Three people seek two seats on Lorain Schools Board of Education

Mark Ballard Age: 55 Education: Doctoral degree, World Wide Ministries International; bachelor's degree, management, LaSalle University, 1990; electronic engineering technology degree, Electronic Technology Institute, Cleveland, 1987 Courtney Nazario Age: 41Education: Bachelor's, early childhood education Family: Married 17 years; five daughters all attend Lorain Schools Job history: Current president of Lorain school board; preschool teacher Charmaine Williams Age: 44Education: Some college courses at FMU in Tampa, Florida; GED through the New York Department of EducationJob history: Char's Vintage Vibes (one-of-a-kind handmade jewelry) Three people are seeking two seats on Lorain Schools Board of Education. Incumbent Board President Courtney Nazario and member Mark Ballard face challenger Charmaine Williams. Ballard previously served as board president. What makes you the best candidate for the position? BALLARD: My passion for education and the betterment of Lorain Schools has been evident throughout my time on the board. I bring experience and a proven track record, including integrating technology into our classrooms, which proved invaluable during remote learning, fostering community relationships and open communication and I've advocated for financial prudence, ensuring every penny is spent in a way benefiting our students. NAZARIO: I have the experience needed and have served on the Lorain school board for the past four-and-a-half years. I am currently the president of the board. I have worked tirelessly for the citizens of Lorain to ensure all children are given the quality education they deserve. From negotiating fair contracts with our dedicated staff to being fiscally responsible with taxpayer dollars, I want to continue the progress we are making in Lorain. In my time on the school board, Lorain has been taken out of state takeover and control has been given back to our local school board. WILLIAMS: I am the best candidate because I care about all children, and up until the pandemic I volunteered every day, all day for the entire school year for over a decade. I want all children to have what they need in order to be their very best. What is the biggest challenge facing the district and how would you address it? BALLARD: The biggest challenge we currently face is adapting to the evolving educational landscape in a post-pandemic world. Students not only need academic support but also emotional and mental well-being support. To address this, we must enhance and refine digital learning to cater to various learning styles and recognize the strains modern students face. I aim to expand mental health resources in our schools, including hiring additional counselors, implementing well-being programs and training teachers to recognize stress and anxiety in students. Together these strategies will ensure our district remains adaptive and supportive, no matter what the future holds. NAZARIO: Lorain is facing poor attendance and family engagement issues. We are aggressively addressing these issues and have partnered with the Cleveland Browns, Ohio Department of Education and Proving Ground in the "Stay in the Game-Keep Learning, Every Day" program to tackle chronic absenteeism. The program provides resources for families, educators and communities to implement and improve student attendance. We are also hosting family engagement nights to strengthen the bond between home and school. This, in turn, helps improve students' performance and success throughout their academic career. WILLIAMS: Discipline is the most challenging. Children need to learn consequences. When I volunteered, there were many times a child would get sent to the office and within a few minutes they would be right back in class without any consequences for the bad behavior. If the behavior isn't corrected in the elementary grades, it will only get worse as the child gets older. Without discipline, the children believe that they can mistreat their teachers and peers. It's time to get to the core of why the child is misbehaving instead of ignoring it. The teachers and students deserve better. -- Carissa Woytach