Cornwall-Lebanon district appoints new school board member, with eye on student retention

Cornwall-Lebanon School District filled its empty board seat left by Susan Levendoski during Monday night's meeting.

Jane Owsiak has been appointed to fill the vacancy and will hold the seat until the 2023 election.

Owsiak, who held a seat on the board between 2018 and 2021, said she intends to run for the seat in December.

"I just find just so much personal joy in seeing what this school district offers to our children," she told the Lebanon Daily News on the night of her appointment. "Seeing these students that have achieved so many things and being able to be a part of that, to give back, that's really what drives me."

The interviews for the seat were held during the Feb. 6 school board meeting, at which 19 candidates expressed interest in the appointment.

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School board appointments:Lebanon School District appoints new board member

While all candidates were required to be a U.S. Citizen, at least 18 years old and have lived within the district for at minimum one year, the board asked each candidate four questions to determine the best person for the job: What qualities and experiences they had, what they believed the role of the school board was in approving curriculum, two or three key issues they believed board was facing and how they would contribute, and whether or not they would run in the December election.

Owsiak said that her previous time on the school board, as well as the time she has spent sitting on other local boards such as the Lebanon County Commission for Women and the American Heart Association, makes her a good fit for the position.

"I know what's expected of a board director," she said during the interview, "and I'm definitely missing it. I've really missed spending my time here with everybody and making a difference for the community."

She believes that it's important to work with curriculum leaders in crafting a well-rounded curriculum that serves the needs of all students, whether that be students seeking to go to college, the trades or those that need special education.

She said that one of the major issues the board is currently facing is the number of students, especially special education students, who are leaving the school in favor of charter or cyber schools.

"We need to be really good in finding the balance between how we provide not just the education but the behavioral support and all the things that go into a special education," she said, "because I do know how many kiddos we are transporting out of our community."

Owsiak said that she believes parents and children can have the wrong perception about the quality of education in charter and cyber schools.

"I've actually heard some kids say that they pick those schools because they're easier," she said, "which is a shame because they're getting a great education here."

Owsiak also believes that it's important, considering the growing population and aging buildings of the district, for the board to be good at budgeting money and to have a strong relationship with local leaders and legislators who can advocate for them.

Daniel Larlham Jr. is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News. Reach him at DLarlham@LDNews.com or on Twitter @djlarlham

This article originally appeared on Lebanon Daily News: Cornwall-Lebanon School District appoints new board member