Biographical Information
I moved to Bellbrook in 1989 when my dad got stationed at DESC. I am a proud 1994 Bellbrook High School graduate. My degree is in Secondary English Education and I have been teaching since I graduated in 1998. My husband and I have 6 children (5 of whom are Bellbrook graduates or Bellbrook students). I also have two adorable granddaughters.
The role of a school board member is to govern the district. It is serving as a bridge between the Superintendent and the community. It means creating policy that will set up the district for academic focus and success. It means making decisions in an open and completely transparent way. It means making decisions that are in the best possible interest of the students and teachers. It means serving and leading our community.
I have always made sure to be available and approachable to receive feedback from parents. I actively listen to parents and bring stakeholders to the table to communicate and come up with solutions. I am a huge advocate of protecting the rights of parents to make the decisions they feel are best for their own children. I believe most concerns can be alleviated by effective communication with staff. I have also advocated for making sure curriculum is open and available for parents to review.
1. I think making sure we continue the academic excellence should be a priority.
2. We also need to make sure we are being extremely fiscally responsible and disciplined to make good use of the tax dollars that we are given.
3. We need to continue to strive to make sure ALL students are growing academically and that we are graduating not only good students, but students we can be proud of and trust to lead our future.
We need to be fiscally frugal and mindful of every penny. We need to be grateful for the support our community provides. We also need to be willing to seek out as many opportunities as we can to lighten the tax burden on our community. We need to be actively engaging our state representatives to address fair school funding.
AI is a double edged sword. It can be used in great ways to help make things more efficient. We also need to make sure that we never allow computers to replace human touch on things or our ability to think for ourselves. The most important thing we can do is teach students to use new technology in a responsible way.
I bring a willingness to serve our community. I bring 26 years of teaching experience and perspectives. I am a problem solver and a strong communicator. I believe in a strong public school system where everyone is on team students so that we can have hope for a better future. I am willing to stand up for what I believe is best for students, staff, and our community.
Biographical Information
Audra is an Air Force veteran and an instructor of contract management for the U.S. Department of Defense. She has a B.S. in Business and a M.S. in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. She and her husband have two boys who are third-generation Golden Eagles.
A school board member’s role is to represent the community by setting policy, providing oversight, and ensuring the district stays true to its mission of educating students. Board members must focus on governance, not day-to-day management, and make decisions based on facts and what’s best for students—not politics or personal agendas. It’s also our responsibility to ensure transparency, fiscal accountability, and a learning environment that prepares every child for success.
Parents deserve to be heard and respected. I will always listen to concerns through open and honest conversations—not through the noise of social media. I’ve kept my promise not to get pulled into the social media swamp, and I won’t be baited into believing that a few loud voices online reflect the views of our entire community. My focus will remain on respectful dialogue, transparency, and doing what’s best for our students and schools.
Our schools must remain focused on our core mission--educating students in reading, math, science, and critical thinking--without unnecessary political distractions. In today's polarized climate, it's easy for outside noise and social media debates to seep into our classrooms. I believe our district should stay grounded in academic excellence, uphold high standards for all students and faculty, and foster a respectful learning environment that reflects the values & priorities of our community.
Our board has worked diligently to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, ensuring transparency and efficiency in all financial decisions. The state of Ohio, however, continues to operate based on an unfair model, leaving districts like ours at a comparative disadvantage. We must continue to explore creative and fair alternatives to property tax dependency while maintaining open communication with our community about fiscal realities and long-term sustainability.
AI is part of the world our students are growing up in, and we must prepare them to use it responsibly. I support leveraging AI to improve faculty and staff efficiency and to help students learn how to harness it effectively. At the same time, we must ensure that students continue to think critically, write clearly, and solve problems independently—without relying on AI as a crutch. Balance and guidance are key.
During my time on the board, we’ve maintained our ranking as a 5-star district, enhanced the safety of our schools, and strengthened the transparency of both our fiscal decisions and our classroom curriculum. I take pride in being a steady, calm voice focused on solutions rather than social media arguments. I’ve kept my promise to model respectful, responsible leadership for our students and community, even during difficult or divisive moments.
Biographical Information
We’ve loved being your neighbor for thirteen years and have two children enrolled in our excellent schools. I’m the son of a retired 35-year educator and have spent my Engineering career solving complex problems with logic, data, integrity, and principles.
A school board member’s role is to create vision and policies that represent our local community and provide every student with the opportunity to succeed. Through collaboration with all stakeholders – students, families, educators, and our community, we should ensure our schools focus on academic achievement and remain rooted in the values that make Bellbrook-Sugarcreek a wonderful place to live.
I will listen honestly, answer respectfully (even if we disagree), and ensure every voice is heard before every decision is made. At the same time, proactive transparency is imperative to maintain and build trust between our schools and families. I am proud of the multiple successful transparency initiatives introduced during my four years on our school board and pledge to continue this positive trajectory.
Unfair redistribution of state funding to our public schools, which leads to an unreasonable burden on our local property taxpayers. For far too long, Bellbrook-Sugarcreek schools receive only about 25% of our funding from the state of Ohio, while other districts receive much, much more. In a fair system, the hard-earned state tax dollars our neighbors pay should stay local to educate our children and not be shipped out to (too often failing) districts across Ohio.
I wish I had more space to discuss this complex problem! As mentioned in another answer here, public school funding is broken due to the unfair redistribution of our state tax dollars. I have, and will continue to, meet with state legislators and other parties to voice how this impacts us locally and explore macro solutions. Simultaneously, our children are best served by valuing a culture of Fiscal Responsibility by carefully weighing competing priorities through an “Academics First” lens.
Artificial Intelligence (like the personal computer and internet, before it) is a disruptive and exciting tool that is rapidly changing the landscape of how we work and live. No matter how one feels about it, AI is here to stay. It is essential we empower students to utilize AI for innovation, creativity, and problem solving. At the same time, we must remain intentional, ensuring that AI never replaces critical thinking or principles of classical education.
During four years of service on your school board, I am proud of our three consecutive 5-star ratings, the highest available by the state of Ohio. We have made IMMENSE improvements to our schools’ physical security, created new successful transparency initiatives, and maintained a culture of fiscal responsibility - recently implementing over $600,000 in direct property tax relief for local residents, while simultaneously continuing to deliver the same 5-star education our community deserves.
