Latest news with #AmyWeibley
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Meet the candidates for Chambersburg school board, Region 4: Amy Weibley and Gary Piper
The Region 4 seat on Chambersburg Area school board will have a new representative when the board reorganizes in December. Candidates Amy Weibley and Gary Piper will seek party nominations for the seat in the primary election on Tuesday, May 20. Lance Walker, who was initially appointed to the board in November 2020, is not running for a second term. Both Weibley and Piper are running for the Republican nomination. Weibley is also running as a Democratic candidate. School board candidates may cross-file and seek the nomination from both parties. In this case, Piper and Weibley could with the Republican and Democratic nominations, respectively, compete again in the general election in November, or Weibley could win both primaries and be the only candidate for Region 4 in November. Those scenarios could change if there is a write-in campaign. Region 4 covers the voting districts Chambersburg 5-1 (votes at Chambersburg Bible Church) and Guilford 1 (votes at Grace Brethren Church). Other school board seats up for election in 2025 are Region 1, Region 3 and Region 6. In Region 1, one-term incumbent Faye Gaugler is being challenged by John J. Patterson in the Democratic primary. Sherian Diller is running unchallenged for a second term in Region 3, and no one filed to run against Edward Norcross as he seeks a fourth term representing Region 6. School board members are elected to four-year terms. On Election Day on May 20, polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mail-in and absentee ballots must be received by the Voter Registration Office at the Franklin County Administration Building (272 N. Second St., Chambersburg) by 8 p.m. May 20. Check out our Q&A with the Region 4 candidates below. The responses were reviewed but not edited. Age: 36 Town: Chambersburg Education: MS, Organizational Development and Leadership, Shippensburg University and BA, Communications, Hope College Professional Experience: For the past three years I have been running my own small business full-time. Prior to that I worked for 12 years in nonprofit communications, event planning, and development. I've also had the pleasure of serving on boards and committees such as the Franklin County Career Tech Early Childhood Education Advisory Committee, Franklin County Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, Hope from the Start (early childhood education taskforce), and Franklin County Visitors Bureau Board, to name a few. Currently, I serve on the boards of the Cumberland Valley School of Music and the Franklin County Coalition for Progress. I'm also a Leadership Franklin County graduate (Class of 2015) and former mentor for the program. Why are you the best candidate for this seat? As a mother, small business owner, and active community volunteer, I bring a well-rounded and grounded perspective to the CASD School Board. I have two children, one currently in the district and another starting kindergarten this fall, so I'm personally invested in the decisions the board makes and how they impact families like mine. Beyond my role as a parent, I bring strong leadership experience and communication skills. I will listen carefully, ask thoughtful questions, and work with the administration to continue to improve our district. As a business owner, I understand budgets and the importance of managing spending wisely. I'm especially committed to improving transparency and strengthening the connection between the district and the community it serves. At the end of the day, my goal is simple: to make well-informed, balanced decisions that are in the best interest of our students, teachers, and families. What do you believe are the top three issues relevant to CASD? 1. Every Kid Reading by 3rd GradeReading by 3rd grade is a critical milestone. Studies show that children who are not reading at grade level by the end of 3rd grade are four times more likely to struggle academically and face long-term challenges, including a higher risk of dropping out. As of March, CASD reported that roughly half of students are on track to read by the end of 3rd grade. We must do better by prioritizing early literacy to give every child a solid foundation for success. 2. Meeting Student Needs and Well-beingStudents can't learn if they don't feel safe, supported, and seen. CASD must continue improving upon ways to support the whole child through student behavior, mental health resources, social-emotional learning programs, English learner programs, and interventions for neurodivergent students. Addressing bullying, food insecurity, and absenteeism are some of the ways we can create an environment where all students can thrive. 3. Facility Expansion with Fiscal ResponsibilityAs enrollment grows by 1% each year (about 100 students), our buildings must evolve too. CASD needs to expand and upgrade facilities to support learning. At the same time, it's crucial to manage this growth responsibly. That means transparent budgeting, exploring cost-effective solutions, and ensuring any capital improvements are aligned with long-term needs without placing an undue burden on taxpayers. Is the district on the right track with the plan? Please elaborate. I believe strategic planning like this is essential to moving our district forward. While I don't agree with every proposal so far, such as the idea of having no school every other Friday, I appreciate the district's efforts to think long-term and engage the community in the process. One of the reasons I decided to run is to ensure parent perspectives are part of these important decisions at the board level. So far, I've been encouraged by the opportunities for community input. If that level of transparency and collaboration continues, I believe the final plan can truly benefit both our students, teachers, and the broader community. 