Meet the candidates for Springfield Public Schools board of directors

Editor's note: This article has been updated to include comments from candidate Violet Olszyk.

With the 2023 special election coming May 16, five candidates are competing for two open positions on the Springfield Public Schools board of directors.

Those elected will join the five-member board. No incumbents are running for reelection.

Springfield is the second largest district in Lane County, with about 9,500 students enrolled.

All three positions are at-large, meaning residents in the Springfield district can vote for both positions. The district covers the town of Springfield.

Director Position 1:

Candidates: Self-employed Geena Davis, retired engineer Ken Kohl and caregiver Violet Olszyk.

More about Ken Kohl

Kohl, 63, moved to Springfield in 1995. He earned his bachelor's degree from Oregon State University and has since spent more than 30 years working as an engineer. In 2020, he retired from his position at the Oregon Department of Transportation, where he worked for 17 years.

Although Kohl doesn't have any kids at Springfield currently, all three of his children graduated from the district. He has been an active volunteer and has served on the budget committee since 2006.

Kohl said he is running for the board out of an obligation to give back to the community.

"I care about making budget priorities that are responsible, and support student success," Kohl said. "I want to ensure that all children in the district are provided with the best education possible and do what I can to help them become valuable members of society."

If elected, Kohl would like to improve community engagement as well as engagement with students and staff. He'd also like to seek ways to boost graduation rates and literacy proficiency. He also supports the continued expansion of career technical education courses in the district.

Kohl said his extensive experience working with teams and the public have prepared him for a position on the board.

"My strength is analyzing and solving problems," Kohl said. "As a highly engaged volunteer in the district for over two decades, I have experience engaging with teachers and students and listening to their feedback, ideas and concerns. My commitment is to all children in the district."

More about Geena Davis

Davis did not respond to The Register-Guard's inquiries. On Davis' campaign filing, she listed herself as self-employed. She previously worked as a manager at a 7-Eleven convenience store.

Her filing states she attended Lane Community College where she earned her GED.

More about Violet Olszyk

Olszyk, 31, grew up in California and moved to Springfield in 2017. She is a caregiver at Gateway Gardens, an assisted living and memory care center in Eugene.

She earned her bachelor's degree at California State University, Long Beach.

According to her campaign website, Olszyk has five children, two of whom attend Springfield Public Schools with a third beginning school in the fall. She has volunteered with her children's Boy Scout pack and is a parent-teacher association member at Maple Elementary.

"I am running for school board to improve transparency, safety and education standards," Olszyk said. "As a parent, I think our district needs more parent perspectives on the board to refocus our priorities on academic quality."

Her priorities include quality education and core subject proficiency, transparency, supporting staff and school safety.

Although Olsyzk has been pleased by in-school safety and discipline, she said not all parents feel the same, so she'd like the district to keep working on those aspects so families "can rest easy knowing their kids will come home safely after school."

She said she wants to ensure the district budget reflects the needs and values of the families the district serves.

"I am married to a teacher, so I have a perspective of education as a parent and an educator," Olszyk said. "Both are invaluable in the role of school board director."

An additional candidate

Heather Quaas-Annsa will also appear on the ballot. However, she has discontinued her campaign and is endorsing Kohl for the position.

"I believe he will make an excellent school board member," she stated in an email.

Director Position 4:

Candidates: Nonprofit worker Nicole De Graff and carpenter Anthony Reed.

More about Nicole De Graff

De Graff, 49, is originally from Phoenix but grew up in Cottage Grove. She moved to Springfield in 2013. She attended the University of Oregon, but did not complete a degree. She was formerly a real estate agent and now works for Oregon Moms Union, a nonprofit that advocates for parental rights in schools and a student-first education system.

De Graff's children previously attended Springfield schools, but she has since enrolled them in a nearby public charter. De Graff was elected a precinct committee person for the Oregon Republican Party. She also previously served on the Willamette Leadership Academy Board of Directors.

She previously ran twice for the Oregon House of Representatives, but lost in the primary elections for district 11 in 2020 and district 12 in 2022.

De Graff also applied to fill the vacant seat on the Springfield board in 2019. She was one of six candidates, but Lisa Barrager was selected to fill the slot.

"I am 'just' a mom who wants to serve others," she said. "I know there’s a lot to learn with regards to policy, budgeting and overseeing the superintendent and kids, but I am fully committed to doing my best to listen to the community and their needs. I will bring a much-needed perspective as a political outsider and parent as well as a former school board member (not SPS) to this position."

De Graff wants to prioritize transparency and building community trust if elected.

She'd like to see schools "refocus on the basics" by helping students become proficient in reading and writing.

"I don't believe our district is failing, but it could be better," De Graff said. "SPS has many great programs and I am excited to be a part of helping them grow. I really want us to remember why we send our kids to school."

More about Anthony Reed

Reed, 37, grew up in Oakridge. He moved to Springfield in 2005. He completed a four-year apprenticeship through Pacific Northwest Carpenters Institute at Mt. Hood Community College and is now a journeyman carpenter.

Reed has two sons in high school at Springfield.

"I am running for Springfield School Board because I care," Reed said. "I hear too many people saying our schools are failing our children and I’m not willing to accept that. I want to see Springfield School District become a shining example of what’s possible when, instead of writing our schools off, we band together to make sure the schools are supported, safe and effective."

Reed said student safety is his number one concern. He said schools should be a safe place where students feel welcome, and there needs to be an emphasis on building that environment with a focus on mental health.

He also said he values public comment at board meetings, which provide the board insight into making the best decisions for the district.

"I am a working-class guy," Reed said. "My partner is an educator and my children attend Springfield schools. I know what it’s like to work a full-time job and then rush home to make it to your kids' sporting event even though you're dead tired. I feel like I represent the majority of folks in Springfield and we should have a voice on the board."

Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her at mcyr@registerguard.com or find her on Twitter @mirandabcyr.

This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Meet the candidates for Springfield Public Schools board of directors