7 candidates compete for 4 seats on Gateway school board

The Gateway school board will see at least three new faces next year, as seven candidates are competing for four open seats.

Sitting board President Leslie McBride is the only incumbent who has filed for reelection. Current terms for board members Jack Bova, Robin Mungo and Mandal Singh are up this year. Singh has filed to run for Monroeville mayor.

All seven school board candidates are cross-filed for the May 20 primary election and will appear on both Democratic and Republican ballots.

Anthony Mock, 42, owns Events On Ten and is president at Mock & Co. Diamond & Jewelry in Monroeville. He sees safety, taxes and community partnerships as important issues for Gateway.

“I hosted an event called the Get-Up Summit at Events On Ten, which the high school’s Black Student Union put together,” Mock said. “Eventually it incorporated Penn Hills and Woodland Hills students as well, and it started to outgrow the space. So I approached Chick-fil-A in Monroeville and they were able to help co-sponsor it. I think the district needs more of that type of partnership between businesses and the schools.”

Mock said he’d like to create a way for local businesses to donate to a fund that can be drawn on for school equipment or special programs.

“Instead of pulling from tax dollars, you could draw from something like that,” he said.

McBride, 50, a social worker with Allegheny County’s Children, Youth and Families division, said she wants to continue working with district administrators.

“We changed over a lot of administration recently, and I’d like to see that through and continue making improvements,” she said. “I really think parent participation, not just here but at districts everywhere, is a big challenge. This new administration has held several community nights and I’d like to encourage more of those. I want to collaboratively address hot-button topics as they arise with parents, teachers and staff.”

Janette Beighel, 46, is a registered nurse with three children in Gateway schools.

“I saw a need for parents to be on the board, and for some level-headedness,” she said. “I want to ensure the programs our kids take part in are continued, and that everyone is represented.”

Beighel also said fiscal responsibility is a big issue for her.

“We need to spend wisely. I think the big issue is going to be federal funding — if we’re going to continue to get it, and where it will come from,” she said.

Shirley Ewart, 74, is a semi-retired registered nurse, and said one of the things she’s been doing in her free time is attending school board meetings.

“I have a lot of valuable experience in business because I worked for a large corporation for quite a while before becoming a nurse,” Ewart said. “And in nursing, I’ve worked one-on-one with special-needs children. There’s a strong need for people to understand how the business of the school district runs, as well as how special education works.”

Ewart also cited budget management as a priority.

“The district’s budget is more than Monroeville and Pitcairn combined,” she said. “It’s the biggest tax residents pay, and I want to help be a good steward of those tax dollars.”

Floyd Roger Wilson, 79, is a retired broadcast television engineer who also recently began attending board meetings.

“I realized how important the decisions they make are, for education and for taxpayers,” Wilson said. “I believe we need to concentrate more on the ‘three R’s (reading, writing, ‘rithmetic)’ and not so much on identity politics and things like that.”

Rick McIntyre, 48, is a chauffeur with Carey International. He said he wants to ensure Gateway students have “a well-funded, curated education, in a safe environment where all voices in the community are heard.”

McIntyre said the budget is the biggest challenge the district faces in coming years.

“I believe my (previous) experience as a school director will be valuable as public education faces unprecedented challenges, in terms of funding cuts and demands to remove essential curriculum,” he said.

McIntyre said he wants to eliminate wasteful spending and work with local and state officials to find education funding without having to vote for a tax hike.

Len Young, 57, owns Len’s Landscaping, and said he wants to make things better for students, teachers, parents and taxpayers.

“I think we need to focus on fiscal sustainability, balancing the budget and programs that actually help students learn,” Young said. “I want students to be prepared for life after school.”