Five people are on the ballot for Pleasant Valley School Board. Incumbents are Norman A. Burger, Melanie Zipp and Diane Serfass. Director Michael Galler is up for reelection, but is not running. Newcomers are Janet Dooner and Denise Hopely. Melanie Zipp did not answer the questions by press time.

Background

Norman A Burger: A Polk Township native, he lives in Chestnuthill Township. He has a B.S. in mathematics and M.S. in computer science. He has 22 years of military service, worked in the aerospace industry for 20 years and developed and managed plans/budgets in the tens of millions annually. A military, aerospace and university instructor, he owned a construction company for over 30 years with his brother. He has served as a PV School Board member from 2019 to present.

Janet Dooner: A Kunkletown resident, she is a wife, mother of four, and dog rescuer. While pursuing her master’s degree, she collaborated with post-secondary students as a mentor and leader. During her children’s attendance at Pleasant Valley, she volunteered for classroom, athletic, club, and community activities. Ideally parent/guardians engage in the district as a local form of government to foster student academics in a safe and welcoming environment supported by the community.

Denise Hopely: A resident of Polk Township, she is a retired business teacher from the Pleasant Valley School District where she led the school’s Future Business Leaders of America Chapter for eight years. Her students went on to become National Championship winners in 2024.

Diane M. Serfass: A Kunkletown resident, she brings 22-plus years of experience in school district administration, is a Pennsylvania Certified School Business administrator and has a B.S. in management with a concentration in accounting and a B.A. in economics. A resident of PVSD for 49 years, she is experienced in construction management, contract negotiations, budgeting, human resource/personnel resolution, grant monitoring, governmental accounting, auditing and food service.

Questions

1. What three measurable goals would you prioritize in your upcoming term on the board?

Burger: a) Improve student achievement. We are working to eliminate student’s COVID related learning deficit with additional instruction resources, online learning, after-school tutoring and summer sessions.

b) Provide a sound, safe and effective learning environment. Our high school renovation challenge is to accomplish this on time, within budget and with the least disruption of faculty and students.

c) Continue working on communications improvement. Our recently formed Citizens Advisory Committee provides another opportunity for open dialogue.

Dooner: Three goals would include academics, financial and safety metrics. Monitoring the newly purchased ELA curriculum and NWEA to look for value added investment. Secondly, I would work to establish a good relationship with the school board treasurer and district business manager to gain insightful knowledge of budget projections for the next four years. I would use the school safety reports to determine where the schools’ buildings need improvement to build upon a positive educational environment.

Hopely: I will prioritize transparent communication with stakeholders through timely updates, community meetings, and social media. Second, I’ll require full itemization of invoices and clear documentation of all purchases before approval. Third, I’ll ensure community questions receive responses — both online and at meetings — so stakeholders are heard and respected.

Rebuilding open, honest dialogue between the district, board, and community is essential to restoring trust and accountability in PVSD.

Serfass: a) Education of our students — work with administration and various committees to review what our curriculum offers and ways to improve, to ensure our students continue to succeed.

b. Safety — I would work with administration and security to ensure our buildings are equipped with proper security measures. Annual reviews in this area for any improvements needed or policies created.

c. Communication — discussions with our community members through open dialogue such as the Citizens Advisory Committee.

2. The district has had turnover recently in administrative and staff positions. What would you do to retain quality staff while keeping costs in check for taxpayers?

Burger: Staff members leave for a variety of reasons, including: retirement, career advancement, higher salary, moving out of area, and family considerations. Our district provides the opportunity for dialogue when issues arise. Employees can bring issues before the board for review and consideration. Individuals ending employment are invited to complete an exit interview. This provides the administration and board additional insight into underlying concerns, issues and problems that need to be addressed.

Dooner: Pleasant Valley has a young body of recently hired teachers and staff. This is where the seasoned people can be good leaders. I would respect the wisdom of experience to promote positive working relationships with upcoming faculty and staff. Ask if decision makers are neglecting the human aspect in relationship building. Seriously understanding who connects the students first is important. Also, the school board must recognize the community tax base as well to keep expenses controlled.

Hopely: To retain great educators and staff, we must rebuild morale and appreciation. PVSD was once the pride of the Poconos — by celebrating growth, offering consistent recognition, and fostering a positive, collaborative culture, we can restore that pride. Transparency, fairness, and open communication with staff are key to trust. Thoughtful hiring and retention strategies must balance fiscal responsibility with a genuine investment in people — the backbone of our district’s success.

Serfass: School employees leave for various reasons: Life changes, moving to another area or state, career advances, health reasons. Keeping salaries and benefits competitive with our other County schools helps to attract new employees and retain our most experienced employees. By negotiating the various contracts, Board members are always mindful of the impact to our taxpayers before agreements are reached. Exit interviews/questionnaires are conducted when employees vacate a position for feedback to improve hiring and retention.

