Three candidates are vying for two seats in Region 1 of the Schuylkill Valley School Board.
Linda Lash is running as a Democrat, and Joe Brown is running as a Republican. Thomas Egan will appear on ballots as both a Democrat and Republican.
The candidates are competing for four-year seats.
The Reading Eagle asked each of the candidates the following questions.
Question 1: What characteristics do you possess that make you a good candidate to serve on a school board?
Question 2: What is the biggest challenge your district is currently facing and how would you address it?
Here are their responses. Incumbents denoted with an asterisk.
Linda Lash*
Linda Lash
Party: Democrat
Age: 73
Occupation: Retired early childhood educator
Response 1: I believe that I have many essential qualities that make me a good candidate for the school board.
I have board experience. I have worked with several superintendents and quite a few board members. One can learn a lot from working with people from different backgrounds and educational experiences and opinions.
I have attended many conferences and workshops to keep abreast of school law and legislation, best practices and current trends in education such as AI, school mental health issues and school safety.
I have worked with the board to finance and construct or renovate building projects such as our turf field, all-weather track, cafeteria upgrades, replacing HVAC systems, pool renovations and adding classrooms and an administrative wing.
I am very conscious of the financial resources and needs of the district. As a senior citizen I appreciate that we did not have to raise taxes more than twice in 10 years.
I really enjoy being involved in education opportunities for all students and serve as the district representative to the Pennsylvania School Board Association and as an officer on the Berks County Intermediate Unit board.
I care about the 2,200 students at SV and want the best education for them that meets their needs.
Response 2: No matter when you serve on a school board, there are challenges that must be worked through.
A major challenge for our district will be selecting a new superintendent. When I first served on the board we had a long-term superintendent of 14 years. Over the past few years we have had superintendents who have served shorter terms.
Today in Pennsylvania there are fewer students choosing teaching as a career option. Fewer teachers are choosing to become administrators and fewer still to become superintendents. The average length of a superintendents stay at a district in Pennsylvania is four years.
So, choosing a superintendent who meets the needs and expectations of the board, the community and the faculty can be quite challenging.
Finding a candidate with experience in school budgeting, construction financing, curriculum development, professionaldevelopment needs, personnel policies and legal knowledge can be very difficult.
Getting a superintendent that will be professional yet personable, a leader yet encourage leaders to emerge from the staff, child-centered yet student-growth oriented, respectful of tradition but encourage innovation will be a challenge for the board. I look forward to working with our board to meet this challenge.
Thomas Egan
Thomas Egan
Party: Democrat/Republican
Age: 41
Occupation: Business owner
Response 1: I am a good choice to serve on the Schuylkill Valley School Board for a number of reasons.
I have practical experience both in construction and in business management. I worked as a facilities architect at Lockheed Martin, and have since started a new local family business.
My family has lived in the district for generations and now that I have children, I want to be more involved. On our current board parents are not represented; there are too many board members who do not have children at school.
The incumbents in my region have both served long terms and presided over the district’s downward slide; it is time for a change.
Response 2: I would like to address the top three issues at Schuylkill Valley.
The first issue is the high rate of teacher turnover. People insist it is happening everywhere in the profession, but I would like to get to the bottom of it. I am tired of prepared statements that say nothing, and I would have a genuine conversation with the teachers leaving. Where is the conflict and what has changed in the culture to cause this?
The second issue is school safety and security. If you follow the Schuylkill Valley Facebook page, you know many parents do not feel confident that the staff are properly trained in what to do in an emergency. The high school had an incident last school year and district communication has left more questions than answers.
The third issue is financial. Recently, the board approved paying the resigning superintendent $194,000. Schuylkill Valley has since hired our current superintendent, who is now also resigning, and added a short-lived assistant superintendent position. At one point, we were actively paying for three of these positions. Schuylkill Valley is always having infrastructure problems and people are left to wonder if the board has the best priorities.
Joe Brown
Joe Brown
Party: Republican
Age: 60
Occupation: Regional security investigator
Response 1: I believe I possess several key characteristics that make me well-suited to serve on the school board. I am deeply committed to the success of our students, staff and families, and my long-standing involvement in our community has given me a strong understanding of local priorities and concerns. My professional experience includes managing budgets, setting policies and working collaboratively within organizations — skills that directly translate to effective and responsible school board service.
One of the greatest challenges facing the district is the need for greater transparency and accountability. I value open communication and believe it is essential to listen to all stakeholders before making decisions that impact our schools. I approach issues thoughtfully, balancing short-term needs with long-term goals to ensure the responsible use of district resources.
Our district functions best when the board, administration, staff and community work together as one. I have a proven record of building partnerships and working with diverse groups to find practical, mutually beneficial solutions. Together, these qualities will help me represent our community effectively, advocate for students and staff and ensure our district continues to thrive.
Response 2: Over the past five years, a strong divide has developed between the school board, the administration and the community. During this time, the district has experienced the loss of more than 100 staff members, a significant amount of turnover given the district’s size. Staff departures continue each month, creating challenges that affect every level of our schools.
This divide reached a breaking point during the 2024–25 school year, when several preventable incidents occurred and were dismissed by the board as insignificant. Recently, the superintendent, who was a central figure in many of these issues, resigned. The new board will now have the critical responsibility of selecting a new superintendent. This decision is instrumental in reestablishing trust, accountability and stability within the district.
If elected, I would work to help hire the right leader, someone who values transparency, collaboration and respect. I would also engage openly with staff and the community to address key concerns, ensuring our employees have a healthy, supportive workplace and our students have an environment where they can truly thrive.