The following candidates are running in the Nov. 2 general election for the Eaton Community Schools Board of Education (three openings), with terms commencing on Jan. 1, 2022.

Eric Beeghly

Occupation: Major of Police with Kettering Health.

Past Political Positions Held: Eaton Community Schools Board of Education, 2018-present; Vice-President of Eaton Community Schools Board of Education, 2020-present.

Education: Eaton High School graduate, 1990; Wright State University, 1995; School of Staff and Command Northwestern University, 2010; Police Executive Leadership College, 2014; Certified Law Enforcement Executive, 2015; Currently enrolled at Indian Wesleyan University in the Master of Business Administration (MBA) program.

Community Involvement: Past-Rotary Club Member (Eaton); Past-President of Rotary; Past-Vice-President of Rotary; Past-Board Member Preble County Board of Developmental Disabilities; Past-Vice-President of PCDD; Dayton Metro Basketball coach; Little League Baseball coach and volunteer.

Why are you qualified candidate for this position?

As a current school board member and candidate, I am honored to serve the students, staff, administration in educating our students through these challenging times. I am vested in our community. As an Eaton High School Alumni, I want our students to have a safe, fair, and enriching educational experience at Eaton Community Schools. My nineteen years of experience as a police officer and supervisor with the Eaton Police Department have given me significant leadership and safety experience. In my current role as a Major with Kettering Health Police, I continue to gain experience in leadership, safety, and responding to the demands of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As a school board member for Eaton Community Schools, our board has accomplished many great things during my first term. First, we conducted a search and hired Jeff Parker as Superintendent. Mr. Parker is a tested and proven leader who has committed much to our community, students, and staff. We have worked diligently to ensure the safety of our students by partnering with the Eaton Police Department to contract two School Resource Officers (SRO) for our campuses. We have enhanced and improved our security systems including cameras throughout our schools and implemented additional storage and security protocols to our network.

To better address the unique challenges of many of our students we have restructured our pupil personnel services to ensure their success through their educational journey.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, our board proactively with our staff provided the best learning opportunities for our students during the mandated school closures. To provide the best possible learning opportunities in a difficult period, we worked quickly to provide the needed one-to-one technology for our students with the approval of Chromebooks for all.

What are the most crucial issues facing the office you are seeking, and how would you address it?

The COVID-19 pandemic has put a tremendous burden on our students, families, teachers, and staff. We must close the educational gaps that have occurred because of remote learning and closing the schools in 2019. Eaton Community Schools has and continues to bring services to close these gaps in our students’ learning. We had extended summer school this past year and included grades that typically did not have summer school offerings. We are planning on offering this learning opportunity again in the summer of 2022. In addition, we have also increase interventions services to assist students.

If elected or re-elected, what would your chief priorities?

Serving our students, teachers, staff, and community to provide safe and quality education. Supporting programs to close the education gap from the pandemic is most important for the kids’ future. As someone who grew up in this community and attended Eaton Community Schools, I embrace and practice those values that are reflective of our midwestern heritage. This includes support for programming that makes our students better individuals academically and as citizens. This includes rejecting programming or curriculum that I believe our community cannot support such as critical race theory.

I will continue to make sure Eaton Community Schools are fiscally responsible. Our board requested a renewal bond levy during this current term, and the voters passed it, which we are very thankful for the voter’s support. I am against increasing taxes on our citizens, so I am proud of the work our Treasurer and Board have done to manage the school finances without asking the voters for more funding. If re-elected, I will make sure we will not support increasing taxes on our community members.

I am honored and humbled to serve the Eaton Community Schools as a school board member. We have accomplished many great objectives during this current term, which is why I am asking for your vote for school board so we can continue to provide a safe, fair, and enriching educational experience for our students.

Bryan Deacon

Occupation: State Farm Insurance Agent.

Past Political Positions Held: None.

Education: 1996 Graduate of Eaton High School.

Community Involvement: Active member of Gospel Light Baptist Church, Former Lieutenant with Eaton Fire and EMS Department where I served for 12 years. Coach for Eaton Little League, Coach for SAY soccer, 4H fair auction supporter.

Why are you the most qualified candidate for this position?

Eaton Community Schools have a long history of great academic, athletic and extracirricular achievements! I am very proud of the history of Eaton Community Schools and want to be able to give back to the school and community that helped make me the person that I am today. I am hardworking and I keep trying and pushing even when the path is not easy. I am a very passionate individual that believes every person should be given a chance to show their potential, which is not the same for everyone! I also believe in always being honest and keeping the lines of communication clear and open.

What are the most crucial issues facing the office that you are seeking, and how would you address it?

I think one of the biggest issues we face today is a general lack of respect for one another! I believe it is possible to disagree or have a different view from someone else and still get along with them while showing respect. I will address this by leading by example with the issues that are brought to the Board of Education and by the way I handle these issues. I will always do my best to make sure this is reflected in all areas of the district from staff to students.

If elected or re-elected, what would be your chief priorities?

My priority will always be doing what is best for the students, staff and families of the Eaton community! I do realize that this may not always end up being the most popular thing, but I believe it is essential to keeping Eaton on the path of Excellence!

Any Additional Comments?

