Marion County School Board: Joseph Suranni to run for seat now held by Don Browning

Joseph Suranni, an elementary school dean, announced recently that he is running for the Marion County School Board District 2 seat currently held by Don Browning, who was appointed to the post last summer by Gov. Ron DeSantis.

It is the first time that Suranni has thrown his hat into the ring for a board seat. Suranni, 49, is a student services manager (sometimes referred to as a dean) at Belleview-Santos Elementary School.

The District 2 seat is currently held by Browning, 79, who has not announced whether he will run in this year's special election.

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In August 2021, Browning was selected to replace Beth McCall, who won in 2016 and was unopposed in 2020. She left office in May 2021 after she moved out of the district she represented.

Because the appointment of Browning came more than 20 months before the 2024 election cycle, there will be special election in 2022. Browning said earlier this year that he's not getting younger and he is not sure if he will run for the seat.

School board members earn $42,627 annually and serve four-year terms. They are elected countywide but must live in the district they represent.

Suranni has 16 years in education as teacher, assistant principal and dean

Suranni has spent 16 years in education, first as an exceptional student education teacher at Howard Middle School, and then as assistant principal and dean at Shady Hill, Reddick-Collier and Belleview-Santos elementary schools.

Suranni earned an education specialist degree (EdS) from Saint Leo University in 2009. An EdS degree is an advanced degree for teachers who want to specialize in a particular area, such as leadership, education technology or early childhood.

He earned his master's degree from Saint Leo in 2007, a master's degree in business from Webster University in 2005, and a bachelor's degree from Canisius College (Buffalo, New York) in 2002.

Suranni said he believes it is time to spend "tax dollars a little bit better and we need to plan for the future a little bit better."

"I think we need to involve parents in what we do a little bit better, too," he added. "I really think that our school district is doing a good job. And leadership has now been given the chance to put forth their platform."

Suranni said he believes in Superintendent of Schools Dianne Gullett's mission. Gullett was the first school board-appointed school superintendent in Marion County history. She was appointed in 2020 after voters chose to end an elected K-12 leader.

"People need to be patient and let the superintendent put her plan into action and see what's going to happen," Suranni said. "I'm not one who's going to come out and criticize everything we're doing."

He said the reason he will not chastise Gullett and her team is "because I don't think everything that we're doing is wrong."

"I just think that maybe there are places we can do things better," he noted. "I think she's (Gullett) going to be great and move the district. I just don't think people have given her enough time to put her wheels into motion."

Suranni says that he does believe people can make the biggest difference in a child's life; therefore, "I think we need more people in front of kids instead of programs."

Suranni may have only one opponent if Browning does not run for his seat

For now, there is only one other person who has pre-filed to run for the District 2 seat: Lori Conrad, 50, a Marion County teacher.

In 2020, Conrad sought to represent District 1. Vice Chairwoman Allison Campbell narrowly defeated Conrad in the general election, capturing 53.39% of the vote.

Conrad, 50, was in the news a lot during her 2020 campaign after she discovered that her home was a few blocks outside District 1. She moved to a family barn apartment in District 1 during the election.

This time, Conrad and her husband purchased a home on Lake Weir. Conrad said she and her husband are empty nesters and decided to sell their home in Ocala for a small home in Ocklawaha that is in District 2.

The official qualifying period to get on the ballot ends at noon June 17.

Other races for school board beginning to take shape

Campbell's seat in District 1 is the only seat not up for election until 2024.

In District 3, board Chairman Eric Cummings announced he would seek re-election. The one-term incumbent defeated Ed Wilson in the 2018 general election, taking 56.43% of the vote. Steve Swett, a retired Dunnellon post master, has pre-filed to run.

In District 4, Nancy Thrower announced last week she would seek re-election. The one-term incumbent defeated Angie Boynton, at the time a two-term incumbent, in the 2018 general election, taking 56% of the vote. Juan "Tito" Ocasio III has prefiled to run against Thrower.

The District 5 seat is held by Kelly King, a two-term incumbent and the senior board member in terms of length of service. King was elected in 2014, defeating then four-term incumbent Ron Crawford, who has since passed away, with 57.7% of the vote.

In 2018, King won again, defeating Shelia Arnett. King tallied 51.27% of the vote. King has not pre-filed and said she has not decided whether should would run again.

Two people have pre-filed to run for King's seat: Sarah James, 32, a former teacher and assistant principal turned owner of the Kids City USA preschool; and Taylor Smith, 24, a horse trainer and daughter of Republican Party of Marion Chairwoman Brigitte Smith.

Profiles highlighting James and Smith will be published soon.

Joe Callahan can be reached at (352) 817-1750 or at joe.callahan@starbanner.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoeOcalaNews.

This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Marion County, Florida elections: Educator seeks school board seat