Four candidates outline priorities at Sweet Home ‘meet the candidates’ night; inclusion, staffing and taxes top issues

Four candidates for two open seats on the Sweet Home Central School District Board of Education presented statements and answered audience questions during the district’s meet‑the‑candidates night ahead of the May 20 vote.

Who is running: incumbents Brian Leibel and Dirk Ravenold, and challengers Alan Plath and Jonathan Makeley. The two top vote‑getters will serve five‑year terms beginning at the July reorganization meeting and expiring June 30, 2030.

Why it matters: the board sets policy that affects instruction, staffing, special education services and local property taxes. Candidates spent most of their time addressing inclusion, staffing levels and fiscal restraint.

What the candidates said - Brian Leibel, a five‑year board member and parent, said he favors maintaining teacher and staff resources, highlighted the district’s recent returns to in‑person services and called for better communication about services available to families. He said: “We can always do better,” and emphasized communicating program availability to the community. - Dirk Ravenold, a board incumbent, stressed transparency and community outreach and said he opposed a prior proposal that would have required students to walk, citing safety and community concern; he also repeated support for holding the line on taxes. - Alan Plath, a parent and small‑business owner, said he would bring parental perspectives to the board and prefers preserving programs and staffing where financially feasible while using metrics to guide decisions. - Jonathan Makeley, a district DEI committee member and academic, emphasized using committee work and external best practices to improve inclusion and reduce barriers for families seeking support for students with special needs.

Audience questions: a written question from Kim Perini asked how the district could be more inclusive for students who do not fit the district’s typical model; all candidates said the district should meet students “where they are,” improve communication about available supports, and continue DEI committee work. Maple Mirror Elementary Principal James Ryan asked how candidates would balance growing elementary enrollment and a need for fiscal responsibility; candidates generally prioritized maintaining staffing where possible and using data and creative budgeting to preserve programs.

Next steps: voters will decide the two board seats during the district ballot on May 20; the top two vote‑getters will be sworn in at the reorganization meeting in July.