Tag: schools

Categories
Politics

School Board Member Parker falls short of being on fall ballot

Cincinnati School Board Member Sean Parker has fallen short of the required petition signatures to appear on this fall’s ballot.

First-time candidate Parker, who was appointed to the school board on April 28, 2010 after former WCPO-TV reporter and comedian Michael Flannery stepped down, fell 43 signatures short of the required 300 needed to appear on the ballot, said Sally J. Krisel, Hamilton County Board of Elections director.

School Board Member Sean Parker (Courtesy of Facebook)

Board officials had originally found Parker was 50 short of the requirement, but further examination, at Parker’s request, revealed an additional seven signatures. That left the figure at 257 valid signatures. The deadline to have all valid signatures into the board was yesterday.

Krisel said she has already informed Parker and Tim Burke, chairman of the Hamilton County Democratic Party, and the board will formally inform Parker in a letter sent soon.

Mary Welsh Schlueter, an education activist and founder of Partners for Innovation in Education, or PIE, and a candidate for this fall’s election whose name will appear on the ballot, said she wishes Parker and his wife, who recently had the couple’s first child, the best.

“I sent Sean my condolences, but I know the time spent with his new baby will be treasured by his family,” she said. “Best of luck to him in his endeavors.”

Welsh Schlueter said Parker had helped with recent forums for PIE and she considers him a friend.

“He’s a good guy,” she said.

In addition to Welsh Schlueter, the following candidates have filed to run this fall and their names will appear on the ballot:

  • Current member, Eve Bolton
  • Alexander Poccia Kuhns
  • Current member, A. Chris Nelms

Though candidates often have political party connections, the board race is officially non-partisan. Three seats are up on the seven-member board this year. The remaining members run for re-election in 2013.

UPDATE (12:07 p.m EDT, 8/12/2011): Parker sent an email to his campaign list, thanking them for their support and encouraging them to continue supporting the district because “they need us.”

“There are many factors that contributed to this and I take full responsibility,” Parker said in the email. “If you have contributed your time or financially, I truly appreciate it and will never forget your support.  I will continue to do my part in helping to move the district forward in a positive way.”

A phone call to Parker has not yet been returned.

Categories
Community

MEDIA ADVISORY: Clark Montessori UPDATE

MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact: Joe Wessels (513) 549-6397

NOTE: Please do not call the school or the principal directly through tomorrow. Please call Joe Wessels.

Just a few quick updates/notes:

  • We have been informed by The White House that an announcement is forthcoming at 11 a.m. EDT tomorrow, Tuesday, May 4, 2010. At this time we are unaware how the news will come to us.
  • The White House said it will make an announcement at or around 11 a.m. on its Web site at this address: www.whitehouse.gov/commencement
  • The 88 students making up Clark’s Class of 2010 have asked repeatedly that the message be conveyed that no matter what happens tomorrow, they feel they have already won. Though this is a competition they are very proud of the other schools vying for the President of the United States as their commencement speaker, including the two others making into the final three with Clark, Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, Mich. and Denver School of Science and Technology in Denver, Colo.
  • An announcement on media availability will be made tomorrow morning at least a couple hours prior to the 11 a.m. announcement. Students will be in class and doing coursework before that time.
  • Schools not winning the President as their commencement speaker will have a member of the President’s Cabinet speak at the commencement instead.
  • Rep. Driehaus spoke to students today for about 30 minutes, answered questions and shared his support for the school and said he had encouraged The White House to pick Clark.