Pleasant Valley School Board has six seats open. There are 10 candidates running in the election. Of those 10, nine are running under the category of School Director at Large, of which five seats are open. The other category is for a two-year term on the school board, and there are two candidates. Voters can select one candidate in the two-year term category. One of the candidates is also listed in the At Large group,

The 10 candidates for school board include: Norman Burger, Robert Clark, Mary Elizabeth Colon, Peter DeSanto Jr., Erika Engle, John Gesiskie, Susan Kresge, Ryan O’Keefe, Matthew Walters and Donna Yozwiak.

The candidates were asked to keep their responses to 75 words. Colon and O’Keefe did not respond to the questionnaire.

Norman A. Burger

Town: Gilbert, Chestnuthill Township

Background: Polk Township native; B.S., mathematics; M.S., computer science; military service, 22 years. Worked in aerospace industry 20 years. Developed and managed plans/ budgets in the tens of millions annually. Military, aerospace and university instructor. With a brother, owned construction company for over 30 years. PV School Board member from 2019 to present.

Why are you running for school board: I want to be a voice of reason - focusing on the facts to arrive at sound solutions for our school district. I believe my background and experience would benefit our students, staff, administration, board and taxpayer community. My objective is to work with our board and administrators to provide a safe learning environment with a range of quality education opportunities suitable to students’ talents and interests that is also taxpayer affordable.

What are your three main priorities if elected: My goals are to work with the board and administration to: 1) Improve student achievement and graduation rates. 2) Provide for our students a sound, safe and effective learning environment. 3) Continue taking steps that foster and enhance effective communications and open dialogue.

How will you work to increase academic standards: After World War II, education emphasis shifted toward college bound students – leaving others less well served. Since the 70s, progress to correct this shortcoming has occurred. After decades of debate, PA’s 2018 Act 158 defined alternate ways to demonstrate proficiency. In 2022, PVSD defined flexible alternate pathways to graduation. Each pathway has electives that allow education tailoring aligned to each student’s goals. The district believes this structure leads to higher achievement and better graduation rates.

There’s been a turnover of employees in the district? What is the answer to retain key employees: Each year, there is some employee turnover. Causes include: retirement, health, family needs, continuing education, moving, job dissatisfaction, talent competition and leaving the profession. Turnover is lower when the employee is satisfied with their job, work environment, compensation and feels valued. PVSD conducts exit interviews for ongoing insight of each departing professional. This helps PVSD take action/ adjustments and transition toward being a preferred employer. Our annual administrative review is used to update district goals.

Pleasant Valley is involved in a renovation project. How will you keep the taxpayer in mind while moving forward with the project: As a former business owner, my goal is to bring the principles of affordability, essentiality, effectiveness and financial solvency into the creation of the budget, including the planning for and designing of the high school renovation. Our board and business office have taken steps to improve the district’s financial condition. Today, our credit rating is in the top 10% of Pennsylvania’s 500 school districts. This lowers future borrowing cost, which helps control tax increases.

Robert Clark

Town: Saylorsburg

Background: I am a school administrator with 20 years of experience, currently serving as the supervisor of Technology Services in a local school district. I hold a master’s degree in instructional technology and a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems with a minor in business administration. I am a PV alumni and parent of two PV students, at PVI and PVHS. I am currently active in education and well-versed on current issues facing schools.

Why are you running for school board: I am running for PV school board, because every student deserves access to a high-quality education that prepares them for success. As a parent, community member and education administrator, I have seen firsthand the challenges our schools face and am committed to being part of the solution. I have the skills and experience necessary to be an effective school board member and am passionate about making a positive impact on our students and families.

What are your three main priorities if elected: If elected, my three main priorities would be collaborating with district leadership to improve student achievement and narrowing the achievement gap, promoting a safe and inclusive learning environment for all Pleasant Valley students, and continuing to strive to foster stronger community engagement and open lines of communication with all district stakeholders.

How will you work to increase academic standards: I will collaborate with the district leadership, focusing on data-driven approaches to identify areas for improvement and support district initiatives to improve student achievement. I will advocate for targeted professional development for teachers, regularly assess curriculum effectiveness, and leverage technology for personalized learning. Additionally, I’ll promote accountability through transparent reporting and encourage a growth mindset culture. Together, we can ensure that every student can reach their full academic potential and thrive in a competitive world.

