As five candidates vie for four open seats for a four-year term on the Scranton School Board, current board vice president Danielle Chesek, who is cross-filed, leads the way with 8,551 votes, according to unofficial results.

Following are Democrat Carol J. Cleary, a former board member, with 8,022 votes; current director Jenna Strzelecki, who was appointed in April and is cross-filed, with 7,743 votes;  and Joe Brazil, who is cross-filed, with 7,444 votes.

Republican John Howe trails with 3,779 votes.

Chesek, 40, a certified veterinary technologist who works as the academic team lead for Penn Foster’s Veterinary Academy, first won election in 2021. The board voted 6-3 in December to make her vice president.

Cleary, 66, a retired school counselor who spent nearly 27 years in the Stroudsburg Area School District,  was previously appointed to fill a vacant seat on the school board in January 2022 and served until December 2023.

Strzelecki, 41, the business administrator for the city of Pittston, was appointed to the board following the resignation of Katie Gilmartin.

Brazil, 67, is a retired chief information officer for the Scranton School District.

Several seats opened up as board President Ty Holmes and Director Sean McAndrew are not running for re-election. McAndrew is running for a seat on Scranton City Council.

The board previously experienced additional turnover when Tara Yanni, who had previously served as both board president and vice president, resigned in September. She was first elected in 2019 and won reelection in 2023 to a second four-year term.

Board members voted in September to appoint Joseph Triano, a former West Scranton High School principal and vice principal, to fill Yanni’s vacant seat for the two-plus years remaining on her unexpired term.

School directors serve without compensation.

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