2 incumbents, 1 newcomer win Beavercreek school board seats

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Incumbent school board candidates JoAnn Rigano and Krista Hunt won their Beavercreek school board races as did newcomer Carl Fischer, according to unofficial, final results from the Greene County Board of Elections on Tuesday.

Five candidates competed for three seats, including Hunt, Rigano, newcomers Allison Lindsay and Fischer. Mark Passage was a write-in candidate.

As of 11:39 p.m., Hunt secured 28% of the vote, followed by Rigano at 27%. Fischer fell behind the two incumbents at 22%, followed by Lindsay with 20%.

The school board has five members, and they serve four-year terms. The two seats not up for election are held by Gene Taylor and Chris Stein, whose terms end after 2023. One current incumbent, Denny Morrison, is not running for re-election.

A small number of Montgomery County voters also cast ballots for Beavercreek school board.

Carl Fischer:

An electrical engineer and parent of current Beavercreek students, Fischer said improving the schools’ diversity and inclusion efforts is a top priority for him, so every student feels welcomed.

Fischer said the district needs to explain school funding to the public in more understandable ways. He wants schools to try new things, like project-based learning, to keep pace with a changing economy. He’d like to see practical skills emphasized, including financial literacy and information literacy. He said through his work, he’s familiar with running large programs, and guiding teams to execute effectively.

Krista Hunt:

A church ministry assistant, parent of current students and eight-year school board member, Hunt has a focus on character education, having helped launch the Shine Awards given monthly to students of character.

Hunt said teachers are doing important work to meet the needs of kids who are behind academically after 18 months of COVID disruptions. She said there are no glaring problems with the budget and cited the recent multimillion-dollar savings from health plan changes.

Jo Ann Rigano:

A retired teacher and eight-year school board member, Rigano said she thinks Beavercreek schools do an “exceptional job” of preparing kids for their adult futures, in large part because of the diverse set of courses for them to take and opportunities to participate in.

She thinks the district’s budget is in good position, and she wouldn’t call for significant changes in what they spend their money on. But she said state funding is always a concern. She said she’s a good candidate because her decades of experience in education have helped her master educational issues from elementary to college level.

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