I have been married for 10 years and my wife and I have six kids. Two of our children have already graduated from Eaton and I have three currently in the district with the fourth starting next school year. Our children have always been active in sports and clubs associated with the school district. I believe this helps me greatly by being able to understand what kids go through today, and how quickly things can change in just a few years! I am Proud to be an Eagle and look forward to the opportunity to help build the strongest and best school district possible, with the hope that all can say proudly for many years “I am an Eaton Eagle!”

Lisa Noble

Occupation: Retired (2012) Family and Consumer Sciences teacher with 35 years teaching at Eaton High School; Currently employed by Indiana University East as Supervisor of student teachers; Educator – private piano and sewing instruction, YMCA Safe Sitters instructor.

Past Political Positions Held: None

Education: BS and MS in Education, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio.

Community Involvement: I am in my eighth year of service to the Eaton Community School Board. I am a community volunteer and have volunteered many hours with the HIT Foundation.

Why are you the most qualified candidate for this position?

I have committed my life’s work to the education of our community’s children, beginning with my 35-year career as an educator at Eaton High School, continuing in my work with Indiana University to inspire the next generation of educators, and now through my service to the Eaton Community School Board. Each of these experiences has afforded a different perspective on the value of education not just to the child – but in how that experience impacts their family and our broader community. Working directly with students has and continues to shape my understanding of how we as a community of parents, educators, and friends can work together to best support and encourage Eaton’s next generation of leaders. I am passionate about my work, and I value collaboration, honesty, and empathy in our shared responsibility as educators, administrators, and board members to do our best work as a school community, on behalf of our students.

What are the most crucial issues facing the office you are seeking, and how would you address it?

I am proud of the work our teachers, students, and administration have done over the past year and a half to meet the challenges of a constantly changing environment. Throughout the pandemic, Eaton Community Schools have operated, without interruption, to deliver personalized instruction in creative ways we never imagined. But our school community is not immune to impacts of this difficult time – parents have lost income and jobs, student’s family members have been sick, and worse. We must continue forward by building on strong academics to close the gap on any learning loss and support social and emotional resilience.

If elected or re-elected, what would be your chief priorities?

My focus will continue to be on delivering a quality education to every child in our district, pre-K through graduation. In service to this goal, I will be an advocate for strong academics, strong mental health, and a balanced budget. Tradition and family values are hallmarks of the Eaton community, and I want to ensure those priorities are maximized to the benefit of every child in the Eaton Community School District.

Sam Stuart

Occupation: Up until last month, I was a full-time student enrolled at Liberty University in the graduate School of Government. Having completed my graduate degree in Political Science, I am pursuing online teaching positions at Liberty University, and Moody Bible Institute among others. My most recent position was co-instructor in the Philosophy department at Indiana University East.

Past Political Positions Held: I have never run for political office before. I do not consider myself a politician, though I have made a study of it following my commitment to the Navy. As a Boy Scout here in Eaton Troop 78, I led the troop as the elected Senior Patrol Leader through multiple years in my later high school days.

Education: EHS Graduate of 2008. Inducted into the United States Navy in 2009. Served two deployments to the Persian Gulf as Rescue Swimmer and ship’s carpenter aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. Completed term of enlistment in 2013. BS degrees in Political Science and a BA in History with a minor in Philosophy from Indiana University in 2018. Master’s degree in Political Science from Liberty University, Virginia in 2021.

Community Involvement: When I returned from the Navy in 2013, I joined back up with Troop 78 in town as an assistant scoutmaster. I occasionally help Triumphant Life Ministries with loading food for Food 4 Families here in town. I am also a volunteer for the Life Wise Academy After-School Program, which has been put together by Gospel Light Baptist Church and is run out of the elementary schools.

Why are you the most qualified candidate for this position?

The proper role of any representative requires a relationship with the people. I enjoy speaking with and hearing from people about their issues and desires. I believe in servitude, just as my education and experience have taught me. What this elected position calls for is a servant, someone who is working for the people. School boards work for the people of the community to ensure their children are prepared to meet the opportunities and challenges of this world. Additionally, the school board must be accountable for fiscally responsible stewardship of the taxpayer’s investment.

What are the most crucial issues facing the office you are seeking, and how would you address it?

Some of the most crucial issues facing school boards and all other representative positions are transparency and accountability. My plan would be to reduce the number of executive sessions where public debate amongst board members are never heard or written about for public consumption. It is the representative’s duty to be transparent with their constituents. All around the country, critical race theory is being pushed by the state and by teachers’ unions, perhaps not here in Eaton yet, but I am sure it is only a matter of time. I would fight tooth and nail to never give into this deceitful lie of a curriculum. We are united by our love of liberty, not divided by our looks or our differences, we must teach this to the children.

If elected or re-elected, what would be your chief priorities?

My chief priorities are to “ensure the educators and administration have the tools needed to educate our kids in a manner consistent with our constituents.” Promote education to create productive and enlightened citizens of this country. Extol the virtues of capitalism, competition, and freedom. Instill a loving character capable of seeking understanding, cooperation and respecting differences all the while.

Editor’s Note: The following candidates did not respond to our request for candidate profiles: Tyra Douglas.