By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
The competition is hot between the seven candidates vying for the three seats available on the Bowling Green Board of Education.
Two current board members – Jill Carr and Ginny Stewart – are not running for re-election, opening up two seats. And incumbent Tracy Hovest’s term is up, but she is hoping to be re-elected to the board seat. The remaining school board members, who are in the middle of their four-year terms, are Board President Ryan Myers and Norm Geer.
Voters will be able to vote for three of the seven candidates on the ballot: Steve Bateson, Joe Edens, Howard Gonyer, Steven Goyer, Tracy Hovest, Brian Paskvan and Peggy Thompson. Former candidate Rick Busselle’s name will appear on ballots, but he has withdrawn from the race.
Bowling Green City School District covers a diverse population of city and country folks. But the school board, at least in recent years, has had no rural representation. It’s not that candidates haven’t tried – they just haven’t made it.
Steve Bateson would like to change that.
“The main reason for running is I think I can make a difference,” said the 1986 BGHS alumnus who has two boys currently at the high school.
“There’s a sense in the rural community that the district is welcoming when taking their money, and not very willing to take their ideas,” Bateson said. “With my rural background, my Bobcat pride, I’d like to restore that.”
Bateson, who lives in Liberty Township, is in the agricultural crops chemical distribution business, working with products that control weeds, bugs and diseases.
“I think I offer a perspective that might be different than others on the board,” he said.
Bateson’s priorities as a board member would be transparency and accountability. The lack of those have had a corrosive effect on the district.
“A lot of people don’t have confidence in the leadership,” he said.
Bateson has been known for butting heads with the district’s previous superintendent, Francis Scruci. That friction worsened when a strength coach at BGHS was accused of having sexual contact with a student. This past April, that man was indicted by a grand jury for three counts of rape and multiple other sexual related charges involving juveniles.
That was a huge impetus, Bateson said, for him running for a seat on the school board.
“We were very lax in our approach,” he said of the district.
“People know I’ve been a vocal critic of the board and (previous) superintendent,” Bateson said. “But people know I’m a supporter of kids and schools.”
Bateson said he wants to move on from that divisiveness.
“I want to get away from the contentiousness in the district,” he said, noting that the new superintendent, Ted Haselman seems to be moving the district in the right direction.
“He appears to be a good listener,” Bateson said.
As for the bond issue on the ballot for a new high school, Bateson supports a new school but not the funding model selected.
“I do believe the students’ learning experience will greatly improve” with a new building, he said.
However, the district should split the burden of new buildings between property and income taxes, he added.
“For this district, that is a very equitable approach for the community.”
With a full property tax proposal, the rural areas will be picking up a disproportionate share of the costs.
“The board should always try to be inclusive of the entire district,” he said.
Bateson said he is not sure how he will vote on the bond issue for a new high school. He is concerned that issues at the elementaries will get pushed to the back burner and voters will not be willing to support more millage.
The district needs to work on teacher retention and stop the loss of student enrollment to other districts. And the district should be more transparent about the costs of running schools, he said.
Bateson is not a proponent of students leaving school grounds during the day for the Life Wise Academy religious program.
“I’m a big advocate for separation of church and state,” he said. Not only would it be “problematic” to allow students to leave during the school day, but it could open the flood gates to other groups.
“What other organization would like to give students an opportunity to leave?” he asked.
One of Bateson’s ideas for restoring Bobcat pride is breaking down obstacles for students who want to support their peers and attend sports, music, theater or other school events at no cost.
“I think that’s a way to restore Bobcat pride,” he said.
For several years, Joe Edens contemplated running for a seat on the Bowling Green Board of Education.
“I resisted it for a long time,” he said. “The temperature has been so turned up in the district,” so he kept watching from the sidelines. He focused instead on serving on the school foundation and helping with levy campaigns.
But then a couple issues came up that pushed Edens off the sidelines.
