5 candidates seek 4 seats on the Chartiers Valley School Board

Voters in the Chartiers Valley School District will pick between 5 candidates for 4 seats on the school board.

Newcomers Mark Dodson and Mark Fiorilli will join incumbents Mitch Montani, Lisa Trainor and Megan Sexton on the ballot for the Nov. 4 general election.

Here are the candidates’ responses to questions asked by the Signal Item:

Mark Dodson

Age: 65

Education: Montour High grad; and Parkway West Career & Technology Center, Community College Of Allegheny County (Electronics)

Occupation: Served as sales manager for 37 years in the operations of point-of-sale systems.

What is your philosophy when it comes to making decisions involving district finances?

If elected, I have a responsibility to our taxpayers to be fiscally responsible and provide a balanced budget. I have attended school board meetings since 2008, and I feel decisions were made that caused excessive spending and required tax increases. Every expenditure needs to be reviewed for accuracy.

As a concerned citizen, I monitored the school district’s expenses and found an increase in water consumption during covid when the school was closed for at-home learning. This water leak cost taxpayers over $350,000. If I had not brought this to the attention of the previous superintendent, how long would this have gone on?

I would continue to review expenses and ensure they are accurate. Further, I will do my part to provide a balanced budget and no tax increases for our citizens.

How would you plan to improve academic achievement in Chartiers Valley?

A shocking decline in academic performance by all measurable standards is one of the biggest challenges of Chartiers Valley School District. We need to bring back our school district to its former glory as a top-ranked school district in Western Pennsylvania. This will only occur by working as a team of board members, supporting the administration and enabling staff to deliver instruction in the classroom.

The current school board has implemented new changes that should improve test scores and provide our students with the best opportunity to prepare them for their future. I believe we should continue on this same path.

Mark Fiorilli

Age: 42

Education: John Carroll University, B.A. in history; Thomas M. Cooley Law School, J.D. in 2008; The Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School (TJAGLCS), 2011

Occupation: Attorney-at-law, shareholder and secretary to the board of directors at Zimmer Kunz, PLLC

What is your philosophy when it comes to making decisions involving district finances?

Every financial decision needs to support students, which means putting classroom needs first and planning proactively instead of reactively. I believe in open and transparent budgeting so families and taxpayers can see how and where tax dollars are spent.

My goal is to invest in programs that improve academic achievement, close opportunity gaps, and help guide Chartiers Valley forward without creating future financial burdens.

How would you plan to improve academic achievement in Chartiers Valley?

Improving academic achievement at Chartiers Valley requires supporting teachers and consistent administrative leadership. Chartiers Valley is taking a data-driven approach to improving academics. But, it takes collaboration among teachers, administrators and families to make sure the data is used to create real academic solutions.

With support, open communication, trust and consistent leadership, we can create a school district where education is prioritized and long-term academic growth is realized.

Mitch Montani

Age: 27

Education: Waynesburg University, Bachelor’s degree in communications

Occupation: Public access coordinator

What is your philosophy when it comes to making decisions involving district finances?

Our district has suffered from too many short-term financial fixes and lack of planning. Financial decisions should be made by establishing and following a long-term (5-10 year) financial plan. Ideally this plan would find ways to cut unnecessary costs, raise revenues and explore more grants for future infrastructure needs. Over time, this will stabilize the financial situation, improve education quality and keep Chartiers Valley an affordable place to live.

Openness and accountability have been, and will continue to be, my top priority. When difficult financial decisions need to be made, open lines of communication are essential to building community trust and unity.

How would you plan to improve academic achievement in Chartiers Valley?

This comes down to establishing a long-term academic vision for the district. Recent cuts to AP classes and real-world classes like economics and engineering cannot be our new standard. Academic decisions should be made with a deeper understanding and more collaboration with stakeholders.

Providing students with a variety of pathways has always been important to me. Striving for higher test scores is essential, and steps have been taken to do so. But Chartiers Valley has a strong track record of sending well-rounded and blue-collar students into the world. This identity should be embraced.

We should be more supportive of students who are considering a skilled trade, law enforcement, medical profession or the military.

Megan Sexton

Age: 48

Education: University of Pittsburgh, Bachelor of Arts in psychology, master’s degrees in elementary education

Occupation: First grade teacher in Pittsburgh Public Schools (23 years)

What is your philosophy when it comes to making decisions involving district finances?

We need to work collaboratively to make decisions that keep students at the center while being transparent and fiscally responsible. With a struggling district, I believe in prioritizing essential programs that directly impact learning, listening to community input, and using data to guide choices.

It’s important to balance immediate needs with long-term stability by seeking creative solutions, partnerships, and efficiencies. Currently we have no long-term sustainable plan which is what is desperately needed at this point. Every dollar should reflect our commitment to student success and the sustainability of our schools.

How would you plan to improve academic achievement in Chartiers Valley?

I truly believe that to improve academic achievement we need to ensure teachers have access to timely, targeted and ongoing professional development aligned with student needs and district goals.

By using data such as the new MAPS program we have implemented to identify learning gaps, we can continue to strengthen instruction and instill confidence in our teachers. When educators feel supported and empowered, student learning and achievement naturally follow.

Lisa Trainor

Age: 61

Education: Bachelor of Art, English and Psychology, Bethany College; Master of Education, Secondary English from Duquesne University; Master of Education, Curriculum and Instruction/Supervisory Certificate, Point Park University

Occupation: Retired high school English teacher and curriculum leader (28 years at Chartiers Valley), former student teacher supervisor and part-time instructor (University of Pittsburgh, School of Education); currently part-time sales manager, PIAA Track and Field official

What is your philosophy when it comes to making decisions involving district finances?

We desperately need a sustainable financial plan to keep us solvent for the next five to 10 years. Currently we are relying on one-time fixes; retirements, staff reductions and short-term fund juggling. These are just not sustainable, nor do they address the growth of district enrollment and aging facilities.

Now is the time to bring together stakeholders within the district to plan ahead and make long-term plans to consider the needs of all facets of our educational community.

How would you plan to improve academic achievement in Chartiers Valley?

We need a sustainable, systematic plan. With a common vision and goals — achieved through discussions with administrators, teachers, students and parents — we can design a strategic way to achieve those goals.

We need administrators who understand curriculum and instructional methods to guide our teaching staff toward a common vision. This would include sustained professional development so that all are focused on data-driven instruction and prepared with the best instructional methods to meet students where they are in order to help them achieve long-term goals. A cohesive plan, communicated with the entire educational community, is a hallmark of high-achieving districts.