Meanwhile, incumbent Bill Lautar and challenger Lynn Quillen are squaring off to fill the remaining two years of a term ending Dec. 31, 2025, according to the Montgomery County Board of Elections. That board seat had been held for years by Jim Ambrose, until he resigned in June. Lautar was appointed to the spot this year. Quillen narrowly lost a board election in 2021.
All the incumbents were initially appointed to the board, with Kane the only one who has since also won an elected term. But all three are campaigning together because “we feel that it’s really important to keep that strong leadership team on the board of education, because of the strengths and the experience that we bring to the table,” Kane said.
Challengers said the current board lacks transparency and that they would help better communicate issues with the community. Some have been critical of the way the board addressed COVID issues, when district mask mandates and remote learning decisions were strongly questioned publicly.
There is general agreement among all candidates, however, on some issues. They lauded — or were at least encouraged — by the 4.5-star rating Kettering schools received on the latest Ohio Department of Education state report card.
Likewise, there was near consensus on strides made to increase safety at all school buildings and the district’s relationship with the Kettering Police Department.
Those elected Nov. 7 may well make decisions on the future of the district’s buildings. The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission will be assessing all Kettering school buildings, many of which are more than 50 years old.
It is part of the district’s efforts to secure state funding for future school construction.
The future of the D.L. Barnes site, built in 1929 as a high school, has also been in question. The board of education last year voted to demolish it, saying it wasn’t prudent to spend taxpayer money to maintain it. Options presented to the board this year were as high as $16 million, Kettering records show. Talks are ongoing with private groups interested in providing funding to save at least part of the building.
The district is collecting information for the state, a precursor for the districtwide assessment, Kettering Business Services Director Jeff Johnson said Friday.
The following are profiles based on interviews with all six candidates and responses to questionnaires:
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
FULL TERM (2 SEATS)
Jennifer Kane
Kane, 56, was appointed in 2013 before winning a seat in 2015 and again four years later.
“I think that experience matters,” she said. “I think that experience in leadership roles in Kettering schools is what has helped us maintain the destination district that we are throughout the years.”
Kane said she has “a proven track record of maintaining a student-focused approach to decision making and has the ability to set aside personal beliefs to make decisions in the best interest of all students.”
Kane pointed to expansion of Fairmont High School’s Career Technology Center and the creation of the Performing Arts Center among the district’s accomplishments during her board tenure.
She said her priorities include student safety and fiscal responsibility, but they start with student mental health.
“Many of today’s students are faced with mental health challenges, which can hinder learning and growth,” she said. “Schools must not only teach academic curriculum, but also address mental health issues.”
Kane graduated from Kettering Fairmont High School and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Wittenberg University.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Justin LeBrun
The 37-year-old executive at his family’s cybersecurity business applied in summer 2023 for the board seat that Jim Ambrose stepped down from — a seat eventually filled by Lautar.
LeBrun said he has “a strong desire” to open communications in the district.
“We have a great community, but currently, our school board lacks proactive communication on issues that residents, taxpayers, and parents have a right to be aware of,” he said.
LeBrun said his top priorities are to “create a system of proactive communication that will keep the residents within our community fully informed” and to “restore transparency throughout our schools.”
LeBrun said after COVID hit in 2020, at a board of education meeting, he and others spoke in favor of keeping schools open.
“I felt like the (board) already made the decision to close the schools,” he said. “Having that public forum felt more like a formality than them actually wanting to hear what the people had to say.”
LeBrun said his experience in governance and policy creation/implementation is well-suited for being a school board member.
LeBrun graduated from Fairborn High School and studied engineering and business at Wright State University.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Chrissie Richards
The 48-year-old Kettering Health executive was appointed to the board in January, filling a seat previously held by Lori Parks.
Richards said she is seeking election to keep the district “strong and ensure we continue to provide these great opportunities in a safe and welcoming environment for all students.”
She touts her background in strategic planning and business development as attributes for voters to keep her on the board.
“I am a forward thinker with a growth mindset and very willing to step outside my comfort zone,” Richards said. “I believe my skills, experience, educational background and authentic passion for providing top quality education to all students in a safe and welcoming environment have made me a great asset.”
Academics, fiscal responsibility and student safety and wellness are among her top concerns. Richards said she plans to work with administrators to establish and monitor specific goals in student achievement and classroom instruction.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in organizational communications from Miami University and a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Steve White
The 57-year-old tax and accounting manager applied for the seat vacated by Parks late last year before the board appointed Richards.
White is seeking election because in recent years he said board members have seemed to lose focus on a key aspect of their job.
“I think that the school board is elected to … work for the citizens,” he said. “And over the last few years, myself — along with other taxpayers and parents, and even students — it looks and feels like the school board is more interested in pleasing the superintendent or the administration.”
White also cited a lack of transparency with the board. White said he thinks voters should support him “because I will stand up for them and listen to them and their concerns — not just hearing, but act upon them, communicating with them.”
School districts often tout graduation rates as a demonstration of success. But there are better measures, White said.
“I want to know, how are the kids doing one year, two years, five years after graduation? That’s the true ROI (return on investment),” he said. “That’s the kind of system and progress I think we need to start. That will tell us really how valuable that 4.5-star rating is.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
2-YEAR UNEXPIRED TERM
Bill Lautar
The 71-year-old lifelong Kettering resident was appointed to a seat after Jim Ambrose stepped down in the middle of 2023.
Lautar served two terms on Kettering City Council ending in 2021 after working more than 40 years in education, much of it as Kettering schools student services director.
He wants “to help ensure that the excellent quality of education continues for tomorrow’s students.”
Lautar said his top priority is prudent fiscal management.
“We have to make sure that the dollars we get we can stretch as long as we possibly can,” he said. “We’ve got to do everything possible to minimize the number of times, the frequency, the interval, that we go back to the public and ask for those funds.”
Lautar earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Ohio University and a master’s in school counseling from the University of Dayton.
He said his experience makes him well-suited to continue on the school board.
“I think I bring that organizational leadership, which will complement the leadership that the current board members have already,” he said. “And I think that would be a plus for the board.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Lynn Quillen
The 45-year-old sought election to the board in 2021, but narrowly lost in a four-candidate race for three seats. Incumbents Toby Henderson and Mark Martin won those seats, along with the recently resigned Jim Ambrose.
Quillen is a small business owner and operator of a Kettering home remodeling company. She moved to Kettering 10 years ago “because of the great schools and community.”
She earned an associate’s degree in industrial engineering from Sinclair Community College and a bachelor’s degree in manufacturing engineering from the University of Dayton.
“I am an ambitious hard worker that has a passion for education and continuous improvement with a professional skill set that will complement the school’s success and benefit the students and our community,”
Quillen wants “to improve that experience that parents have when they go to school boards so that they’re more informative to them — and more engaging, it can be so much better.”
She wants to “focus on improving our methods of communication and making our district website up to date, consistent, and easier to navigate. I want all citizens well informed, with excellent information that keeps them engaged and included.”
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