Seven people are running for six open seats on the New Kensington-Arnold School Board.

The only contested race is in the district’s Region I, where incumbent Eric Doutt, a Democrat, is facing two challengers, Republican Deborah Schreckengost and Terry Schrock, who is cross-filed on both party ballots.

In Region II, Tim Beckes, a Democrat, and Steven Sorch, cross-filed, are the only candidates for two four-year terms. John DeAntonio, who is also cross-filed, is the only candidate for a two-year seat in that region.

John Cope, cross-filed, is the sole candidate on the ballot for a four-year term in Region III.

Five of the seven candidates — Schreckengost, Schrock, Sorch, DeAntonio and Cope — are running together under the “Change4NKASD” ticket. Barring write-ins, at least four of the five will join the nine-member school board.

In Region I, Doutt is seeking a fourth term on the school board. He got on the ballot as a Democrat after selecting the correct lot to break a tie with Schreckengost, who is on the Republican ballot.

Doutt, 50, is the police chief in Arnold, his hometown, and a graduate of Valley High School. He has two daughters and a son, all district graduates.

“For nine out of 12 years we’ve had no tax increase. I’m very proud of that,” he said. “Fiscal responsibility is a big issue. It’s getting harder and harder to do with the tax base that we currently have in both communities.”

In charge of the board’s security committee, Doutt said the district has its own unarmed security force and a New Kensington school resource officer at the high school. Arnold is seeking a grant for a resource officer that would be in the elementary schools in Arnold.

“We have secure facilities,” he said. “We started way before anybody else got into this.”

Schreckengost, 62, is also an Arnold resident and native. She retired from the district in 2015 after 32 years as a custodian and in the maintenance department.

She and her husband, Steven Taylor, have four children and 11 grandchildren, of which five grandchildren are district students.

She’s never run for an elected office before. “I just decided if there’s an opening, I might be able to help,” she said.

Bullying is the issue that concerns Schreckengost the most.

“I’ve had many parents come to me about bullying issues,” she said. “If we could get some type of comprehensive anti-bullying program, or maybe some sensitivity training, I think it would help. When a child doesn’t want to go to school, that’s massive.”

A native of Somerset County, Schrock moved to New Kensington in 2002. His work as an attorney focuses on insurance defense.

His wife, Denise, a Lower Burrell native, works in elementary guidance in the Burrell School District. Of their three children, they have a daughter in high school and a son in eighth grade.

Like Schreckengost, this is the first time Schrock has sought elected office, something he had been considering doing later in life when his kids were out of school. That changed when he was approached about running this year.

“It was time for me to step up and commit to some public service,” he said.

Schrock said the district needs to promote the good things happening and the talent it has.

Schrock said his first item of business would be to establish a structure on the school board he finds lacking, and empowering the staff in hopes of “mending fences” and “returning harmony” among the board, teachers and administrators.

“Right now, our teachers don’t feel empowered. They feel frustrated, and a little disenfranchised despite the fact the board recently ratified a new contract for them,” he said. “Money is only part of the equation when you’re looking at a successful partnership between the board, the staff and the administration.”

Schrock also wants to rebuild public trust and support.

“People don’t like how school board meetings have been held,” he said. “Everybody needs an opportunity to be heard. To let them speak and to let them actually be heard and take into consideration their concerns is something I’d like to build on.”

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