Eight candidates are vying for five spots on the Knoch School District board of directors in the May 16 primary election.

Of those eight, five are incumbents.

All but one candidate, newcomer Corey Check, have cross-filed Republican and Democrat. Check filed as a Republican.

Democrats and Republicans will each choose five candidates to continue to the November ballot, where the winners will be determined.

Neither Check nor Jesse Scheller replied to the Eagle’s request for answers to election questions.

Miller is in her 20th year on the school board, where she has served as treasurer and vice president and on every school board committee over the years.

She is the district’s representative on the Butler Area Vocational-Technical School’s Joint Operating Committee, where she is secretary.

“Originally, I wanted to be on the school board to increase my service to my community beyond the PTA, Boy and Girl Scout programs and church,” Miller said. “At this stage, not only do I want to continue to serve, but I have an extensive knowledge through experience to continue to help improve the district.”

Miller’s goals are to see the successful completion of the district’s ongoing high school and stadium construction project — estimated to have a price tag of $38 million to $42 million — with the most positive impact on students and least negative impact on the community, to help prepare students academically and emotionally for their lives after high school, to hire an assistant superintendent, and to encourage students to consider attending the vo-tech school.

Eakin, current board president, has served on the board for eight years, with the past three-and-a-half as president.

Eakin counts among her accomplishments as board director the name change from South Butler County School District to Knoch School District, participating in the high school and stadium construction project, successful contract negotiations with teachers and the board’s ability to avoid a tax increase in the face of budget constraints.

Gebhart has been a school board member for the past four years.

Gebhart said students’ mental health and success are top priorities.

“I felt called to be a part of a group where I can be part of the policies governing and improving upon what we are currently doing and to show hope for the future of our students,” he said of serving on the board.

McRandal has served on the board for the past four years.

McRandal said the top three issues in the district are recruiting high-quality teachers and staff, maintaining the budget without raising taxes and providing a safe school environment.

His goal is to get the construction project started at the high school and keep it on budget.

Kovach was approved as a board member in June 2022 by a 6-2 vote when school board members were tasked with filling the unexpired term of Dale Fennell, who resigned.

“In that time, I have helped guide the administration in high-level decision-making regarding the high school building project, as well as spearheaded the school board’s defense of prayer to begin our public meetings,” said Kovach, a structural engineer who has worked with Pittsburgh City Schools on several projects.

Regarding goals, Kovach said he wants to see Knoch be “the best school district in the country.”

He wants students to be given the best opportunities possible to prepare them for their adult lives.

Asked about Knoch’s top three issues, Kovach said he thinks the word is divisive.

“I prefer to look at the challenges we face, because when we work together, the members of this community can do amazing things,” he said.

He listed mental health challenges, resources and training for teachers and staff and maintaining fiscal responsibility as the top three challenges at Knoch.

Danehy is making his second run at a seat on the school board.

Danehy attends many Knoch School Board meetings and began addressing the board during the “previous 53-month-long teacher contract dispute.”

He said he was struck by how little discussion the board has on the items on which they vote.

“I have never been a part of a meeting where so much money was being spent with almost no apparent oversight,” Danehy said.

His goals, if elected, are making Knoch a model school district; increasing transparency to ensure the school board listens to taxpayers before making expensive decisions; and following through on planning goals, which he said the board has not done in certain instances.

Danehy’s top issues are addressing bullying and the impacts of student trauma and developing a positive workplace where policies are developed to help teachers focus on education rather than paperwork.

The Eagle also asked the candidates what can be done to ease the teacher shortages that are affecting schools across the state.

Miller said fewer people are entering the teaching field. She said salaries could be increased, but money is not the only way to attract qualified teachers.

“There is a need to find other means of incentivizing future teachers,” Miller said.

Eakin said Knoch has qualified applicants for open positions because of the district’s positive work environment.

Gebhart said an employee shortage exists in most industries. He said he will continue to be part of a positive environment that hopefully will continue to attract great educators to the district.

McRandal said young adults graduating from college and entering the teaching field face multiple challenges, such as safety and the authority to do their jobs properly.

Kovach said Knoch has succeeded in filling the positions of retirees by redistributing class sizes and striving to perform at maximum efficiency.

He said the district should save to cover increased costs likely to occur in the future, when he predicts increases will hit the district.

Danehy said respecting and valuing teachers, developing policies to demonstrate the district’s value of teachers and providing flexibility to staff to do the jobs they were trained for are three ways to confront the teacher shortage.

All candidates also were asked for their opinion on the state mandate that school districts pay cyber and charter schools to educate students in the district who choose to leave Knoch and attend one of those online schools.

Miller said she believes brick-and-mortar schools where students learn in front of a teacher are best, and Knoch Cyber Academy is a very close second.

“I don’t support any education source that we have no control over and that takes money and resources from our district,” Miller said.

Eakin said the cost of sending students to third-party cyberschools is about $1.3 million.

“I recently supported a resolution to reform cyberschool funding to try to make cyberschool costs fair and equitable to all schools in Pennsylvania,” Eakin said.

Gebhart said parents have the right to choose where their students are educated, but cyberschool funding should resemble public school funding so state funds are equitably distributed to public and cyberschools.

McRandal said he does not agree with the mandate that districts should bear the cost of sending students to cyber/charter schools “because it is a huge financial burden to our budgets.”

Kovach said online school is good for some students, and enrollment in these programs has increased dramatically since the coronavirus pandemic.

“For the students it is good for, I am glad that the programs are financially covered,” he said.

Danehy believes a publicly funded cyber option should exist that is aligned with the district, such as the Knoch Cyber Academy, so those students who need to attend school online can do so.

“Charter schools are not subjected to as much public oversight and do not provide the same level of service to students,” Danehy said. “I would work to reduce the amount our district spends on charter schools.”