My name is Mary Harris, and my experience living in the beautiful Oley Valley brings to mind friendly people, beautiful scenery, historic sites and a place to call home.  It is here my husband of forty years and myself have raised our eleven children.  We were able to offer them rich and varied educational experiences, from music and art to sports, and many outdoor activities – something for everyone!  Even as each individual is unique and has something all their own to offer and contribute, I believe it is important to establish solid core curriculum with which to base learning.  The sky’s the limit, and I believe our community has the potential to raise productive individuals who can solve problems and serve in effective and meaningful ways.

A safe, wholesome learning environment in which students can concentrate on their education is essential.  I believe it is important to establish a solid base for each student in order for them to reach their full potential.  I would like to see the education in the Oley School District serve each student in whatever endeavor they choose.  

I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Art Education from Kutztown University.  While pursuing Professional Development, acquired my Master’s Equivalency.  I taught at Reading High School and gained classroom experience as well as my permanent teaching certificate. I have worked with students grades K through 12. 

My name is Benjamin Raker.  I am a 1991 graduate of OVHS and I own a Revolutionary War era house on Main Street. I have 2 children, and my youngest attends OVSD.  I am running for the school board to restore educational fundamentals, encourage parental involvement, and bring back much needed financial responsibility and accountability in our district.

• I believe in Financial accountability.  Just as families have to work within their budget and save for emergencies, our school has to be financially accountable as well.  People work too hard, struggling to pay bills in a bad economy with horrible inflation, to have to worry about higher taxes that fund frivolous things. 
• Take  the politics out of schools.  There are too many things to teach, and  not enough time to do it.  Kids are leaving school without a basic understanding of their own history and culture, but they are being endlessly hammered by political hot topics that some people think they should buy into.  School is for learning, not indoctrination. 
• Parental rights.  Parents have the ultimate say in their child’s upbringing.  A village does not raise a child, a family does.  Schools must respect that authority and listen to parent’s suggestions and concerns

 I worked as a teacher and team leader for nearly 10 years, writing my
own curriculum and assisting other teachers with lesson planning and
integration.  I taught school in England, and experienced the pros and
cons of a standardized national curriculum. I traveled all over the
world, in Europe, Asia, Central America, and all over the United
States, immersing myself in different cultures and appreciating the
variety and differences which make us all valuable and unique.  While
in Central Asia, I met my wife of 23 years.

 My name is Sharon Kershner. My husband and I have resided in the Oley Valley School District for twenty-three years. We are the parents of two grown sons. For twenty years I served as the treasurer of a non-profit educational organization where I taught elementary school writing classes and high school personal finance classes. I am proficient in evaluating curriculum and preparing lesson plans. In addition, I have mentored high school students in earning college credits through dual enrollment and CLEP exams. I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and have both public and private accounting and tax experience. I am running for school board because I am passionate about providing an excellent education for all students. I have attended several OVSD board meetings, and there has been minimal discussion on how we can improve academics in the OVSD. I am also concerned about financial responsibility in the school district. 

• I believe in fiscal responsibility. We need to ensure that our hard-earned tax dollars are being used efficiently to support the education of the students. In addition, we need to stop wasteful and excessive spending. 
• I support academic excellence. The goal of public education should be to prepare students academically to succeed in life after graduation. We need to ensure that students are proficient in reading during the early years of elementary school. In addition, excellent communication is a critical skill and is one of the top skills employers are seeking in job candidates. We need to teach our students to both write and speak effectively beginning in elementary school. 
• I support parents’ rights. Parents are the primary authority in raising their children. Schools must acknowledge this authority and work with parents in a transparent manner. Parents’ concerns should be addressed in a timely fashion.
• I promote the patriotic teaching of our country’s history.

I earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting and have both public and private accounting and tax experience. For twenty years I served as the treasurer of a non-profit educational organization where I managed the budget and prepared financial reports for the organization. I will utilize this experience as a board member in making financial decisions.  I also have experience teaching students and in evaluating curriculum. 