There’s been a turnover of employees in the district? What is the answer to retain key employees: Employee turnover in education isn’t just a Pleasant Valley issue. PV is not unlike many districts in Pennsylvania experiencing the same issues. I believe to retain key employees in the district, we must prioritize a supportive work environment. I would work to help open communication channels. This will ensure their concerns are heard. By creating a positive and empowering culture, we can retain and attract top talent for the benefit of our students and community.

Pleasant Valley is involved in a renovation project. How will you keep the taxpayer in mind while moving forward with the project: The decision to renovate the high school is a critical one that must be carefully considered. I support a renovation plan that prioritizes student safety, accessibility, and functionality, while also being fiscally responsible. As a board member, I will work collaboratively with the community, administration, and experts in the field to ensure we make informed decisions that provide our students with the best possible learning environment and remain mindful of the district’s financial resources.

Peter DeSanto Jr.

Town: Polk Township (Kunkletown)

Background: Father of four in PVSD. Employed as a scientific services consultant. Frequent volunteer for PVSD, youth sports, and funnel cake stand. Graduated PV in 1988; B.S. in chemistry, 1996; Ph.D. in chemical engineering, 2003. Husband to Annette Borger, MD. Throughout my life I’ve been the beneficiary of people helping me. I hope to ensure that our kids have the same or better opportunities that I had and the support they need to capitalize on those.

Why are you running for school board: Throughout my kids’ school years, I’ve watched as various issues have come up consistently and wondered how we can improve our district so students and teachers can thrive. Various missteps by administrators in the past and their compounding effects over the years illustrate the importance of having good leadership in a district. I believe that I can provide better oversight of our district leadership while working collaboratively to improve PVSD for all.

What are your three main priorities if elected: Improve the learning environment for students by aggressively recruiting and retaining great staff. Improve the work environment for staff by making PV a more attractive district to work in. Ensuring that taxpayers dollars are spent most effectively to improve our kids’ education. This requires investing in teachers, support staff, counselors, etc. who make our schools great. This also requires us to thoroughly vet any personnel changes that might impact our teachers and students.

How will you work to increase academic standards: I will take input from our education staff along with curriculum experts around the state on ways to meet or exceed state board of education standards. Part of the challenge of maintaining academic excellence is being able to attract and retain qualified teachers and counselors to guide and instruct our students to perform their best. I’ll work with other board members to craft policies that can help reach those goals.

There’s been a turnover of employees in the district? What is the answer to retain key employees: PV teachers’ salaries are low early in their careers compared to surrounding districts in Carbon and Monroe counties. This means that there must be other factors that attract new teachers to our district and retain them. We need to understand why teachers and counselors are leaving. Administration needs to pay careful attention to staff input, and staff must feel safe to provide that input and see changes being made based on that input.

Pleasant Valley is involved in a renovation project. How will you keep the taxpayer in mind while moving forward with the project: Directors need to ensure that admins are paying close attention to project progress and costs during execution. We must aggressively question change orders, cost overruns, and delays. We must ensure that our building and business directors are providing constant updates to the superintendent and board to keep on budget and on schedule. My experience in project management and facilities planning helps me to understand how to keep a large project on track.

Erika Engle

Town: Kunkletown

Background: I am a graduate of PV and a mom to a PV graduate. I have spent many years working in diverse settings, and it is my goal to help and support everyone in this community and to see our district become even greater than we previously thought possible. I believe in the value of public education, leading by example, working together and transparently to solve problems while treating everyone with dignity and respect.

Why are you running for school board: I am running for school board to be an active participant in improving the quality of our schools. It is important to me that we work hard to provide the best educational outcomes for all students and that we provide students with the resources they need to succeed past their years at PV. Finally, the landscape is changing drastically, and we need to challenge how we spend money and where.

What are your three main priorities if elected: My priorities, if elected, will be to focus on: 1) Student achievement at all levels by setting standards for performance of the schools and the superintendent. 2) Understanding the current budget and make recommendations/changes where applicable. 3) Establish a collaborative relationship with our staff and the community while building on a strong relationship that will inform and engage internal and external stakeholders in setting and achieving district goals.

How will you work to increase academic standards: I would help to increase academic standards by: 1) Spending time reviewing all current policies and working through updates. 2) Spending time with the educators, collect feedback from the community, and work with the other board members to ensure that our policies are effective and that our resources are where they should be to promote the best learning environment. 3) Identifying strategies that will allow our educational vision to be a reality for everyone.