'Tall order': CASD about halfway to having all students read and comprehend by 3rd grade Cyber charter tuition: CASD announces $53K in savings so far in update on cyber charter tuition audit Age: 66 Town: Guilford Township Education: Big Spring High School; B.S. in Health and Physical Education, West Chester State College; in Physical Education, The Citadel Professional Experience: Hospital based Health and Fitness Educator. Hospital Department Manager in Cardiac Rehabilitation and Medical offices for most of my career. Why are you the best candidate for this seat? I believe that a School Board member works with the team to provide the best educational opportunities possible while also being accountable to students, parents and taxpayers of the district. I worked with a variety of professionals in our hospital system to meet departmental goals. It was essential in my profession to provide a caring environment that encouraged and motivated others to overcome challenges. I was named the first employee satisfaction team leader for a 4000 employee system, a high performing organization with both employees and patients. I believe that a school district who cares about the health and well-being of its employees and students will impact a whole community. I maintained a connection with youth throughout my life by volunteering as a Big Brother for years and I am still active as a high school Sunday school teacher. I established community relationships in the Chambersburg area through being a volunteer driver at Network Ministries for a couple years and working at rabbittransit for six years. I have experienced the public school system as a parent and now a grandparent. What do you believe are the top three issues relevant to CASD? As a district, we need to provide an opportunity for each student, guided by parents and teachers, to choose a path that is best suited for their career direction. The Career Magnet option is currently not available to all students who want to go in this direction. It is essential that the student is engaged in a tract that is motivational and has high perceived value. Classrooms are needed for special needs students which are close to home. This is a challenge with the increased number of special needs students over the years and requires constant evaluation. Every teacher and support staff needs to feel valued. We need to provide a positive school culture and primarily assign staff in a way that uses their skills at the highest and preferred level, to help maintain high job satisfaction. Is the district on the right track with the plan? Mr. Bigger's presentations and comments state that the 2030 plan is a way forward to help standardize and enhance the educational process while maintaining minimal tax increases. I understand that changes involving school closures and building projects can be controversial, specifically when it impacts set schedules and expectations of parents. The deployment would not happen without considerable communication and time for parents to plan. Without changes in the delivery of the district K-12 educational programming, the financial impact will be beyond the tolerance for the majority of our local taxpayers. Expenses such as health care costs, greater levels of support staff for student needs and further attention needed to upgrade aging schools are driving the need for change. I believe that it is important to include community feedback in all major district decisions. Amber South can be reached at asouth@ This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: Meet CASD school board, Region 4 candidates: Gary Piper, Amy Weibley
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Meet the Chambersburg school board, Region 1 candidates: Faye Gaugler and John Patterson
The incumbent representing Region 1 on Chambersburg Area school board will face a Democratic challenger in the primary election on Tuesday, May 20. Faye H. Gaugler, who is seeking a second term, is being challenged by John J. Patterson for the Democratic nomination but is running unopposed in the Republican primary. School board candidates may cross-file and seek the nomination from both parties. Gaugler and Patterson could both move on to the general election in November if Patterson wins the Democratic primary, or Gaugler could win both nominations and effectively win the seat. A write-in campaign could lead to another outcome. Region 1 includes Letterkenny and Lurgan townships and the third and sixth voting districts in Greene Township. Other school board seats up for election in 2025 are Region 3, Region 4 and Region 6. The only other race is in Region 4, where Amy Weibley and Gary Piper are vying for the Republican nomination. Sherian Diller is running unchallenged for a second term in Region 3, and no one filed to run against Edward Norcross as he seeks a fourth term representing Region 6. School board members are elected to four-year terms. On Election Day on May 20, polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mail-in and absentee ballots must be received by the Voter Registration Office at the Franklin County Administration Building (272 N. Second St., Chambersburg) by 8 p.m. May 20. Who else is running in Franklin County? These are the candidates on ballots for the 2025 primary Check out our Q&A with the Region 1 candidates below. Age: 57 Town: Greene Township Education: B.A. in Liberal Arts and some graduate study towards a Master's in Education, all at Penn State University Professional experience: In Marketing, Training, and Telecommunications products. More