This article is part of the 2025 General Election Voters' Guide produced in partnership with the League of Women Voters of the Akron Area.
Kathrine Dannemiller
Nonpartisan
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576019249835
Campaign email address: dannemillerforboardofeducation@gmail.com
Previous public office: N/A
Campaign phone: 330-541-5390
Education: M.Ed in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, B.S of Education
Training/experience: Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with Avenues of Counseling and Mediation in Akron. Debate Coach for Wadsworth City Schools since 2016. Previous roles include School-Based Therapist with Child Guidance and Family Solutions and Bellefaire JCB, Counseling Intern at Cuyahoga Falls High School, and Speech and Debate Assistant Coach and English-Language Arts Teacher with Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools. Experience also includes Title I Reading Tutor and student teacher with Akron Public Schools.
Website: https://kdannemiller.wixsite.com/dannemiller4boe
Why are you the best candidate for the office?
As a graduate of SMF Schools, a former teacher, longtime debate coach, and mental health counselor, I bring a unique combination of experience that sets me apart as the best candidate for school board. I have taught in classrooms, supported teachers, coached students to think critically and advocate for themselves, and counseled children and families through challenges that directly impact learning. This range of experience gives me a deep understanding of both the academic and emotional needs of students and the real challenges educators face.
I know schools succeed when leadership listens, provides resources, and fosters safe, inclusive environments and I’ve also seen the damage when politics overshadow student needs. I will use my expertise to strengthen student supports, champion inclusive practices, and ensure all voices are heard. My career has been dedicated to helping young people succeed, and I will bring that same commitment and perspective to serving our community.
What are the most significant issues facing the school district and what ideas do you have to address these issues?
One of the most significant issues in our district is ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used effectively. Families deserve transparency and accountability in how funds are allocated. I will work to make certain that resources are directed toward classrooms, student learning, and support for educators. Every student should have access to the tools and resources they need to succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.
I will also prioritize supporting teachers and staff, who are the foundation of our schools, by promoting professional development and fostering a positive school culture. As a graduate of Stow-Munroe Falls and someone who has worked within the district, I understand our challenges firsthand. I am committed to bringing experience, transparency, and responsibility to every decision to help keep our schools strong.
What ideas do you have for ensuring safety in your school district?
Prioritizing the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff is of utmost importance. To reinforce this commitment, I will collaborate closely with the City to secure the presence of a dedicated School Resource Officer at each school within our district. This officer will serve not only as a guardian but also as a mentor, fostering positive relationships and open communication with students.
In addition, I will undertake a thorough, continuous review of our district’s safety plans, identifying areas for enhancement and implementing best practices in emergency preparedness. This will involve regular consultations with law enforcement, mental health professionals, and safety experts to ensure our strategies are comprehensive and effective, adapting them to meet the evolving needs of our school community. Together, we will create a secure environment that supports learning and growth for everyone in our schools.
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?
Every student in our district deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported.
For me, this means protecting inclusive policies and curricula that reflect the diversity of our community and validate the identities of all students. It also means ensuring that every student has equitable access to the resources they need, whether that’s academic support, mental health services, or opportunities to participate in extracurricular programs.
I believe it is especially important to listen to students directly and to ensure their voices are included in discussions when decisions are being made. I want to collaborate closely with educators to expand training in cultural competency, anti-bias practices, and trauma-informed care. I will always speak out against discrimination and harassment because hate has no place in our schools.
This effort isn’t just about protecting certain groups; it’s about ensuring that public education truly serves all students.
John Moyer
Nonpartisan
Facebook: www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573914927022
Campaign email address: leading219@gmail.com
Campaign phone: 330-328-1469
Education: University of Akron; Bachelors Degree in Education
Training/experience: Teacher at Stow-Munroe Falls High School 1990-2024; Resilient Leadership Certified Trainer & Coach
Website: www.electjohnmoyer.com
Why are you the best candidate for the office?
