Six candidates, including one incumbent, are vying for three, three-year-term open seats on the board of education in the election on Nov. 7.
Candidate Jennifer Tyler did not return a Sun election questionnaire before press time.
Desiree Owle
Age: 32
How many years have you lived in Tabernacle? 14 years
Married? Children? Grandchildren? Married to my husband, Dan, since 2017. Proud mom of four children – Danny (9) Sunny (4) Sampson (2) and Beau (10 months).
School and degree: Albright College, bachelor’s degree in accounting
Profession: Accounting
Elected Office: First time running for elected seat.
Why are you running for an elected position?
With four young kids, I have a lot of skin in the game and it was important for me to find a way to become more closely involved in my childrens’ education. Like all parents, my kids are my heart. I want to be able to better serve them while also serving other Tabernacle students and families.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?
My greatest focus is transparency, making sure all voices felt heard and preserving the integrity of our wonderful district and community.
Name: Amy Lepsis
Age: 46 years old
How many years have you lived in Tabernacle? 19 years
Married? Children? Grandchildren? Married. I have three children all who are or have attended the Tabernacle Schools. Ages 18, 15, 13.
School and degree: Loyola College Baltimore, master’s degree in speech-language pathology/audiology
Profession: Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist/Stay at Home Mom
Elected Office: First time running for an elected seat.
Community involvement: President and other offices of the Tabernacle Home and School Association from 2015-2022, Tabernacle Girl Scout leader 2013-present, member of the Education Foundation of Tabernacle Township 2015-present. In my role as HSA President, I was actively involved in running many community-wide events such as Kindergarten Camp and Holiday Palooza as well as assisting annually with the Tabernacle Tree Lighting.
Why are you running for an elected seat?
I love our Tabernacle community and have spent much of the last decade growing and supporting our schools. I feel I have more to give and serving on the BOE would be the ultimate honor in giving back to the students, families, teachers, and community of Tabernacle. Above all else, I will advocate for our Tabernacle children!
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?
Collaboration. I will get our District on track with engaging the community and all Tabernacle stakeholders that we serve. To collaborate effectively, The BOE needs to be respectful, communicative, honest, and transparent. I will ensure that all stakeholder relationships improve and flourish.
Name: Kevin McCloy
Age: 43 years old
How many years have you lived in Tabernacle? 37 years
Married? Children? Grandchildren? Married with two kids, one in first grade and the other in fourth grade.
School and degree: Rutgers University, Doctor of Pharmacy
Profession: Pharmacist
Elected Office: I am currently in my third term.
Community involvement: I have been an active member of the Tabernacle Board of Education for the past nine years. I am chair of the policy committee, and have served on the human resources and operations committees. I am also an assistant coach for TAA Track & Field, a member of the HSA, and have volunteered for multiple classroom activities for both of my kids.
Why are you running for an elected seat?
I am running for a seat because I have two young children who are attending school in Tabernacle and will be for years to come. I want to ensure we are building up our schools, our staff, and our students and providing support for the success of all children in the district.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?
I would like to see continued improvement in our students’ performance. There have been many changes in our district over the past several years, including once in a generation facilities upgrades. We need to continue to focus on making sure the students and staff have the resources and support they need to continue growing.
Name: Steven Mosser
Age: 40
How many years have you lived in Tabernacle? 7
Married? Children? Grandchildren? Married with two children; ages 7 and 6.
School and degree: Widener University, bachelor’s degree in business administration – finance.
Profession: Software Consulting Director
Elected Office: First time running for an elected seat.
Community involvement: Cub Scout Cubmaster, Cub Scout Pack Committee Chair, Cub Scout Den Leader, soccer coach, Tabernacle Elementary School room parent.
Why are you running for an elected seat?
I am running because I want all children in Tabernacle to get the best education possible in a safe and clean environment. Having attended the school board meetings consistently for three years I’ve learned that the board’s responsibilities include personnel and operational management which I have extensive experience leading as a director professionally. My intent is to leverage my management experience to help Tabernacle Schools improve and drive more positive student outcomes in our community.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?
In this time of ever-increasing budget cuts, I will use my background in finance and management to help make the most of the funding we are provided. I will support the management of projects that align with the needs and goals of our Tabernacle students, faculty, facilities, and community.
Name: Nik Tama
Age: 34
How many years have you lived in Tabernacle? three plus years
4. Married? Children? Grandchildren? Married to Tracy Betts (teacher at Seneca). We have two daughters (ages 9 and 7) who are in 3rd and 2nd grade at Tabernacle Elementary School.
School and degree: Gettysburg College – bachelor’s degree in English with a writing concentration and Wilmington University – master’s in education in School Leadership
Profession: Assistant Principal and Supervisor of Instruction
Elected Office: First time running for an elected seat.
Community involvement: I am incredibly fortunate to work in a local public school; this gives me the opportunity to be involved with the educational programs in our community. My day-to-day is focused on preparing students in our community for all aspects of life. I do this by working closely with teachers, students, and families. I have volunteered as a coach and in other capacities with our local youth athletics programs. I attend our Tabernacle Board of Education meetings and volunteer for events at our schools. Most of all, I’m proud to raise two young daughters who love going to school at TES and spending time with their friends throughout our community.
Why are you running for an elected seat?
As a teacher and high school administrator, I know the importance of listening to all stakeholders in a school community. I am constantly evaluating scenarios as both an educator and as a parent. My background in education allows me to look through multiple perspectives to provide the best learning environment for students. Because I am directly invested in the long-term educational growth of all students in our community, I believe I can be an asset to the Board as someone who sees the daily operations from inside a school building.
What is one area you would like to concentrate on if elected?
If elected, I would like to concentrate on enhancing learning opportunities for students and staff. For students, I support a balanced education of foundational skills and real-world transfer skills. This begins with a focus on improving reading, writing, and communication skills. For staff, I support professional development opportunities to help our schools’ programs grow.
