25 school board seats are up for grabs in Centre County this year. Here’s who’s running

Board seats are up for election in each Centre County school district this November, and candidates have announced their campaigns.

This election cycle has the majority of board seats up for reelection in each district — 25 seats total across the county.

The primary election is May 16 and municipal election is Nov. 7.

The deadline for candidate to file their petitions was Tuesday. The Centre Daily Times has rounded up a list of every school board candidate in the running, along with information about those who have made formal announcements.

State College

Seats held by Amy Bader, Gretchen Brandt, Dan Duffy, Laurel Zydney and former board president Amber Concepcion are up for election this year.

The candidates for this election and their party fillings are:

Gretchen Brandt — Democrat/Republican

Aaron Miller — Democrat/Republican

Amy Bader — Democrat/Republican

Laurel Zydney — Democrat/Republican

Anne Demo — Democrat/Republican

Michelle Young — Democrat/Republican

Barry Fenchak — Democrat/Republican

Daniel Kolbe — Democrat/Republican

John Krajcovic — Democrat/Republican

Megan Layng — Democrat/Republican

Nathan Bish — Democrat/Republican

Demo announced her campaign for SCASD on Feb. 22. A former Penn State professor and paraprofessional in the district, she will advocate for student-centered education, according to a press release.

Brandt announced a reelection campaign on Feb. 13. Brandt served on the board for two terms and was elected vice president in December. Brandt’s priorities include sustainable building construction and a transition to electric school buses, according to a press release.

Bader announced her campaign for reelection on Feb. 8. Bader has served on the board since 2015 and as vice president from 2018-2022. In a press release, Bader said she will continue to support literacy programs and the well-being of all students.

Kolbe announced Jan. 23 that he plans to run for State College Area school board director. A Philipsburg native, Kolbe is committed to serving the community and increasing representation and equity throughout the district, according to a press release. He works in business development for KCF Technologies and lives in Patton Township with his husband Doug and son Jadon, who attends Park Forest Elementary School.

Miller announced his campaign for the SCASD board of directors on Jan. 19. Miller is a parent of two students in the district and teaches in the Human Development and Family Studies Department at Penn State. Miller is running on a platform of promoting educational opportunities for all students and improving facilities at Park Forest Middle School.

Bellefonte

Five seats are up for election this year, including those held by Nate Campbell, Julie Fitzgerald, Marie Perini, Donna Smith and Kimberly Weaver.

The candidates running for Bellefonte Area school board are:

Jennifer Barnhart — Democrat/Republican

Joe Yech — Democrat/Republican

Darrell Sharp — Democrat/Republican

Timothy Kessling — Democrat/Republican

Kimberly Weaver — Democrat/Republican

Donna Smith — Democrat/Republican

Nate Campbell — Democrat/Republican

Paul Dombrowski — Democrat/Republican

Patrick Buck — Democrat/Republican

Julie Fitzgerald — Democrat/Republican

Denelle Korn — Democrat/Republican

Dombrowski announced his campaign for school director on Feb. 14. According to his press release, Dombrowski is a former English professor who plans on broadening students experiences and creating more opportunities.

Community organization Win4Bellefonte announced its five candidates in early January, including incumbent Weaver.

The other candidates on the Win4Bellefonte ticket are:

Barnhart — A Bellefonte parent involved in the booster club and parent teacher organization.

Sharp — A Penn State graduate and father of three children at Marion Walker Elementary.

Kessling — Bellefonte graduate and Glenn O. Hawbaker employee who helped to build the new Weis Market and Penn State’s Pegula Ice Hockey Arena.

Buck — A Bellefonte parent and mechanical engineer running on a platform of “embracing tradition and history.”

Donna Smith announced her campaign for reelection on Jan. 31. Smith has served one term on the board and is known for her advocacy for fair school funding and charter reforms. In a press release, Smith said her priority on the board will be the completion of the Bellefonte Elementary School project.

Bald Eagle Area

Five seats are up for election. They are held by Jason Penland, Molly Hoover, Michael Yeaney, Gary Heverly Jr. and Adam Frank.

The candidates running for Bald Eagle Area school board are:

Molly Hoover — Democrat/Republican

Erica Danneker — Republican

Brandi Bartley — Democrat/Republican

Jason Penland — Democrat/Republican

Gary Heverly Jr. — Democrat/Republican

Penns Valley

Seats held by Scott Butler, Ryan Martin, Barry Sands, Domer Smeltzer and Jefrey Wall are up for election this year.

Here are the Penns Valley Area candidates and the parties they filled under:

Domer Smeltzer — Democrat/Republican

Nickelaus Engle — Democrat/Republican

Scott Butler — Democrat/Republican

Kim Kellerman-Domin — Democrat/Republican

Molly Miller — Democrat/Republican

Dan Hall — Democrat/Republican

Michael Pase — Democrat/Republican

Celesta Powell — Democrat/Republican

Karla Groy — Democrat/Republican

Daniel Pick — Democrat/Republican

Philipsburg-Osceola

Five seats held by Tiffany Warlow, Todd Jeffries, Linda Bush, Estelle Bowman and Tim Bainey are up for election this year.

Here are the four candidates who filed petitions for Philipsburg-Osceola school board in Centre County:

Tim Bainey — Democrat/Republican

Todd Jeffries — Democrat/Republican

Alexander Boumerhi — Democrat/Republican

Tiffany Warlow — Democrat/Republican

This story was originally published January 23, 2023 at 1:49 PM.