Former School Board Member Voices Support for Kristen Pence

This letter is in support of Kristen Pence’s re-election to the South River District School Board seat. As a 50-year educator who has worked to improve our school division during and since my 12-year term as the school board representative from South River District, I know that Kristen Pence has the educational achievement of our community’s children as her first and foremost objective.

Under Kristen’s leadership, the Warren County School Board has established policies to improve our students’ academic performance. Those policies, which include retaining teachers, improving student attendance, banning the use of cell phones during instruction, and establishing the new grading policy (which holds students accountable for their learning), all have the same goal in mind: improving the academic achievement of Warren County students.

Parents should be actively engaged in their children’s education, and research indicates that the more involved parents are, the better their children will perform in an educational setting. Bearing that concept in mind, Kristen supported more parental involvement through the increased use of opt-out forms and, along with the other board members, created the division’s 2022-23 theme, which was the promotion of family engagement. Parental involvement continues to be a goal for the school division this school year as well.

Under Kristen’s leadership, the school board developed a budget committee to ensure good communication with the board of supervisors and to find ways to work within the parameters of a fiscally conservative budget that has kept our total per pupil costs at the lowest 25% across the commonwealth.

Kristen is actively engaged in school activities on a parental and voluntary basis; she communicates effectively with her fellow board members and the superintendent; she visits schools so that she can learn, first hand, what issues may or may not be present; she welcomes parental input; and she deserves four more years to achieve her goal of helping to improve our school system.

Kristen Pence is not only the most qualified candidate for this position, but she is also an outstanding choice. South River District is fortunate to have her represent us on the School Board. The Warren County students, staff, and parents are also fortunate to have her as their advocate. She has demonstrated grace under pressure, dispelled misconceptions with facts, exhibited no hidden agenda, and will continue to focus on what is best for all of Warren County’s students.

Your vote will determine the future of Warren County Public Schools, so please vote for Kristen Pence for South River District School Board representative!

Joanne Cherefko
Former WCPS School Board Member (South River)
Member of Warren County Educational Endowment