3. The board has recently turned one voting meeting every month to a workshop. How can the board maintain or increase transparency?

Burger: The decision to have one working session and one voting session monthly came after months of discussion. We concluded was there was little public participation when the working session followed voting sessions. Some multi-meeting evenings ended near midnight. We found that productivity decreased as fatigue set in. We expect that an earlier session will improve public participation. Transparency has not changed. We will continue to review our decision and make adjustments, if necessary.

Dooner: I hope this is a positive change to keep the voting board meeting effective and efficient. The workshops provide an informal environment that allows community members to participate and ask questions. The school board members are more interactive with the people at the workshops. People asking questions at workshops are welcome for all to gain knowledge and perspective. The recorded livestream is a valuable tool for those who cannot attend.

Hopely: Transparency begins with access to information. All items to be voted on should appear on public agendas in advance with full descriptions and data — not blank or vague line items.

Stakeholders and board members alike deserve time to review details and ask questions before any vote. A transparent process strengthens community confidence and ensures the board’s decisions reflect informed, accountable stewardship of district resources and priorities.

Serfass: Important information is shared at the workshop. Building presentations on curriculum happenings/needs, contracts, new policies/changes, etc. This pre-meeting to the voting session has been beneficial in the fact that the items up for vote have already been discussed and generally no further dialogue is needed before approval. This meeting allows for open discussions with the audience and staff on agenda items, which is not available at a voting session.

4. How do you think the district should measure student success beyond standardized test scores?

Burger: Measuring student progress and success is the classic conundrum. Standardized tests are one of multiple measures of student knowledge, understanding and progress. The student’s daily work and unit evaluations are good indicators of students’ progress. Student research papers and technical school projects are valid demonstrations of understanding and application. A composite approach is a better representation. In the end, the district will be judged on our graduates’ capability to perform and succeed in society.

Dooner: Success is not just standard test scores. Informing parents/guardians of key metrics collected which are predictive of student readiness is important. I would champion multifaceted metrics: postsecondary readiness (e.g., internships, certifications); annual climate surveys reflecting the education environment and community feedback loops tracking long-term outcomes like college progression or job placement. Student portfolios highlighting real-world skills, ensuring holistic evaluation that honors diverse talents and prepares kids for life.

Hopely: Student success is more than test scores — it’s about applying knowledge, creativity and teamwork. PVSD should highlight cocurricular programs that foster leadership, innovation, and real-world learning. Stability is key: rather than changing programs every few years, we must refine and build upon what works. Recognizing individual growth, collaboration, and applied learning will provide a fuller, fairer picture of student achievement.

Serfass: This question is a difficult one. Depending on grade level, success can be measured by a student’s social and emotion behavior, as well as test scores. Projects and papers are a way to see thought process and follow through. Attendance is also crucial to a successful student. Leadership and group participation can assist in measurement of a student’s success. Many factors besides standardized testing can be great ways to see a student’s success.

5. The district is losing students to cyber and charter schools, which represents a large loss of revenue. What steps would you take to bring the students back to brick and mortar classes?

Burger: Brick and mortar education continues to be the best option for most students. The district must be proactive in providing information which helps parents make the best choice for children. A multi-facet approach would include distribution at registration, on this district’s website, during public meetings and through multimedia publicity. Additionally, cyber/ charter charges are often double B & M cost without that overhead. As a minimum, our legislators must change our laws to level the playing field.

Dooner: Recognizing “the why” students are leaving is a first step to addressing the decision to leave the school district. Presuming more will leave for “perceived better opportunity,” I would hit it head on. I would lead a “Reconnect PV” campaign: personalized family audits to address pain point like scheduling; daily attendance barriers; blending in-person benefits with online flexibility; and marketing our student-teacher ratio. Partner with MCTI and NCC Pocono to highlight job-ready skills.

Hopely: We must showcase PVSD’s strengths — its outstanding teachers, diverse programs, and community spirit — through better communication and outreach. Many families leave due to unclear messaging or excessive focus on data collection instead of teaching. By empowering teachers to create meaningful, hands-on learning experiences and celebrating program successes, we can rebuild confidence in our schools and attract students back to our classrooms where personal connection drives success.

Serfass: Discussions with parents before a student enrolls in outside cyber/charter schools is a must. Educating the parents on what PV has to offer can sometimes keep the student in our brick and mortar schools. PV students are required to have 24 credits to graduate, compared to 21 in cyber/charter is an indicator of the rigor of PV curriculum. Routine calls to cyber/charter parents to see if PV can be of assistance in helping their children return to PV.