NORTH HUNTINGDON, Pa. — Even though there was a Democratic “D” next to the name of all five candidates who ended up winning Tuesday’s election for a seat on the Norwin School Board, the “We aRe Norwin” group is a bipartisan group. There are three Democrats and two Republicans. Now that the campaign is over, they say the real work is just beginning.
Paraphrasing the musical “Hamilton,” School Board Member-elect Matt Thomas knows the work ahead of him and his colleagues will be tough.
“Getting elected is easy, governing is hard,” Thomas said.
Thomas, along with Tim Kotch Sr., Heath Shrum, Nina Totin and Bill Bojalad walked away from a heated school board election as victors after forming the “We aRe Norwin” group this year.
They defeated five Republicans, one of them a current board member, to shift the power on the school board.
“After two years of political infighting, lawsuits, and court battles, we believed the community was just looking for a school board that was going to be supportive, that was going to support the students, the teachers, the faculty, the community, and the taxpayers,” Bojalad said.
The board was split into two political factions for nearly two years.
In the last year, there have been discussions about book bans, the removal of all-day kindergarten, teacher cuts, and other decisions that the “We aRe Norwin” group feels have been controversial with parents.
There’s also been a 4-4 stalemate since February.
These new board members say they’re ready to “right the ship.”
“We look back to building kids that can critically think for themselves, challenging them with experiences and instruction that provide them with opportunities to grow,” Thomas said.
They know they won’t always agree, being a bipartisan group. They also know they may not always agree with the other four board members still in office.
But, they think there’s a way to do that to benefit the district.
“Even if there are points where we have to agree to disagree, you agree to disagree with dignity and respect,” Thomas said.
And, for those who didn’t vote for the “We aRe Norwin” candidates, Bojalad hopes they’ll be happy with the new board’s work — putting students, teachers, and the community first.
“We can do that,” Bojalad said. “We will do that.”
According to Pennsylvania law, any newly elected school board member will take office on the first Monday in December.
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