Change Address

VOTE411 Voter Guide

School Director - PENN HILLS {_getChooseLabel(this.selections.length)}

School Directors are elected on behalf of the community to oversee the education of students in their jurisdiction. They serve as agents of the state legislature. They are responsible for curriculum and instruction management; all finances including development of annual budgets and levying of taxes and issuance of debt obligations when necessary; personnel; legal matters; management of facilities; and transportation of students as appropriate. Schools may include pre-K and career and technical schools.

Click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate. To compare two candidates, click the "compare" button. To start over, click a candidate icon.

  • Candidate picture

    Mark Banner, Sr.
    (Dem)

  • Candidate picture

    Qiana Buckner
    (Dem, Rep)

  • Candidate picture

    Joseph B. Capozoli
    (Dem, Rep)

  • Candidate picture

    Monica Colbert
    (Dem)

  • Candidate picture

    Dawn Golden
    (Dem, Rep)

  • Candidate picture

    Evelyn Herbert
    (Dem, Rep)

  • Candidate picture

    Reginald J. Hickman
    (Dem, Rep)

  • Candidate picture

    Marisa Jamison
    (Dem, Rep)

  • Candidate picture

    Nicole Richardson
    (Dem, Rep)

Biographical Information

What is your experience with your public schools, and what in your background would contribute to your being an effective school board member?

How would you address anticipated shortfalls in school funding over the next few years? Please be specific.

How would you approach decisions about curriculum selection and access to books in the district to balance educational value and community concerns?

{_btnLabelFor(compare1, _isInSelection(compare1))}
{_btnLabelFor(compare2, _isInSelection(compare2))}
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Campaign Web Site http://https://www.phdems.com/election
Occupation Educator, Administrator
Qualifications for office 25 Years of Teaching and Senior Level School Administrative work in both Student and Academic Affairs
Education B.S. Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pgh. PA, M.A. American Studies, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/PENNHILLSDEMS/
As a proud Penn Hills resident, I understand the challenges and opportunities that our district faces. Whether it's ensuring that our children receive a high-quality education, improving school facilities, or strengthening our community partnerships, the role of the school board is critical to the continued growth and success of our families.

Education is not just about what happens in the classroom; it's about creating an environment where every student feels safe, supported, and inspired to succeed. Monica would bring to the school board role, over 20 years of experience in teaching and administrative work in education, including working as a professional tutor, Director of Academic Success, and her current role at Carnegie Mellon U
As of 2024 Penn Hills was able to to bring its school budgets into state and federal compliance and we must continue to prioritize this with regular review processes, internal controls and effective and transparent communication between board members, auditors and the school community. It is critical that we remain "in the green." Without a solid financial foundation we cannot carry out other necessary missions of strengthening our programs and supporting our teachers and students. I will specifically look for areas where we can shore up the budget without creating hardship on our teachers and deficits in the classroom. We can also be creative in certain areas, looking to community partners to bridge gaps and lend support.
Family engagement is key in providing curriculum that will propel our students into careers of the future and becoming good citizens of humanity. Penn Hills is as vibrant and diverse a community as is the world; we need to embrace this feature as an asset that will help prepare our students to be great stewards of change. At the heart of all curriculum should be great reading and analytical skills so that students can think through and find solutions to problems today's world has yet to encounter. It will all of us to lend our voices, and I'm here to listen and make informed decisions.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Powered by League of Women Voters Education Fund