L’view candidates speak out on issues

DAVE MOSIER/independent editor

The five candidates for three seats on the Lincolnview Local Board of Education had a chance to talk about their vision for the district during a candidate’s night hosted by Lincolnview students.

The five candidates include current Board President Eric Germann and four newcomers: Laura Fox, Scott Miller, Lori Eversole Snyder and Jody Taylor. Germann’s seat, as well as those of retiring board members Sally Snyder and Cindy Miller, are up for re-election next Tuesday.

The five candidates answered questions provided by Lincolnview senior Logan Miller, who moderated the event, held in the school cafeteria.

Questions dealt with a number of topics, including the use of technology, support for extracurricular activities and out-of-state field trips, candidates’ opinions on the school dress code, how they would increase school spirit and their views on Lancer Time, a program that replaces study hall in the high school.

The candidates come from a variety of backgrounds. Fox is a cosmetologist, Germann a software engineer, Miller is human resources manager for Custom Assembly in Haviland and also owns T&R Wood Products in Middle Point and is a captain on the village’s volunteer fire department, Snyder is a field representative for the Group Benefits Division of The DeHayes Group, and Taylor is an engineering technician for Eaton Corporation in Van Wert.

Four of the candidates are Lincolnview alumni, with Taylor, a graduate of Van Wert High School, the only exception. All five also have had some type of higher education: Fox has a two-year cosmetology degree, Germann has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a master’s degree, Miller has a bachelor’s degree in accounting, Snyder has a bachelor’s degree in business management and Taylor an associate’s degree in engineering technology.

Perhaps the most important topic on the agenda was technology, with all five candidates supporting the use of technology in the classroom, although Taylor said that implementation of technology should be done with caution. “Technology is a tool and we need to incorporate it properly,” he noted.

All five were pleased, overall, with the progress the Lincolnview district has made in education and all support efforts to continue to improve the district’s educational programs.

Snyder, whose father was a Lincolnview board of education member, said she would like to see more family involvement at Lincolnview and stressed the importance of extracurricular activities on students’ academic success, noting that high-achieving students are also involved in a number of extracurricular activities.

Germann, the only incumbent board member, said he was pleased with where the district is right now, but said he hoped the district would continue to “foster collaboration, innovation and risk-taking” in the future.

Miller, while fully supporting the increased use of technology in the classroom, added that it was important that provisions be made to ensure that lower-income students have access to technology.

Fox said she supported the use of more technology at Lincolnview and also noted she was pleased with the growth of school spirit at the school since she graduated, giving credit for the improvement to the district’s staff and administration.

None of the candidates were in opposition to any of the questions asked, although Snyder, who stressed she was not in favor of having school uniforms at Lincolnview, did mention she felt uniforms do alleviate the disparities between higher and lower income students.

Superintendent Jeffery Snyder gave each of the five candidates his personal approval following the question-and-answer period. “You can hear the heart and passion of each of these candidates,” the superintendent told those in attendance. “The district is blessed to have five people who want to make a difference with our kids.”

The superintendent also spoke briefly about the district’s permanent improvement levy, which is also up for renewal on Tuesday, noting that the levy, which has been renewed every five years since 1974, provides money for much-needed technology purchases and other permanent improvements for the district.