First was the negativity that clouded the reputation of the district.
“There’s an opportunity to change the public discussion,” he said. “I want to be a part of that solution. I really, really believe that more people than not love Bowling Green schools.”
With a new superintendent and new leadership, Edens saw the perfect timing for change.
“We are due, and have a grand opportunity for a reset – and I want to be a part of that.”
Edens’ decision to run was cemented when he saw the potential threat to the district libraries, from people wanting lists of all the books and materials on the library shelves. In schools across the nation, the book lists are often the first step to citizens demanding certain books be banned.
“While discourse is important, libraries are best left to folks with expertise in that area,” Edens said. “Our educators know how to educate. We should listen to them.”
Edens, who lives in rural Rudolph, understands how a great education and inspiring teachers can be a lifting force for youth. He grew up in Columbus Grove in a family with little means, but a belief in education. He was the first in his family to go to college. His wife is a kindergarten teacher at Kenwood Elementary.
Edens has worked in BGSU Development, raising funds from individuals and corporations for the university. He has worked closely with students from low socio-economic backgrounds, who like Edens, are the first in their families to attend college.
He is now employed by Buffalo University, performing the same fundraising role remotely.
Edens wants Bowling Green City Schools students to have the same inspiring education he received as a child. He solidly supports the bond issue for a new high school on the Nov. 7 ballot. And he doesn’t want to stop there.
“We’re going to pass this bond issue and we’re going to talk about elementaries on Nov. 8,” he said. “Hard things are hard – it doesn’t make them not worth doing.”
“I’m not going to have an appetite for ‘wait and see,’” he said.
Edens said a new high school will attract more families and grow the tax base, resulting in lowering the liabilities of the bond issue.
“It’s not just having a new shiny school just to have a new shiny school,” he said. “An investment in our schools is a bet for Bowling Green.”
And new schools attract good teachers, he added.
“I’m really concerned with the retention and attraction of quality teachers.”
If elected, Edens said he would work to improve transparency – a common complaint voiced by citizens.
“Sharing more information with the public is always good,” he said. “There are some areas where we can do better.”
He will advocate for the district to participate in the Ohio Checkbook system, which makes financial information more available to the public.
“That seems like common sense, a no brainer,” he said. “It’s a simple way to demonstrate to the community that our books are open.”
Edens would also like to see more public deliberations by the board.
“I’m committed to more discussions in the board meetings.”
And as a rural resident, he believes the district and township residents would benefit from some board meetings held in the townships.
Edens does not support students leaving during school hours for religious teaching through the Life Wise Academy.
“I would feel this way if it was any group,” he said. As a public school, the district has requirements to meet. “We have a responsibility to deliver that curriculum.”
Edens has concerns about issues affecting public schools across the nation. The growing use of vouchers continues to create a loss in funding to schools like BG.
“I think public dollars should be sent to public schools,” he said.
And he worries about the problem of too many teachers leaving the profession and too few being trained for education.
“We are teetering on the edge of an educator crisis,” he said. “I’m concerned about what that pipeline looks like.”
He believes BG needs to take innovative approaches to recruiting and retaining teachers, paraprofessionals and bus drivers.
Edens is also a believer in growing community connections for schools. He believes in that for his personal life as well. He is a member of BG Kiwanis, BG Community Foundation, The Cocoon board, and was part of the curling club. He is currently president of the BG Schools Foundation.
“I wanted to make sure I was invested in the community. I believe in service,” he said.
Howard A. Gonyer – called “Ardy” by all who know him – wants to heal some long festering wounds in the Bowling Green City School District.
Gonyer, who graduated from BGHS in 2004 and earned his doctorate in higher education administration at BGSU, wants to serve his hometown on the school board.
“I’m running to give back to the community, to give back to the public schools that shaped who I am,” he said.
Gonyer, co-owner of Call of the Canyon and Easystreet restaurants in downtown Bowling Green, wants to see the school district and the community thrive.
