BELOIT — District voters will elect three candidates from a field of five to the West Branch Board of Education as Tonya Dean, Penny DeShields, Angela Howell, Samuel Jennings and Peggy Shaver seek to join the board in the upcoming general election.

While incumbents Joe Courtwright, David Yaggi, and Bryan Hobbins all initially filed to run for re-election, all have since been removed from the ballot. The Mahoning County Board of Elections voted against certifying Courtwright’s candidacy on Aug. 19 under the grounds that he failed to fill out his circulators statement and decertified Yaggi’s candidacy on Sept. 3 after finding that he had signed a petition after circulating it. Hobbins withdrew from the race on Sept. 3.

Tonya Dean, 53, is a Southeast High School alum, and holds an associate’s degree in applied science from Stark State College, a bachelor’s degree in respiratory therapy management for Apollo College, and a master’s degree in adult education from the University of Pheonix. Dean works as executive director of nonprofit Harvesting Hope in Your Community and is a licensed funeral director and crematory operator and co-owner of Dean’s Funeral Home in Sebring. She previously worked as a regional director of marketing, licensed nursing home administrator, case manager, and registered respiratory therapy manager. Dean is married with two adult children and volunteers more than 40 hours per week at Harvesting Hope preparing and delivering meals, and distributing items to those in need. She serves at president of the Cemetery Board for Mount Union Cemetery in Alliance.

Dean said that she was already planning to seek election prior to the recent surge in scrutiny of the board, and felt the board needed to “regain integrity and transparency as we work together as a school board to regain the trust of the community, teachers, staff, and students.” Dean cited her professional experience running multiple departments and businesses “in various capacities” and the “wealth of information” that she feels would benefit the board as what qualifies her to serve on the board of education.

When asked why voters should elect her over other candidates Dean said the “board often sets the tone and climate of the school” and as such, “each decision needs to be addressed with an open mind.” She also said that the “community should be able to trust the members of the school board are making decisions for the betterment of the students, teachers, and staff,” and “that the school board members will always remain professional and respectful when dealing with differences of opinion on a topic.”

“Students all have varied needs that need to be met for them to be successful. It is our duty as school board members to prepare the students to be successful during their high school years as well as to help them continue to succeed when they leave the walls of West Branch. It is also our responsibility to give our teachers the tools needed to help achieve success for all students,” said Dean.

Penny DeShields, 53, is a West Branch High School alum and holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Kent State University, a master’s degree in the art of teaching from Mary Grove College, and a master’s degree of education and principal licensure from the University of Mount Union. DeShields currently works as assistant principal at Fairless High School, prior to which she served as assistant principal at West Branch Middle School for four years, and teacher for 20 years. DeShields also has 30 years of experience coaching volleyball, serving as head coach at West Branch and Louisville for 23 years, and coaching girls’ basketball for West Branch at multiple grade levels for 10 years. DeShields has never held public office before but has previously served as vice president of the West Branch Education Association and is married to her husband, Walter, with whom she has three children, Kip, Tyler, and Dru.

DeShields said that she was seeking election to the board because she is “committed to supporting the continued success of our students, staff, and community” and that previously she could not run for the board due to being a district employee. She also said that she has “a vested interest in seeing West Branch maintain its strong tradition of graduating prepared citizens who will be successful and give back to our community,” and wants to “help ensure West Branch Local Schools remain strong for generations to come.”

DeShields cited her educational experience, communication and organizational skills developed through her leadership positions, and her “integrity and high moral standards” as what qualifies her to serve on the board of education.

When asked why voters should elect her over other candidates, DeShields said that she felt her “experience and perspective” from having worked “as both a teacher and administrator in the district” would be “a huge asset” to the board of education. She also said that as her own children had graduated that her “priorities will be clear, centered on what’s best for all students, staff, and families in the West Branch district.”

“I have an extensive, first-hand understanding of how our district operates–what our current leadership does well and where we can improve. I’ve seen the challenges and successes from the inside, and I can use that knowledge to make informed decisions that benefit everyone,” said DeShields.

Peggy Shaver, 58, is a 1984 West Branch High School alum, graduated from the University of Mount Union in 1988 and Malone University in 2001, and worked at Waterloo Local School from 1988-2021, working as an elementary teacher for 18 years, and K-8 Counselor for 15 years. Shaver is married to her husband, Loren, with whom she has two adult children, and four grandchildren. She serves as a board member for the Friends of Rodman Library.

Shaver is seeking election because she feels that “strong community support is West Branch’s superpower.” She is concerned that support will waver “if the community continues to feel uninformed” and that she wanted to bring transparency and teamwork to the board.

Shaver cited her 33 years of educational experience and her lifelong residency within the district which she said give her an understanding of both “what is needed to support the staff and administration” and “the need for transparency with the community so that they feel informed and that they can trust the board to make the best decisions for all students” as what qualifies her to serve on the board of education.

When asked why voters should elect her over other candidates Shaver said that she brings “a unique perspective” and shares “similar values [to her] neighbors” as a lifelong resident, and 33 years of experience as an educator in a different district which “reinforced [her] opinion that we have something special in this district.” She also said that she wanted to be a part of continuing the community’s history of supporting the district..

A candidate questionnaire sent by this newspaper to Angela Howell was not returned.

A candidate questionnaire sent by this newspaper to Samuel Jennings was not returned.