Fox Chapel Area voters will choose among two candidates for District 3 school board seat

Joyce Hanz, The Valley News-Dispatch, Tarentum, Pa.
·4 min read

Oct. 6—Two candidates are vying for a single seat on Nov. 7 to represent District 3 on the Fox Chapel Area School Board.

In Districts 1 and 2, there are two candidates seeking two open seats in each district. The Fox Chapel Herald is featuring races only in contested districts.

Here are the candidates' responses to questions posed by the Herald:

Name: Emily Glick

Age: 37 years

Political affiliation: Libertarian since 2020, Independent prior to that

Occupation: Environmental consultant/geologist, project manager

Education: Bachelor's in geological science, Ohio State University; Master's in geology and environmental science, University of Pittsburgh

Elected or political experience: Current O'Hara Township Zoning Hearing Board member, 2020-2022 Director of Pennsylvania Council of Professional Geologists

What is the biggest issue facing the school district?

We live in a fantastic school district with excellent teachers and plentiful opportunities for students. However, I feel that the school board and administration do not view community input as actionable, nor do they clearly communicate the direction in which they are leading us. Healthy communities should have respectful public conversations on a regular basis.

What can you do to solve it?

We are an intelligent community with diverse backgrounds. I believe in the power of people to optimize and find opportunities when freely working together. When I talk with families, I hear repeated concerns and ideas; improve the quality of school foods, increase walkability to schools, and allow for more outdoor learning. I would push for the use of surveying tools for our entire community on an annual basis, and additional surveying when our school district is facing a contentious issue. Ensuring that the school community is heard will ultimately best serve the community now and into the future.

Would you support banning or restricting access to certain books in school libraries if parents demanded it?

As a Libertarian, I am for economic and personal freedom, I wouldn't ban books. The preamble for the Libertarian Party states, "...we defend each person's right to engage in any activity that is peaceful and honest, and welcome the diversity that freedom brings..." Refer to FCA School Board Policy Code 109, Resource Material. "A list of resource material provided by the district shall be maintained by the Superintendent and ... available to Board members, district staff, students, parents/guardians and community members." I would provide parents and guardians with information to make the right choice for their children.

Name: Marybeth Dadd

Age: 53

Political affiliation: Democrat/Republican (on the ballot as both)

Occupation: Educator

Education: Bachelor's of Arts, secondary education/social studies; Master's of Science, curriculum Development and instructional technology

Elected or political experience: FCASD School Board Director, 2019-present

What is the biggest issue facing the school district?

We continue to be an academically strong district but now that the pandemic is over, we must redouble our efforts to make sure students are growing academically and feeling supported emotionally.

What can you do to solve it?

As a board member, my job is to review policy, allocate resources and adopt curriculum so that the district can achieve the goals it sets. We benchmark student growth throughout the school year, while also continuing to open up supports for a greater number of students in our buildings. We will also continue to work with families to provide resources for students who may be facing mental health challenges. These are just a few steps that the district is already taking to meet the needs of our students.

Would you support banning or restricting access to books in school libraries if parents demanded it?

The district has a robust process for the evaluation of instructional/resource materials. These instructional/resource materials go through a review process established by our board policies and administrative regulations. These policies are written to follow the law, PA School Code and a belief in the First Amendment. A parent may opt their child out of curricula or activities that they feel are not suitable for them at any time. I trust the highly trained librarians and teachers employed by our district to make excellent choices for our students.

Joyce Hanz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joyce by email at jhanz@triblive.com or via Twitter .