“I care about Bowling Green as a town – where people want to live, where people want to raise their kids,” he said.
Gonyer has served as president of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church Council, the BG Community Band, and is currently on the BG Parks and Recreation Board.
“I’m involved in the community. I’m a lifelong resident of Bowling Green, who went through the school system,” he said. “I truly value this community and giving back to it. To me, this is the next logical step to serving the community.”
After earning his doctorate, Gonyer worked in higher education administration for about 10 years at BGSU, University of Toledo, and Ohio University.
“That taught me a lot about budgets, finance and leadership development,” he said.
Gonyer also learned about different education pedagogies and issues facing public education.
One of his primary goals, if elected to the school board, would be rebuilding trust between the community and the board.
“I want to try to heal the old wounds in the district,” he said. And that means having hard conversations. “I’m willing to listen to anyone.”
Whether there is a lack of transparency or a perception of that, the problem needs to be addressed, he said.
Gonyer believes in the value of quality school buildings that provide for modern educations in a safe environment for students and staff.
“I fully support the new levy for the high school,” he said, adding that the district shouldn’t stop there. “When that passes, we need to start looking at the elementaries. We’ve got to start looking at the elementaries.”
While recognizing that the school bus driver shortage is being felt nationwide, Gonyer would like to see the school district get back to offering busing for students within the one-mile limit of their schools.
Gonyer does not support students leaving during the school day for religious teachings through the Life Wise Academy.
“What classes will students be missing? Generally, I am opposed to students leaving school for religious activities.”
All public school classes – from math and English to art, gym and music – are needed for a well-rounded education, he said. “They are vitally important to their development and success,” Gonyer said.
For years, Steve Goyer has attended Bowling Green Board of Education meetings, usually sitting quietly toward the back of the room. When he has risen to speak, it’s always to make a positive comment about district plans, staff and students.
Goyer has decided he wants to do more than just observe school operations – he would like to be part of the decision-making process.
His philosophy is simple.
“We need to give our kids the best opportunities,” said Goyer, who is running for a seat on the BG school board.
Goyer, a retired U.S. Post Office budget and cost manager in Toledo, former treasurer at First United Methodist Church and now a greeter at Meijer in Bowling Green, realizes the bond issue for a new high school may be tough for retirees. But schools should be a priority, he said.
“We all have to make choices, and our kids should be one of those,” he said. “We have to be frugal, but that’s an attitude we’ve got to get past.”
“People have to make priorities. The longer we wait, the more we’re going to have to pay.”
“Our future is our kids. We need a new school,” he stressed.
Goyer believes in the value of communication, and has been troubled by the tone of discussions about the proposal for a new high school.
“We’re a community. We need to talk. But we need to have respect and kindness for one another,” he said.
That means focusing on commonalities rather than differences, he said.
“I think we need to be inclusive. We need to have a conversation at school board meetings that are inclusive.”
And that means listening – even to people with different ideas.
“You can’t have meaningful interaction if you don’t listen to their ideas,” he said.
“I see myself as a consensus builder,” Goyer said.
But he is also able to make tough decisions, he said. “Sometimes you have to make decisions that aren’t happy.”
Goyer sees the importance of pointing out accomplishments of school students and staff.
“We need to continue to recognize the students,” he said. The same goes for district employees, from teachers to bus drivers. “They need to be acknowledged in public.”
Goyer praised the progress in the district’s state report card scores, but also noted room for improvement.
“We need to do whatever we can to raise that,” he said. “We need to be a place to be proud of.”
As for the district allowing students to leave grounds during the school day for religious classes through the Life Wise Academy, Goyer isn’t supportive.
Goyer is all for students learning kindness and good manners, but not at the detriment of their education.
“My concern is the time it takes them away,” he said. “I don’t want anyone pressured by this.”
