Candidates share goals, challenges ahead for district
Voters in the Bellefontaine City School District will have the opportunity on the Nov. 5 ballot to select three candidates out of four total individuals in the running for the Bellefontaine City Schools Board of Education in the contested race for three open seats.
Twenty-year board of education member Brenda S. Sanford is the lone incumbent candidate, with her current term expiring Dec. 31. The other three candidates seeking four-year terms are: Mark A. Fissel, Mike Vetorino and Colin C. Yoder.
The terms of current Board of Education President Joan Haushalter and member Tim O’Rielley conclude at the end of this year and they are not seeking re-election. Mrs. Haushalter has served on the board for 12 years and Mr. O’Rielley for 16 years.
Here’s a look at each of the candidates based upon information that they submitted via e-mail in response to questions from the Bellefontaine Examiner:
Mrs. Sanford, age 61, is a Bellefontaine High School graduate. She and her husband, Jim, have two grown daughters and four grandchildern, two of whom are current BCS students.
The incumbent candidate holds a bachelor of arts degree from Miami University and a master’s degree in social work from The Ohio State University. She has practiced social work in Logan County for more than 39 years and since 2002, she has served as a mental health therapist and the director of Light the Way Christian Counseling in Bellefontaine.
“I originally ran for school board because I love education and this was a way for me to still be involved with education,” said Mrs. Sanford, who also serves as an associate pastor at First Christian Church in Bellefontaine.
“This board is an amazing board! Everyone has a heart for our students and a goal of providing them with the best education possible. I am running for one more term to help provide some consistency to the board… I love this school district and this community and want to continue to help them both thrive.”
Mr. Fissel, age 40, also is a BHS graduate, and he and his wife, Stephanie, settled in the Bellefontaine community after college to raise their four sons.
In 2007, he ran for Bellefontaine City Council-at-Large and served three consecutive terms.
“As many folks know, those were very difficult times financially for families, businesses and municipal government. While challenging, I enjoyed having a part in steering the ship of city government. We not only powered through, our city came out the other side much stronger financially than it’s ever been,” he said.
Mr. Fissel also has worked in a part-time city of Bellefontaine treasurer role and has served in the private sector, starting an investment advisory firm in 2008 with his college roommate.
Additionally, he has been involved in economic development with the city, Logan County Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Bellefontaine Partnership.
“A common thread through all those experiences has become crystal clear to me — communities thrive AND die by the strength of its educational system. Put frankly, businesses don’t want to locate or expand in a community where the school system is failing.
“Bellefontaine City Schools has been fortunate to have strong community support, which is evidenced in passing levies, building new schools, and on and on. We have two long-tenured board members stepping down in December, and with them goes a lot of experience and leadership. In addition, our school treasurer is retiring.
“I’ve watched this financial and leadership vacuum developing, coupled with having young children engaged in the system, I felt it imperative to get involved.”
A native of Cincinnati, Mr. Vetorino, age 61, is a 1976 Moeller High School graduate. He earned an undergraduate degree from Miami University and a master’s degree from the University of Dayton.
He taught in three prior districts prior to arriving in Bellefontaine City Schools in the fall of 1984. For 28 years, he taught high school business and also coached softball, golf, girls basketball and junior high basketball, retiring from teaching in 2012.
For the last eight years, Mr. Vetorino has served as a part-time news reporter for WPKO radio, and he related that he has covered more than 150 school board meetings, including nearly all of Bellefontaine City Schools’ meetings during that period.
The retired teacher said BCS staff members had posed him with the idea of running for the board of education, which sparked his candidacy.
“When some current staff members asked me to consider running for the school board, I was intrigued with the responsibility and leadership attached to the position.
“I am qualified to be a school board member. My teaching experience, raising two daughters through the Bellefontaine City Schools and my attendance as a reporter provides a unique perspective.”
