MECHANICSBURG – Candidates seeking open Mechanicsburg Exempted Village Schools board seats in the Nov. 3 election say they want to serve the community and work to improve the schools for students.
Three candidates – Paul McMahill, Dr. Scott Wolf and Elizabeth Smith – seek two seats on the school board. McMahill and Wolf are current board members.
Wolf, 39, of Mechanicsburg, is an optometrist and cattle farmer. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University and a doctor of optometry degree from Ohio State University. He practices optometry in Marysville. He has been a school board member since 2011. He is also a member of the Ohio Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association. He is married with four children.
“I am running for school board to be a good representative for our community,” he said. “I feel that the Mechanicsburg Exempted Village School is making great positive progress in all areas, whether it’s education, athletics or finance.”
Smith, 39, of Mechanicsburg, is a Columbus attorney whose practice focuses on civil litigation and employment law. She is a graduate of a public high school in Delaware, Ohio, holds a bachelor’s degree from Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts and a law degree from Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. She serves on the Columbus Literacy Council Board of Trustees and the Military Spouse JD Network Board of Trustees. She is also a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Champaign County Bar Association and the 1-137th Av BN Family Readiness Group. She is a volunteer with Our Towne Mechanicsburg. She is married and has three children attending the school district.
“I am grateful for all the opportunities I have had in my own life, and I believe most of my own success is credited to the fact that I received a strong K-12 public education,” she said. “I want that for my own kids and all kids here in Mechanicsburg, so that each student can reach their full potential, no matter the course they take after graduation.”
McMahill did not respond to Urbana Daily Citizen’s candidate questionnaire. The Mechanicsburg district website states McMahill is a graduate of Mechanicsburg High School and of Lincoln Technical College of Indianapolis, Indiana. He is a lifelong member of the community and works at Dave Kehl Chevrolet. He is married with three children.
Wolf said if re-elected he would like to continue moving the school district in a positive direction, with the help of staff, teachers, administrators and other school board members.
Smith said she wants to listen to stakeholders, evaluate the school district’s strengths and weaknesses and work with school board members to “support the good work of our teachers and strive for a stronger curriculum that is focused on academic success as well as building character amongst our students.”
