This article is part of the 2025 General Election Voters' Guide produced in partnership with the League of Women Voters of the Akron Area.

Sandra A. Caramela-Miller is running for one of the three open seats on the Nordonia Hills school board. (Photo courtesy of Sandra A. Caramela-Miller)

Sandra A. Caramela-Miller

Nonpartisan

Previous public office: State of Ohio Notary Public the last 25 years

Campaign email address: dr.sandra.caramela@gmail.com

Campaign phone: 216-832-8062

Education: Ph.D. – Department of Psychology, Developmental Psychology with subspecialties in Cognitive Aging & Gerontology, The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio (1997) ****** M.S. – Criminal Justice – Public Management and Leadership, Walden University, School of Criminal Justice and Forensic Psychology, College of Psychology & Community Services, Walden University (2023) ****** M.A. – Department of Psychology, Developmental Psychology with a subspecialty in Cognitive Aging at The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio (1991) Graduate Certificate in Gerontology – The Institute for Life-Span Development and Gerontology at The University of Akron, Akron, Ohio (1991) ****** B.A. – Department of Psychology at The University

Website: As a professor, educator, practitioner, researcher, in a field that requires testimony and confidentiality assurances, I do not personally participate online.

Training/experience: Postdoctoral certifications in Forensics & Psychology; College, University, Medical School Professor (1988 to present) at undergraduate & graduate levels, notably Tiffin U, U of Akron, CSU, CWRU, NEOUCOM, Walden U, Tri-C; Served as Director, Investigator, Auditor of many forensic programs, child abuse investigations, law enforcement trainings, homicides, cold cases, DNA, and Grief.                                                                   
                                                                 

Why are you the best candidate for the office?

A vote for me brings a dedicated top-down, cognitive approach to examining school board issues with solid analytic expertise in professional leadership and educational experiences. I have developed professional insights from educational/leadership settings at private, government institutions at undergraduate, graduate, and through roles as a lead educator, professor, research designer, and dissertation mentor over 35 years. Crucial skills emanated from my accounting minor (1980), coupled with working in financial areas of developing and auditing budgets, at the local, state, and national levels of government programs.

I will honorably serve on the Nordonia Hills School Board with listening skills, integrity, and determination to succeed. The proximal goal I bring is a return to strengthen the education received, ensuring the education better intersects with the student, parent, teacher, and administrative communities leading to improved successes and future goal developments.

What are the most significant issues facing the school district and what ideas do you have to address these issues?

The Nordonia Hills School District can improve current rankings (Niche – https://www.niche.com/k12/d/nordonia-hills-city-school-district-oh/#rankings): 5th Summit Cty; 64/607 OH; 75/607 best places to teach OH; 92/607 best teachers OH. Introspective analyses into these rankings are timely with the recent levy.

Analysis of the intersects for when ratings dropped, inquiry into how other districts operate, and actionable planning to implement improvements while strategizing funds, are all needed.

Aged facilities necessitate a plan toward strategizing new builds and long-term maintenance. A school-to-community planning group is needed (local businesses, citizens, students, parents, teachers, school officials) to integrate a plan developing apprenticeships and internships to involve students with strategy planning and results.

Transparency – Public trust has dwindled. Budgets, funding, decisional strategies need voices to and from the various community members ensuring community input.

What ideas do you have for ensuring safety in your school district?

As a professional school safety specialist, law enforcement training director, professor/counselor in emergency preparedness, critical incidents, managing anxiety/fear, trauma, and loss, I understand school safety. On August 19th, a Phoenix teen (15) killed another teen (15) at a school with metal detectors and no distracting phones allowed. Death by stabbing with an unpredictable, omnipresent item in all schools, scissors. While we can never predict all danger, we can ensure feelings of safety. Safe is not a measurable construct, feeling safe is, though. Waste falling from the sky, fallen trees, animal attacks, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, landslides, tsunami’s, and mental illness bring unpredictable dangers. School critical incident training, testing communications, randomized police presence, training on panic management, unusual escape paths, & viewing ordinary stuff as defensive treasures, will help protect us along with grace, respect, integrity, and thoughtful actions.

What action, if any, do you believe the Board of Education should take to support all students and ensure they are provided with a high-quality, meaningful education?

Actions require knowing what is required and seeking out resources to assist those students, so all are succeeding. Once intellectual status is defined, other cognitive, and physical resources can be sought to provide meaningful education for all. Our district is not the first to require resources. Equitable funding at all sections in the normal curve has to happen. All cannot be weighted in one direction, leaving the student who is exceptional on their own without encouraging achievements. Where they are on intellectual spectrums should not matter. I recently viewed a galaxy overhead, named M101, which was visible 8-23-25 through a $500 telescopic camera, SeestarS50. Inexpensive telescopes can introduce students to an interstellar amazement and could inspire young scientists of all ages, with sharing across classrooms. New and affordable curricula support items will affect interest. All students include those for whom learning seems automatic and all others, not a single student less.

Matt Ford

Nonpartisan

(Editor’s note: The candidate did not respond to requests for information.)

Jason L. Tidmore Sr.

Nonpartisan

(Editor’s note: The candidate did not respond to requests for information.)

William B. Busse

Nonpartisan

(Editor’s note: The candidate did not respond to requests for information.)

Editor-in-Chief (she/her)
Zake has deep roots in Northeast Ohio journalism. She was the managing editor for multimedia and special projects at the Akron Beacon Journal, where she began work as a staff photographer in 1986. Over a 20-year career, Zake worked in a variety of roles across departments that all help inform her current role as Signal Akron's editor in chief. Most recently, she was a journalism professor and student media adviser at Kent State University, where she worked with the next generation of journalists to understand public policy, environmental reporting, data and solutions reporting. Among her accomplishments was the launch of the Kent State NewsLab, an experiential and collaborative news commons that connects student reporters with outside professional partners.