Your Voice
on the Lake School Board

JEFF FINEFROCK

VOTE FOR

Note from the campaign trail: Thanks to the Hartville Marketplace and to all I spoke to, including a Lake father who discussed the importance of meal and afterschool assistance for students. In a community in which 22% of students are considered economically disadvantaged*, I hear you regarding this need and I will carry this message forward and address it if elected. *Source: Ohio Department of Education and Workforce 2023-2024 Report.

Ensure Safety and Better Procedures to address bullying and harassment - All children at Lake schools need to be safe and bullying needs to be stopped through improved policies, processes and enforcement. We can only be "Great at Lake" if we stop Lake students bullying other Lake students. Or anyone else. To achieve this we must:

  • Clearly define and enforce policies in the student handbook and school policies to prevent all forms of bullying, intimidation and hate speech

  • Create clearer paths to report and enforce verbal, physical and online bullying for students, parents and faculty with clear and immediate action

  • Work with all available local law enforcement to ensure the safest possible environment in the school and at school events

  • Work with the administration to develop preemptive emergency communication plans for parents, students and local authorities

  • Emphasize the importance of creating an environment where we all hold each other accountable as a collective Lake community

  • Explore resources to ensure online computer safety when students use school computers

  • Ensure our Personal Behavior Intervention and Support Program is in state compliance and is the best in the community.

  • Ensure students who require meal and afterschool assistance are served

Fiscal Responsibility and Transparency at Lake Local Schools. Finances need to be invested with Excellence in Learning and Safety as the top priorities.

  • Ensure that detailed 1, 3 and 5 year plans are published and tracked

  • Forecast and monitor the growing community's development

  • Facility planning ,classroom size, and school budgeting need to be in lock step with community growth planning and development

  • Have transparent, open communication about the budget priorities

  • Ensure effective coordination with other Lake governing groups and the citizens around the rationale and timing of fiscal expenditures.

  • Consider a more active open enrollment program to gain more students

Reflect the Voice of the Community on the Lake Local School Board by:

  • Ensuring more timely, open, and clear communication about school priorities

  • Coordinating communications between the school, parents, local government and local businesses

  • Listening to and reflecting the voice of the community on the Lake Local School Board to ensure the school serves its citizens and their priorities

  • Working to creatively engaging citizens in their school governance through re-implementing community round tables and holding board meetings online

  • Ensuring school board meetings are at times when parents can attend

  • Accommodating remote and local input at all meetings

  • Advocating student input at school board meetings. No one better understands the student experience than our children.

Qualifications

Personal Background

  • Resident of Lake Township for 18 years

  • All 8 of my children have attended Lake Local Schools

  • 4 of my children are graduates of Lake High School

  • Substitute taught at Lake Middle School and Lake High School

  • Coached in the Lake Select Soccer Club for 3 years

  • Active in local church and volunteer activities

  • Supporter of Lake arts programs with children in orchestra, band, choir, Reflections, theater programs (acting and stage hands), photography, and painting.

  • Active in Habitat for Humanity in Stark County as well as home building mission to Guatemala

  • Member of Lake Athletic Booster Club

  • Member of Hartville Lions Club

Skills

  • Executive business leadership

  • Building campaign finance planning

  • Strategic and financial planning across large and multifaceted organizations

  • Results oriented leader with fiscal and objective goal tracking

  • Strong written, digital and verbal communicator

  • Human resources background to hire and manage staffs

  • Teacher

  • Coach

  • Parent

  • Listener

  • Advocate

  • Team builder

A note from the candidate

In preparation for potentially taking on this new role, I have made a point to not just talk to various students, teachers, parents and civic leaders about how I might serve them on the school board, but I "gave them a good listening to" as a mentor once taught me to do. That same attitude will be the hallmark of my community service on the board - listen and reflect YOUR views in YOUR schools.

If we want to improve our schools, we must all take an active and team oriented approach to doing so. Attend school board meetings. Provide public and constructive feedback. Listen to all ideas from all people. Volunteer where you see there is a need. By doing so we invest in the betterment of every child in the community.

I would ask for your input on ideas and encouragements for how Lake schools and its students can continue to be leaders now and into the future. Thank you.

Paid for by Finefrock For Lake School Board

Endorsed by:
- Hartville Mayor Cindy Billings

For more information:
Visit LinkedIn page
Request media kit

Professional Background

  • Former CEO and and current Chief Revenue Officer of MilitaryHire, connecting US Veterans and Veteran Spouses and companies for employment

  • Strategy and Innovation leader for business, process and efficiency improvement at Goodyear, Timken and Lubrizol (Berkshire Hathaway)

  • Financial management and investment background as well as directing building fund campaigns

  • Experience in developing partnerships and work efforts between industry and academic institutions

  • Former board member of Wooster Christian School

  • Former board member of Wooster Nazarene Church

  • Former board member of the Refuge of Hope

  • Led collaborations between corporate industry and academia at Lubrizol with academic institutions including The Ohio State University, Case Western Reserve University, Rutgers University and others

  • Contributing author to the book, "The Transitioning Service Member's Guide To a Lucrative & Rewarding Post Military Career""

  • Graduate of Heritage Christian School and Malone University

Great to meet so many of you in person at the Uniontown Lions Parade!

Excellence in Learning should be prioritized above all other school functions at Lake Local Schools, ensuring all students' receive the best chance of success in their academic journey, and in their future lives. Effective learning involves more than academics. Lake needs to equip students with the tools and behaviors to effectively solve problems, develop appropriate social and self-advocacy skills and enable effective decision making in all areas of their lives. I plan to:

  • Further connect learning and work study programs with surrounding businesses for applied learning opportunities for students

  • Work to ensure Individual Education Plans, 504's and Written Education Plans are well defined, well executed, well funded and followed through until completion

  • Encourage looking beyond our local environment to find models of advanced learning so our children are competitive at a global - not just local - level

  • According to the state of Ohio, over 11% of Lake students have some form of a disability. Ensuring these student get all they need from our schools is a critical need.

  • Promoting, informing and facilitating college credit plus as well as career tracks is critical in serving the learning needs of our kids.

Platform