The Springfield News-Sun interviewed the seven remaining candidates who are competing for three seats in the Nov. 2 election.
Jeff Caivano
Caivano, former Northeastern and Springfield-Clark CTC board member, is a Middle School Satellite Instructor through Springfield-Clark CTC at Northwestern Local Schools. He has his Bachelor’s in Education from Ohio University and Master’s in Education from Wright State University.
“I am running because I believe that public education is one of the foundational institutions that make our country great,” he said. “I am a parent, educator, advocate for public education, and a person who has already served in this role and capacity. The issues, problems, and changes that arise from public education is something that I live with every day. The frustrations that I see and hear firsthand is a voice and perspective that I can bring to the board and share in a manner that is personal and not hearsay.”
If elected, Caivano’s priorities are to continue to work towards improving educational and career opportunities for all students, to support the appropriate fiscal management of the district, and to provide support and resources to staff.
“As a current public educator and a former member of this board, I have an understanding of the function of the board, as well as a firm grasp of the current educational issues that school districts are facing,” he said. “With my experience and educational knowledge, I believe that I can help steer the district in the right direction under any circumstances that may be present.”
Christopher Chapman
Chapman, a compliance analyst at Wright-Patt Credit Union, graduated from Northeastern in 2001 and attended Wittenberg University.
“Our community has a fantastic school system, phenomenal teachers, and we have recently invested in building new facilities. There is much to be excited about and we need to maintain the momentum to provide our children with a quality educational experience,” he said. “As a graduate of Northeastern, I attribute much of my personal success to the community and teachers within the districts. I would like the opportunity to provide my skills and mentorship to ensure the district is fiscally responsible and communicates transparently with the community.”
Chapman said his top priorities will be to create transparent communication with the community, prepare students for tomorrow’s careers, and maintain fiscal responsibility.
“The school board needs to drive collaboration between the school, our community, and the business community to ensure we are all working together to create a place people will want to live, work, and raise a family,” he said.
Jeff Collins
Incumbent Collins is the Area Director for Clark County Young. He has a Bachelor of Science degree from Miami University and Master’s of Education from Antioch-Midwest.
“My background in education and working in youth has equipped me to understand the needs of teachers and students,” he said. “I hope to be a voice for teachers and students (and their families) on the board ... I want to do what I can to make our schools and community a better place for everyone.”
If elected, Collins’ top priorities will be to make sure the district is responsible with spending taxpayer dollars, communication within the district would improve at all levels, and that decisions are made in the best interest of students and teachers but informed by all stakeholders.
“As a board member, our duty is to oversee and assess the job duties of the treasurer to ensure that district finances are in order. I will be intentional about reviewing monthly financial reports and asking questions. I live in the community and will be actively engaged in the community in order to hear their views on district communication,” he said.
Sam Monroe
Monroe is an IT Consultant at the Red Level Group and has a Bachelor’s of Communications degree from Cedarville University.
“I am a parent in the Kenton Ridge district. My son just started kindergarten and my daughter will be in kindergarten next year. We will be here for a while, so I want to make sure there is continued representation for that part of the district on the board, specifically from a parent perspective,” he said.
If elected, Monroe said his priorities will be digital transformation, work to keep the curriculum up-to-date, and fiscal responsibility. He said he will do several things to address these priorities.
“I would like to work with the superintendent to explore implementing G-Suite or Office 365 (or something similar) to keep things organized and securely stored. I would work with the superintendent and teachers to make sure Northeastern has the latest curriculum that best prepares our kids for the world beyond public education. I would work with the board, treasurer and superintendent to make sure we are fiscally responsible with taxpayers’ money,” he said.
Kent Pollock
Pollock declined to answer questions posed by the Springfield News-Sun or provide a photo.
According to Pollock’s campaign page on Facebook, he has lived in the district for over 30 years.
“I am running because I believe the board needs more transparency within the community,” he stated in a post. “I want to be a voice for the students and their parents to make this school district better than it is now.”
Chris Thompson
Thompson is a current board member of the Springfield-Clark CTC. He works at Forward Air Inc. and has his Bachelor’s in Business Management and Human Resources.
“I decided to run for office to help be a positive influence on the school and our community. I want our students to be a positive reflection on the district and the community,” he said. “I feel that with my 28 years in a leadership role I can help bring value with my experience.”
Thompson said his priorities will be to ensure the district is adequately funded, prepare students for the workforce and adulthood, and be more transparent with district spending.
“One of my top priorities will be to ensure the district is adequately funded. This will make certain students get access to a wide variety of opportunities and that we are able to attract great teachers,” he said. “Leveling up students’ Life Skill Preparation. Too many students are not adequately prepared for the workforce and or adulthood.”
Jeff Yinger
Yinger, an incumbent and current vice president, has worked with the city of Springfield for 30 years and has been the Municipal Industrial Pretreatment Coordinator since 2009. He is a Springfield North High School graduate, attended Wright State University and graduated from Hocking College
“I want to continue the good work the board has started in the last few years. I think the community trusts me and they deserve someone on the Board of Education that they can get straight answers from, that they can communicate freely with and understands the varying dynamics of our district,” he said.
Yinger said he wants to give people in the district a voice, work on district finances, continue to be better at communication and take care of the existing athletic facility.
“As long as I am on the board, I will continue to be a voice for parents and their right to choose what’s best for their children. As far as financial issues are concerned, I will make sure that we direct the treasurer to do everything possible to keep the district on the positive side of the balance sheet. Finally in the area of communication, I will ensure that the administration and staff use the new communications director to her fullest potential.”
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