Mr. Yoder, age 43, is a 1994 BHS graduate. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Toledo and has been working in public relations and marketing communications in Columbus for 20 years. He currently serves as senior manager of media relations for OhioHealth and works primarily at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital.
He and his wife, Carrie, moved back to Bellefontaine in 2004 to start a family and they have two sons in the school district.
“Joining the school board is an opportunity for me to make a positive impact on our schools. I had the great honor of co-chairing the BCS operating levy campaign this spring.
“The levy passed by a historic margin and that experience, working alongside BCS teachers, staff and administrators helped me become more familiar with the inner workings of the schools and truly realize the excellence of the district and its staff. I feel a great responsibility to support BCS and have a unique set of skills that I can bring to the board to help BCS tell its positive story to the community.
“Additionally, I come from a family of educators. My mother, Maureen Yoder, had a long career at BCS as did my father-in-law, Denny Lane. Two of my three brothers are in education and my Grandmother Yoder served on the school board in West Liberty.
“Education has always been an important part of our family and I think that exposure helps me understand issues not only as a parent, but from the perspective of a teacher or administrator.”
Looking ahead at the next four years, each of the candidates provided their thoughts for challenges facing the school district, many of which centered around the fiscal concerns and state funding issues.
“School finance and choosing how to spend limited dollars are significant concerns that Bellefontaine City Schools confront,” Mr. Vetorino said.
“For all the great things about BCS, there still are challenges,” Mrs. Sanford said. “Because we have a more diverse student body, we are more challenged to educate all of our students with cultural sensitivity and in ways that are the most effective for each student.
“The State of Ohio has not yet made a commitment to fund public schools at a rate that meets the inflation rate that we experience so even though new money was approved in the spring, we will have to continue to implement cost cutting measures to maintain a balanced budget.”
Mr. Yoder and Mr. Fissel also addressed deficit spending that is reflected in the district’s budget in the five-year forecast.
“Voters know that deficit spending doesn’t work for long in a family household — it’s not terribly different for municipal and school budgeting,” Mr. Fissel said. “My hope is that my financial experience and skill sets will be helpful in addressing these challenges for a positive outcome.”
“We need to explore new ways to gain efficiencies in our processes and reduce operating costs,” Mr. Yoder said. “I’m not talking about reducing staff, but instead exploring alternative funding sources, like grants as they become available, and streamlining operations to realize savings in a way that makes sense for teachers and students.
In addition, Mr. Yoder said he would like to explore the services provided to the growing population of special needs students and whether teachers have the support they need, along with addressing open enrollment numbers by building pride in the district.
“Open enrollment allows students to attend other districts and, when they do, state funding earmarked for BCS goes with them, which affects our bottom line. I’d like to do more to promote our schools, tell our story and keep kids at BCS,” he said.
Mr. Fissel also related district is operating an antiquated software system, of which, only two districts in Ohio still operate.
“It’s likely we’ll need to implement a new enterprise software program over the next five years. Anyone with experience in a transition of that magnitude can appreciate the task ahead.”
Relating to the candidates goals for the upcoming years, many of them related the importance of keeping the district on strong financial footing and helping newly hired Treasurer Joshua Wasson get acclimated into his new role.
The candidates also stressed the importance of helping district students succeed.
“I am excited about the prospect to work with other board members to continue to offer educational opportunities for our students while providing the tools needed for their future growth,” Mr. Vetorino.
Mrs. Sanford said one of her goals is “to find better and better ways to empower every student in our district to be successful no matter what their background or God-given ability.”
Additionally, Mr. Yoder said he wants to “understand how education continues to evolve at the state and national level and, finally, ensure teachers and staff have the resources they need to be successful in the classroom.”
Mr. Fissel also said he wants to gain a deeper understanding of the educational system while also coming alongside and supporting students.
“Children aren’t widgets manufactured on an assembly line, but rather individuals cultivating in their formidable years. Emotions, personalities and learning styles are factors that must be considered in turning out the best possible ‘product.’”