Six candidates running for school board in the Moniteau School District will be on the ballot on Tuesday, Nov. 7.

With five four-year seats open, incumbents Jennifer Rottman, Mark E. DeMatteis, Kathy McBride and Brittney Beachem-Larimore are running for reelection alongside newcomers Travis Beachem and Todd Minnear.

Minnear, of Clay Township, said he planned to withdraw from the race. He passed the Butler Bureau of Elections’ withdrawal deadline. His name will remain on the ballot in November.

Beachem, a resident of Clay Township, was born and raised in Butler County.

A full-time operations manager for a manufacturing company, Beachem creates budgets and production schedules and oversees a number of staff members and departments.

Outside of work, Beachem helps coach Moniteau’s high school football team.

“Having two boys currently in the Moniteau district and coaching football for the last five years, we have been blessed to be part of this amazing community,” Beachem said. “I would like to see the constant changes we are facing in ethics and culture accomplished in a positive way.”

If elected, Beachem said his goals for the district are to determine ways to recruit students at all grade levels to get involved in sports, work on updating athletic facilities and empower teachers.

Beachem also said he would like to work with district finances.

“I would like to help with budgets and projects to ensure we are getting the most out of our taxpayers’ money,” he said.

Beachem said he believes the pandemic was a culprit of the nationwide teacher shortage.

“Unfortunately the pandemic has turned this world upside down,” Beachem said.

“Hopefully with time this will get better,” he said. “Increasing teacher salaries is always an option to entice teachers to return and encourage young adults to become teachers.”

Beachem said he would be able to address fiscal priorities and specific issues within the district only after being elected and understanding the budget, as well as seeing the impact of different issues on students, teachers and the community.

DeMatteis, a resident of Boyers, is in his fourth year on the school board.

He retired from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in Boyers and is involved in a number of organizations, including the Knights of Columbus, the National Rifle Association and the North American Hunting Club.

DeMatteis serves on the church council at St. Faustina Parish.

“People (are) my passion,” DeMatteis said. “I like working with people. I like working with organizations and helping a taxpayer out. Wherever the money needs to go, this is all about the students, not about us.”

DeMatteis said his goal for the district is to make sure the large projects that are underway, such as the solar panel installation, are completed.

“We’ve got a lot of things going,” he said. “I want to make sure it’s run the whole way through.”

DeMatteis said the biggest issue in the district is staffing.

“It’s hard to get teachers and get professionals,” he said. “It’s hard to get substitutes or custodial staff. We’re still looking for a business manager.”

“I don’t know what’s causing that,” he sad. “I guess we need people, and whatever it takes to get them, I’m going to do it.”

He said Moniteau can’t afford to pay teachers at the same rate as bigger school districts.

DeMatteis said giving teachers what they need to be successful at their jobs and providing incentives and higher salaries could help ease the teacher shortage affecting districts statewide.

Ultimately, the district should focus its spending on paying bills, he said.

Beachem-Larimore has children in the district and has served on the board since being appointed to fill a vacant position in July.

The Cherry Township resident said she cares for the well-being of not only her children but of the entire student body.

She described herself as a self-starter and team player who is mission-focused and goal-oriented.

“I would want to encourage and foster a sense of pride among the Moniteau community,” she said. “Students, faculty and families need to be proud of where they are from. It is my goal for Moniteau to be positioned in a manner that will assist all students, of all academic, social and athletic abilities, to have the resources they need to reach their full potential.”

Beachem-Larimore said the first priority for spending in the district should be education.

“I am certainly a proponent for well-manicured schools, athletic stadiums and more, but those things should come second to ensuring the student body is receiving modern-day technology, curriculum and more,” she said.

Beachem-Larimore said discussion and action around the statewide teacher shortage are for the commonwealth. She proposed strengthening Moniteau’s relationships with nearby post-secondary institutions such as Slippery Rock University and Clarion University.

“I believe there should be more focus on getting our college students into the real-life classroom environment much before their last semester of higher education,” she said.

“Maybe it’s possible for Moniteau to better engage with these institutes and develop a pre-service teacher program to better parallel the theorized classroom versus the real-life scenario,” she said.

Beachem-Larimore said it is imperative that board directors and administrators continue to educate themselves about emerging threats to student safety through training and that students continue to be educated about threats, including vaping and drug use.

Rottman, a resident of Hilliards, has served on the school board since 2019.

She has resided in the Moniteau School District for 24 years, choosing with her husband to raise three daughters in the district.

Rottman has served several booster organizations, and she volunteers as a first responder, treasurer of the Eau Claire Volunteer Fire Department, and board member of the Moniteau Youth Baseball & Softball organization.

She is employed part time with Eau Claire borough as a secretary and holds an associate degree. During the past four years as a board director, Rottman said she has served on committees including contract negotiations and collaborated with her fellow directors while navigating the challenges around the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Under the guidance of a newly hired superintendent, the district was able to acquire Chromebooks for each student in the district that enabled our teachers and administration to continue their primary goal of educating the students in the Moniteau School District during COVID,” she said. “We have also been able to increase the number of school police officers and have provided them with the resources that enable them to continue to protect the students, staff, property and assets of the Moniteau School District.

“Even through the stressful and challenging times of COVID and the unforeseen challenges the pandemic has brought to the district, I feel I have helped the district accomplish many things but still feel there are many areas that still need improvement,” she said.

Rottman said the board has a responsibility to meet the changing needs of students, regularly examine security policies and ensure the district prepares students for life after graduation.

“We need to provide them with opportunities to excel in academics, extracurricular activities, athletics and life skills,” she said. “The biggest issue Moniteau has is students who need us. One of the ways Moniteau School District can address these issues is to have a school board that works together.”

“I believe it is prudent for a school board to hold the district to a fiscal responsibility,” Rottman said. “Start by having conversations with teachers and administrators to prioritize the needs of students by which programs and services are needed most. A focus must also be had on staffing issues, maintenance and projects.”

To help ease teacher shortages, Rottman said she would support the continuation of partnering and developing strong relationships with local colleges and universities and to continue to support the district’s teachers and staff.

Regarding student safety, Rottman said the district should continue to educate students and families about the potential dangers of social media platforms.

“Parents need to take the first step in attacking social media disruption/bullying and safety that is affecting our students by monitoring and reviewing their child’s social media accounts daily,” Rottman said. “Moniteau School District can partner with parents and guardians in the district by continuing to offer educational meetings about the most-used social media sites.”

Rottman also said she would like to see funds awarded from the Juul Labs class-action lawsuit made available to educate students on the effects of vaping and to install vaping detectors in bathrooms.

McBride, of Marion Township, graduated from Moniteau High School. She and her husband own a small business in Boyers.

Along with Beachem-Larimore, McBride was appointed to fill a vacant seat on the school board in July. Previously, she served the board for 12 years, five of them as president.

McBride was not able to be reached for comments regarding the November election.