According to the Allegheny County Office of Elections’ unofficial candidate list, there are five candidates vying for four spots on the November ballot: newcomer Tara Abt, current school board President Karen L. Brown, newcomer Ashley Miller, current school board second Vice President Amanda Priano and current school board first Vice President Greg A. Zeman. All are cross-filed on the primary ballot, and the term of office is four years.
Here are the nominees and their responses to an election question posed by TribLive.
Tara Abt
Age: 38
Political affiliation: Democrat
Education: Associate degree in business management and medical assisting
Occupation: Practice transformation specialist with Aledade Inc.
What is the biggest issue facing Baldwin-Whitehall School District right now? Baldwin-Whitehall, like many school districts, is facing a range of important issues — from transportation and staffing shortages to budget pressures and evolving community needs. These are not unique to our district, but how we respond to them makes a real difference.
The biggest issue isn’t just one thing — it’s how we work through multiple challenges at once with fairness, transparency and open communication. That means listening to different perspectives, making informed decisions and keeping the focus on what’s best for the entire community.
It’s important that our community feels heard and involved and that decisions reflect both current needs and long-term goals.
Karen L. Brown
Age: 73
Political affiliation: Democrat
Education: B.S. in education, master’s in administration
Occupation: Elementary/middle school teacher, middle school principal; now retired
What is the biggest issue facing Baldwin-Whitehall School District right now? To continue to find ways to meet the needs of today’s learners while maintaining a budget that does not hurt the taxpayers. The community deserves a school district that provides an education for all students. Whether you have kids in school or not, we all benefit from a quality program. Our district is on the cutting edge of educational programs that are getting the students excited about their learning. Some of the programs include the Journey of a Highlander, internships in the community, The Amazing Shake and new learning models. When we work together as a community, we can solve any issue that may be ahead.
Ashley Miller
Age: 43
Political affiliation: Cross-filed
Education: Elementary education K-6 comprehensive
Occupation: Behavioral health educator
What is the biggest issue facing Baldwin-Whitehall School District right now? Support, accountability, transparency. The teachers need our support and parent voices need to be heard. We are losing wonderful teachers, and being a teacher myself and former preschool director at Good Shepherd Christian Preschool, I know how to support both teachers and parents. Bridging that gap starts with communication. As a parent of a typical child and special-needs child, I understand the pressure teachers are under and the pressure of parents to advocate for their child. Accountability includes holding students accountable for their actions, holding the board accountable for teacher support and remaining accountable to the citizens. All students need protection from bullying and to feel safe at school. We need to be transparent on a board level and give parents more opportunity to have their voices heard. We are a school district that has a lot to offer if we can bridge the gap of communication.
Amanda Priano
Age: 44
Political affiliation: While I am a registered Republican, politics should not and do not impact the decisions made by the school board.
Education: Degree in business from Cedarville University
Occupation: Architectural associate
What is the biggest issue facing Baldwin-Whitehall School District right now? Changes in funding and ongoing employee shortages continue to challenge us. Baldwin-Whitehall has the third highest school funding gap in Allegheny County, meaning that we have almost the smallest budget per student. With that in mind, we must continue to adapt and adopt new tools and methods to address the social, emotional and educational health of our students while being fiscally responsible. As we respond to these challenges, we do so with an understanding of how today’s learners are best equipped to succeed in their futures. Providing our administrators, teachers and staff the support they need to pursue and develop new practices and programs enriches the experience that our students receive during their Highlander journey. As we have done over the last many years, we must continue to be pioneers of these advancements, providing our students with a high-quality educational experience through proactive and strategic transformation.
Featured Local Businesses
Greg A. Zeman
Age: 50
Political affiliation: Cross-filed
Education: Bachelor of science in business administration and human resources
Occupation: Human resources consultant
What is the biggest issue facing Baldwin-Whitehall School District right now? There are several issues currently faced by the district that hold equal weight. The unrealistic costs of funding charter schools, which fail to spend the money per student needed to adequately educate those who attend their programs, yet funnel funds that could be used for many great programs and expansion of programs that are currently being offered in the public schools. Additionally, safety of all students and staff needs to be continually and constantly top of mind. It’s one of the reasons I have been so passionate about staff and administrators taking advantage of programs at PENN SSI, where school safety procedures and practices are highlighted. Continuing to offer these types of professional development opportunities is something I will support without fail if reelected.