Six seats up for grabs in 2022 Harford Board of Education election

Oct. 26—The Board of Education of Harford County consists of six elected members and three members appointed by the governor to four-year terms. The board also has a student member who is elected by the Harford County Regional Association of Student Councils and serves a one-year term.

In the general election on Nov. 8, six seats are up for grabs. Current school board President Rachel Gauthier, who represents District E, is not seeking reelection; she is running for a seat on the County Council. The school board president is nominated by another school board member and elected by the rest of the board.

Carol Mueller, vice president of the board representing District C, is running to retain her seat.

"As the general election approaches, I am hopeful that the citizens of Harford County will choose their Board of Education members wisely," Mueller said. "We need people who understand the educational system and have the time available to work tirelessly for our students."

Ariane Kelly, who was appointed in 2021 to fill a vacancy to the elected seat for District D, is now running for that seat.

"With the upcoming election, I am hopeful for a school board that is made up of community members with a variety of interests and experiences," Kelly said. " With the upcoming election, I am hopeful for a school board that is made up of community members with a variety of interests and experiences."

[ VOTER GUIDE 2022: Read the candidates' positions on the issues ]

Although the school board race is nonpartisan, some of the candidates listed are affiliated with a political party or organization, according to their social media profiles and posts. Denise Perry, Stephen Puopolo and Carol Pitt Bruce are members of Harford Democratic Central Committee, according to the organization's website and the state's candidate listing.

Candidates Kayla Mariskanish, Dennis Barry, Tanya Tyo, Diane Alvarez and Melissa Hahn have been endorsed by Moms for Liberty, according to a Facebook post from the Republican Alliance of Harford County. Moms for Liberty is a conservative political action group focusing on parental rights in schools.

Here are the candidates for the Board of Education in the 2022 general election:

District A

Denise Perry

Perry served in the U.S. Army for six years, where she achieved the rank of staff sergeant. When Perry left the military, she worked for the federal government as an accountant and auditor for 28 years.

Perry earned a bachelor's degree in business and accounting from the University of Maryland University College. She served on the National Legislative Committee, where she was responsible for setting up meetings with the Maryland congressional delegation for the fall and spring conferences. Perry served as the first female commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Maryland and currently serves on the national council of the VFW. Perry is also a commissioner on the Maryland State Veterans Commission.

Perry's children and grandchildren attended Harford County Public Schools.

Stephen Puopolo

Puopolo, a Baltimore native, moved to Harford County in 2005. He is a member of local groups such as the Edgewood Advisory Board, and serves as the chair for the People with Disabilities Council of the Maryland Democratic Party. According to his campaign website, Puopolo wants "to provide a better balance for teachers, students, administrators and parents."

"Over the past year I have been privileged to meet with people who has growing concerns regarding education in Harford County," Puopolo said. "As I continue to get feedback directly from educators, teachers and students, I've become more energetic and continue to want to work with them to make our county the best in the state. November 8th will change the direction of education in this county in the years to come and I look forward to pushing for progress for student success."

District B

Dennis Barry

Barry is chief operating partner at Restaurant Reputations, which helps restaurants monitor how they are perceived online, according to his LinkedIn profile.

"As parents, we all want better for our children," Barry wrote on his campaign website. "This goes for all aspects of life. The foundation being set for that success starts with our educational system right here in Harford County."

Wade Sewell

Sewell is a lifelong Harford County resident, Fallston native and a Harford County Public Schools alumnus, according to his campaign website. He attended the Fallston Presbyterian Church for preschool, Youth's Benefit Elementary School for kindergarten through sixth grade, and Fallston High School beginning in seventh grade, graduating in 1991. Sewell attended Drexel University in Philadelphia and graduated with bachelor's and master's degrees in environmental science.

District C

Carol L. Mueller

Mueller is currently serving as vice president of the Board of Education. Her tenure began in late February 2020, when she was appointed by the County Council.

Since joining the school board, Mueller has worked on securing the renovation of Homestead/Wakefield Elementary School, mitigating plans for redistricting, and developing guidelines for virtual instruction. She serves on numerous local and statewide committees including the state legislative committee, the calendar committee, the general curriculum committee and the Blueprint steering committee.

