Chris Pirotta, new candidate

"I am not motivated by political ambition but rather by a genuine desire to serve my fellow community members and make a positive impact in our schools."

“I believe that every student deserves access to a high-quality education that prepares them for success, and that means ensuring our schools are free from harmful and divisive ideologies. I'm committed to promoting inclusivity, diversity, and equity in every aspect of our school district. I also believe in the power of critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making to guide our policies and practices.”

Chris is a Parkland parent of 3 and committed local volunteer; he has attended school board meetings regularly for several years and has often spoken about his perspectives in that public forum. Chris believes in supporting all members of the Parkland community, and he has an inclusive vision for the future of the district.

Learn more about Chris at his candidate website: https://pirrottaforparkland.com/

LVP News: Chris Pirrotta announces bid for school board seat

Carol Facchiano, incumbent

Carol currently serves as the Board President and we encourage voters to choose Carol for both the 2 and 4 year ballot.

Beginning with her oldest child, Carol served in the Fogelsville PTO and Springhouse MS Partnership. Her involvement then evolved to serving on the Community Advisory Council and since 2015, she has been an elected School Board director.

“Although a School Board Director seat is an elected political official, I feel it should be the least political in nature. My main concern, as (demonstrated) through my performance record on the School Board, are the students, staff, and residents of the Parkland School District. The School Board should be an example to the citizens of Parkland that people with a range of background knowledge, experience, and values can come together to professionally make decisions to the benefit of the District.”

“At the end of the day, school board directors need to make data-informed decisions through the advice of educational professionals that answer the question “does this help students?”

In this 2022 #ParklandPride Podcast, Dr. Mark Madson, Superintendent of Parkland Schools sits down with Parkland School Board (Vice) President Carol Facchiano to talk about what it's like to be a school board director: podcast

Jay Rohatgi, incumbent

Jay was appointed to an open seat on the school board in January 2022. Many candidates applied for this position, but Jay was the only one with a long track record of serving the district in multiple volunteer roles, including serving as a member of the Parkland Education Foundation Board, Community Advisory Council, and Multicultural Awareness Committee.

He also administers the extremely useful Parkland Parents online forum that gave parents a place to communicate about school during the difficult years of the COVID pandemic. We also believe that Jay is the first person of color to serve on the school board -- an important aspect of representation for the increasing diversity of Parkland families. We look forward to Jay's continued excellent work on behalf of the district.

“Parkland stands as one of the best districts in the area with lowest taxes in the valley and excellence in arts, academic and athletics. Excellence in school board candidates also matters. As a parent and a current board member it’s important for me that we keep cultural wars, division and politics to gain higher office out of our board. Let’s focus on providing the best education for our kids. School districts all over the country are getting mired in bickering due to candidates and board members trying to make a political name for themselves while creating challenges for the kids and unnecessarily burning taxpayer money. We don’t need that distraction and wastage in Parkland.”

Lean more about Jay on his facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/jayrohatgi/

Lisa Roth, incumbent

Roth is a 30 year resident of Upper Macungie Township who started by volunteering at her sons’ Parkland schools. She joined the school board in 2009 where she has been a member for 14 years, serving as Board President in 2019 & 2020.

In addition to her school board responsibilities, she has served on the boards of LCTI, CLIU#21 and the Parkland Community Library. Lisa is regularly seen around the District as she participates in school events, including strong support of the district-wide Festival of the Arts held at Parkland High School each spring.

An example of Lisa’s devoted level of service to Parkland is evidenced in her commitment to understanding any conflict around particular books: “One specific topic that I have especially been paying close attention to is that of textbooks and library books which could be challenged. Once someone mentions a book title that I have not read before (e.g The 1619 Project, On Top of Glass, Beyond Magenta) I immediately locate via the Lehigh Carbon Library Cooperative to read for myself. I am a firm believer that parents can certainly have control over what their children read, but not be allowed to determine what other children can or can’t read.”

“I have chosen to run again because I am very passionate about serving my community in this capacity and am committed to the concept of teamwork with my fellow board members.”

Marisa Ziegler, incumbent

Marisa has served on the Parkland Board since 2019, where she has held several leadership roles. She is the parent of twin Parkland students and is a public school teacher in a neighboring district. As her website says, "Marisa’s focus has always been on our students, families, and teachers." Her policy positions are both compassionate and based in meaningful analysis.

“I want to continue to ensure that all students receive a top-notch education in Parkland and that they are provided with all opportunities that help them excel in the future. I also want to continue to provide all teachers with the programs, professional development, and other resources they need to meet the students where they are and take them to the next level.”

Ziegler’s goals are to:

• Prioritize the mental health and safety of our students.

• Pass fiscally-responsible budgets while maintaining the strengths of our academics, arts, and athletics programs.

• Build positive relationships with the community through open discussion, ensuring that multiple perspectives are represented.

• Plan for future capital projects that adapt to the growing population in the district.

Learn more about Marisa at her candidate webpage and on Facebook: zieglerforparkland.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/ZieglerforParkland/

YOU!

Why is CPOP concerned about the primary election when we will have another chance to vote in the general election and how can you help?

In Pennsylvania, school board candidates are able to cross-file with both major political parties by collecting petition signatures from members of both parties. Here in Parkland, almost all the candidates have chosen to cross-file. That means that looking at your party's ballot does NOT tell you anything about whether the candidates actually align with the policies of that party. The candidates that the CPOP PAC are supporting have proven themselves to be willing to work across party lines to make the best choices for our district.

Please plan to vote our full slate of 5 candidates for the 4 year term, and ALSO vote for Carol Facchiano, currently serving as the Board President, for the 2 year term. When all our candidates are elected, the board members will fill the vacant 2 year seat by appointment.