During the Reorganization Meeting on December 5, 20232, the Quaker Valley School Board welcomed new members Corinna Garcia-Skorpenske, Missy Walls, and Jessica Webster. The three new members in addition to returning members Geoff Barnes and Gianni Floro took the oath of office during the meeting.
In addition to the swearing in of members, the Board unanimously re-elected Mr. Jonathan Kuzma to the role of President and elected Mrs. Daniela Helkowski to the role of Vice President. Mr. Geoff Barnes was named Board Treasurer and will serve in that role through June, as it was vacated by Mr. Jeff Watters.
This is Kuzma’s fourth term as School Board President. "I'm honored and humbled to have been elected board president,” he said. “I'm eager to work collaboratively with our dedicated board members, educators, and the entire community to ensure that Quaker Valley continues to be a place where all learners can thrive. I'm looking forward to the positive change that will occur over the coming year, including continued progress on the new high school project."
Kuzma is a 2001 graduate of Quaker Valley High School and has served on the Board since December 2013. He resides in Leetsdale (Region I). In addition to sitting on Quaker Valley’s school board, he is also the Director of the Sewickley Public Library and the chairman of the municipal authority of the Borough of Leetsdale.
Helkowski is also a Quaker Valley graduate, and her children have graduated from Quaker Valley. Mrs. Helkowski has been a member of the Board since 2013. Ms. Helkowski serves as the School Board representative on the Parkway West Career and Technology Center Board.
“Being a part of the Quaker Valley School Board has allowed me the honor to be a part of an amazing group that strives to make Quaker Valley a special place,” said Helkowski. “As Vice President of the Board, I will continue to work to ensure that the district will guide our children to receive the best educational opportunities and build meaningful relationships that help each of them to find their own unique path.”
Barnes lives in Sewickley. He has a bachelor’s degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a master’s from the University of Oregon. Geoff taught at the Savannah College of Art and Design and Robert Morris University from 1997 to 2005, when he left teaching to practice design full-time. He has served on the Board since 2019.
The next scheduled meetings for the Quaker Valley School Board are Tuesday, January 9, 2024 (Committees Meeting) and Wednesday, January 17, 2024 (Legislative Meeting). Additional notes from the meeting as well as minutes from previous meetings can be found under the School Board tab at www.qvsd.org.