Endorsements: Lyons, Dollinger, Bennett for Dist. 38
Five candidates are seeking four 4-year seats on the Big Hollow School District 38 Board of Education in the April 6 election.
Incumbents Kevin Lyons, Tiffany Enters and Lauren Plescia are on the ballot along with Gary Louis Dollinger and Ashley Bennett.
Board president Lyons is a police officer who was appointed to the board in 2014 and elected to his first term in 2016. With children attending district schools, he said he understood the issues parents faced when the pandemic began. After starting with students in virtual learning, they are using a hybrid system and he's focused on getting all students into the schools. He said the board is working to get the district in a strong financial situation. He should be reelected.
Dollinger works in technology and said he has been involved with the schools since his children, in 6th- and 7th-grade, began kindergarten. He feels the grading system is good but it could have been implemented better. His background in education technology would be helpful when the school board is navigating the path to new tech. He should be elected.
Bennett, who has a child attending District 38, is a member of a community citizens advisory council and decided to get more involved by running for a seat. He said the school board did a good job handling the pandemic but lately its message has been confusing and he doesn't feel board members are listening to the community. Bennett owns a business that does consulting for owners of restaurants and bars. Looking forward, he would focus on implementing standardized grading in the school in a way that wouldn't create confusion for students. His concern for getting the community more involved would be an asset to the board. He should be elected.
Enters and Plescia did not respond to requests to discuss their campaigns, making it impossible to adequately assess their candidacies. So, we are making no endorsement for the final seat.
We endorse Lyons, Dollinger and Bennett for District 38 school board.