Fairfield Board of Education candidate John Cline Jr. said he is seeking to fill a four-year seat on the five-member board because “I believe strong schools are the foundation of a strong community and I want to continue the Fairfield School district’s commitment to creating an environment of excellence for students.”
Cline Jr., who is a Fairfield school parent and a former sports coach and volunteer for the schools, said he is seeking his first elected office because “I care deeply about our schools and our community, and I would be honored to serve on the school board.”
Cline Jr., who is a national account manager with the Biery Cheese Company, said he is “passionate about student success.”
“With my educational background, professional experiences, and strong roots in the community, I am well prepared to work collaboratively with fellow board members and district leadership while supporting our incredible staff as we move forward together,” he said.
Cline Jr.’s top issues are: “Continued student success” and “managing through the financial challenges that we face today and the ones ahead.”
Fellow board candidate Kevin 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.
McDonald, who is vice president of people services and technology solutions for the E.W. Scripps Company, said “I have a passion for service and a passion for this community. I have served Fairfield City Schools in multiple capacities and know how integral strong schools are to a thriving community.”
Top priorities should he win include: “the most immediate issue facing the district is the cut in financing for public schools by the state and the recent cuts as a result of the Butler County Commissioners approval of a new Local Homestead Option, which will be funded by the county. These cuts are going to have a major impact to the district and I look forward to working with the board, superintendent and treasurer to minimize the impact, to the extent possible, to students and teachers.”
“As you can see from my years of service to the school district and the community, I am ‘all-in’ for doing my part to make Fairfield City Schools a place students can thrive, and a place parents seek to send their children,” said McDonald.
Also on the ballot is Nick Salcedo, who has three children in Fairfield Schools, who warns the district is “at a crossroad right now with both the state and the state and our county reducing funding for public schools and it is my goal to ensure that Fairfield can be flexible enough to thrive under changing circumstances.”
“We need a board that supports not only our teachers but the whole staff in charge of providing the educational experience to our kids. A board that ensures accountability and transparency to the tax-paying voters of the district, so they know where their money is going and the quality of education that these funds provide,” said Salcedo.
He described himself as a “41-year-old girl dad of 3, husband, doctor of physical therapy and a huge gardening fanatic. My wife and I graduated from Fairfield High School (class of 2002 and 2003) and we have lived our entire adult lives in Fairfield.”
Accountability would be an important focus should voters elect him, said Salcedo.
“We cannot be happy with 3.5 out of 5 stars as a district. Our kids and our community deserve better. Having buildings in our district with 5-star ratings and others with 2.5 is too drastic a difference. We need a cohesive plan to get these lower-performing schools back on track by finding out what the barriers to learning are and giving the support that is needed from the board.”
And he added, “parents and taxpayers of our district need to know how and where tax dollars are being spent, with the district accountable for those expenditures.”
“We need to know all options when it comes to spending in the district to prioritize educational opportunities and advancements for our kids.”
Candidate Abigail Berding-Miller has been a member of the school board since 2022 and said she is seeking re-election “to continue serving the community as a steward of district resources and advocate for education that empowers our students.”
“If re-elected, I will focus on continuing to establish transparency among our staff and local community while championing the importance of statewide funding for public education,” said Berding-Miller, who is a Healthcare Client Services Lead at Standard Textile Company and manage a team of sales support representatives.
A volunteer fund-raiser for Fairfield Schools, Berding-Miller said if re-elected, she would “focus on continuing to establish transparency among our staff and local community while championing the importance of statewide funding for public education.”
“As a current Fairfield City Schools board member, I am a proven leader who puts our students first. I am already experienced in the operation and administration of our district.”
Early voting in Ohio started Tuesday.
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