Though the past couple of years haven’t been fun for the LeRoy/Ostrander Public Schools Board, the district is in good shape and the candidates want to keep it that way.

“Things are going pretty good,” said Chris Eastvold, board chairman and one of five candidates looking to fill four seats up for election.

Eastvold joins fellow incumbents Gladys Kasel and Mike Norby in the race along with challengers Amos Huntley and Tim Lewison.

Eastvold hopes to keep the board financially solvent, as the board hasn’t had to ask residents for a bond referendum for several years. If elected, he hopes to keep the board in the black budget-wise instead of continuing cuts the district has made over the past several years.

Norby, another board member seeking reelection, agrees, saying it’s important to keep Hayfield fiscally sound in the face of decreasing state aid.

“Over the years, financially we’ve improved a lot,” he said.

Kasel, who joined the board in 2007 to fill an open space, has served two terms since and wants to get another one. For her, LeRoy/Ostrander’s classroom technology is one of the biggest issues the board will face.

“[Technology is] going so fast, and from day to day things are being upgraded and changed,” Kasel said. “We just have to keep up with all of that.”

Huntley agrees, saying the district needs to be mindful of its existing technology and encourage students who are better at working with their hands to take advantage of the industrial education areas at Hayfield High School.

“That’s something [the district] could make more use of, and give some kids opportunities to succeed,” he said.

—Tim Lewison did not return calls for comment.