As a Bowling Green Board of Education member, Tracy Hovest has sometimes been the lone voice on the other side of issues. She does not apologize for occasionally voting differently than her fellow board members.
“I know that I have made some decisions that not everybody has liked. But I’ve always put kids first,” Hovest said.
One big split came when Hovest voted in favor of students returning to school during the COVID pandemic.
“I wanted people to have a choice,” she said, noting her concern for students struggling academically and socially.
“I felt we could do it safely,” she said. “My first concern is students. I am their voice at the table.”
Hovest would like to continue being that voice on the school board. She is currently serving as vice president of the board, has 24 years of teaching experience in Washington Local Schools, and has a daughter in BG Schools.
“I want to continue to help the district forward,” she said. “We have a lot of good things going on.”
Hovest pointed at the improvements in the district’s State Report Card grades
“We have really good students and really good staff,” she said.
But the work must continue to catch up after COVID.
“I feel that socially, academically our students are still recovering,” she said. “We need to close gaps.”
For this reason, Hovest cannot endorse students leaving during the school day for religious classes through the Life Wise Academy.
“With the needs of our students academically, it’s not a good practice to pull them from the education they need,” including the arts, she said.
As for concerns about the district’s transparency, Hovest said the board is aware and working on the issue. She also is pleased with new Superintendent Ted Haselman’s emphasis on meeting with the community.
“I think Ted is doing a fabulous job communicating,” she said.
“It’s a work in progress. We’re constantly working to get information out to the public,” she said.
Hovest talked about the positive momentum she has noticed with the plans for a new high school. But the work doesn’t stop there, she added.
Though the bond issue on the Nov. 7 ballot is for the new high school, the elementaries also need to be addressed.
“We know there’s a need,” she said, but the district was reluctant to tackle all the schools at once.
Six years ago, the district tried for a $72.8 million issue to address the aging high school and elementaries. Voters rejected that. In the meantime, costs have increased so much that $72.8 million will now pay for just a new high school.
“Our students deserve that. Our teachers deserve that,” Hovest said.
Beyond that, the Bowling Green community also needs a new high school to attract and retain families and businesses.
“We can do that by improving the schools,” she said.
Hovest, who is one of two female candidates for the board, pointed out her record of supporting the schools at the ballot box. “With every bond issue I’ve been knocking on doors.”
She also noted her visibility as a board member at school and community events. “I pride myself in being there for kids,” Hovest said.
Brian Paskvan has been in school for much of his life. For more than 30 years, he served in leadership roles at Bowling Green State University, the University of Toledo, and at Owens Community College before recently retiring.
“Education has been really important to me all my life,” said Paskvan, who is running for a seat on the Bowling Green Board of Education.
“We moved here 27 years ago and the schools were really good,” he said, adding that he wants to help the district flourish. “I really want to see the schools be successful.”
Paskvan, who has served on the Wood County District Public Library Board for many years – 14 as its president, knows the role of board members and the importance of transparency with the community.
His platform sets priorities on:
- Strong fiscal stewardship.
- Healthy learning environments.
- Proven curriculum.
- Often and honest communication.
- Best talent to lead and teach kids.
Paskvan’s commitment to schools is nothing new. “I have never not voted for a levy,” he said.
Paskvan would like to see more openness from the school board, especially when it comes to how money is spent.
“We owe it to the taxpayers to explain what we’re doing. This is taxpayer money. I’m really about transparency,” he said, noting his familiarity with Ohio’s Sunshine Laws. “I’m very well versed in those.”
While serving on the public library board, he chaired three levy campaigns – all of which passed.
“Everybody loves the library. In my mind, everybody should love the schools here,” he said.
Paskvan talked about one library levy campaign during the Great Recession.
“We were barely able to keep the doors open,” he said. Paskvan asked Michael Penrod, library director, to determine every maintenance need, predictions of equipment longevity, and estimated costs. A plan was put together to maintain the building and programs. And when it came time for the heating system and bookmobile to be replaced, the library was prepared.
