SALEM–Salem voters will select two candidates from a field of four for Salem Board of Education as incumbents Theodore Bricker and Carol Hrvatin face challenge from Christina Burchfield and Heather Smith in the upcoming general election on Nov. 4.

Theodore Bricker, 57, is a 1986 West Branch High School alum, and 1990 Muskingum College alum where he majored in business, and has studied manufacturing engineering at Kent State University. Bricker is married to his wife Debbie with whom he has raised a son, Samuel, and has worked at Butech Bliss since 2000 overseeing purchasing, estimating and vendor management, and is a member of the Holy trinity English Lutheran Church’s church council and finance team.

Bricker said that he was seeking re-election to see the construction of the district’s new K-8 school building through to its completion, and to help raise the district’s test scores, and cited his more than 30 years of business management experience focusing on budgets and cost reduction as what qualified him to continue serving on the board. When asked what his three greatest accomplishments as a member of the board Bricker cited the passage of the Salem School Levy to fund the new school building, never needing to “ask the community for additional funding for day-to-day operation of the school, and collaborating with district Treasurer Mike Douglas on long term budgeting and forecasting with extends five to seven years in the future.

When asked why voters should elect him, he cited the district’s ability to “live within [its] means,” during his tenure on the board.

“We did not have to ask the community for additional funding for the day-to-day operations of the school. We have accomplished this by planning and focusing only on the needs of the district students,” said Bricker.

Christina Burchfield, 58, is a 1985 Salem High School alum, and earned her bachelor’s degree in education from Kent State University in 1990, and her master’s degree in teaching and learning from Nova Southeastern University, Burchfield also graduated from Ursuline College’s Educational Administrative Licensure Program with her principal licensure in 2010, and her superintendent licensure in 2020. Burchfield currently serves as an Assistant Principal in the Youngstown City School District and has a combined 13 years of experience as a school principal or assistant principal, seven years of experience as an elementary and middle school teacher, and five years of experience as an instructional coach. She has been married to Jim Burchfield for 34 years and has three children, Katie, Beth and Jake, and three grandchildren, Jude, Brynlee and Brody.

Burchfield said that she was seeking election to the board of education because she wants “to give back to the community that has played such an important role in [her] life” as a Salem Native “by making informed decisions that are thoughtful, effective and strategic,” and that her more than 25 years of experience in education and her successful leadership of “multiple successful initiatives” in the schools where she has served were what qualified her to serve on the board.

When asked why voters should elect her, she cited her educational experience and said that she would approach the position “with trust, respect and open communication.”

“My chosen career path has always been in the field of education, and the opportunity to serve on the school board will allow me to bring my professional perspective through the lens of an educator to school board decisions. I am not seeking this office for personal recognition, but to continue my commitment to ensuring that every child in our district has the opportunity to succeed,” said Burchfield.

Carol Hrvatin, 70, is a 1973 Alliance High School alum and earned her bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Mount Union and has a combined 25 years of teaching experience at the West Branch, Canfield, and Salem City School Districts, and served as a Seventh and Eighth Grade English and Reading Teacher and Technology teacher for the Salem City School District from 1998 through 2016. Hrvatin is married to her husband Ron with whom she has a daughter, Stacey Blunt, and Son Matt Hrvatin, and two grandchildren Killian and Nolan Blunt. In addition to serving on the board of education since 2017 Hrvatin also volunteers to listen to First Grade student at Buckeye Elementary, serves on the CORE construction team for the new K-8 school building, and is a member of the Ammanuel Lutheran Church.

Hrvatin said she was seeking re-election to finish overseeing the construction of the new K-8 school building, and to “continue moving forward with other numerous projects for our school system” and cited her educational experience and prior 8 years of service on the board as what qualified her to continue serving on the board. Hrvatin cited the passage of the Salem School Levy, the installation of air conditioning in all educational facilities in the district, and the re-design and update of equipment for the High School’s home economics room as the three greatest accomplishments of her time on the board of education.

When asked why voters should elect her Hrvatin cited her “deep experience with the Salem school system, both as a teacher and a board member,” which give her “firsthand understanding of [the district’s] students’ needs.”

“I am dedicated to continuing the progress we have made- strengthening our schools, supporting our teachers, and building a better future for our community. My commitment is always to do what is best for our students, and I will continue to work hard to make Salem school a place where every child can succeed,” said Hrvatin.

Heather Smith, 46, is a 1997 United Local alum, and graduated from Youngstown State University with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education in 2004 and earned her master’s degree in early childhood education from the University of Akron in 2011, in 2020 Smith was the first graduate of YSU’s Teacher Leader Endorsement Program. Smith has a combined 19 years of experience in education and has held positions in the Stark County, Akron, Lorian, Parma, Warren, and the Youngstown City School Districts, and has worked as an Edtech Consultant at Western Reserve PBS. Smith currently teaches technology to students in grades K-5 in the Youngstown City School District. Smith is the mother of three adult children and is a member of Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the Past and the Columbiana County Democratic Women’s Caucus.

Smith said that she was seeking election to the board of education because she feels that “education is under attack” and that efforts are being make “to privatize schools for profit and destroy public education.” Smith said that her experience as an educator which she said gives her an understanding of “the challenges our students and staff face daily,” and her perspective as both a teacher and community member beyond the classroom who has hosted “teach truth events” for fellow residents were what qualified her for a board position.

“From bills to defund schools over Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, to banning books, and opening schools up for religious indoctrination through “cash for Christ” entities like Lifewise Academy. The pretty packages that look like parent choice may not be, as they seem, on the inside,” said Smith.

When asked why voters should elect her over other candidates Smith said that she believes “in honesty and transparency,” and that she is “not afraid to ask questions and push back against the status quo.”

“I want all the students we serve to feel represented in the curriculum and feel welcome in our schools and in our hometown of Salem. safety for all kids, separation of church and state and success for all students,” said Smith.