PHOTOS ABOVE) Top row, L-R David Allen, Ted Griffith, Kyle Poling; Lower row, Amanda Raines and Jay Saylor.

Compiled by Paula Pyzik Scott

On Wednesday, October 15, the Ada Rotary hosted a forum for the five candidates running for two seats on the Ada School Board. Host John Neville presented questions from the public and gave candidates an opportunity to present their backgrounds and reasons for running for office. Neville also reminded the audience in ONU’s Dicke Forum and watching live on Facebook of the Rotary’s mission to eradicate polio.

The five candidates for Ada School Board are David Allen, Ted Griffith, Kyle Poling, Amanda Raines and Jay Saylor. Griffith is running for reelection. A seat is opening with the expiration of the term filled by Ron Fleming, who has been a school board member since 1998.

INTRODUCTIONS
David Allen introduced himself as a lifelong Ada resident who taught at the Ada Schools for 23 years, served as athletic director for 14 years, and helped in maintenance for four years. His three children graduated from Ada Schools.

Thomas (Ted) Griffith said he was a 47-year resident with three children; two are currently in Ada Schools. The OSU grad has served the Hardin Co. Farm Bureau, Indian Lake watershed project, been an OSU Lima trustee, founded Ada High School Foundation, and sits on the Middlefield Bank board of directors. He farms and owns Powell Seeds with his brother.

Kyle Poling introduced himself as a 1993 Ada High School graduate. He grew up on a farm, learned the value of hard work, of a strong family unit, and saving for what you want. An OSU graduate in crop and soil sciences, his love of science started at Ada High School. He works as an agronomist for Pioneer Seeds. He is also a youth sports coach and Huddle leader for Christian athletes.

Amanda Raines is a lifelong Ada community member, 2007 Ada graduate and has an ONU degree in broadcasting and journalism. She works in 4-H education for the Hardin County OSU Extension office. She described herself as a teacher in a non-traditional classroom. Raines holds a master's degree in community education and has board experience. Her children are in 6th and 3rd grades. 

Jay Salyer graduated from Ada High School in 2008. He is an OSU Columbus graduate and nurse practitioner specializing in endocrinology and diabetes. He is married to Ada teacher Kristin Salyer and has children in 1st and 3rd grades. He says he is a huge proponent of public schools. Salyer said that in his job he uses listening to solve complex problems that are unique to the individual. 

The following questions are some of those presented to the panel of candidates.

HOW INVOLVED HAVE YOU BEEN IN RECENT YEARS?
David Allen: About three years ago he subbed as a janitor. Allen has a full-time job in Lima.

Ted Griffith: The incumbent has been on the school board for four years, during which the board “has done a lot of heavy lifting,” including hiring a new superintendent and treasurer. He is also involved in the AHS foundation and elementary coaching.

Kyle Poling:  Is a girls basketball coach, a volunteer in youth girls sports, volunteers at music events, has chaperoned trips, spoken to FFA classes, and presented at career exposure opportunities.

Amanda Raines: Has chaperoned trips, serves as a room mother and as a guest reader. On the job, she has a partnership with Hardin County schools to meet federal standards in social and emotional training. She wears a hot dog costume to 3rd grade classes, teaching them that even third graders can be leaders. She also provides programs for 6th grade, 8th grade and sophomores.

Jay Salyer: Track volunteer, fundraising volunteer. Assists with projects including senior parking space painting, 5k for seniors, set up for graduation. Has chaperoned multiple student trips to Europe. Attends early literacy, plays, athletics, musicals, interclass.

HOW STRONG ARE WE IN THE BOOSTERS AREAS OF ACADEMICS, ATHLETICS AND MUSIC?Amanda Raines: Academically, we are very strong. Raines enjoys seing the list of student with high ACTs, like with sports and band awards. Ada has been very strong in gap closing. It’s hard to separate academics, sports and music.

Ted Griffith: Construction manufacturing class is a pendulum swing back from “shop class.” The school completely renovated the Ag building to share space with this new program providing hands-on experience.

