Chambersburg Area SD interviews two Region 5 candidates for vacant board seat

The Chambersburg Area School District held a special meeting on June 2 to interview two Region 5 candidates to fill a vacant school board seat; the board said any nomination and formal vote will take place at the regular 7:00 meeting.

President Ed Norcross opened the session, explained that the 6:00 special meeting was for interviews only and that public comment would be allowed, then introduced the candidates and the interview format. Mrs. Staler conducted the question sequence and the two candidates alternated answers.

Bill Leonards, identified by the board as a Region 5 applicant, said he has "deep roots in the community" and noted prior service on the board. Leonards emphasized his financial credentials, saying he has experience managing large budgets in federal roles and that he believes his budget and accounting background would help guide local capital planning for potential new buildings. "I managed a ... between 500 million and $600 million budget," he said, adding later that he led teams overseeing a roughly 1.2–1.3 billion-dollar budget at the Army Budget Office.

The other Region 5 candidate, Mr. Borian, described 33 years in public education, including work as a school administrator and special-education director. "I'm passionate about public education," he said, and highlighted his experience applying for contingency funds, managing special-education budgets, and recent work as a substitute teacher that he said keeps him connected to classrooms.

On the board's role versus the superintendent's, both candidates framed the board as a governance body responsible for policy, hiring and oversight while the superintendent manages day-to-day operations. Both emphasized preparedness, listening, collaboration and "boardsmanship" — supporting the board's decisions once made.

Responding to questions about technology and a recent restriction on cell phone use for grades 9–12, both candidates said policy should be tailored by grade level and manageable to enforce. Borian described the restriction as "a good ... decision" and said he would like to see more hands-on learning and less passive screen time; Leonards said technology does not replace the teacher and supported measures to reduce classroom distractions.

During public comment, Mrs. Jordan urged the board to "make your decision based on best practices for all of us CASD taxpayers," and alleged that a June 6, 2023 motion by Mr. Bill Leonards to authorize a 4% tax increase was associated with $2.2 million in deficit spending. That allegation was presented as public comment and not disputed on the record during this meeting.

The board reiterated that nominations and any formal vote on a replacement will occur at the 7:00 regular meeting following this special interview session. No formal nomination or vote took place during the 6:00 interviews.

Next procedural step: the board will reconvene at the scheduled 7:00 meeting for nominations and a vote on the Region 5 vacancy.