The local school board serves as an important leadership role in the education of students. I was a teacher at Stow-Munroe Falls High School for 34 years, where I taught social studies and was former department chair. I am currently a leadership consultant, where I have worked with over a dozen schools in leadership coaching and training. I work primarily with district leaders, including central office leadership, building level leadership as well as school board members helping each be a more effective leader in their respective educational role. Thus, my experience in both education and leadership development makes me uniquely qualified for a school board member’s duty as an educational leader.
What are the most significant issues facing the school district and what ideas do you have to address these issues?
There are several issues facing the Stow-Munroe Falls City Schools. A decrease in state funding combined with uncertainty of federal funding from year to year puts an increasingly unsustainable burden on our residents. Many taxpayers are concerned about their rising property tax bills. This, along with our declining enrollment suggests a “right sized” approach to building and staffing while still striving for excellence.
What ideas do you have for ensuring safety in your school district?
I am happy to see that the city and the schools have come together to continue the school resource police officer program. Additionally, our schools have dedicated vestibules to ensure safe entry of visitors. I think it is important for rigorous enforcement for the protocols in place in an environment where staff and students have to think about their safety on a daily basis.
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?
Students who feel valued and cared for show up as their best selves. This helps them grow as people; as learners. Recent federal and state guidelines have had an impact on many student groups. I believe that board leadership should support compliance with federal and state guidelines as we keep students first. This means letting our students know that we hear them, care for them and desire for them to grow as people and as students.
Jason Whitacre
Nonpartisan
Facebook: www.facebook.com/electwhitacre
Campaign email address: WHITACREJA@GMAIL.COM
Previous public office: SMFCSD Board of Education (2018-21)
Campaign phone: 216-536-7375
Education: Juris Doctor (Case Western Reserve University School of Law, 2003), B.A., Political Science (University of Mount Union, 2000)
Training/experience: Elected to SMFCSD Board (2018-21), Board President (2020), Board Vice-President (2021). Licensed to practice law (OH-2004, FL-2012, KY-2015), licensed title agent (OH-2021). Attorney, Flynn, Keith & Flynn LLC (Kent, OH) (2019-Present). Stow Youth Baseball (Fmr. Board Member).
Why are you the best candidate for the office?
I have the experience of having served a full term. I am crisis-tested, having guided the school district through COVID as its President. I am the only licensed attorney running for the position.
A committed non-partisan, I will not inject national political issues into the district. I seek to restore a calm and competent demeanor to board meetings. I have received support from former colleagues and administrators, having been deemed knowledgeable about the appropriate role of a board member.
Students are the core focus of every decision. I understand the complex issues surrounding public school funding and the necessity for thriving public schools to invigorate the community. I believe in the value of extracurricular activities like fine arts and athletics, placing them among the core experience in public schools.
I look to build on the accomplishments of my first term and move past subsequent missteps. I ask thoughtful questions while permitting professionals to do their jobs.
What are the most significant issues facing the school district and what ideas do you have to address these issues?
Although our school district is blessed with many talented, caring professionals in our school buildings, those buildings are aging rapidly with significant deferred maintenance. Although my board began the process of developing a long-term infrastructure plan early during my term and many concerned citizens have been working hard to overcome obstacles, we remain far from a viable, community-approved plan.
The ever-shifting burden to local property taxes is crippling many of our families, while rising inflationary costs are hampering district efforts at improvement.
Divisive partisanship in our local, state, and national communities continues to increase, and it permeates all levels of our decision-making.
My plan is to strip partisanship from our board and rebuild trust by listening, by being transparent, and by being accountable to our stakeholders.
We have a good, caring community that wants our schools and our students to succeed, and I will empower achievement.
What ideas do you have for ensuring safety in your school district?
As a former chair to our safety and security committee, I understand how to work with local law enforcement and safety personnel. We met regularly during my term, and had open lines of communication. When we were upgrading our bus software and technology, we sought input from these community stakeholders to ensure the new system enhanced, not impeded progress.
We also listened to our police and fire regarding building safety in both crisis and non-crisis situations, ensuring personnel are available.
We made significant improvements to building safety during my tenure, including the installation of vestibules in our buildings. We adjusted building practices to account for the COVID pandemic and the rules imposed upon us by state and federal officials.
