4 candidates run for 2 Talawanda BOE positions

Residents of the Talawanda School District will have four candidates to choose from to fill two open seats on the Talawanda Board of Education (BOE) during the upcoming general election on Nov. 4.

The two seats up for election this year are currently filled by board members Pat Meade and Matt Wyatt. Board members Rebecca Howard, Chris Otto and Dawn King will remain on the board until the 2027 general election, when they can choose if they want to run again.

Incumbents Pat Meade and Matt Wyatt will appear on the Nov. 4 ballot alongside two other candidates: Tom Heisler and Corey Frye.

Ahead of the election, the Oxford Free Press asked each candidate the same questions about why they chose to run, their career experience, an issue they'll undertake if elected and how they think they stand out from the other candidates.

Pat Meade 

Pat Meade has served on the Talawanda School District BOE for eight consecutive years. He will be running again on Nov. 4 to maintain his seat on the board.

When asked why he chose to run again, Meade said, “I think I have the experience and knowledge to help Talawanda continue to be a successful district in serving our students.”

Other than serving on the board, Meade said he taught for 40 years in K-12 schools. He has also served on the Butler Tech BOE for six years and is active within the Ohio School Board Association.

When asked what issue he hopes to tackle if he is reelected, Meade said of the board, “We want to continue to maintain our financial stability, which we have done in the last eight years. We faced some difficult decisions. When a levy failed, we had to cut budgets, but then a tax-free appraisal came through the county, and we were able to add some things back in.”

He said financial stability requires being “nimble” as state support changes.

When asked how the board would maintain stability, he said by “constantly thinking ahead,” and by staying out of the “ideological mindset” of cutting the budget in spite of how it might affect students.

He said he also wants to make sure the board continues to “serve all of our students,” including those who struggle and those who need advanced placement classes.

“I would say we’re being successful because our graduation rate is 98.7%, which I think shows that we are not leaving children behind,” he said.

Meade said he’s uniquely qualified because of his experience “in the trenches” of the educational world.

“I think I have an awareness of which cuts are going to affect students and which cuts might have less of an effect on them. So I think my experience gives me a better idea of where to make cuts when we have to make them,” Meade said. “I also think that my record shows that I’m willing to make hard decisions while trying to maintain our success.”

Meade said he believes administrators and teachers are doing an “excellent job,” and he believes he should give them the resources to do that job and “stay out of their way.”

Matt Wyatt 

Matt Wyatt has served on the board since his appointment in September 2024 after another member stepped down. He will also be running to keep his seat on the board.

He said of why he chose to run this year, “I love public education, and I have the experience to do this job, and now more than ever, we need experienced school board members, not just to handle what’s going on in Columbus and how they’re short-changing us, but also what’s happened internally within our board.”

Other than his past year serving on the Talawanda BOE, Wyatt was also a school board member in Kentucky for 10 years, where he served as a board chairman for four years and a vice chairman for three years.

“We went through radical changes in Kentucky during that time – financial and political – and so I helped navigate that,” Wyatt said. 

During this time, he said Kentucky schools saw improved test scores, closed their “achievement gaps” and increased their graduation rates. He said he feels his year serving Talawanda has added to his experience.

Wyatt is also an entrepreneur. He has started and sold businesses and worked with universities to raise scholarship funds. He also was previously a political consultant.

Wyatt said his top issue to tackle if elected would be the school district’s finances. Wyatt said 80% of the district’s budget at the moment is fixed expenses, leaving “very little wiggle room at all to make adjustments.”

“We’re going to have to look at every angle, every single thing that we're doing, because we are in extreme uncertainty right now about finances from the state,” he said.

Wyatt said the district also receives 70% of its budget from local taxpayers, which he called a “very dangerous position to be in.”

Wyatt said he is uniquely qualified because of his experience with school board issues, finance and his business background.

He also said by coming from outside the district, “I have clear eyes about what we're doing.”

By not previously knowing the other board members, Wyatt said he felt he had a “really good window into what we're doing and finances and programs that we're offering, and I got to judge it not from an emotional standpoint, but from a realistic standpoint.”

Tom Heisler 

If elected, this will be Tom Heisler’s first time serving on the Talawanda BOE.

When asked why he chose to run, Heisler said in an email to the Oxford Free Press, “The role of a local school board is to put the future success of the students, the needs of the educators, fiscal stewardship and the expectations of the community on their shoulders and make decisions which prioritize a robust education for our students.” 

“Each board member should support that goal with professionalism, civility, and an open mind. It is imperative for board members to understand that there is often more than one path to success,” Heisler said. “I feel it is time for a new perspective, and I want to help by bringing new ideas to shape an even better Talawanda School District for current and future generations of our children.”

Previously Heisler worked in various analytical accounting and management positions for more than 40 years and was a self-employed information technology consultant. He is also licensed as a certified public accountant (CPA), which is currently in retired status, and he previously served on the Fairfield Local School District BOE.

Heisler said his top priority if elected would be to “collaborate with the leadership team, teachers and parents to ensure Talawanda is the top-rated school district in the region.”

“Achieving this status will encourage employers, colleges and trade schools to prioritize Talawanda graduates when recruiting,” Heisler said. 

To do this, he said the school district needs to “reduce overhead costs and focus our resources on the classroom and students.”

“Therefore, I will advocate for implementing zero-based budgeting where expenditures are evaluated each year to ensure spending is cost-effective and aligned with the District’s current goals,” he said in the email.

Heisler said he’s uniquely qualified for the position because, “As a business executive, I see things through a different lens than a lifelong educator; not better, just generally more analytically focused.”

“Many boards of directors of public entities are comprised of leaders in diverse industries to provide alternative perspectives in decision-making,” he said. “I believe this divergence in thought would be very beneficial to the Talawanda school community.”

Corey Frye 

If elected, this will be Corey Frye’s first time serving on the Talawanda BOE.

When asked why he’s running, Frye said in an email to the Oxford Free Press, “I want to bring people together and keep the focus on what matters most: our students’ success.”

“I believe in keeping politics out of the classroom and boardroom, creating a respectful environment where everyone’s voice is heard,” Frye said. “I’m committed to managing our budget wisely, ensuring every dollar supports our kids’ education, and fostering a safe, inclusive district that reflects our community’s values while prioritizing accountability and excellence.”

Frye has worked in the HVAC industry and spent years in skilled trades, training apprentices, managing accounts and staying up-to-date with new technologies.

“While I haven’t worked directly in education, my experience gives me a clear understanding of what employers need and how to prepare students for real-world careers,” Frye said. “I’ll work closely with the superintendent to ensure our schools equip students with the skills and values – like hard work and adaptability – they need to thrive.”

Frye said his biggest concern if elected to the board would be “managing our budget responsibly, especially with potential cuts in state and county funding on the horizon. I want to protect our core programs while being mindful of taxpayers’ money.”

“My plan is to push for a thorough budget review,” Frye said, “working with the superintendent, staff, and a committee of teachers, facility staff, administrators, and parents. Together, we’ll find efficiencies and prioritize what’s essential for our students, ensuring transparency and collaboration every step of the way.”

Frye said he is uniquely qualified for the position because he would bring a “fresh perspective to the board, coming from outside the education system with no ties to the usual ways of doing things.”

“My background in skilled trades gives me a real-world understanding of what students need to succeed in today’s job market,” Frye said. “Having managed budgets and worked with diverse groups, I’m ready to think creatively and tackle challenges head-on,” Frye said. “I’ll focus on practical solutions, fiscal accountability, and putting students first, all while building stronger connections across our community.”