Voters from South Whitehall, North Whitehall and Upper Macungie townships, along with voters in Ward 17, 4th District; and Ward 18, 2nd district Allentown, will cast their votes May 19 to decide who will occupy the five open seats on the Parkland School Board.

There are nine members on the school board serving four-year terms.

Every two years, five and then four seats are up for election, splitting election years to allow for continuity of membership.

This year, the board has eight candidates vying for the five seats, a testament to the interest the community has taken in the future of its students.

Lisa A. Adams, Bob Bold, Martin Brans, Carole Facchiano, David Kennedy and Jef Reyburn have cross-filed on both the Democrat and Republican sides of the ticket.

Rochell Figueroa is running on the Democrat side of the ballot. David Caruth is on the Republican side of the ticket.

Adams, who is serving her sixth year on the school board, says she would like to continue to foster communication between the community, staff and administrators as the district faces new challenges for the future.

Adams says the board is responsible for policy and budget based on trust in the members of the district community.

"We do policy and budget, but we do trust," Adams says. "Issues are vetted by the board, but decisions are made with a team concept approach that includes administrators, educators and all staff."

Of concern for Adams are unfunded mandates.

"Unfunded mandates provide different challenges at all levels of the school district," Adams says.

She noted it will require each and every part and department of the district to meet these challenges.

"First and foremost, I am an advocate for education," Adams says. "We are just embarking on a major feasibility study that will help set our goals for the district for the next decade. I would just love to be a part of that."

Kennedy, an 18-year member of the school board and current vice chairman agrees managing the budget while complying with the mandates is one of the biggest challenges ever faced by public schools.

"Unfunded mandates coming from the state and federal government are one of the toughest issues the district faces," Kennedy says. "We are hit with unfunded mandates constantly and with no alternative but to put them in place....we continue monitoring those.

"We continue to need strong legislative leaders to help the school district."

Kennedy says the main function of the school board is to set the policy within the district.

"We don't micromanage," Kennedy says. "I think a lot of the public thinks we micromanage and that is not what we are here for.

We hire the best people so they can hire the best people. We believe our administrative staff is by far the best around.

"I've seen a lot happen over 18 years. We are continuing to grow and expand our school, I would like to be a part of that."

Bold has spent 16 years as a board member, four years as president and has been involved in public education for 48 years.

Retired from the classroom, Bold has been president of the Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit 21 board of directors for the past five years.

"I have always felt educating the youth of our community is the greatest thing a society can do," Bold told The Press. "I am proud Parkland is a community that does not mind spending responsibly for the benefit of its children."

Bold also commented on Common Core Standards.

"I agree with the philosophy students should be on the same level at different points in their education...but the biggest agitating factor is the state tests and assessments that are associated with it," Bold said. "If re-elected, I will continue to strive to make the district even better."

Facchiano has been involved with the school district since her oldest son began kindergarten 25 years ago.

According to Facchiano, as the youngest of her three children graduates in June, she would like to take the next step in giving back to a district that has provided her family with so much over the years.

Facchiano says she is proud of the many programs the district offers for all children.

"If you have a child with any academic or behavioral challenges, this is the district you would want your child in," Facciano says. "I've seen it first hand. They have the support staff in place and the trained faculty. We always say in Parkland everybody is identified at Parkland as something.

"They identify learning disabilities all the way up to the children who needs enriched curriculum. Don't think any child is ever left behind here."

"I will work diligently to ensure the next generation has the same opportunities my children had," Facchiano says.

Reyburn is rounding out his first term on the school board and has served on three committees, including personnel and finance, education and athletics, building and grounds.

Reyburn, whose wife is a teacher in the district, gave his thoughts on Common Core.

"We are faced with some challenges that are out of our control," Reyburn says. "That is just by nature of being an entity such as a public school district.

"However, when you have the best, and I do believe we hire the best, those are the people in curriculum instruction and technology, those individuals basically have the challenge of taking what's handed down to them and making it work for the students."

Reyburn says the diversity on the school board is the key to tackling the changing demographics within the community and student population.

"I just ask for another opportunity to work for the school board, where I will continue to try to ensure that our administrators, teachers and students have the resources they need, while we continue to maintain fiscal responsibility," Reyburn says.

Brans is making his first bid for a seat on the school board.

With more than 20 years in the non-profit sector, Brans says he wants to facilitate a balanced budge while maintaining the three pillars important to Parkland: education, athletics and the arts.

"We need to keep an eye on increased taxes and being a good steward of income that we receive from the state," Brans says. "Making sure we are ahead of it in terms of seeing where our potential challenges might come and being proactive into developing planning and/or opportunities that help to reduced, if needed, any possible tax increases.

"I continue to be overwhelmed by the talents we have in this school district.

"I want to see that excellence continue by advocating for the teachers, students and taxpayers of the district."

Figueroa is seeking her first term in office. A former paraprofessional within the Allentown School District, Figueroa says she understands the importance of diversity at all levels.

"I would like to see diversity on the school board," she says. "I am most proud of the diversity I see in this district. It's a very positive thing."

Figueroa says providing a positive and safe environment for all children is at the top of her list.

She says providing a supportive and diverse learning experience where children will learn to want to be successful is her goal.

"I believe knowledge is power," Figueroa says. "If elected, I would certainly do a great deal of research [on the issues the board faces] in order to implement and give my knowledge to help the children of the community."

Caruth says he is seeking a seat on the board not to address any specific issues, but rather to aid in sustaining the reputation of the school district.

"The right curriculum and having a safe learning environment are two strong components to provide success," Caruth says. "However, fiscal responsibility is the one that also needs strong attention, as it is paramount to ensure each dollar is wisely spent, benefitting students first and foremost.

"I will vote against wasteful spending and offer my corporate experience in budget balancing to ensure any financial investments we make have a fruitful return."