I am Jamie Freed, a Christian, Father of 15, Husband for 26 years, and engineer.  I have been an active member of New Life Bible Fellowship in Oley since late 2020.  My wife and have been blessed with 15 children, 8 boys and 7 girls.  We have 6 Oley graduates with 9 to go.  We have two grandsons, one is Alaska and the other in South Carolina.  I am a design engineer in the semiconductor industry for over 25 years.  I have worked for two companies during that time and have 5 US patents.  I believe that Oley Valley is one of the best public schools in Berks County.  We have strong academic scores, one of best Ag and FFA programs in the state, and a student body full of respectful, talented, and motivated students.  I am running to keep the legacy of Oley Valley strong.

The world is full of problems.  We should not shelter our students from the world’s problems nor should we expose them to all regardless of age.  My plan is to help develop policies that help our kids stay kids, learn age appropriate content, and provide our teachers with guide rails to be successful in their classrooms.   

I have been a design engineer for over 25 years in a very fast paced and innovative industry.  I am a lifelong learner and continuous learning in my industry is a necessity.  This skill makes me very adaptable to any situation and to quickly research topics and develop solutions.

My community involvement revolves around my kids’ interests.  When several of my kids played OVYL soccer, I coached soccer for 8 years.  When my daughters played OVYL field hockey, I coached field hockey.  Same for OVYL basketball.  I assisted in High School and Middle School cross country.  I volunteered for Colonial Days (a great day lost to history), 4th Grade Sleepovers, Music in parks, and more field trips and classroom helping than I can remember.  My wife and I are active in our church and serve in kids ministry with nursery service. 

I have been an active parent and a regular at school board meetings for nearly two years.  What I have learned in that time is that our school board does not understand the world of 2023. The world is changing rapidly and a new set of skills is required to stay on top of the needs of our students.  I have developed those skills working in an industry that is legendarily fast paced and competitive. 

I moved to the Oley Valley when my oldest child was in 2nd grade. My wife and I volunteered in the classroom whenever we could.  We got to the know the teachers and staff.  If I compare that to today it is very hard to even get in the door.  What differentiates me from the other candidates is my first hand experience with children in the school from 2004 till today.   

Back in the summer of 2020 my wife and I made the decision to use Cyber school for our elementary children for the 2020-2021 school year.  Like many we did not want our younger kids to have to endure a difficult year of masks, contact tracing, and virtual days.  In late 2020 we became very active in our faith and are now using home schooling as a way to provide our younger kids a biblical foundation.  Our plan for all of our children is to attend OVHS when they reach the 9th grade.

I am Candice Corle, a wife of 11 years, parent to 4 wonderful children (9, 6, 4, 4), United States Marine, and a current Program Leader with 15+ years’ experience in long range strategic planning, procurements, and innovation leadership.   I am vested for the next 16 years+ with a personal interest in preserving and improving the quality of our school system. I believe in quality public education for our current and future students, and I understand the power and control socioeconomics has on our education system and its impact on our children.

Parents should have a seat at the table, they should have visibility and influence on all decisions made for their children.  I am running for the Oley Valley School Board to bring transparency, courage to fight for our children, integrity and leadership.  My main priority is policy and regulations for the board.  We need to be held accountable and responsible for our actions.  We need to make certain residents’ concerns are addressed, not dismissed so that the Board takes community input into consideration when making decisions impacting the community.

I have a strong project/program, economic, procurement, and long-range planning background that will help guide the team strategically through renegotiations and future business decisions.  I have attended and lead multiple leadership development courses, supporting business professionals through their career development journeys.  I am an extremely fair and honest person, who will continue to model the epitome of Oley values; morally and ethically.

I have been an active Coach and/or Mentor in the Soccer Community for the last 30 years. Starting in Quakertown, PA from 1989-1999; Cape Fear, NC from 2005-2006; Boyertown, PA from 2009-2010 and Oley Youth, PA from 2017-Current.  I am an active volunteer at the Lehigh Humane Society, specializing in aggressive breed rehabilitation with my husband Tom Corle.  I am an active volunteer for the Neurofibrosis (NF1), Childhood Tumor Foundation, supporting annual charity events led by my brother and his family.  

I have taken the time to listen to our community and they are looking for an advocate, one who will represent them, continue to pressure for fact based education, fact based decision making and someone who is there to serve the community and the children. I am willing to be the voice for the people who don’t always feel comfortable expressing their dissatisfaction but who feel that our Board and Administration are failing our children.  I will continue to pressure the other board members to uphold the same ethics and morals the community of Oley expects and deserves.