NEWTON FALLS — Incumbents Amie Crowder, Tonya Kline and Daniel Williams are seeking reelection to the Newton Falls Exempted Village Schools board of education in the Nov. 4 general election.

They are being challenged by Jae Leeworthy and Rachael Rankin.

The three top vote-getters will serve four-year terms on the board.

CROWDER

Crowder has served on the school board for more than 20 years, from 1983 to 1990 and from 2017 to the present, and also on the Trumbull Career / Technical Center board since 2022. She said as a current board member she has served in various capacities at the local, state and federal levels.

Crowder said one of her goals is to continue to seek fair funding for public education and will continue to petition state and federal legislators. She said the Constitution allows for free public education for students.

Crowder said as a board member, she will continue to support students in academics, arts and athletics. She has been seeking state funds for a conservation / education land lab to benefit the students.

Crowder said a master strategic plan is necessary and imperative for developing and growing a school system. She said the plan will be used to direct a strong future for the district with buildings, maintenance, curriculum, student development and athletics. Crowder said she wants to start a community advisory board to work on the future of the school district.

“A board member’s job is not a meeting once a month, but being involved constantly for positive change for our children,” she said.

KLINE

Kline, who has served on the board since 2022, said she will work to always maintain public trust through transparency. She said since the schools are taxpayer-funded, people should know where their funds are going.

“Serving as a board member gives me the opportunity to monitor this,” Kline said.

Kline said she would like to see a greater increase in parent engagement opportunities, with parents invited into the buildings more often.

Kline said she believes Newton Falls does a great job with this, but she said she can always find more opportunities to increase this, noting the more parents are invited into the buildings, the more they see the exciting things that are always happening.

She said she would like to see an increase in professional development opportunities to allow for training in areas of the state report card that were low, but also to enrich areas that were high.

Kline said the school district has made tremendous progress on the school report card, with a great increase in its overall rating over the last three years as school administrators work on steady improvement “to continue this growth to keep our foot on the gas and maximize the measures that are available to them.”

LEEWORTHY

Leeworthy, who is marking his first time seeking public office, said he is running for the board to project what matters most: Students, teachers and the long-term strength of the district.

He said he will focus on protecting student programs, athletics and extracurriculars, which he said are the heart of the student experience.

“They build teamwork, leadership, and pride — qualities that last far beyond graduation,” he said.

Leeworthy said he will advocate for dedicated funding streams for extracurriculars through local partnerships, sponsorships and targeted grants such as the Ohio Department of Education’s Student Wellness and Success funds and Ohio Arts Council grants for performing arts.

He said he wants to ensure equitable funding across programs, so that academic clubs, career tech organizations and athletic teams all receive fair support.

Leeworthy said he believes in protecting taxpayer dollars through sound, transparent and forward-looking financial management. He said he will work closely with the board, treasurer and superintendent to ensure every budget decision prioritizes students and staff first and is in the best interest of the longevity of the district.

Leeworthy said he will support and empower teachers, knowing teachers are the cornerstone of student success.

He said he will advocate for consistent, districtwide professional development aligned to classroom needs and student growth support initiatives that strengthen teacher retention and morale, including recognition programs, mentorship opportunities and appropriate resources to meet student needs, and work to ensure the board remains a partner to staff success by focusing on collaboration over conflict.

RANKIN

Rankin, who served the school district as an administrator and teacher from 2009 to August 2025, is marking her first time seeking public office.

Rankin said she is the only candidate in the race with firsthand, working knowledge of how a school district actually operates from the classroom to administration.

She said with 20 years in public education, 17 of them spent teaching and leading in Newton Falls, she has seen every level of the school system in action.

“Strong school boards need members who truly understand the inner workings of public education — not from observation, but from experience. I’m running to bring informed, practical, student-centered decision-making back to the Newton Falls Board of Education,” she said.

Rankin said she will restore integrity, transparency and stability in leadership with a board focused on students and staff.

Rankin said her goal is to restore trust through transparent communication, professional accountability and data-driven decision-making with strict adherence to the Ohio School Board Member Code of Ethics.

Rankin said she will strengthen the superintendent hiring and accountability. She said she feels the district has experienced significant instability in this area, reflected in high staff turnover, inconsistent leadership and a decline in staff morale and community trust.

Rankin said the focus of a board is to do a better job of vetting superintendent candidates before hiring, including having meaningful community and staff input.

She said she will protect student opportunities and community traditions, noting that athletics, arts and extracurricular programs are at the heart of Tiger Pride, which connects families, motivates students and builds community identity.

Rankin said she will work to protect these programs from budget cuts and short-term political decisions by pursuing targeted partnerships and grants, and local business sponsorship opportunities.

WILLIAMS

Williams, who has served on the board since January 2024, said his main priority as a board member is to do whatever he can to make the best possible school environment for the students.

“Over the last two years, I have worked hard at educating myself on the role of a board member and what they can do to support the school district,” Williams said.

He said he was involved with hiring a new superintendent to move the school district forward, noting there has been success with higher achievements and better test scores, and also offering many extracurricular activities for students to participate in, creating a well-rounded school experience.

Williams said his goal is to continue the forward momentum that the district has developed to give the students a higher chance of success in school and after.

He said he will focus on creating a learning environment that is fun and engaging for students while continuing to provide a high-quality education.

Williams said he will develop stronger community relationships through engagement and community activities that involve students, parents and other community members.

“Building strong relationships with the community is a great way to give students more access to the world outside the classroom,” he said.