Oakwood voters favor incumbents in electing school board candidates

Oakwood voters Tuesday were casting ballots on four candidates for two school board seats. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

Credit: AP

Credit: AP

Oakwood voters Tuesday were casting ballots on four candidates for two school board seats. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)

Incumbent Debbie DiLorenzo and candidate Nathan Reiter appear to have won two seats on the Oakwood school board.

DiLorenzo has 31.6% of the votes and Reiter has 31.2% with challengers Drew Moore and Vivian Johnson have 20.7% and 16.4%, respectively, according to unofficial voting results from the Montgomery County Board of Elections.

The board of elections shows all eight precincts reporting.

>> LIVE RESULTS: Click here tonight for frequently updated election results

DiLorenzo says her top priorities are supporting students, empowering educators and encouraging open communications with the community. She said she wanted all students in the community to feel valued and respected.

Empowering educators will be accomplished by recognizing educators and making sure they have the resources they need, she said.

DiLorenzo is self-employed. She is the Oakwood Parent-Teacher Organization President, on the Wright Memorial Library Board of Trustees, a Habitat for Humanity family advocate and Gala co-chair.

Appointed to the board last year, she said her experience sets her apart from other candidates.

Reiter said his top three priorities are communication, fiscal health and inclusion. He said he will work closely with other board members, support policies and procedures that embrace transparent communications and serve as an ambassador between the schools and community.

Reiter cited his experience managing funds for school districts and government-sponsored program to help look at the district’s funds.

He said he will communicate budget needs and opportunities with the community. He also says he supports social emotional learning, equity, diversity and inclusion activities, supports for mental health and core values of empathy, kindness and compassion.

Reiter is a program director with Molina Healthcare, overseeing quality improvement and health equity integration efforts for individuals who have Medicaid, Marketplace, or Medicare.

Johnson said her top three priorities were fiscal transparency, amplify academic rigor and increasing diverse talent. She said fiscal transparency in general is something she “will investigate in earnest.”

Johnson works at United Theological Seminary, a United Methodist seminary in Trotwood. She said her presence on the board would make the board, which is mostly white, more diverse.

Moore said his top three priorities were academic excellence, accountability and transparency. He says he will work with the superintendent on the district’s report card, set clear expectations, be available to the public, and have detailed minutes available for the community to read.

Moore is the sales director at Solvita, a medical device company. He said he is completing the process to be involved in Oakwood Rotary. He was a former college athlete and said he believes extracurriculars are important.

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