“We actually had the money to do that,” he said. “It was really important for us to be good stewards of taxpayer money.”
Paskvan believes Bowling Green needs to invest in its school buildings.
“There needs to be something done with the school buildings. I understand it’s very costly, but all of our school buildings are in serious need. They don’t meet the needs of today’s learning styles.”
The high school should have maker spaces, 3-D printers, fab-labs, and collaborative spaces, he said.
“I will work very hard to make it the best building and make sure elementaries are next,” Paskvan said.
Paskvan is troubled by the district’s loss of great teachers, with Bowling Green’s average teacher salary and years of experience lower than many other districts in the region.
He also has concerns about student learning loss during the pandemic.
“COVID learning loss is crushing. We need to pay attention to that,” he said.
Recovery can best be done in adequate learning spaces and proven curriculum, like Bowling Green’s Science of Reading program.
“And we give teachers the appropriate resources to do their jobs,” he said.
Paskvan said he agrees with the district’s decision to not participate in the LifeWise Academy program, which allows students to leave during the school day to participate in Christian learning.
“There is a precedent allowing schools to do that,” he said of the 1952 Supreme Court decision.
“After talking with many teachers who have stated that they barely have enough time to meet current curriculum standards, I believe we need to focus our attention on making sure that we meet the state requirements,” Paskvan said. “Early literacy is a good example where we have made significant progress over the last several years, but still have room for improvement.”
Peggy Thompson is the only candidate for Bowling Green Board of Education who is outspoken about her opposition to the bond issue for a new high school.
Thompson, who with her husband owns Guarantee Carpet Cleaning and several rental properties, isn’t shy about her stance, and has signs against the bond issue in her yard.
Her primary objection this time is that the issue relies completely on property taxes.
“I’m not happy about it being all real estate – which can hurt a lot of people,” she said.
And Thompson isn’t happy about the district’s repeated requests for more money – which the voters have repeatedly turned down.
“We haven’t had time to breathe in between,” she said.
Thompson acknowledged that she also voted against the last school building issue, which was split between property and income tax revenue. That time she said she opposed it because of a lack of transparency from the school board.
“All they’ve talked about the last four years is build, build, build,” she said. “We as taxpayers, all we see is ‘We want more money.’”
“I’m looking out for the kids. We only heard about the money.”
This is Thompson’s fourth attempt for a school board seat – three times on the ballot and one attempt to fill a seat being vacated by a member.
Though her previous efforts failed, she believes the district needs someone like her on the board.
“I’m still concerned about transparency,” she said. Though she has noticed more timely communication from new Superintendent Ted Haselman, she has not seen openness from the board. “I haven’t seen any changes in the board meetings to get things out.”
Thompson remains critical of the district for not being in the state checkbook program, which gives residents specifics on how money is being spent. She believes her 32 years as an accounts payable clerk with the school district gives her some needed expertise.
“I’ve been from the inside out,” she said.
“I’m a numbers person,” she said, stressing the need for more fiscal transparency from the district. “I want to know where my money’s going.”
Thompson is concerned about the lapse in learning that students suffered during remote learning due to the pandemic.
“They’re behind in lots of things,” she said. “We need to get them caught up. We don’t know if they are catching kids up.”
Thompson said she is supportive of the Life Wise Academy program, which transports students off school grounds during the school day for Christian teachings.
“I’m very in favor of Life Wise,” she said. “There’s only good things. It’s a good program. It’s important. It’s Christian based – it’s morals based.”
Thompson said she is a big believer in “kids first.” As such, she supports:
- Fully utilizing BGSU and Penta.
- Keeping Critical Race Theory out of the district’s curriculum.
- Fiscal transparency.
- Short- and long-term goals available on the school website.
- Promoting student volunteerism in schools.
- Exploring ways to involve community volunteerism in schools.
- Encouraging community and business contributions.
