what is best for this district.”

Butler: “Increasing academic achievement for all students and engaging the community and parents to be more involved in their child’s education,” she said.

“A child’s education is a shared responsibility between home, school and community.”

Butler also listed other issues that include providing pathways and opportunities for every child to be successful after graduation.

She said priorities need to be addressed while providing a safe learning environment and balancing the district financials to make the most of every dollar available to educational needs.

Majocha: “Of course, it’s bullying, but that’s obvious,” he said. “Another problem we face is educational involvement and preparation. The kids are lacking involvement within lessons because hands-on learning has become less and less as time goes by.

“Students don’t become prepared for college because we lack the preparation of teaching the kids life skills. A good example is to learn how to get out of debt, how to balance a checkbook, how to sign and write a check. All of that is being lacked.”

Chybrzynski Woody: “Workplace culture, student outcomes, seeking financial solutions in order to keep the tax rate from increasing and school discipline,” she said. “We need more students with a diploma, being in class and having instructional time while in school.

“Our discipline system and processes need to be reviewed, improved and made more equitable.”

Chybrzynski Woody said the district’s work environment is the students’ learning space.

“It needs to improve,” she said.

“Staff and students need to want to be at school in order for us to get the outcomes our community needs. I want to explore financial opportunities with school properties and those in the district that are abandoned or delinquent.”

Related

• Highlands School Board: Region 1 — Large field for primary has 4 candidates seeking 2 positions
• Highlands School Board: Region 2 — Large primary field sees 3 newcomers vying for 1 seat

What qualities do you feel you bring to the position?

Babinsack: “As a parent of seven children, along with my background in education, I bring knowledge on many levels about curriculum and education in general, and can speak from both the perspective of a staff member and a parent,” she said.

“I listen to the concerns of the community, and I am not afraid to push back when I don’t agree, even if I am the only one.

“I fully research things and make decisions based on the facts I know and not only on the immediate effect of that decision but long-term effects as well.”

Butler: “I bring 45-plus years in academic experience at the university level,” she said.

“I have strong skills in every aspect of academics: leadership/management, financial, business development, research, human resources, health and safety and strategic planning.”

Butler has worked at five major universities — Stanford, UCLA, USC, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon — all in leadership positions, she said.

Butler believes her work on diversity, education and inclusion committees will benefit the “very diverse” district.

Majocha: “What I bring to the position is persistency,” he said. “You need someone who will drive past the fourth wall and put 110% focus on the people of the district.

“I have insight on what a student faces daily, with me being soon-to-be fresh out of high school, that nobody else has.”

Majocha said he plans to bring voices to students and parents.

“During the times my parents were in high school, they said that students had much a bigger role in communicating with the school board. They had voices back then for every decision, and now it doesn’t feel like anyone listens to students,” he said. “I’d like to bring that transparency to students so that they have a voice that speaks loud to the board.”

Chybrzynski Woody: As a Highlands graduate, parent and former administrative employee, Chybrzynski Woody said she understands school funding and challenges and has a unique insight into school operations.

“I work in mental health and behavioral health social support and see solutions and services that are available across the county that could benefit our district,” she said.

“I implemented K-12 afterschool programs in the district through my work with Highlands Partnership Network, so I have a real pulse on our youth and families and what they need to improve personal outcomes, which will benefit the community as a whole long-term.”