Three of the four candidates recently responded to a Dayton Daily News questionnaire about their reasons for running and plans for office, if elected.
Mirlisena did not participate in the questionnaire.
Kelly Bledsoe
Bledsoe said he values education and wants to ensure Huber Heights students receive the best schooling experience possible.
Bledsoe’s top priorities include student achievement, hiring/retaining the best staff and “prudent” fiscal management, he said.
“We have unfinished business as a district and challenges in public education in general, but I’m convinced we’re on the verge of new successes,” he said. “I want to do all I can to provide opportunities for success as our students prepare for their futures.”
Bledsoe said he will continue to collaborate effectively with fellow board members and administrators.
“Our current school board has experienced some challenging times together, but that has helped us develop as a team. I think it’s important to keep the incumbents in office to build on that work,” he said. “... As school districts wrestle with ever-changing political, social and funding issues, I will continue to promote the priorities I’ve identified and work for solutions that I believe are in the district’s and our students’ best interests.”
Mark Combs
Combs said his record of being fiscally responsible and unbiased throughout his time on the board make him a good candidate for re-election.
His top priorities include fiscal responsibility; unification of Huber Heights school administrators, education associations and the community; and the “return to educational excellence” for the district.
“Well-rounded students combined with excellent teachers, support personnel, administration and an involved community creates an environment where teachers desire to work, students want to learn and the entire community is proud to say ‘We are Huber Heights,’” he said.
One key focus for Combs would be to encourage parent engagement and mentorship for young students.
“Parental engagement with our students and staff has proven successful,” he said. “We need to focus more on our tweenagers during the years they need us the most to help mentor and shape them for the futures they can and will have.”
Steve Zbinden
Zbinden said he hopes to bring a fresh perspective to the district and its board of education.
His top priorities include supporting school staff, ensuring students have the resources necessary to succeed and continuing to support a secure learning environment, he said.
Zbinden currently serves on the Miami Valley Career Technology Center Board of Education, which he said has given him the knowledge and experience needed to succeed as a member of the Huber Heights BOE.
“I have prepared for this position by regularly attending Huber Heights Board of Education meetings,” he said. “My six years of service on the MVCTC Board of Education has given me the opportunity to learn how actions taken by the state of Ohio legislatures and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) impact our local districts. This has prepared me to be ready to serve on day one.”
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