Smethport Area School Board

January is School Director Recognition Month. If someone asked you to take an unpaid position, devote an average of 20 hours a month to that job, and learn about things that may be out of your comfort zone like multi-million dollar budgets, textbooks, and bus schedules would you take the position? Few people would, but thankfully we have nine dedicated members of our community who do just that - our local school board.

• Did you know:
  • 4,500 school directors serve Pennsylvania's 500 public school districts; all boards have nine members.
  • School director elections are held every two years, on a 5-4 rotation to ensure continuity.
  • All board members are elected to four-year terms.
  • School directors are elected locally; however the state constitution delegates to them the responsibility to administer the school system as agents of the General Assembly.
  • All serve as volunteers, without pay.
  • The "typical" Pennsylvania school director is male, well-educated, married with two or three children attending public schools, and voluntarily devotes 16-20 hours per month to school board business.
  • 15% of those serving on school boards in 2011 are retirees.
  • 7% of school directors are homemakers, 9% are self-employed or business owners and 7% are office supervisors.
  • The number of female school directors was 35% in 2011.
  • More than 72% of Pennsylvania school directors have attained a college degree or beyond.
  • 23% of Pennsylvania board members have more than 10 years' experience in 2011.
  • During their meeting, most boards, 54%, allow one public comment period; 45% allow two. Most, 68%, impose time limits on those comment periods.
  • Pennsylvania school directors continue to keep adequate school funding at the top of the list of the most important educational concern facing public schools.

Too often we neglect to recognize the commitment and hard work of these men and women who serve as advocates for our schools. The staff and students of our district are asking all members of the community to take a moment and tell a school board member: "Thanks for caring about our children!"

School Board Members

Kelly O. Davis

Larry Dennis, President

William Funk, Vice President

Ray Learn

Nancy O'Day

Donnie Shonts

Dave Stratton

Dr. Jason Tronetti

Dan Wertz

Susan Jordan, Non-Member, Secretary

Christian T. Mattie, III, Solicitor

Region I: Mr. Learn, Mrs. O'Day, Mr. Wertz

Region II: Mrs. Davis, Mr. Funk, Mr. Shonts

Region III: Mr. Dennis, Mr. Stratton, Dr. Tronetti