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boardman schools 2 board hopefuls appeal to voters
BOARDMAN
Two challengers in the race for Boardman Board of Education claim voters should choose them, in large part, because they are parents of students attending Boardman schools.
James Hruska and Niklaus Amstutz, a board member from 2006 to 2009, said they would bring a different perspective because the two incumbents, Kenneth Beraduce and Fred Davis, and the rest of the board no longer have children enrolled in Boardman.
The four candidates are vying for two open seats. Beraduce has just completed his first term, and Davis was appointed last year to replace Dr. Robert DeMarco, who stepped down. Davis also served on the board for 12 years until 2004, when he chose not to run again.
Amstutz said when he’s spoken to parents during the campaign, many were surprised that no one on the current board has children in Boardman schools. He said the board could have included parents more in the discussion of participation fees, for example.
Hruska’s impetus for running is based mostly on his frustrations as a parent. His youngest child was unable to enter kindergarten in Boardman because of age requirements set by the district, and the child’s early admission is solely dependent on a test, he said.
“You need to have more than a single test as the method of evaluating the student,” Hruska said. “They don’t take in parents’ wishes, teacher recommendations or any other factors, and it seems very narrow-minded.”
Hruska’s youngest son attends school in Crestview, while his other children are in Boardman schools.
But Davis says he argues with Amstutz and Hruska on one point: He’s still a parent. All three of his sons graduated from Boardman.
Beraduce, who has two daughters, declined an interview at The Vindicator because he said it conflicted with his work schedule.
Amstutz and Hruska also said the board members need to aggressively research other athletic leagues and leave the Federal League. Both contend it would save the district money by transporting students shorter distances.
“I just don’t think any one [on the board] is organized on the issue,” Amstutz said.
Hruska said many parents have complained that their children don’t get home until 10 or 11 p.m. on school nights because of the long distances traveled to play other Federal League teams.
Davis, who was on the board when it voted to go into the Federal League, said it “was a good thing back then,” but “... we knew we were not in it forever.”
The school administration is researching other leagues and the board “is supporting that,” Davis said.
All three candidates interviewed said finances and loss of revenue because of students switching to charter schools are top concerns.
“It’s a very real threat. We’re losing money,” Davis said of charter schools. “It doesn’t make sense to leave an excellent school to something below that.”
Davis said he and the board strongly support a law proposed by state Sen. Joe Schiavoni, D-33rd, of Canfield, that would prohibit public school students from transferring to charter schools that are lower-performing than the public school they attend.
The incumbent also said he does not want to pursue open enrollment at this time as a way to try to boost revenue.
Hruska said he would like to examine open enrollment. “I think that would be an opportunity possibly for more state funds to come into Boardman,” he said.
Amstutz said he does not have a definitive yes-or-no answer, but would be more apt to support a modified option of open enrollment. For example, Amstutz said he would be more inclined to allow the students of school employees to open enroll and allowing new students to open enroll only in kindergarten and then work their way up grade levels.