Two new candidates will face off in the only competitive race for the Lake County School Board this year.
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Former Minneola Mayor Pat Kelley is running against longtime teacher Eric Schwalbach to represent District 1, which encompasses cities like Mascotte and Groveland in the western portion of the county.
Kelley stepped down as mayor earlier this year to run for the school board position after serving in that office since 2008. He also has 35 years of corporate finance and accounting experience working for the Walt Disney Company.
While Kelley has served the county through his role within city government, Schwalbach has spent decades in the classroom teaching at several schools in Lake County and Orange County.
Kelley is running a campaign focused on utilizing his skills in finance and city leadership to optimize school budgets and ensure responsible growth.
Kelley indicated he hopes to manage student growth by engaging private developers to fund and build critical school infrastructure, using residential expansion to handle overcrowding without draining public funds.
Currently an active teacher in Lake County, Schwalbach is running a campaign centered on raising student proficiency through new tutoring programs and by developing, recruiting and retaining “high-impact” teachers.
Schwalbach said some Lake County schools are already working to educate and recruit more students into the trade industry, highlighting the need to provide more career and technical opportunities for students with no desire to go to college upon graduation.
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To implement these programs, Schwalbach has committed to donating his entire school board salary — over $180,000 in a four-year period — to further student success.
“I was part of the math team who brought Oak Park Middle School from a D to a C, so I know exactly what it takes to make sure that every child is getting what they need to succeed,” Schwalbach said in response to a questionnaire. “Politicians want to tell you how great their system is, I want to show you how much better our system can and will be. We have to develop income-producing citizens who are lifelong learners.”
Kelley said in response to a questionnaire he plans to use his corporate finance background to identify budget efficiency needs that can be harnessed to maintain stable property taxes and avoid new public debt for capital projects.
“I would address school district budget issues by prioritizing fiscal responsibility, transparency, and student success,” Kelley said. “I would work to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently while protecting funding for teachers, school safety, and effective academic programs. I would also advocate for additional state funding and seek opportunities to maximize available resources.”
According to the Lake County Supervisor of Elections, Kelley has received $29,550 in monetary contributions during his campaign.
Schwalbach has received $2,900 in monetary contributions.
The race is officially nonpartisan, with Kelley and Schwalbach running against write-in candidate James Smith, a Groveland native and Army veteran.
Marc A. Dodd and Stephanie Luke were elected without opposition in School Board Districts 3 and 5, respectively.
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