Seven candidates are vying for five party nominations on the November ballot in the race for Baldwin-Whitehall School Board. All terms are four years. According to the Allegheny County Office of Elections unofficial candidate list, all candidates are cross-filed on the ballot.

Submitted Robert Achtzehn  

Robert Achtzehn

Municipality: Whitehall Borough

Why did you decide to run for election? I have served on the BWSD board since 2018, and since that time we have been faced with tremendous and unprecedented challenges. Although I feel we have made substantial progress as a district, the field of education is constantly changing and there is always room for improvement. I have learned over the past five years to be a more effective school director. When making critical decisions, you have to listen to all affected parties and gather all the facts. Only then can you determine the best overall decision.

What is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed? We are faced with many challenges and it is important that we not look at any one item as the “biggest issue.” We have to be able to address multiple things at the same time because our community is rightfully passionate about many different topics. Some of the biggest areas that need to be addressed include security, transportation, budgets, new and innovative ways to approach education, ensuring all of our students are getting what they need to succeed and how we can improve parent communication and involvement. Answers to these challenges are not simple, and it will require a community effort to solve.

Why should people vote for you? I am a critical thinker, effective communicator and capable consensus builder, and I come to the school director position without an agenda. I will always listen to concerns from anyone, and I am open to different points of view. I am confident in my decision-making ability, but I am not afraid to change my mind if facts support a different position. The students of the BWSD are always my first priority, but I understand that it is critical to support our teachers, staff and admin. and also consider parent concerns and the community as a whole.

Submitted John Bell  

John Bell

Municipality: Baldwin Borough

Why did you decide to run for election? I have always been willing to step forward to do my part in order to better my community. Through my years of coaching youth soccer in the district, as well as my service in the US Marine Corps, I will bring that same dedication and commitment to the school board.

What is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed? Safety is a topic that needs focus. I will strive to find ways to be proactive, not reactive, to security issues. I look forward to working with local law enforcement, members of the school board and the administration to increase security at each school for the safety of our children.

Why should people vote for you? Our family has called Baldwin/Whitehall home for 20 plus years. Raising our four children here has given me insight and a pulse for the changes we need to move forward. I bring objectivity, a willingness to listen to all sides, to make informed decisions for the betterment of the students.

Anthony DiCesaro

DiCesaro did not respond to requests for comment for this article.

Submitted Pete Giglione  

Peter D. Giglione

Municipality: Baldwin Borough

Why did you decide to run for election? Having been on the board since 2018, I am proud of our accomplishments, from keeping taxes low to hiring and retaining excellent teachers and staff, and constructing a brand new school that will serve our students for generations to come. Despite the growing needs of our district, our taxes are among the lowest in the region, and our district is financially stable. There is still a lot of work to be done to make our district even better, and I look forward to doing it.

What is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed? Right now, transportation. Our current transportation department does an excellent job with the resources available to them, but the shortage of school bus drivers is having a major impact on when our children arrive at home (particularly at the elementary level), whether field trips are possible, and getting our student-athletes to their away games. The fact that state law requires us to transport students to non-district schools that are miles from our border adds another major burden to the department that is already overworked.

Why should people vote for you? Working with my colleagues and district administration, I will continue to move our district forward. More improvements will be made to our fields and athletic venues. While we recently installed new turf and track at BHS, are re-grading and seeding the WES field, and plan to place another field behind R.A. Lutz Elementary, we also planned to turf the field at HEC, but some geographic and zoning issues delayed that project. We will continue to update district curriculum and activities. Class scheduling at BHS is also an issue that we will address and fix.

Dan Knezevich

Knezevich did not respond to requests for comment for this article.

Submitted Erik Spratt  

Erik Spratt

Municipality: Baldwin Township

Why did you decide to run for election? After watching votes to pass deal breaking recommendations by the superintendent get passed unanimously — there is no opposition to the current administration.

What is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed? Transparency. Parents’ rights/choice. Staffing shortages.

Why should people vote for you? To stand up as a voice for the like minded who aren’t standing up for themselves, which I believe is the majority of the population. To change the direction of this school district.

Submitted Janice Tarson  

Janice Tarson

Municipality: Whitehall Borough

Why did you decide to run for election? I’ve served on the board since 2015 with the goal of helping strengthen BWSD’s financial stability so we can increase the opportunities we offer our growing student population. I’m proud of the strides our district has made, including maximizing our ESSER funding and providing greater access to mental health support for students and staff.

What is the biggest issue that needs to be addressed? The shortage of school bus drivers is creating stress and uncertainty for our families. We simply don’t have enough qualified drivers to meet the needs of every student, especially when we’re required to transport students to non-district schools. We need more drivers and will continue to support our administrators, drivers and transportation managers in considering solutions to these complex circumstances.

Why should people vote for you? As the mother of two children who proudly completed their K-12 education in the district, I’m very familiar with BWSD’s ongoing needs, emerging opportunities and potential challenges. My volunteer work with Baldwin students’ sports clubs reminds me that teamwork and collaboration continue to be key in keeping our district moving.

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