10 candidates vying for primary nominations to run for 5 open seats on Pine-Richland School Board

Editor’s note: The Pine Creek Journal is publishing election previews with candidate interviews for contested municipal and school board races only. The preview for the Pine supervisors race will run in the April 27 issue.

Democrat and Republican voters in the Pine-Richland School District will be asked to nominate candidates in the May 16 primary from all three regions to run for open school board seats in the fall general election.

GOP voters in Region 1 will nominate two candidates from a field of three on the ballot — incumbents Greg DiTullio and Mark Casciani and newcomer Ashley Fortier.

Region 1 has three representatives on the school board. The third seat is held by incumbent Lisa Hillman, who was elected to her first term in 2021. Her term runs through 2025.

DiTullio is seeking his third term on the board. He was first elected in 2015 and won a second term in 2019.

Casciani is seeking his fourth full term on the board. He was appointed in September 2012 and won the seat in 2013, 2015 and 2019.

The Democratic nomination in Region 1 is uncontested in the primary. Voters will select two nominees from a field of two candidates, Fortier, who cross-filed as a Republican and Democrat; and Heather Curtin.

Both candidates will win the nomination to run in the fall general election unless a write-in candidates garners more votes.

In Region 2, two candidates are cross-filed on both party tickets for the nomination to run for the seat currently held by Peter Lyons, who is not seeking election to a fourth term.

Republicans and Democrats will be asked to pick between newcomers Russell Patterson and Leslie Miller. If either candidates receives the most votes on both tickets, they will be unopposed for the seat in the fall.

If both win party nominations, they will square off against each other in the fall for the open seat.

Region 2 has three representatives on the school board.

School directors Amy Terchick and Christina Brussalis were elected in November 2021 to terms that run through 2025.

Region 3 voters from both parties will select two nominees from a field of three candidates who are cross-filed on each ticket.

Among them is incumbent school director Matthew Mehalik, who was appointed to the board in January 2018 to fill a vacancy and won the seat in 2019.

Incumbent Carla Meyer, who was elected in 2017, is not seeking reelection to the board.

Also seeking one of the two nominations from each party are Mike Wiethorn, Jennifer Beuse and Phillip R. Morrissette.

The third Region 3 seat on the board is held by John Joseph Cassidy, whose term runs through 2025.

Only candidates in contested primary were asked to provide written responses to these questions posed by the Tribune-Review:

Why did you decide to run for election?

What is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed?

Why should people vote for you?

Responses are in the same order as their names appear on the ballot.

Region 1 — Vote for 2

Ashley Fortier

1. I decided to run for the position because it feels like the school board is the natural next opportunity to serve my community. I have volunteered in the school community through the Parent Teacher Organizations since my oldest child, who is now in seventh grade, started kindergarten.

I have been fortunate to build relationships with the staff, teachers, administrators, families and students. I think the school board could be enhanced by a parent volunteer perspective.

2. We need to bring the school board’s focus back on students and provide a safe and supportive learning environment for every student. This environment needs to be built on strong family-teacher partnerships, which will lead to each student getting the resources and support needed to thrive in and beyond Pine-Richland.

3. I am proud to be part of Pine-Richland and I am excited to help collaborate to provide the best possible education for Pine-Richland kids.

Marc D. Casciani

1. I am running for school board again to continue to represent the conservative values shared by most of our community. Being on the school board empowers me to influence the direction of the district as our children receive their K-12 education.

2. The biggest issue that needs to be addressed is advocacy for parental involvement. Parents deserve transparency and representation against the progressive orthodoxy sweeping our public school culture. Children should receive a classical K-12 education that emphasizes virtuous living, traditional learning and civic responsibility.

3. I am a compassionate servant leader with a proven record. Over the past 10 years, the financial health of the district has strengthened significantly. I desire all students to reach their fullest potential and hope to ensure excellence in every area of Pine-Richland: academic, athletic, and extra-curricular.

Greg DiTullio

1. I am seeking another term as Pine Richland school director to continue the commitment I have made to upholding the conservative values of the Pine Richland community.

2. Advocating for parental involvement in their children’s education. Parents are the first and most important and influential teachers children have. Parents’ involvement in their children’s education is paramount to our distinct meeting the needs of the students and upholding the values shared by our parents and community.

3. Over the past nine years, I have brought conservative values and leadership to the Pine-Richland School Board:

Fiscal responsibility with a long term approach to funding and debt management.

Focus on every individual student reaching their full potential inside and outside the classroom.

As a parent of a special needs student who graduated from Pine Richland, I have diligently advocated for special education programming and services and have provided a unique perspective to board members and administration on the challenges that families with special needs children face on a daily basis.

Region 2 — Vote for 1

Russell Patterson

1. I am seeking a seat on the school board because it is time to focus on the needs of the children in our community instead of political agendas.

