There are four open at-large seats on the Nov. 2 ballot for Owen J. Roberts School Board, with only one incumbent, a former board member, a total of eight candidates facing voters and at least two candidates running an active write-in campaign.
School Board President Leslie Proffitt is the only incumbent in the crowded race and she will appear on the Republican ballot line.
The other candidates to appear on that line are Daniel Dougherty, Sarah Black and former board member Heather McCreary.
The four candidates who will appear on the Democratic ballot line are April Saboe, Rita Pederson, David Harmanos and Michelle Mayfield Frees.
Two others, Brooks Roland and Rick Cameron, are running a write-in campaign under the banner of “Make OJR Great Again.”
What follows are the responses to The Mercury’s online candidate questionnaire provided in the order they were received. Any of those missing did not respond to the questionnaire before the deadline.
Daniel Dougherty
Dougherty, 41, lives on Stony Run Road in East Vincent.
He works as a fundraiser and holds a bachelor’s degree.
Dougherty has never held elected government office, but he is the East Vincent Precinct 3 committeeperson.
In his response, he wrote that is running for the school board because “I have concerns about the direction public education is headed. I have a fourth-grader in the district and I want to do my part to provide the best education possible for him and all of the children in the district.”
Given one guaranteed accomplishment in office, Dougherty chose “seeing OJR rise in the state district rankings.”
David Harmanos
Harmanos, 49, lives on Hilltop Road outside Spring City.
He works as a professional engineer and holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering from Drexel University.
He has never held elected public office before and wrote that he decided to run to “give back to community, use my analytical skills to help make educated board decisions.”
Given one guaranteed accomplishment while in office, Harmanos chose to “provide children with the education they need to be successful in the future.”
Rita Pederson
Pederson, 45, lives on Pinehurst Drive in Chester Springs and has never held elected public office.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in labor relations from Cornell University and works as the managing director of the Steel River Playhouse in Pottstown.
In her response, Pederson wrote she is running because “I had a great public school education. I am the daughter of two public school teachers and the mother of three current OJR students. I greatly appreciate how a quality public education system benefits our entire community. I spent five years as a PTA board member and have served as a volunteer whenever called upon at OJR including the most recent redistricting committee and the current comprehensive plan steering committee. I believe I have the skills required to represent our students and taxpayers as our community continues to grow and develop.”
Given one guaranteed accomplishment in office, Pederson wrote “if I could guarantee one accomplishment it would be establishing a stronger relationship between the school board and our community. We are in a time of conflict and I know we can better serve our students when the entire community comes together with civility and understanding.”
Sarah Black
Black, 52, lives on Fairview Road in East Nantmeal.
She works at Microsoft as a global process executive and holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in Bloomington, IN.
Although Black has never held elected office, she noted she has served as the president and vice president of the West Vincent Elementary PTA.
In her response, Black wrote that she is running “focusing on ‘kids first’ and working together for common and practical solutions.”
Given one guaranteed accomplishment in office, Black chose “community collaboration enabling a strong ‘kids first’ school district.”
Leslie Proffitt
Proffitt, 30, lives on Laurelwood Road and is a homemaker. She is currently serving her first four-year term on the school board.
Proffitt graduated from Owen J. Roberts in 2008 and earned a bachelor’s degree in history from West Chester in 2012.
In her response, Proffitt wrote “I’m seeking a second term because I believe there is a lot of great work to be had in this district. Over the last year and a half, we have been able to radically change our approach as a board, focusing more on a team effort. With our new superintendent, I am excited to continue developing our team to make it more efficient and effective for our district. We have also honed in our efforts over the last year to increase our community’s voice. We encourage feedback through various forms, including listening sessions that we started conducting last year.”
Proffitt added, “finally, the district is in the process of working on our comprehensive plan that is required every three years by Pennsylvania Department of Education. This is an exciting time to engage our community and determine the focus of our district for the next couple years. Obviously, part of the focus will be recovering from the pandemic and helping our students get back on track with academics, opportunities, and their mental health.”
Given one guaranteed accomplishment in office, Proffitt wrote “this is a really tough question. There are a lot of great initiatives currently at OJR. I believe what’s most important for our district right now is recovering from the pandemic. First and foremost, our focus needs to be on helping our students to regain their footing academically and with their mental health. Second, our staff has taken a big hit as well. Shortages in staffing and the increased workload has definitely been a challenge. Our third issue from this pandemic has been financial as we were dealt a deficit in our budget. We were fortunate to receive grant funding but that covers the cost of our Covid expenditures, not our operating costs. We have had to get creative with our finances in order to keep our budget on track. Addressing all of these issues (while learning from them and improving how we operate) and getting the district back on track would be a great accomplishment.”
April Saboe
Saboe, 36, lives on Hunter’s Run Road and has never held elected public office.
She works as a registered nurse and has RN and BSN certifications.
In her response, Saboe wrote she is running because “I am running for the Owen J. Roberts school board because every child has the right to belong and feel safe in their school and community, where they are valued and respected as individuals.”
Given one guaranteed accomplishment in office, Saboe chose “I want to increase mental health awareness, supports, and resources for all students, faculty, and staff. The pandemic has had a large effect on our community. Students experienced isolation, dramatic changes in socialization and a complete shift in education. Our faculty and staff had to wear multiple hats and adjust on a whim to meet students’ needs, all while handling their own families, many of whom were home. We as a community can come back from this. Focusing on mental health, developing coping mechanisms at a younger age, and having greater access to resources will help our students and staff achieve greater things.”
Heather McCreary
McCreary, 58, lives on Crest Lane and is an attorney.
She holds a bachelor’s degree from Ursinus College; a master’s degree from Penn State University and graduated from law school.
She was a member of the Owen J. Roberts School Board from 2015 to 2019 and also served as the auditor of South Coventry Township.
In her response, McCreary wrote “I am running for the board because I am an alum that loves the district, has always been an active community volunteer, and a proven advocate for all children. These are all essential qualities for a school board director. I would like to work to restore the greatness that once existed in Owen J. Roberts, when it was considered a powerhouse district in Chester County (especially important now after COVID). From my prior term, there were many unfinished projects I will address if elected; most notably, working to raise OJR’s academic rankings. The most important responsibility of the school board is to work with their communities to improve student achievement in their local public schools, in the most fiscally responsible manner. Our students, ALL of them, deserve an excellent education in a safe and welcoming, top-ranked district that prepares them for success in their chosen future path. They should feel inspired each and every day to reach high levels of achievement through a lens of curiosity, creativity, problem-solving, and goodwill. Visit www.votemccreary.com for more info.”
Given one guaranteed accomplishment in office, McCreary wrote “I would like to increase parent and community involvement in establishing district goals, shaping policy, establishing priorities, and planning for the future. Clearly defined, measurable goals, accountability, and transparency are key to reaching the highest levels of academic achievement both for the district and for our students. As part of increased parent and community involvement, I would like to develop an active alumni-parent association that can be leveraged by students, volunteers, and mentors as an employer networking resource.”