There’s been a turnover of employees in the district? What is the answer to retain key employees: I do not believe there is only one answer. However, in the current environment I think that we need to speak less and do more while holding each other accountable. We need to build employee engagement and offer clear communication, consistent management/decision making, and transparency. This needs to be combined with programs/benefits that support our staff at all levels. The three main pillars for improving employee burnout/turnover are respect, recognition and reward.

Pleasant Valley is involved in a renovation project. How will you keep the taxpayer in mind while moving forward with the project: The renovation project/funds have been approved. As such, we must be transparent about spending, challenges that may impact our stakeholders, and any obstacles that we face during the project. We need to find the most effective way to involve our community and to keep everyone informed. The tax burden has become too much for many, and we need to move forward strategically and with empathy for everyone while continuing to build excellence in our district.

John Gesiskie

Town: Effort

Background: A retired educator with over 30 years of teaching (K-12) and coaching, cyber school monitoring, supervised numerous student activities and community work, problem-solving with challenging and at risk students, curriculum committees, union leadership, and contract negotiations.

Additional classes: Discipline/Conflict Resolution, Cultural Awareness, School and Sport Law, Bullying and Victimization, Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, General Workplace Ethics.

Education: B.S. degree in health, physical education and driver education; master’s in sports management; and master’s in educational technology

Why are you running for school board: 1) The need for administrator accountability to follow policies or contracts. 2) Stop adding more unnecessary administrative support when our student’s need for support is ignored or minimized. 3) Repel measures that force a one size fits all approach. 4) Look into all the outsources that have been implemented that may not be cost effective. 5) Continue to prioritize community and school involvement.

What are your three main priorities if elected: 1) Stress to all board members the need to strive to obtain all the facts to make informed decisions. 2) Fiscal responsibility: Changes need to be practical, reasonable and affordable for our community members, whether it is considering the capital improvement projects or all this outsourcing of jobs normally done by PV administrative staff. 3) Improve safety in the learning environment

How will you work to increase academic standards: Prioritize goal setting. Set reasonable expectations and continuously monitor outcomes. Encourage the use of advanced teaching methods to innovate and enrich students’ learning experiences. Educators should be working on interesting ways to ensure that content learning can be transferred to real-world situations.

There’s been a turnover of employees in the district. What is the answer to retain key employees: Employees need to feel valued. Administration needs to stop moving faculty around just because they feel the need without justifying the reason. All staff and professional contracts need to be honored without retaliation from administration when a grievance for breach of contract is filed.

Pleasant Valley is involved in a renovation project. How will you keep the taxpayer in mind while moving forward with the project: There are definite repairs, outdated equipment and renovations needed for the high school to run effectively and cost efficiently. I cannot comprehend the aesthetics of a building, a true necessity, considering the burden on the taxpayers. At this time, many of these decisions are already in motion, so we need to be careful as not to delay too much that could lead to an increase of cost to taxpayers.

Susan A. Kresge

Town: McMichaels

Background: Present member of the PV School Board. Retired small business owner in our community and current association manager of the Pennsylvania State United States Bowling Congress. Understands how the school management team should perform to be effective. Will lead with integrity and respect. Cares about the students, staff and residents of our community. Will read, research and ask questions so informed decisions can be made. Will be the voice of reason and fair to all.

Why are you running for school board: Volunteering and giving back to my community are important values to me. Wish to focus on moving the district forward and to educate all students to meet their highest potential. Continue to adopt a fiscally sound district budget. Work as a team by collaborating with others and be respectful of the team. Keep the public informed of the district’s progress and challenges.

What are your three main priorities if elected: To improve student achievement, to provide a safe learning environment for our students and staff, and to update our aging facilities especially the high school.

How will you work to increase academic standards: We have increased the number of concurrent enrollment programs for students to earn college credits, increased the number of student meetings with their counselors, and provided Advance Placement training to our teachers teaching AP courses. Started an after-school program for students that are not academically successful. Developed a process to ensure all students meet the requirements of Act 158. Implementation of new programs to support students, and purchased resources to support the curriculum and teachers.

There’s been a turnover of employees in the district? What is the answer to retain key employees: Turnover is inevitable and there are many reasons for it. As a Board, we need to make sure there is open communication, a competitive salary, a healthy and safe environment to work in, and for all employees to feel valued.

Pleasant Valley is involved in a renovation project. How will you keep the taxpayer in mind while moving forward with the project: This is the most important piece for me. The current Board started the process two years ago by balancing our budget with no use of our fund balance, negotiating fair contracts with all of our employees, right sized the district’s staff and improved our Bears Academy at a savings of $3 million. We have budgeted over the past two years dollars to lessen the impact of the borrowing to our community.