2. If elected to the board I want to push the board members and the administration to provide more transparency on the reasoning behind how decisions are made.

3. Voters should know that I have received both my master’s degree and doctor of philosophy degree from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Education. I have been an educator for over 20 years and I am passionate about meeting the needs of all children.

Leslie Miller

1. As a former high school Spanish teacher, I am passionate about quality education for all. I have concerns about the significant loss of learning reflected in post covid test scores for the PSSA. I am running to be a voice for parents who also want to see their kids achieve their personal best.

2. Parents in the community are concerned about academic decline, transparency, fiscal responsibility, and having a voice. We need to find creative ways to get back to our “pre-pandemic” benchmarks and level of excellence for which Pine-Richland is known.

3. I bring a unique perspective to the board, having 10 years teaching experience, volunteering in many capacities throughout the schools and being a concerned parent. I have been listening to a variety of parents speaking at board meetings who are looking for measurable improvements and I am ready to serve and be a voice for my constituents.

Region 3 — Vote for 2

Matthew M. Mehalik

1. I have been proudly serving Pine-Richland as a school director since 2018. I believe my experience as an educator and my board service during a challenging time for children, parents, teachers and staff demonstrate my steadiness, thoughtfulness and reliability to navigate tough decisions. Results on student safety, program continuity, finances, and strategic planning stand out. We are a district that is fortunate to have so many things going well and the ability to improve some areas in the pursuit of educational and community excellence.

2. We need to elevate core values of inclusiveness, hope and dignity so that all our district’s children and families feel welcomed and that our district’s teachers and staff feel supported. These are the foundations of excellence in learning. Let’s embrace different points of view so respectful dialogue can occur, not divisiveness. We are also recovering from a generation-disrupting pandemic. We can rally together to support our children and families so all can be included in the pursuit of excellence in education and community.

3. Experience matters. My professional background as an educator for 25 years provides steady ground for school district decisions. I care about our district, for my own and everyone’s child’s experiences in our schools. Leadership matters. My service and community advocacy work show that I listen to achieve effective outcomes. Collaboration matters. My community advocacy work, my classroom experience, and board service all demonstrate my commitment to collaborating to solve challenges together, even some of the most difficult challenges, while remaining committed to core values, especially putting our children’s learning, belonging and safety needs at the center.

Mike Wiethorn

1. I am running for school board so that every student has an opportunity to achieve his or her best possible academic outcome. I have a strong interest in ensuring there is a conducive environment for learning in our schools.

2. The biggest issue that needs to be addressed is making sure that parents are informed, involved and in control of their children’s education.

3. People should vote for me to provide students in the Pine-Richland school district and their parents with an advocate who is looking out for the collective best interest of the student body. To provide the taxpayers in the Pine Richland School District with a fiscally responsible member of the school board.

Jennifer Beuse

1. I value public education, teachers’ expertise and students’ rights to learn. My four children span all levels of the district, providing me with a unique insight as a parent as well as having a vested interest in seeing not just my kids, but all kids and schools succeed.

2. Our community is attractive because of our schools. Addressing covid learning loss and supporting students’ mental health challenges after the pandemic are paramount. Decades-old norms of helping kids regulate emotions, working cooperatively, respecting self and others, and gaining resiliency through meeting challenges are facing political pressure to be removed, which would be harmful to our kids, particularly with the challenges faced and social opportunities lost coming through the pandemic.

3. I will work with families and teachers to ensure all kids; regardless of religion, gender, race, sexuality, abilities, or political affiliation learn what they need to thrive and succeed as good citizens. I will be honest, publicly transparent in my decisions, civil and prepare for meetings to increase effectiveness of our student-focused board. As a former secondary science educator, I will work with families and fellow board members to focus our efforts on ensuring the students of Pine-Richland receive quality education in a welcoming environment for all.

Philip R. Morrissette

1. The last few years have not only been a trying time for our country but also for our local school district. Change really starts in the home and in our local communities. Parents have the responsibility and accountability of their children. Their children are sent to Pine-Richland because this school district has a reputation for providing exceptional education. I want to ensure that this high quality education continues and is not sidetracked with non-educational concerns.

2. There are a number of concerns that need to be addressed. Most concerning are as follows:

• Covid learning loss needs reversed.

• Parents’ voices need to be heard, and parents need to be very aware and engaged in how their child’s life is affected when they walk in the door of their school.

• Future annual financial budgets must be fiscally disciplined and responsible to our tax base.

3. As a board member, I will fight for parents’ role in education to be honored and protected. We will put the needs of our kids and their parents first. We will keep Pine-Richland school system focused on continued quality education and development of all students to be ready for their world when they graduate, whether they advance to college or focus their desires on highly skilled opportunities.