4 on ballot for school board

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Five names will be listed on the primary ballot next month for positions on the Dickinson Public Schools Board, though only four candidates remain as one has withdrawn.

Former School Board candidate Gaylon Baker said Friday that he has recently withdrawn from the race due to other time commitments.

His name, however, will remain on the ballot due to his withdrawal occurring after the ballots were printed.

Four candidates: Rebecca Pitkin, Morton Krieg, Jason Hanson and Dave Moody, remain in the race for three positions.

Krieg is an incumbent.

If Baker still receives votes and ends up being one of the top vote recipients, the Dickinson Public Schools Board will have to appoint someone else to that position, said Alice Schulz, Stark County auditor.

“They just can’t go to the next top vote-getter,” Schulz said. “If he doesn’t fall in the top vote-getters, then it’s not a problem, but if he does fall into that, then they (the board) have to go through an appointment.”

Candidate Rebecca Pitkin is an assistant professor of education at Dickinson State University.

“Being a member of the school board aligns with my life work as an educator. I care deeply about kids and feel educators have a moral obligation to do what’s best for kids. I would be a voice for both teachers and parents, and I believe education is our future,” Pitkin said.

Morton Krieg is a local dentist.

“I’ve been on the board 14 years and I really enjoy the nice progress we’ve been making. The district has wonderful administrators and I still have children in school, so I really feel I’m connected on the needs of the district,” Krieg said.

Jason Hanson is a real estate agent with Home and Land Co. in Dickinson.

“I am running for the Dickinson School Board because I have a daughter in the school system and I want to help contribute to keeping the Dickinson Public School System great,” Hanson said.

Dave Moody is an assistant professor of health and physical education at DSU.

“I am running to be more involved in my investment of quality public education as a lifelong educator at all levels, a DSU educator for the past 20 years, a father of three school-aged children and a resident of Dickinson. I think I can provide positive, progressive and productive leadership and serve as another connecting point between DPS and DSU, while being able to devote the necessary time and energy required of this honorable position.”

Tags: school board, news, local, dps, pitkin, krieg, moody, hanson