I led the charge to minimize the use of our school buildings as polling places. That effort helped encourage the board of elections to move a polling place out of our schools. I plan to continue that progress on the remaining two sites.
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?
I am a firm believer in protecting all students. That includes the never-ending work against bullying, for any reason.
For example, I am proud of the work our staff does to keep an inclusive environment for our students with disabilities. There is always room to enhance existing services, and the board is charged policymaking that promotes these efforts.
In recent years, there has been increasing focus on vulnerable groups of students. That work must continue in a way that brings adults together for the betterment of children. That may involve uncomfortable conversations, self-examination, and further awareness on all sides of the political spectrum.
The board should work to encourage tolerance of opposing viewpoints, protect free speech, and to develop policies that bring together our community. We should do so without injecting the national politics that harshly divide adults.
Revisiting an earlier answer, consistent candor is the building block for this support and trust.
Pamela Wind
Nonpartisan
Facebook: www.facebook.com/VotePamelaWind
Campaign email address: friendsofpamelawind@gmail.com
Education: Ph.D. Counseling Psychology, 1999, Texas Tech University
Training/experience: Incumbent; current Board President and past Vice President; long-time community servant in multiple roles; Counseling Psychologist of 25+ years
Website: www.votepamelawind.com
Why are you the best candidate for the office?
Simply put, I have the experience and training in this job that the community expects and deserves, and have served with integrity to bring long overdue improvements in leadership, fiscal responsibility, and student focused decision making to the District. I have continuously made time for training to improve my performance, and I am currently the most experienced member of the board, including as the Board President this year and Vice President for over two years before that. I have been an integral part of hiring new District leadership, who are working hard to “right the ship.” We now have balanced budgets rather than deficits and the most positive five year forecasts the District has seen in over a decade. We now have a Superintendent who supports our staff in their work to improve outcomes for all students, and who has built positive relationships with leaders from our communities. If re-elected I will continue such positive transformative change in the in the District.
What are the most significant issues facing the school district and what ideas do you have to address these issues?
In addition to continuing the changes above, the District is facing challenges in funding and physical facilities. Unfortunately, the state legislature chose this summer to abandon the Fair School Funding Plan which was aimed at reducing the burden on local taxpayers; and the Federal government is reducing contributions to public education. These changes require the Board and District leadership to plan ahead, and engage in thoughtful discussions regarding funding and budgets. We have been engaging in such discussions over the course of this year already, and it is my intention to continue to be as proactive around these decisions as possible, so that budget decisions are made with the best interests of students and the District at heart rather than knee-jerk reactions to events as they happen. Regarding physical facilities, I remain invested in listening to community feedback and hopeful that the Facilities committee and leadership can put together a plan the community will support.
What ideas do you have for ensuring safety in your school district?
I feel lucky to be a part of a District which has been taking safety seriously for quite some time. We have an active Superintendent Safety Committee that includes a number of experts from the community, including Fire and Police Chiefs from both of our cities. This committee was able years ago to improve the safety and security of building entrances, has worked to coordinate plans for communication with first responders, and continues to work to ensure safety concerns are addressed. Additionally, we enforce common sense safety policies such as ensuring all volunteers are background checked yearly and training staff members to recognize and report any safety or security concerns so that they can be dealt with effectively. If re-elected, I will continue to support the work of continuous improvements in safety.
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?
While the role of a Board is governance rather than day to day operations, there are many ways a Board can ensure that students are supported in ways which allow them to achieve at the highest possible levels. The Board supports a highly qualified and experienced professional staff who are ready to meet our learners where they are at and support them when they may struggle, through fostering training and mentorship for all staff. Additionally, during my time on the Board, we have increased mental health supports in response to student needs, to ensure that students are taking care of their emotions and better able to focus on academics. We have also supported improvements within the nutrition department, knowing that a fed child is a child who is much more ready to learn. The Board contributes to an overall District focus on providing the best opportunities possible to our students, and I look forward to continuing this work if re-elected.