recently 10 years in Human Services. Why are you the best candidate for this seat? I am the best candidate for Region 1 director because I want to see the Chambersburg Area School District achieve excellence for all of its constituents; students, staff, and the community. What do you believe are the top three issues relevant to CASD? An issue that will significantly affect many of our students is the plan to realign grades and schools, perhaps build new schools, and renovate older ones. Whichever of the many options we decide on, students should never experience what I did at the end of 7th grade at CAMS - saying goodbye to friends in my class as we headed off to different junior high schools for a couple years. As our students are promoted, they should remain together and be able to support each other in new environments. If we're going to have excellent teachers, administrators, and support staff, we have to be sure they are fairly compensated for their work. Housing costs in our district have risen dramatically over the last decade. If there was a time when it was cheap to live in Chambersburg, that time is long gone. Lastly, it's amazing to me that we spend tens of millions of dollars to build, renovate, and maintain almost 20 schools that we use just 180 days a year. If elected to the board, I will work with the current school administration, local agencies, and community members to significantly expand adult education in our district, leveraging our existing resources. Is the district on the right track with the 'Schools of Distinction by 2030' plan? Please elaborate. I'm not exactly certain if the CASD is on the right track, but I'm reasonably sure that paying the former Superintendent 2 years of salary to go away was an expense we could ill afford. That's something existing board members should be held to account for. 'Tall order': CASD about halfway to having all students read and comprehend by 3rd grade Cyber charter tuition: CASD announces $53K in savings so far in update on cyber charter tuition audit Age: 77 Town: Life-long Resident of Greene Township Education: CASHS Graduate; Diploma Harrisburg Polyclinic School of Nursing; BS and MS in Health Care Administration St. Joseph's College Professional Experience: Retired Instructor FCCTC Practical Nursing Program 1988 to 2014; Previously Chambersburg Hospital Staff Nurse and Nursing Administrator Why are you the best candidate for this seat? After serving as the Region 1 School Director for the past four years, I have the experience and knowledge needed to continue to serve the constituents of the school district. I am serving my second year as the Vice-President of the CASD School Board and am a member of the Franklin County Career and Technology Joint Operating Committee. I approach my responsibilities with information obtained by review of current educational research while understanding the value of considering the historical data that has provided the foundation for the present. What do you believe are the top three issues relevant to CASD? CASD, like most PA school districts, is facing a need to improve the educational outcomes of all students who will become the future leaders in our community. Reading by 3rd grade and proficiency in Math by 5th grade is essential regardless of the career aspirations of the student. The district is implementing strategies that a team of parents, teachers, and administrators have researched. I anticipate that continued improvement will be experienced as these changes are instituted. Using current data instead of embracing the status quo is vital to advance in any business. 'Change is not a season; it is a way of life'. Education needs to prepare students for the advancing technology that is changing daily such as in the world of Artificial Intelligence. The chronic absenteeism problem is also not unique to CASD. Parents are a key aspect of the change needed to assure that students recognize the value of their free public education. The district is actively engaged in this challenge. Providing options that interest and challenge the diverse learners in the district will be vital to assure students want to learn. Finally, the aging infrastructure of school buildings is an issue that is under discussion and decisions are upcoming. Developing plans that maximize the current sites while limiting the long-term debt is a challenge that is facing the current school board. Decisions made today will influence education for years to come. I have visited all seventeen schools during the past four years and attended all public forums offered by the superintendent to seek input from stakeholders. Is the district on the right track with the 'Schools of Distinction by 2030' plan? Please elaborate. Professional development is vital for educators and the high quality training to assure that teachers are prepared for innovative techniques needed in the classroom is a priority. Teachers, administrators, and the school board support curricula centered on competencies that empower students to reach their potential. The recent recognition of four CASD schools by the US News and World Report demonstrates that the district is on the right tract with the 'Schools of Distinction by 2030' plan. Providing opportunities for students to explore and engage with various career pathways while in high school through apprenticeships while supporting the college-bound students through transferable college credits achieved during their high school years provides a higher return on the investment in public education and CASD is actively implementing these strategies. Amber South can be reached at asouth@ This article originally appeared on Chambersburg Public Opinion: Meet the CASD school board, Region 1 candidates: Gaugler and Patterson
