The political battles on the Norwin School Board in 2022 and 2023 may come to an end over the next two years as four incumbents will not be on the May 20 primary election ballot.
Rob Bunovich, Monica Kitta, Jakub Sadowski, Chelsea Thomas and Ella Thompson, all of North Huntingdon, are seeking to fill the four open posts. All five candidates cross-filed to be on both the Republican and Democratic ballots.
All but Thompson are running on the Norwin Now slate for a say in a district that educates about 5,300 students from Irwin, North Huntingdon, North Irwin and 18 residences in eastern Allegheny County.
Directors Christine Baverso and Shawna Ilagan decided not to run for a second term, and Ray Kocak will not seek election for what would have been his third consecutive term and fourth overall.
Alex Detschelt, the fourth director whose term expires in December, was removed from the ballot for the Republican nomination when a Westmoreland County judge ruled he did not have the minimum requirement of 10 valid signatures of support.
Two other Republicans seeking nominations, Tammy Moreno and Randall Pedder, were removed from the ballot by a judge because Norwin did not receive their statements of financial interest by the deadline. Monica Kitta is the only registered Republican.
The tone of the school board has changed since the November 2023 election in which five candidates were elected on a Change 4 Norwin slate.
During his time on the board, Detschelt pushed for the banning of two children’s books he deemed inappropriate, fought the administration over what he claimed was the teaching of critical race theory and was successful in removing a CNN 10 news and entertainment show from being broadcast in students’ homerooms before classes.
Detschelt filed lawsuits against the school district, the former superintendent and fellow board members and was censured by the board twice.
The school board has received criticism because of a decision to proceed with an extensive renovation of the high school stadium, which carries an estimated price tag of about $25 million. The board awarded the contract in April, and there is no indication of any attempt to rescind the approval. The most vocal opponents of the project — Detschelt, Ilagan and Kocak — will not be on the board in December.
The candidates
Bunovich, 47, a voice telecom analyst with UPMC, was an unsuccessful candidate in the 2021 November election, in which the requirements for wearing masks during covid restrictions became an issue. At that time, he did not run as part of a slate of candidates but said he is now part of a bipartisan slate.
President of the Norwin Soccer Club, Bunovich said he agreed with the board’s decision to renovate the stadium, which he said had rain leaking into the locker room when he was in high school in 1995.
“We need to look at the spending. There could have been ways to cut back a little bit,” Bunovich said of the $25 million project.
Kitta, 61, a retired McKeesport Area High School teacher, said she believes her experience in education will be beneficial to the district.
“I think you have to be honest with the community. All perspectives should be considered when any decisions are made,” Kitta said. “I think the cohesiveness of the school district reflects on every community member.”
Sadowski, 48, a media consultant, said he is running to thwart the politicization on the school board.
“I really hate what it became,” he said.
Regarding the stadium project, Sadowski said it should have been done 10 years ago.
“It was in bad shape 30 years ago when I was in school,” Sadowski said, but previous boards were afraid to do it because it involved raising taxes.
Thomas, 32, a corporate recruiter, said she believes that the board has a responsibility to represent a diverse student and community population that holds different backgrounds and beliefs.
“I believe that a school board director should do their best to represent the best interests of the entire community, regardless of political affiliation,” Thomas said. “The emphasis on politics within the (board) in the last few years is something that motivated me to run because I think it’s important for the position to be nonpartisan.”
Thomas said she believes her background in recruitment and human resources could bring a helpful perspective on the board. She said she wants to understand more about Norwin’s participation in the Central Westmoreland Career Technology Center and Norwin students’ interest in pursuing skilled trades as an occupation.
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“I would love to encourage more students to pursue the trades,” Thomas said.
Thompson, 34, a freelance set designer for film production, said she wants to make all-day kindergarten classes a priority.
“I would like to see all-day kindergarten offered for all incoming kindergartners,” Thompson said.
Norwin currently has half-day sessions and all-day kindergarten at each of its four elementary schools. Children are assigned to the full-day class based on developmental need as indicated by the Brigance Early Screen and by lottery for any remaining roster openings, the district said on its website.
“The number of sections varies each year based on enrollment,” Superintendent Natalie McCracken said.
Thompson also weighed in on the cost of the stadium renovations and opposition that has arisen to the cost, pointing out “there were less expensive options that would have made people happier.”
“I want to see the school board doing things that will help all of the students and community members,” Thompson said.
With the district incurring debt with a $25 million stadium project and $6.39 million high school auditorium project, it is going to be very important to figure out priorites for the district, Thompson said.
Thompson is not part of the Norwin Now slate. She said that slate was selected before she decided to run and when there were other potential candidates who opted not to run.