2 compete for Region 2 seat on Seneca Valley school board
Of the nine seats on the Seneca Valley school board, only one is contested in this November’s general election.
Jim Nickel is vacating his position as representative of Region 2 after two terms, and two newcomers are vying for his seat. Kayla Burgert will appear on the Republican ticket and Kari Zimmer will appear on the Democratic ticket.
Both had cross-filed in the May primary election. Burgert proceeded to the general election as the Republican candidate with 319 of 569 votes. Zimmer moved on to the general election as the Democratic candidate with 243 of 393 votes.
Three other school board seats will appear on the ballot next month, but those are unopposed races, with only one candidate listed on the ballot. Running unopposed are Susan Harrison in Region 3, Michael D. Jacobs in Region 6 and Nick Brower in Region 7.
Burgert, 35, from Cranberry Township, has been an adjunct professor at La Roche University in Pittsburgh for 10 years. She has a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Kent State University, as well as a master’s degree in Linguistics from Old Dominion University.
Burgert has four children, three of whom are currently students in the Seneca Valley School District.
While Burgert hasn’t held a post on any school board, the current members of the school board are familiar with her. She first became highly involved in school district affairs last year when the district went through a rezoning, which would have greatly inconvenienced her family.
“When they built Ehrman Crest, they redid the zones,” Burgert said. “I live in a very small neighborhood, and we did not get the new building. The children of my neighborhood were going to CVE (Connoquenessing Valley Elementary), which is much further away.”
Through frequent calls, emails and appearances at school board meetings, Burgert was able to convince the board to move her neighborhood into the Ehrman Crest zone. Now, Burgert is hoping to have a more direct say on school district affairs as a board member.
“My biggest passion is children and education. And I have a background in education as an adjunct,” Burgert said. “I have four children of my own that are in preschool through seventh grade. I would love to bring that young parent’s perspective to the board.”
One of Burgert’s main concerns is making sure the school district — already the largest in Butler County in terms of number of students — can safely maintain its level of growth. She cited a study which estimated the district’s student population will grow by nearly 700 students over the next decade.
“Important issues that must be addressed concerning this growth are keeping class sizes small, prioritizing building development, emphasizing teacher recruitment, and enticing bus drivers to join the Seneca Valley team,” Burgert said. “These growth demands must be countered with fiscal responsibility.”
Zimmer, 46, of Cranberry Township, has a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Penn State University, and currently serves as the Judge of Elections for the Cranberry West 8 precinct.
Aside from that, Zimmer has previously served as a third grade teacher in Fairfax County, Va., and has also served as a den/troop leader with both the Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts. She believes this experience in working with children has prepared her for a spot on the school board.
“I believe that my professional knowledge and firsthand experience as an elementary school teacher would be an asset to the board,” Zimmer said. “I am well-informed on public school policy and make an effort to stay current on best teaching practices and trends in education.”
Zimmer is a mother of three children, all of whom attend Seneca Valley Schools. She has been an active member of the PTO at Connoquenessing Valley Elementary School.
“My children are current students in both the elementary and high schools, which also lends me a parental perspective on the challenges at various levels within the scope of the Seneca Valley School District,” Zimmer said.
One of Zimmer’s concerns is managing the projected growth of the school district, which includes a possible renovation of the Intermediate High School.
“I also want to ensure we do not sacrifice the quality of education as our enrollment increases,” said Zimmer. “With careful planning and a long-term budget approach, we can accomplish these things while still maintaining a responsible level of spending.”
