McDonald beat his three candidate challengers with 28.42% of votes.
And Fairfield Board of Education incumbent Abigail Berding-Miller came in second with 25.21% and fellow candidate John Cline Jr. won the third open seat on the five-member board with 24.71%.
Candidate Nickolas Salcedo missed winning the third seat with 21.65% of the vote.
McDonald is a former Fairfield school parent and former sports coach for the district, volunteer technology leader with the Fairfield Show Choir and winner of the 2024 Fairfield Schools’ Golden Apple Award for services to the district.
He told the Journal-News Tuesday evening he is ready to take on the challenges of political office.
“I look forward to representing you and the entire community as a member of the board. To my fellow board electees as well as the existing members of the board, I look forward to working with you on tackling the challenges facing Fairfield, financially and otherwise,” said McDonald.
“To the fabulous teachers, students, and administrators we have in our district, you have my commitment to do what I can as a member of the board to make Fairfield City Schools the best it can be as a destination employer and a place families want to live and raise their children.”
Fellow newcomer John Cline Jr. said, “I’m truly honored to serve as a member of the Fairfield Board of Education, and I’m excited to work alongside my fellow board members — both current and new — to continue the growth, success, and excellence of our district, as well as navigating the challenging landscape ahead.”
“I’m especially grateful for the opportunity to serve alongside the dedicated teachers, staff, and administration who make a difference every day in the lives of our students. And to the families who entrust us with the education and well-being of their children, I promise to work to ensure we’re providing the best for our students.”
Berding-Miller said she was “grateful for the continued trust of our community.”
“Serving our students and families remains my top priority. I look forward to continuing our work to strengthen educational opportunities, support our staff, and promote transparency with open communication in every decision we make.”
The 9,600-student district, which enrolls students from both the city of Fairfield and Fairfield Twp. in 10 school buildings, is the second largest public school system in Butler County.
Current board members Brian Begley and Jerrilynn Gundrum did not seek re-election.
Newly elected board members will be sworn into office in early January to begin to serve their four-year terms.
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