The Franklin Regional school board will see at least two new faces next year, with incumbents Mark Kozlosky and Traci Eshelman Ramey declining to run for reelection.
Five candidates will compete in the May 20 primary election for four open seats on the school board. Members serve a four-year term. All candidates are cross-filed and will appear on both the Republican and Democratic ballots.
Bill Csaszar, 56, of Murrysville will be traveling between two school districts if he is elected. Csaszar is a maintenance technician in the neighboring Penn-Trafford School District. He said he wants to bring his expertise to Franklin Regional.
“I know a lot about school budgets, especially maintenance,” Csaszar said. “I’ve learned a lot about where a district’s money goes and how it can be saved in different ways.”
Csaszar said he’d like to cut down on outsourced contractor work and bring more of it in-house.
“A lot of what I see being contracted out at Franklin Regional, we do ourselves at Penn-Trafford,” he said. “I’m a master electrician, and I do all the wiring there. If I’m elected, I’d like to take a closer look at the maintenance department. I’m sure there’s a lot I need to learn, but I think can help out with a lot of things.”
Amy Sheridan, 53, of Murrysville is making her second run at a school board seat. She has volunteered for 12 years in different roles within the district and served on its comprehensive planning committee in 2022.
“I’m running because an informed, collaborative voice can help our district build on the excellence and innovation that Franklin Regional is known for,” said Sheridan, a design consultant with Acclaro Design. She anticipates the district will be challenged by “the rapidly changing national landscape, that includes uncertain federal public school funding as well as changes in education policy.”
“From what I’ve seen as an audience member, no single person on the nine-member board ends up being the one with ‘the solution,’ ” she said. “Nor should they be. The nonpartisan school board is about asking questions, valuing voices and perspectives, having conversations, building on the excellent foundation of Franklin Regional education and enhancing the value of those Franklin Regional diplomas.”
Shannon Venditti, 38, of Murrysville has three school-age children, volunteers as a youth sports coach and said she wants to have a bigger stake in the community she loves.
“I think one of the key challenges is the condition of our middle school, high school and athletic facilities,” Venditti said. “There’s a misunderstanding that investment in our school district has to come at an incremental cost to our taxpayers. I believe there’s a smart and fiscally responsible way to benefit both taxpayers and students.”
Incumbent Kevin Kurimsky, 49, of Murrysville said he wants to foster a strong relationship among families, educators and the community.
Kurimsky, a vice president for global sales and marketing at the IMMY diagnostics laboratory, also said district facilities are one of the big upcoming challenges the board will need to tackle.
“In some cases, there’s a lack of necessary spaces to support modern educational needs,” he said. “It’s critical that our classrooms and facilities are adaptable to the evolving needs of today’s curriculum. We need to create spaces that are flexible enough to accommodate advances in robotics, STREAM learning and other advanced concepts.”
That concern extended to athletic facilities.
“Upgraded locker rooms and enhanced athletic capabilities are crucial for fostering a strong athletic program that supports the development of student athletes physically and mentally,” he said.
Incumbent Debra Wohlin, 59, of Delmont is running a competitive race for the first time, having been appointed to the board in 2018 and 2024 to fill vacancies, and running unopposed for a two-year seat in 2019.
“As a disability advocate, I understand the obligation to provide every child with a free and appropriate public education,” Wohlin said. “All students should be provided opportunities that enable them to reach their full potential.”
Wohlin said she’s proud to be part of a board that has consistently prioritized classroom spending.
“I have a proven record for not only eliminating the duplication of efforts and exploring private partnerships, but for coming to the table with real solutions, and having the willingness to do the work and see them through,” she said.