Departments

Kings Board of Education Members

Pictured L-R: Janelle Groff, Board Member; John Skerl, Board Member; Deb Cowan, Board Member; Stacie Belfrom, President; and Peggy Phillips, Vice-President.

 Email all -please note: Superintendent will be copied on this email.

Get to Know Your School Board Members

✱Stacie Belfrom, President

How long have you served on the Kings School Board?
Three years (Sine 2018).

Tell us about your family.
Married to my wife Misty for 20 years.  Two kids Micah (Kings graduate) and Kendall.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy reading (biographies and mysteries mostly).  I enjoy tinkering with electronics (new tech makes me happy!).

Why did you run for school board?
I wanted to be part of keeping Kings a top-flight school district.  Far too often we have ideas and we tend to can complain about things that we think can be improved.  I wanted to contribute to providing solutions that would impact all of our students and families.

What is the most challenging aspect of serving on the board?
Balance.  Balance.  Balance.  Balancing the operational decisions that we must make and the intended and unintended consequence of those decisions.  Balancing the inputs from everyone within our community on different topics and incorporating those concerns into what we do.  In order for us to be respectful of each other, we have to do our best to balance all of those components.

What do you like most about serving on the school board?
I enjoy the outreach; being able to take time to talk to families and to see the students actively participate in their educational experience.  It helps to keep things in perspective and reminds me why we do this.

What does #KingsStrong mean to you?
You know what's interesting?  As we move further along into establishing those core principles integral to the #KingsStrong idea, it has increasingly meant openness and inclusivity to me.  Changing mindsets, recognizing the experiences of our staff and students while recognizing the environments that they all operate in should make that possible.  Ideally, we want every building to be a place where the people who work and learn here can all feel safe, respected, and free to exchange ideas.  We're not there yet, there will always be places to grow, but that's what the goal of being #KingsStrong means to me.

What is one interesting fact about you that not many people know?
I'm kind of a BBQ fanatic and I have way too many BBQ-related gadgets.  All in a quest for the perfect smoke ring!

✱Deb Cowan, Vice President

How long have you served on the Kings School Board?
I am in my 4th year.

Tell us about your family.
We have been Kings residents for 21 years. I have 3 children. My youngest is a 2016 Kings graduate.

What do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy serving my community in various capacities. Besides my time on the school board, I am also part of my community's HOA board and a volunteer on the Kings Soccer Club board. I am an avid sports fan and love spending time with my dog, Lucas.

Why did you run for school board?
I wanted to be part of a positive stewardship of our schools. Kings is such a special community, and I wanted our schools to continue on a path of excellence.

What is the most challenging aspect of serving on the board?
Balancing what is best and fair with what is fiscally responsible is the most challenging and most important aspect of serving on the board.

What do you like most about serving on the school board?
Serving my community in a positive way is the most satisfying aspect of being part of the board.

What does #KingsStrong mean to you?
#KingsStrong means the many and varied members of our school community coming together as one to navigate through an ever-changing world in order to celebrate what makes each of us unique and find successful paths for all.

What is one interesting fact about you that not many people know?
I graduated from the same high school as 3 current Cincinnati Bengals, as well as 8 other current NFL players.

✱Peggy Phillips

How long have you served on the Kings School Board?
5 years (beginning my 6th) 47 wonderful years in education.

Tell us about your family.
I am a mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and widowed. I have 2 children; a daughter, Wendy, and a son, Ryan. I also have 5 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. 

What do you like to do in your free time?
Spending as much time as possible with my family. Taking long walks with our dogs, reading and discussing books,  and trying new recipes.

Why did you run for school board?
I believe, unequivocally, in the value of Kings. I am dedicated to serving and have high expectations for all students. I believe in the democratic process and understand that my role as a board member is to act strategically, in line with the interests of the entire school community, not special interest groups or individuals. I have a passion for seeing all students succeed and a desire to see Kings one of the best districts in the state.

What is the most challenging aspect of serving on the board?
Gathering input from staff and a wide spectrum of the community so that a diverse range of interests and perspectives on issues can be considered. Especially, knowing that making the best decision based on the data and input received will never make everyone "happy."

What do you like most about serving on the school board?
That the BOE and district are working together as a team with integrity and transparency. This ensures that the best decisions are made after discussing the data and doing what is best for all students, the district, and the community.

What does #KingsStrong mean to you?
The district is focused on the whole child. First by building relationships. Then by building innovation-relevant learning experiences for all students.  Lastly by creating opportunities for students to do their personal best and develop the skills to be successful in the next chapter of their lives.

What is one interesting fact about you that not many people know?
On vacation, two years ago, I went white water rafting, sky diving, and ATVing.

*Janelle Groff

How long have you served on the Kings School Board? I will begin serving in January 2022.
Tell us about your family.  My husband Andy and I have 2 boys, both are in high school.  We have been residents of the Kings Local School District since 2015. 

What do you like to do in your free time?  Our family loves to travel.  National Parks are our favorite vacations, but we also love Captiva Island, FL.  I also cherish time with family and friends.

Why did you run for school board? I ran for school board because I want every family to have as great of an experience in our school district as my kids have had.  I want to focus on academic excellence for our students while giving them amazing opportunities throughout their years at Kings.  I want our teaching staff to know how much they are valued and respected.

What is the most challenging aspect of serving on the board?  I think the most challenging part is going to be getting clear, correct communication out to every community member.  All taxpayers deserve to know the amazing things going on in King's schools, but that's hard to do with members that don't currently have kids in the district.  My goal is to reach more people outside the walls of our schools.

What do you like most about serving on the school board? My favorite part about this position is meeting and connecting with the community.  It's important to me that people know their opinions, their stories, the students, the teachers, and the administrators all matter to me.

What does #KingsStrong mean to you?  #KingsStrong to me means community!  We are all stronger together.  We can continue to create an amazing learning environment when our community comes together.

What is one interesting fact about you that not many people know? I've lived in Colorado, Rhode Island, North Carolina, and now Ohio.  So, I have an appreciation of education from a wide variety of US locations.