Matthew Walters

Town: Brodheadsville

Why are you running for school board: My goal is to continue to be the leader this very school system taught me to be over 20 years ago. I have three children currently in the district, and will put the needs of our children’s success above anything else. Pleasant Valley has a rich history and a bright future, and I feel obligated to run for a chance to be a part of the next chapters.

What are your three main priorities if elected: 1) Communication with the community is something that could improve, and would be a focus of mine if elected. A strong relationship between the district and the community opens opportunity. 2) The current board has a grasp on the renovation projects; however, I’d like to make sure taxpayers’ interests are aligned with district needs.

3) I will focus on improving culture within the schools to make sure we have a desired workplace for our staff.

How will you work to increase academic standards: Evaluating feedback and understanding results are underrated tools in anyone’s strive to increase academic standards. I will work with the board to shift resources to areas that are proven to be more effective than others. Empowering teachers to do their job with the resources they need will allow them to continually evaluate and reevaluate the academic standards. We hired professionals, we should help them do their job. They are our best resource.

There’s been a turn over of employees in the district? What is the answer to retain key employees: A lot of people will say this is a Pleasant Valley issue right now, but in reality, it’s much larger. Staffing in general has brought more challenges in the past five years than ever before, and it’s affecting industries across the board. Exit interviews are of course important. Culture within the organization has improved. I personally believe internal growth is necessary for teachers and staff instead of always hiring from the outside.

Pleasant Valley is involved in a renovation project. How will you keep the taxpayer in mind while moving forward with the project: To me, it’s about finding an equitable balance between district needs and responsible spending. I do feel like decisions already made on these projects do have that balance, and I will continue to help see the remainder of the project through. Financial transparency with the public is also something that I would like to be involved in, as I’ve stated before, this type of proper communication opens opportunity.

Donna Yozwiak

Town: Chestnuthill Township

Background: More than 45 years of total educational experience to the office as an AP/English/journalism teacher at Pleasant Valley High School for 20 years. Assisted students as their school counselor for 18 years, specializing in career/technical and special education areas. Master’s degree in education in secondary counseling from Marywood University. Master’s degree in secondary education from East Stroudsburg University. Bachelor of Arts degrees in English and history from Wilkes University.

Why are you running for school board: I am running to ensure that our children receive more rigorous education. Reducing credit requirements currently from 28.5 to 24 has lowered our standards. Our children need a competitive edge in this world to succeed. Students will not lose scholarships as they have this year. We must reestablish transparency. All committee meetings will be open to the public, providing minutes for oversight. All board policies will be followed; board authority will be restored.

What are your three main priorities if elected: All children learn differently; some excel as independent learners, while others thrive in a more traditional setting. The PV Bears Academy allows parents/guardians to pursue a multi-faceted educational approach in a cyber school setting. It is my hope that PV teachers will one day educate PV students in this venue, and PV will no longer utilize teachers from Seneca Valley SD to complete this educational task.

How will you work to increase academic standards: Since Pleasant Valley School District now requires only 24 credits to graduate, instead of the 28.5 required previously, those credits need to increase, so Pleasant Valley can compete with other area schools: Palmerton, 28 credits; East Stroudsburg, 26; and Southern Lehigh, 27.5. PV currently ranks 355 out of 752 high schools, while Southern Lehigh ranks 37/752 (School Digger). I would not eliminate economics or driver’s education and would increase academic rigor throughout the district.

There’s been a turn over of employees in the district? What is the answer to retain key employees: The turnover of employees at PV since last December concerns many. For instance, the Counseling Department in the entire PV district has diminished by 50% with the resignation of seasoned professionals.

The answer to employee retention is found in strong professional development, positive reinforcement, collaboration and elimination of retaliation and retribution. Too many grievances continue to be filed due to safety, ethical and professional concerns. The Collective Bargaining Agreement must be followed to maintain fairness.

Pleasant Valley is involved in a renovation project. How will you keep the taxpayer in mind while moving forward with the project: PV renovations will take up to 10 years to complete. The strain upon the community will be difficult. Renovations are needed at the high school, which has been divided into three areas: main building, $38.5 million; 1995 wing, $24.8 million; and Mills wing, $17.2 million; total, $80.5 million.

I support renovations, but not necessarily these plans. My hope is that the costs can be lowered to provide excellent student facilities, but not distress our community.