4 new directors elected to Pine-Richland school board

Nearly half of Pine-Richland’s nine-member school board was replaced on Tuesday when an incumbent school director was defeated and three other political newcomers were elected to serve.

In Region 1, Republican Lisa Hillman defeated Democrat Ashley Fortier to fill a vacancy created with the resignation of school director Ben Campbell in April.

The school board appointed Amy Hayden to complete the remainder of Campbell’s term, which expires at the end of the year. Hayde did not seek election to a full, four-year term.

Hillman received 1,414 votes compared to 1,080 cast for Fortier in the general election.

Hillman, 49, has a bachelor’s degree from The Ohio State University and is a homemaker. She previously worked as a public policy and data analyst.

In Region 2, voters were asked to select from a field of four candidates to fill two open seats.

Republicans Amy Terchick and Christina Brussalis received the highest number of votes to secure their victories.

Terchick picked up 1,541 of the votes cast and Brussalis received 1,532 votes.

Incumbent Christine Misback only got 912 votes in her failed reelection bid and Democrat Russell Patterson lost with 996 votes.

Terchick, 50, has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Penn State and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from the University of North Carolina.

She works as an account manager and professional organizer.

Brussalis, 49, has a bachelor’s degree from Baldwin Wallace College and is a homemaker. She previously worked as a consultant.

John Joseph Cassidy, who has not held previous elected office, ran uncontested in the general election to win the Region 3 race.

Cassidy defeated incumbent board member Katarzyna Swope, who was appointed in December 2019, in the Republican and Democratic primaries.

School board members are elected for four-year terms and are unpaid.