The North Canton city board of education presides over all of the city’s schools.
And after the recent November election, the board has two new faces, Alyssa Plakas and Lindsey Wyckoff. For both of them it is they’re first term on the board. Much like the Senate and House of Congress, the Board of Education’s elections are scheduled so that only two seats up for reelection a a time. The terms overlap so to maintain institutional knowledge amongst the board memebers, intsead of simply resetting every few years.The Board of Education is made up of 5 members, which currently consists of 4 Hoover High School graduates, 3 are 6 year veterans. They meet every Wednesday afternoon, 5:30 to be exact, in Hoovers’ library.
Alyssa Plakas, one of the boards two new members, described the board of education as a policy making body that presides over all of districts.
“Most directly, the board hires, evaluates and can terminate the superintendent and the treasurer,” she said. “At the monthly board meetings, members may vote on any topic that involves our schools” The board votes and make decisions regarding a wide range of subjects, ranging from curriculums to renovations, donations to athletics. In talking about recents challenges for the board, Plakas said “I believe that the challenge for any elected official is to keep perspective on the purpose of the position.”
She went on to talk about the importance of remaining impartial as an elected official, and that remaining separate from the politics of the world is paramount in maintaining this objectivity.
I also poke with Lindsey Wyckoff, one of the boards two new members, who talked to me about what campaigning for the position was like; she said that her favorite part of campaigning was canvassing, that the process of knocking on doors, connecting with people in the community and discussing plans for the future was energizing.
“It was important to me to spend as much time engaging with our community and gaining perspectives from teachers, grandparents, parents, and students,” she said. “I wanted to hear from everyone.” Wyckoff is a veteran of the nonprofit sector, she’s worked with both the American Diabetes Assocition and the Kids in Need Foundation, and currently works for the American Cancer society. She’s said that for the last few years volunteer work has been her top priority, and that this combined with her ove of education is what caused her run for the school board. “My ultimate motivators were the teachers, students, and our community,” said Wyckoff. Many have heard about the boards recent decision to relocate the middle school to 7th street next to the high school Even though the decision predates her time on the board, Wyckoff was able to shed some light the recent board decision to relocate the middle school next to the high school. “The biggest impact will be for staff member and the more than 100 students who are splitting time between both buildings,” she said. “The elimination of travel time will better utilize their time in the day.”
I also spoke with Dr. Roden, the boards current president, who said that the old high school soccer feild is the perfect place for the new middle school; saying that since its already owned by the school “there is no need to purchase additional land,” he said.
