Nick McWilliams reporting – Four candidates are aiming to fill three seats on the New Philadelphia Board of Education.
On the ballot, voters in the New Phila City School District will choose from candidates Amanda Fontana, Audrey Mattevi, Kelly Ricklic, and Jennifer Schrock.
For Fontana, who hopes to improve education and services for families with students who have developmental disabilities, hopes to use her own personal experiences if elected.
“We have lots of families who are still struggling to get access to education for their children and it should not be [that way.] That’s why I threw my name in the hat. So I could be a voice for those families, that are often unheard.”
A former student in Mattevi, who says that she and other students were provided plenty of opportunities while she was in school, wants to ensure the district continues to support growth for the future of their youth, like her daughter.
“I just want a seat at the table to make sure that she is continuing to have that same wonderful experience that I had. So that she can continue to be a kid, and she can get an education, and she can have experiences, before she has to enter the scary, real world.”
Ricklic is a graduate of the district and has multiple family members who were also Quakers, and hopes to continue in a service role for the place where he grew up.
“I have served our community in a leadership capacity as a councilman-at-large for the city of New Philadelphia for the past eight years. I see this opportunity as another way to give back to my community.”
Finally, with Schrock, who also has children in the district, she wants to see better facilities and more focus on students’ mental wellbeing.
“I have a background in mental health that I can bring to the table. There’s a national teen mental health crisis. So I think we need to be proactive as a district, and being there for these kids.”
Three of the four candidates will be selected to serve the four year term, starting on the first day of 2024.
The November General Election will take place on Tuesday the 7th, with more information available on the board of election’s website.
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