North Callaway school board election sees four candidates for three seats

The deadline to file for election is Jan. 21, and there are currently four candidates vying for three, three-year terms with the North Callaway Board of Education.

•Newcomer Matt McCowan said he decided to seek a seat on the school board because he wants to be more active in the community.

"I'm just interested in getting involved with the school system and trying to improve our children's education," McCowan said.

He said one of his main areas of focus would be the district's athletic and extra curricular programs and "continuing to grow them to meet the needs of the students." McCowan identified further growth of the high school agriculture department as another priority, as well as dealing with the everyday issues of running a school district.

•Incumbent Regan Love is finishing his second term and said he decided to run for a third because he wants to help the district through the bond issue currently being contemplated by the board and district administrators. He added that having a son in elementary school and a desire to give back to the community also prompted him to continue his active role in leading the district.

"I just feel when you're part of a community you need to do what you can to be a positive part of that community - to do what you can to help," Love said.

Aside from the bond issue, Love said he does not have any specific projects or issues he is concerned with going into another term beyond continuing with positive relationships with other board members and using those relationships to help students.

"Since I've been on the board, we've all worked well together. We don't always agree - and I think that's a good thing - but it's a friendly disagreement ... we always try to do the best we can by our students and teachers."

•Incumbent Sandy Lavy is also nearing the end of her second term, and - like Love - said she is running again because she thinks it is important to be involved in the community and she enjoys providing that service with the school district.

"I enjoy it. I enjoy the challenge, the learning aspect of it, I enjoy being involved," Lavy said.

Lavy said her main priority would be to continue focusing on positive things going on throughout the district and "always keeping our students first when making decisions - whether they're popular or not."

She also identified the potential bond issue and possible school improvement plans as priorities over the coming years, as well as "Keeping and maintaining the most-positive, best-qualified staff we can for our students."

•Incumbent Mike Shryock is completing his first term on the board. Like the others, he said he is seeking another term "just to continue my service."

"I just want to keep helping the district do the best we can for students," Shryock said.

Shryock said the board currently has a number of things it is working on - including proposed building upgrades - but his top priority right now is "keeping the good quality teachers we have."