Mueller moved to Bel Air 22 years ago after completing her Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction at the University of Arkansas. Her career spanned middle school, high school and Harford Community College.

Kayla Mariskanish

Mariskanish, Mueller's challenger, is a parent of a county public school student.

"Parents deserve honesty, transparency, and quality," Mariskanish said on her campaign website. "It is time for education not indoctrination. Join me in the fight to return our schools to a valued educational system our community can be proud of. Our children are worth fighting for. They are the future of Harford County."

District D

Melissa Hahn

Hahn is a parent of two county public school students and is a substitute teacher for the school system.

"I decided to run because I feel many of the decisions being made by the board are negatively affecting our children," Hahn said on her campaign website. "As a substitute teacher in HCPS, I watch firsthand the daily struggles of administrators, teachers, staff and especially our children."

Ariane Grubb Kelly

Kelly is running to keep her seat on the board in District D, to which she was appointed last year to fill a vacancy. Kelly was born in Harford County and attended North Harford elementary, middle and high schools before getting her undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware.

She moved to California to take a job at San Diego State University, but because she wanted to raise her daughter in a supportive environment, she returned to Harford County. She has spent more than 20 years working in the field of education.

If she keeps her seat on the board, she plans to tackle two issues. First, Kelly hopes to give a specific job description to STRIVE paraeducators.

"Having a separate job description is the first step in negotiating any type of increase in compensation," Kelly said. "I have been out to observe a wonderful STRIVE program at Darlington Elementary School and hope to be able to advocate for all educators because retention of our staff is crucial."

Second, she wants the board to develop a full-time athletic trainer at North Harford High School.

"Within my discussions with ATI, the current company that HCPS contracts through for trainers, we determined that they are in breach of contract due to the fact they cannot provide a full-time trainer," Kelly said. "This has opened up talks between HCPS and other companies in order to provide the athletic care that our athletes deserve. "

Overall, her top three priorities include the safety and security of children and school staff, retention of educators, and listening and advocating for the community, she said.

District E

Carol Pitt Bruce

Bruce is a former member of the Harford County Board of Elections and is vice president of the board for the nonprofit Havre de Grace Colored School Foundation, the historic school that her mother graduated from in 1940. Bruce graduated from Morgan State University with bachelor's and master's degrees.

Tanya L. Tyo

Tanya Tyo is a lifelong resident of Harford County. She attended Magnolia Elementary, William S. James, Bel Air Middle and Bel Air High schools. She has two sons as well as nieces and nephews enrolled in HCPS.

While her sons were in elementary school, she was involved with the PTA and the running of the Patriot Program. The public school system taught Tyo the importance of advocating for her sons and how to work within the framework of the existing system, she said on her campaign website.

District F

Diane M. Alvarez

Alvarez has been a Harford County resident since 1991. She is a retired engineer from Aberdeen Proving Ground and mother of two graduates of county public schools. Alvarez earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from Widener University and a master's in human services from Liberty University. Alvarez spent her 32-year career with the Army Test and Evaluation Command as an electronics engineer.

The Morning Sun

She's also volunteered as a trainer for expecting and new parents. This training focused on understanding the development and appropriate expectations of children in their development. One facility she volunteered at was the Harford County Detention Center where she taught "Becoming a Responsible Mother" to inmates.

Sharon B. Jacobs

Jacobs retired from the Army after serving the PATRIOT Air Defense Artillery and Acquisition Corps for more than 20 years. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering technology from Georgia Southern College and a master's degree in systems acquisition management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Jacobs completed the Army Combined Arms and Staff School and is a resident graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College.

She was honored as Harford County's Woman of the Present in 2020, and she is currently chief executive officer of Strategic Alliances Group.

"It is my belief that the greatest need in our nation today is unity," Jacobs said. "I decided to run for this office to encourage uniting the Harford County community in achieving excellence in education. An old African proverb says, 'It takes a village to raise a child.' Power is generated by uniting in purpose and providing the child with a safe, healthy, thriving learning environment. The village children are safe and secure under the auspices of all leaders and thus, they excel in learning."