This is the second in a two-part series featuring a Q&A with the candidates for Ellwood City School District’s Board of Directors. Today’s Q&A features Gary Rozanski and Kathy Pansera. Yesterday’s Q&A featured Leroy Cortez and Jean Biehls. The following candidates declined to participate: Jennifer Tomon, Erica Gray, Danielle Woodhead.
Elections are just around the corner. Residents will be able to place their votes for numerous offices including Ellwood City Borough Council on November 5. To find your polling location, click here. To learn more about the voting process and how to cast your vote, click here.
Take a moment to get to know the candidates running for Ellwood City School District’s Board of Directors.
Gary Rozanski, Sr.
Employment: Retired auto technician and service manager
Former Experience, Roles, and Years Serving on Ellwood City Area School District Board: 12 years on school board, Past president for three years, Past vice-president for two years. Former member of Lawrence County Career & Technical Center
Q: Why are you running for School Board? If elected, what will be your priorities?
A: I feel I can make a difference in the current affairs of the school district.
Q: Is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve on the board?
A: I hope to help raise the Ellwood City School District’s academic achievement levels, to negotiate a settlement on the SEIU contract, and to maintain taxes.
Q: What particular experiences or skills have prepared you to serve as a board member?
A: Former board member and work experience as a manager of men and women.
Q: In what school district or community activities/organizations have you been involved?
A: School board, church organizations, booster groups.
Q: What differentiates you from the other candidates and/or board members?
A: Experience from past school board membership.
Q: What issues do you believe your district needs to address in its academic program and offerings? What changes would you recommend?
N/A
Q: What should your school district do to better prepare you to serve on the board? Students as citizens?
N/A
Q: As a board member, where would you look to make budget cuts?
A: Every area would have to be looked into.
Q: How does a school board balance the need to provide a quality education with the need to respond to the local taxpayer burden?
A: That’s the tough part of being a board member.
Q: What attributes are essential for successful school board members?
A: Honest, loyal, knowledgeable of what is occurring in the district.
Q: How would you handle the requests, if approached, by an individual? Special interest groups?
A: No promises and bring to board as a whole.
Q: How can you contribute to a successful board meeting?
A: Must have common sense and always be open to discuss issues.
Q: What do you see as the current challenges facing public education in our state? In our country?
A: Money – state and federal funding.
Q: What are 2-3 strengths of which our district can be proud? Why do you see these as strengths?
A: Balanced budget and high academic standards.
Q: What are 2-3 needs that must be priorities for our district to address? Why do you see these as needs?
A: Keep taxes as reasonable as possible due to the fact Ellwood City includes a high majority of senior citizens; address educational needs; ensure a safe environment for the students and staff.
Q: If elected, what would you hope would be key accomplishments of the board during your years of service?
A: Providing a high quality of education for the students. Ensuring a safe environment for the students and staff. I am not in favor of outsourcing any positions in the school district. Maintaining the physical conditions of the properties without raising taxes.
Kathleen Pansera
Family: Husband, John Pansera, 4 children
Employment: Data Entry at local Bank
Former Experience, Roles, and Years Serving on Ellwood City Area School District Board: I have previously served on the school board.
Q: Why are you running for School Board? If elected, what will be your priorities?
I am running because I think I can help our district provide the best education for our students and provide this without spending a lot of tax payer money. We have a unique and diverse community and all residents need to be represented.
Q: Is there a particular issue that motivates you to serve on the board?
I want to make sure the students of our district have the best opportunities available. They are our future and need to be properly educated and prepared.
Q: What particular experiences or skills have prepared you to serve as a board member?
I have served in many organizations and in many leadership capacities, including past board service.
Q: In what school district or community activities/organizations have you been involved?
School activities include service and president of a PTG and PTG, Ellwood City Soccer Boosters and president, wrestling booster member and volunteer at school functions. I have been honored to serve the Relay for Life, and serve as the event chair for seven years. Currently I hold the office of president for the Ellwood City Lions, an organization that is 100% community service. I also continue to volunteer and support my church and its activities.
Q: What differentiates you from the other candidates and/or board members?
I believe all of us have one goal: the children of Ellwood City. Our differences are how we meet that goal.
Q: What issues do you believe your district needs to address in its academic program and offerings? What changes would you recommend?
We need to continue to prepare our students with technology and also prepare them with an education that prepares them to use English, Math, Science and History so that they are capable to make informed decisions in their adult lives. One class I would like all students to take is a life skills class. It should include: learning how to balance a check book, knowing the basis of a tax return, and basic childcare etc. I would like to think this would teach our students to be responsible adults.
Q: What should your school district do to better prepare students as citizens?
Our students need to know our history and our past to become better citizens. If our students know how our country was created and why we have laws and what those laws mean to each of us, then our district will have succeeded in educating responsible adults.
Q: As a board member, where would you look to make budget cuts?
Without knowing the current needs of the students, I cannot provide an informed response.
Q: How does a school board balance the need to provide a quality education with the need to respond to the local taxpayer burden?
Balancing the needs of a quality education and the burden to the taxpayers is like a tight rope walker where the school board needs to take each step with great concern and care.
Q: What attributes are essential for successful school board members?
School board members should remember the reason they were elected—to protect and educate our students and to be responsible with the funds provided for that purpose.
Q: How would you handle the requests, if approached, by an individual? Special interest groups?
A school board member has no rights or powers and cannot speak for the board. In the past when approached, I have listened and directed the individual or group to the proper district personnel and/or invited them to attend a board meeting for them to discuss their concerns in the most productive manner.
Q: How can you contribute to a successful board meeting?
A successful board meeting requires all elected members to be willing to voice their opinions and concerns and to responsibly listen to the opinions and concerns of the rest of the board.
Q: What do you see as the current challenges facing public education in our state? In our country?
The biggest challenges are unfortunately economic. Cost of labor, facilities, and supplies continue to rise and the income will never keep up. In Pennsylvania, that income comes from taxes and for the small communities that make up the Ellwood City Area School District providing that funding it is becoming an ever-increasing hardship. The support from the federal government only provides for certain programs, but they make unfunded laws that the local districts must follow, also increasing the burden on the taxpayer.
Q: What are 2-3 strengths of which our district can be proud? Why do you see these as strengths?
I think the district’s advances into technology, the quality of the teaching staff that educate our students every day, and the support of the community are some of our greatest strengths. I believe they are strengths because we need to prepare our students for the rest of their lives and with a quality education and support, they will have no limitations.
Q: What are 2-3 needs that must be priorities for our district to address? Why do you see these as needs?
We need to find a way to control spending and still provide a quality education.
Q: If elected, what would you hope would be key accomplishments of the board during your years of service?
I would hope that our district would, again continue to provide a solid education for our students and control spending.
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