Voters will decide between two ideologically opposed slates of candidates for four Salem-Keizer School Board seats. Eight candidates have filed to run for the board in the May 20 election, including two current board members seeking another term.  As in past years, two political groups have e ach promoted candidates and are campaigning for them together. Positions are nonpartisan. All but two of the candidates are newcomers. Community for Salem-Keizer Schools, a coalition of union and progressive groups, is backing candidates Lisa Harnisch, Angelo Arredondo Baca, Karina Guzmán Ortiz and Mel Fuller. The group says it’s endorsing candidates who “understand education and are focused on students.” Guzmán Ortiz is seeking a second term on the board, and Harnisch was appointed last year to fill a vacant board seat. Marion + Polk First, a conservative political action committee, is backing Anthony Mitchell, Jennifer Parker, Jason Kroker and Jeremiah Radka. The group lists its priorities as supporting law enforcement in schools and “schools that focus on academic rigor, quality and hands-on training.” School board directors represent a specific zone within the district, but they’re elected at-large, meaning every voter gets a say in all four seats. See a map of school board zones here. All positions are unpaid four-year terms. The school board’s primary job is to hire and manage the superintendent, though the board also sets broad policies, including adopting goals for improving academic outcomes. The current school board earlier this month renewed Superintendent Andrea Castañeda’s contract for three years. Ideological divisions on the school board have been most apparent in votes and discussions about district policies on diversity and equity, the district’s response to immigration enforcement in schools and the presence of law enforcement on school campuses. May’s winners will join school board Directors Satya Chandragiri, Krissy Hudson and the board’s current chair, Cynthia Richardson, who midway through their four-year terms. Newly-elected school board directors take office July 1. Here’s more on the eight candidates. Zone 1 — West Salem Lisa Harnisch Harnisch is seeking election to the board after being appointed in March 2024 to an open seat. She’s the executive director of the Marion Polk Early Learning Hub, a Salem-based nonprofit which coordinates local preschool and daycare programs and provides resources and training for parents.  Harnisch previously served on the school district’s budget committee and co-chaired a committee that oversaw the school construction projects voters approved in 2019. “I have the experience necessary to push our schools to have the highest standards for our students so they have what they need to be successful,” she wrote on her website. Anthony Mitchell Mitchell is director of customer success, customer success and consulting for Solera, a Texas-based data and technology company serving the automotive industry. He is a local small business investor and has a bachelor’s degree in entrepreneurship from Utah State University, according to his campaign filing form. His campaign website was not live as of Wednesday. He lists no prior government experience. Zone 3 — South Salem Both candidates for this seat are South Salem High School graduates. Angelo Arredondo Baca Arredondo Baca is a  student at Oregon State University, expecting to graduate with a political science degree this year. He works as an office assistant, according to his candidate filing, and served on the Salem Human Rights Commission from 2018 to 2023. His parents are Mexican immigrants and he learned English in local schools, according to his website. Arredondo Baca has tutored in the district and is a guardian of his younger siblings who are attending school and have special needs, according to his campaign website. “My focus is on ensuring every student—no matter their background—has the support and opportunities they need to succeed. I know firsthand how much education can change a life, and I will fight to make sure every student in our district has that same chance. Salem-Keizer schools have given me so much, and I am running for school board to ensure every student has the same opportunities to succeed that I did,” his website says. Jennifer Parker Parker manages employment services for Work Unlimited, a Corvallis-based nonprofit serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She has a degree in psychology from Western Oregon University, according to her candidate filing. Her son, who has disabilities, attended Salem-Keizer schools, according to her campaign website. She said she’s focused on ensuring students graduate ready for college or a career, strengthening core academics, advocating for special education programs and seeking community input on how to restore a police presence in schools. “Our board needs to prioritize improving mental health supports and enforce clear and fair discipline policies to help keep classrooms safe,” her campaign website says. This seat is currently held by Ashley Carson Cottingham, who is not seeking reelection. Zone 5 — East Salem Karina Guzmán Ortiz Guzmán Ortiz is seeking a second term on the board. She works as a partner engagement specialist for the Oregon Department of Early Learning and Child Care. She has a master’s degree in social work from Portland State University and two children attending Salem-Keizer schools. Guzmán Ortiz is currently the board’s first vice chair and served as chair last year during a tumultuous period when tense contract negotiations with the district teacher union nearly led to a strike and district leaders laid off over 100 educators amid deep budget cuts. “From adequate school funding to quality education, from mental health wellbeing to school safety, from graduation rates to third grade reading, we must continue to work together to improve our students’ learning experiences and learning outcomes,” she posted on her campaign page. Jason Kroker Kroker is a heavy equipment technician for the Oregon Department of Transportation and a 22-year veteran of the Oregon Air National Guard. He’s a North Salem High School graduate, formerly worked there in school security and has a degree in business from Western Oregon University, according to his candidate filing. He lists his campaign priorities as increasing the share of students who graduate proficient in reading, writing and math; returning police to schools and spending “prioritizing classroom success over administrative waste.” On his campaign website, Kroker describes walking into local schools for parent teacher conferences for his stepdaughter. “I’m always surprised how much the environment has shifted from the focus on learning I saw when I was in school. It seems to me that we’ve lost our focus from our core job of empowering and protecting students,” his website says. “Our schools should be preparing young people for success, but right now, we can and must do better. I’m stepping up to help refocus our district on student achievement and bring real accountability back to our schools.” Zone 7 — North Salem Mel Fuller Fuller is a legal transcriptionist and the former director of Meals on Wheels for the Marion Polk Food Share. She has two sons who attend local schools and regularly volunteers at Highland Elementary School and Parrish Middle School, where she chairs the parent club.  Fuller has a bachelor’s degree in history from Oregon State University, according to her campaign filing. Her priorities are supporting literacy, improving students’ sense of belonging at school and community building, according to her website. “Every child deserves to read by third grade. Research shows that early literacy is the foundation for lifelong learning. As a school board member, I will advocate for stronger reading interventions, teacher support, and community partnerships to ensure our kids start strong,” she said in a Facebook post. Jeremiah Radka Radka is a driver for Uber and Lyft, and owns a small transportation business. He studied electronic engineering and network administration at Linn Benton and Portland community colleges and previously ran an IT business, according to his candidate filing. He listed no previous governmental experience. His campaign website was not live as of Wednesday. This seat is currently held by Maria Hinojos Pressey, who is not seeking reelection. Correction: This article originally misspelled Angelo Arredondo Baca’s first name. Salem Reporter apologizes for the error. Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: rachel@salemreporter.com or 503-575-1241. A MOMENT MORE, PLEASE – If you found this story useful, consider subscribing to Salem Reporter if you don’t already. Work such as this, done by local professionals, depends on community support from subscribers. Please take a moment and sign up now – easy and secure: SUBSCRIBE. The post Eight candidates file for four Salem-Keizer School Board seats appeared first on Salem Reporter. ...read more read less