Darlene Smail of Kittanning Township, Armstrong County, has announced her candidacy for School Director in Armstrong School District, Region 3.
Mrs. Smail has been a resident of Armstrong County for the past 30 years, after moving into the county with her husband, Brad, to be closer to his family.
Darlene is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and a former Pennsylvania State Trooper. After working as a Trooper for nearly 9 years, she became a stay-at-home mother. Darlene has two grown children and one grandchild.
Darlene has extensive community involvement with the American Legion, having been the Commander at the local and county levels, in addition to holding the position of Treasurer at the district level.
“I have a unique and well-rounded perspective regarding our school system. I homeschooled both of my children for two years. They then attended Grace Christian School in West Kittanning for two years. After later attending Apollo Ridge School District, both went on to graduate from Lenape Technical School in Ford City,” she said.
Darlene further added, “One concern that school administrators, board members and taxpayers alike have is the cost that the district shoulders from students choosing to attend charter school. Instead of focusing solely on how to bring the students back to the brick and mortar school, we should be addressing why the students are leaving in the first place.” “We not only need fiscal responsibility, but also fiscal accountability.
Continuing to increase the budget without seeing an increase in student proficiency and enrollment is accomplishing neither,” she concluded.
Region 3 includes the Armstrong County municipalities of Atwood Borough, Boggs Township, Dayton Borough, Cowanshannock Township, Elderton Borough, Kittanning Township, Pine Township, Plumcreek Township, Rural Valley Borough, South Bend Township, Valley Township, and Wayne Township; and the Indiana County municipalities of Smicksburg Borough and West Mahoning Township.
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