Jesse Barlow is an outstanding candidate for State College School Board. As a parent of two SCASD-educated kids who has lived in the area for more than 40 years, he knows our community and our schools. He has fine leadership and listening skills developed in part during his eight-year stint on the State College Borough Council. And Jesse’s work with the Centre County Advisory Council for the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission means that he understands civil rights law and is able to advocate for policies of diversity, equity and inclusion in our schools.
I know Jesse as a capable, compassionate person with the energy and patience to work for a quality community over the long term. I am especially proud of his campaign statement, that every child should be able to have a good education in a welcoming environment, whatever their social backgrounds. It’s a big district, with a lot of different types of families and a lot of different educational goals, and Jesse gets that.
Jesse also has the ability to work through the complexities of projects like building renovations, which are crucial if we want to maintain quality schools.
I’ve worked side by side with Jesse for racial justice, and can testify that he is not afraid to speak up when he sees someone has been unfairly treated. He is aware that when we fail to lift up everyone in the community, it affects all of us. Vote for Jesse!
Janet Irons,
State College
Vote Jennifer Black for SCASD School Board
I’m writing to share why I believe Jennifer Black is the right choice for the State College Area School Board and why you should join me in voting for her.
Jen brings a rare and essential perspective to the table. As a former teacher, she understands firsthand the daily challenges educators face in and out of the classroom. She has lived the realities of teaching, from meeting academic standards to supporting students’ emotional well-being, and she knows how important it is to create an environment where teachers feel heard, respected and supported.
As a parent and an academic tutor, Jen is deeply invested in the quality of our schools. She listens to students, including her own, about what they experience in the classroom and beyond. She understands the pressures students face, not just academically, but socially and emotionally. This gives her a well-rounded, empathetic view of how school policies and decisions affect the lives of the children and families in our district.
In addition to her professional and personal experience, Jen has shown incredible commitment as an engaged and informed community member. For the past 10 months, she has regularly attended SCASD school board meetings, not just to observe, but to understand the complex issues and tough decisions our board members must navigate. She has taken the time to listen, learn and reflect, which speaks volumes about her dedication and readiness to serve.
Jen believes in building stronger bridges between the district’s administration, school board, educators, families and community members. She knows that real progress happens when we listen to each other with respect and work together in partnership. One of her top priorities is improving open communication across all parts of the district so that every voice feels valued, and every concern is met with thoughtful consideration.
She has observed, time and again, how the concerns of teachers, students, families and even current board members can be overlooked, misunderstood or dismissed. That needs to change and Jen is the kind of leader who can help make that happen. She is a compassionate listener, someone who invites diverse opinions and perspectives. She’s not afraid of complexity or challenge. She does not hide behind policies or budgets as a reason to avoid difficult conversations or meaningful improvements.
Jennifer Black is a thoughtful, balanced and action-driven leader. When she sees something that needs to be fixed, she doesn’t settle for the easiest fix; she looks for the best possible outcome and puts in the work to achieve it.
Our district deserves someone who is this committed, this compassionate and this capable. SCASD has a bright future with Jen on the school board.
Please join me in casting your vote for Jennifer Black for SCASD School Board.
Lydia Myers,
State College
SCASD Board Will Be Lucky to Have Jesse Barlow
I am one of many who have known Jesse Barlow for years. I was a regular member, and occasional officer in the State College Area School District PTO as my children passed from Radio Park, through Park Forest Middle and on to graduating from State High. Jesse’s daughter was friends with my daughter in school.
He was always well informed on day-to-day school operations and supportive of the teachers and staff. He has been a calm and logical presence in the Borough Council as both a member and president. And he served the community with the State’s Human Relation Commission. This experience makes him a seasoned veteran of many years of public hearings and board meetings. He knows how to operate effectively in the environment of community service.
I trust his abilities to defend our schools, their students and employees, and negotiate the upkeep of our campuses through the difficulties and turbulence that have severely stressed other districts in our area. State College is fortunate to have someone of his intelligence and integrity willing to serve our community. Please join me in electing him as a SCASD School Director.
Tobin Short,
State College
Black Is Ideal Choice for SCASD Board
I am writing to support Jennifer Black’s candidacy for the State College Area School District Board of Directors, and I urge you to vote for her on May 20th elections.
Jennifer Black’st three kids have been students at SCASD in elementary, middle and high schools.
I am strongly convinced that Jennifer Black is the ideal person to be on the Board of Directors of the SCASD. Here is why:
Jennifer Black is one of truly the most dedicated parents to our SCASD that I have known. Very few of us probably have given back to the SCASD as much as she has. With her three kids in elementary, middle and high schools Jennifer Black knows our district better than most of us. Having also a career as a teacher and a tutor that spans over 20 years, she deeply understands parents’ expectations from schools, students’ needs for better learning, teachers’ needs for better teaching and the responsibilities of the school administration and the Board of Directors to make schools valuable, prosperous and socially safe spaces for our kids to learn and grow.
Jennifer Black is a parent with a superb sense of responsibility and devotion to the SCASD district. She runs for the board NOT because some may find it prestigious, or want to entertain a career in governance, or perhaps enjoy overseeing others’ decision-making process, BUT because she wants to give back to kids and their families at a different level of responsibility—by making school policies change in order to better reflect today’s realities and needs of kids.
One of the aspects that Jennifer Black wants to reform in the SCASD schools is the mental health environment for kids. And while many of us think in terms of standard policies and protocols, every time I have spoken with Jennifer Black, I have realized how one-dimensionally many of us, including me, often see the scope of challenges that kids with mental health face. But Jennifer Black has unique, outside-the-box ideas, on what schools can do to help kids overcome their mental health challenges and social fears in school and among friends.
I want to give Jennfier Black a chance to apply her ideas — grassroots and derived from students’ perspective — to improve our SCASD for our kids, and perhaps even make our school district a pioneer for others.
I will vote for Jennifer Black. You should vote for her too.
Shushanik Makaryan, Ph.D.
Parent
Port Matilda
Black Is a Candidate with Dedication and Experience
I’m writing to share my enthusiastic support for Jennifer A. Black in the upcoming State College Area School Board elections. Jen is someone I truly admire, not just as a friend, but as a mother, educator, volunteer and community leader. She brings a rare mix of compassion, insight and experience to everything she does, and I believe she’d be an incredible asset to our school board.
Jen has spent years working in education and staying actively involved as a parent. She has a degree in education, served on the Penn State College of Education Alumni Board, acted as a WPSU Education Ambassador and has been a longtime volunteer with the Gray’s Woods Elementary PTO. She really understands the day-to-day activity that takes place in our classrooms and appreciates both the challenges and opportunities our schools face daily. She knows how to advocate for students, teachers and families in a way that makes a real difference.
What I really appreciate about Jen is how approachable and thoughtful she is. She listens carefully, cares deeply about fairness and always looks for practical solutions. She’s passionate about helping all students succeed and is deeply committed to supporting teachers and classrooms. Jen believes in open, respectful communication and makes sure every voice, whether it’s a student, parent, teacher or staff member, is heard and valued.
One of the things that truly sets her apart is how much time and energy she puts into understanding the issues. She already regularly attends school board meetings because she wants to stay informed and engaged on the topics important to our district. She does her homework, asks the tough questions and listens to all sides. Her leadership is grounded in empathy, honesty and a genuine desire to serve.
Jennifer A. Black is ready to step up, listen thoughtfully and lead with kindness. I hope you’ll join me in voting for her in the SCASD school board election. Our schools and our community will be better for it.
Marley Wong,
State College
