Liberty candidates note changing demographics

All three candidates see
community involvement as key to the district’s success.

By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.

VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF

LIBERTY — Candidates for the school board here want voters to enter the voting booth considering who will best bring the community and board closer together and can address the changing demographics of the district.

Voters will fill two seats on the board from a field of three — Jeffrey Grinstein of Virginia Trail, Diana De Vito of Sampson Drive and incumbent Frank Gorsuch of Mcarthur Drive.

All three candidates listed greater involvement between the school district and community as major issues in the election.

Gorsuch points to a task force of school personnel, parents and concerned citizens formed after a reported sexual assault on school grounds as proof that the community and school can come together.

He said many of the suggestions from the task force have been implemented by the board.

Gorsuch said school officials are looking to create advisory committees with parental involvement as a means of continuing what was started by the task force.

Grinstein applauds the efforts of the task force, of which he was an active member, but said participation from community members has slacked off. He said the board must continually involve itself with the community even when there is no major issue of concern.

Grinstein and De Vito both said what many see as the changing student population of the school system is something the board will have to address in the coming years.

According to Grinstein, who credits himself with attending a majority of school board meetings and taking an active role as a parent, the township is seeing a shift in the student population, not in terms of race, but in terms of the economic advantages.

“The board can address the demographics of the system,” he said. “The demographics of Liberty have changed significantly. A lot of parents think of Liberty in terms of when they graduated, and it’s not the same. It’s different. Different is not bad, but change sometimes scares people.”

De Vito, who says her more than three decades in special education will be her greatest benefit to the board, agrees that the student population has seen some changes, but said the board must figure out a way of educating all students in the school system regardless of where the student has come from.

If re-elected, Gorsuch said he plans to look at various methods that will take the district to the “excellent” status in state ratings.

He also is looking forward to an opportunity to continue monitoring programs installed in the last several years.

jgoodwin@vindy.com