6 in school board race for 4 Ligonier Valley 4-year seats; 2 face off for 2-year term

Six candidates are vying in the Nov. 4 election for a quartet of four-year seats on the Ligonier Valley School Board.

Two other hopefuls — John Fitchwell, selected by Republican Party leaders, and Maureen Ittig, chosen by the Democratic Party — are facing off for a two-year seat. The winner of that race will fill the remaining term of Joseph Vella, who died April 29.

Candidates for the longer board terms are aligned in the same two campaign camps that appeared in the spring primary.

Republican nominees include three incumbents — board President Donald Gilbert Jr., vice president Cindy Brown and Josi Bennett — along with Robert Fryman, who previously ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the board.

Democratic nominees include Christy Boyd, who was appointed by the Westmoreland County Court to temporarily fill Vella’s seat through early December, and Sarah Rovedatti. They were cross-filed in the primary — along with running mate, Jason Botti, who also received a Democratic nomination but dropped out of the race.

Bennett received an additional Democratic nomination through write-in votes.

Boyd, 57, of Ligonier Township is a retired quality manager in manufacturing. As a new board member, Boyd said, she’s applied approaches she practiced in her career.

“I understand the importance of accountability, collaboration and careful decision-making,” she said. “No single board member can know everything, so success comes from working together as a team — supporting and challenging one another to make the best decisions for our students and staff.”

She said she is concerned Ligonier Valley has one of the lowest academic rankings among school districts in Westmoreland County.

“Too many of our students are falling behind, and it’s our responsibility to ensure they have the resources, support and opportunities they need to catch up and thrive,” she said.

Boyd said she has taken part in hiring a new district superintendent and a director of special education while carefully reviewing payments presented for approval.

Boyd said she and Rovedatti “share a strong commitment to evidence-based decision-making and responsible governance.”

Rovedatti, 39, of Ligonier Township works as a compliance consultant in the financial services industry.

She said she has managerial skills and familiarity with regulatory compliance, accountability and allocating resources.

She said she could provide the district “an operational perspective, to get things on track. That can include policies and regulations and being transparent. I think that’s super important in leadership, to the board and the community.”

Above all, Rovedatti said, “We need to focus on kids as our number one priority.”

In addition to striving for a strong curriculum, she suggested the district conduct an inventory of the items it has on hand — including an assessment of how they may have depreciated in value.

“Then we’ll know when they need replaced or updated so we’re not caught off guard by large surprises,” she said.

In a campaign ad, Gilbert, Brown, Bennett and Fryman are billed as “Five To Thrive,” including the addition of Fitchwell. The ad cites a commitment to financial responsibility, support for parental rights and a focus on the educational foundations of reading, writing, math and science.

Gilbert, 52, of Ligonier Township is a golf course owner/operator who is semi-retired.

Gilbert said communication among district parents, teachers and administrators has improved with recent key staffing changes the school board has approved.

“We want to continue the improvement of that communication,” he said. “Information needs to flow to the administration team in order to create a positive environment and bring beneficial ideas to the school board for review and approval.”

He said the district should follow a proactive schedule for reviewing and updating its curriculum subject areas, with a goal of increasing student achievement and Ligonier Valley’s academic ranking.

“Student security and safety is my No. 1 priority,” Gilbert added.

To that end, he said the district brought in a consultant to review school security measures and consider possible improvements — “which may include the addition of more security personnel and enhanced training for our staff.”

Efforts to obtain updated information from Brown, Bennett and Fryman were unsuccessful.

Brown of Ligonier Township is a former teacher.

She told TribLive during the spring primary campaign she also has been involved in improving district communications and had reached out to get input from teachers on matters before the school board.

Brown said she worked with Gilbert and Bennett to reassert the school board’s leading role in directing district operations — instead of simply rubber-stamping administrators’ recommendations.

She also said she wants to entice more people to move into the district while striving to improve its academic ranking.

Bennett of Cook hasn’t let a physical disability hinder her from raising a family or taking on a public service role.

She said she, likewise, has worked to improve communications with parents. She said her priorities include keeping school taxes down and allowing teachers greater autonomy in the way they present lessons.

Fryman of Cook is a retired educator with teaching experience of 19 years each at the collegiate and public school levels.

He, too, advocated for periodic reviews of the Ligonier Valley curriculum, with an emphasis on challenging students to develop critical-thinking skills.

He suggested the district develop a five-year plan to assist with decision-making. He proposed supplementing regular school board meetings with quarterly information and input sessions for the public.

Seeking a two-year term

Fitchwell, 70, has lived in Ligonier Township for 18 years.

He relocated from Allegheny County after serving eight years on Oakmont Borough Council and four years on the Oakmont Water Authority.

He retired in 2021 as president of Wilcox Bros. Co., an automotive and truck parts distributor. He began his 45-year career there as an accountant.

He serves on the board of The Aviation Foundation, which he said supports training and education for young people who are interested in getting involved in the aviation field.

Fitchwell said he wants to see increased academic proficiency among Ligonier Valley students while keeping district taxes in check.

He said he could apply his financial background as a school board member to “uncover any waste that may be occurring — so there are more funds to maybe create a tutoring program, if that is necessary.”

Fitchwell said he’s pleased by the school board’s recent efforts to improve lines of communication.

“They’ve been more encouraging and inviting as far as parent and teacher input,” he said. “That’s the way it’s got to be. We’ve gotten away from that.”

He added, “We’ve got to take the politics out of education. This isn’t a Republican or a Democratic issue.”

Ittig, 48, moved to Ligonier Borough with her family in 2012 and is raising three children ranging in age from 4 to 12.. She ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the school board two years ago.

Citing a background of more than 20 years in education and knowledge of childhood development issues, she said, “I thought it was a role where I might have some skills to offer.”

Ittig has worked for Penn State since 2008, as an extension educator and a professor at the university’s Fayette campus. She also has been involved with a nonprofit, working to make after-school programs more inclusive for children with special needs.

Ittig focuses on family well-being with the extension program, providing a range of educational offerings to help strengthen families and children in rural areas as they deal with issues including mental health and stress.

“Our mission is to provide science-based information,” she said, adding, as a school board member, she also would “lean toward looking at research for evidence-based decision-making.

“I’m interested in policy more than politics. I am nominated by the Democratic party, but I’m nonpartisan in my interest in the school board.”

Ittig said she’s interested in enhancing Ligonier Valley’s special education and gifted education programs, as well as opportunities for students in the arts and music.

She also is an advocate for expanded outdoor recess periods for younger children. “A lot of research has shown that it’s great for friendship skills, stress levels and academic performance,” she said.

She said she wants to see school board members working well with each other, as well as with educators and district families and residents.

“I want the best for the district,” she said. “I think in general it’s a collaborative community.”