Kyle Poling: Academic boosters raise funds for school assemblies, rewards and scholarships. A small number of people do the heavy lifting. We can rally the troops to make big tasks easier. Purse Bingo is a great collaboration between boosters.

WHAT ABOUT ATHLETICS?
Ted Griffith: Ada switched conferences to Blanchard Valley. He gets complaints still. But Junior High football was really struggling. We now have a little momentum. Sees kids that are working hard and see leaders working with the kids.

Amanda Raines: In athletics and cocurriculars, we are giving lots of options and are giving students a safe place to fail. Mentors are picking them back up and asking, what did you learn from this? This is a real life skill. 

Jay Saylor: We’re coming up on some of the strongest athletic seasons we’ve ever had. Is sometimes worried about boys sports driving the athletic program. We have to be careful to focus on sports on all levels rather than on specific teams. Commends athletic boosters for generating a lot of funds.

Kyle Poling: Passionate not about win-loss columns, but about a winning attitude. You have to coach to their level and be proud of their day-to-day accomplishments. Attendance shouldn’t go down when wins go down. 

Dave Allen: At Ada, a lot of the successes come from programs with continuity. We need to stress continuity. Ada has been known to be where coaches die, to have a quick trigger [to fire coaches]. Would push for continuity.

MUSIC 
Ted Griffith: Very impressed with music and band. Saw the music department give an athlete an opportunity to express himself, sang a solo. 

Kyle Poling: Disappointed with participation in music. Mrs. Noble held students accountable. Would lock the door if you were late. Scheduling can be inflexible. Those who are strong in music are often strong in Math. Why don’t we highlight our art and music talents from past years? They could be an inspiration to our students. 

Amanda Raines: We have a strong volunteer base in music, especially Music Feast. There is more turnover in teaching. Few stay for 30 years.

Jay Salyer: A strong community environment can go a long way.

DO YOU FAVOR OR OPPOSE THE WAIVER OF SCHOOL FEES?
Ted Griffith: Voted twice against this, but won’t vote against it again. The kids needing help with fees were getting help. In 2023-2024 Ada collected $48K in school fees. These funds could be invested. We currently need $500K for technology. The bus garage is 75 years old. Buses have to be modified to fit in it. Have a steel container for storage and a wood shack for band storage. We need to upgrade. Football stadium locker rooms are in the bottom of the conferences, ditto baseball and softball. This isn’t the park’s fault. The schools need to pay for what we want. We have high taxes. A typical homeowner pays $1,100 more than in Allen East, $800 more than in Bluffton.

Kyle Poling: Disagrees that you can’t [resume school fees]. We had room in the budget with the inflation we’ve gone through. It was a goodwill gesture. You have to look at the budget for that year.

Amanda Raines: You have to look at the finances. There is a lot going on in funding currently that could impact the schools. The financial piece has to be at the forefront of our minds. We may need to have school fees again. Over half of students are economically disadvantaged.

Dave Allen: What kind of investment would we be making with that $48K? I don’t see why it’s a problem. When you’re spending $1.5M on a gym, it seems pretty reasonable.

IF COULD MAKE ONE CHANGE, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
Dave Allen: Would get athletic events out of the park. We have no control there.

Ted Griffith:  Wishes Ada had 90 kids in a class rather than 63. We would have more options, more competition in the classroom. Competition is what pushes us to be better. How can we grow our community? Taxes aren’t an ingredient for growth.

Kyle Poling: An improved post-high school readiness with guidance counseling to introduce what opportunities are out there. To prepare kids for what they’re going to do for the rest of their lives.

Amanda Raines: We got a 2/5 on career readiness [on the state report card]. Only 1.8% of Ada students got the Ohio Means Jobs readiness certificate. The students are doing the work, why aren’t they getting the seal?

Jay Salyer: More support in the classroom at lower levels. There is a gap in education and behavior - maybe post-COVID, maybe because of screen time. Kids are having to be removed from the classroom. We need teacher aides, intervention specialists.