School board race draws interest of 5

Future funding is a key issue with most of the candidates.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
BOARDMAN -- Five candidates, including two incumbents, are campaigning for one of the three available seats on the Boardman Board of Education.
Mark J. Fulks has served on the board since 1998 and Fred Davis is looking for a third term. Barbara Barsch is not seeking re-election.
Residents William Kibbel, Kenneth J. Beraduce and Kimberly Poma are hoping for a first term to serve on the board.
Funding: Fulks and Davis say one of the main issues in the race will be funding. It is important that the board use its "limited resources" to continue to hire excellent administrators and teachers, and improve facilities, said Fulks.
Kibbel also said funding is a key issue for schools across the state because of questions on what future funding sources will be available, and various Ohio Supreme Court rulings that may cause the legislature to make changes in school funding. He feels his experience as a certified public accountant will give the board the needed experience to address such financial concerns.
Kibbel, who emphasizes that the board has not had a CPA as a member since William Leicht left to become township clerk, said a lack of someone from the accounting profession would not be tolerated in the private sector and should not be tolerated for the school system.
Beraduce and Poma said the district already offers excellent leadership under the current superintendent and staff -- something they would like to help preserve. Poma said the district, as any suburban school system, must also deal with the potential influx of students from other areas with collaborative efforts between teachers, parents and administrators.
Priorities: As for priorities, Poma said the board should put emphasis on "finding each child's uniqueness and encouraging and enabling individual growth" within the student population.
Davis said he would like to maintain the same level of excellence seen in his previous two terms on the board.
Beraduce said an effective board must include the ability to continually provide a safe, clean and innovative atmosphere for students in the system.
If elected, Fulks said some of his priorities would be to obtain and maintain an "effective school" status on the Ohio report card, eliminate portable classrooms at Robinwood Lane and Stadium Drive elementary schools and increase facilities at those two schools to include additional classrooms and computer labs.