Jessica Parent (Big Walnut Local School District, At-large, Ohio, candidate 2025)

Jessica Parent

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Nonpartisan

Candidate, Big Walnut Local School District, At-large

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 4, 2025

Education

Bachelor's

Hillsdale College, 2013

Personal

Profession

Software developer

Contact

Campaign website

Campaign Facebook

Personal LinkedIn

Jessica Parent ran for election to the Big Walnut Local School District, At-large in Ohio. She was on the ballot in the general election on November 4, 2025.^[source]

Parent completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Jessica Parent provided the following biographical information via Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey on October 17, 2025:

• Birth date: February 8, 1988
• Birth place: George Air Force Base, California
• High school: Elk Rapids High School
• Bachelor's: Hillsdale College, 2013
• Gender: Female
• Profession: Software Developer
• Incumbent officeholder: No
• Campaign slogan: The right choice is a parent
• Campaign website

Elections

General election

General election for Big Walnut Local School District, At-large (3 seats)

Douglas Crowl, Angela Graziosi, Alice Nicks, Jessica Parent, and Molly Snodgrass ran in the general election for Big Walnut Local School District, At-large on November 4, 2025.

		Candidate
	Submit photo	Douglas Crowl (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Angela Graziosi (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Alice Nicks (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Jessica Parent (Nonpartisan)
	Submit photo	Molly Snodgrass (Nonpartisan)

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	Incumbency information for this election was not available.
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Parent in this election.

Campaign themes

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Jessica Parent completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Parent's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.

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Who are you? Tell us about yourself.

I am a Genoa Township resident whose 5th grade son attends Big Walnut Intermediate School. I am a former Military kid, and pastor's daughter, a small business owner, software engineer, and hold a bachelor of Philosophy from Hillsdale College. I also own 21 chickens and two 90 lb furnadoes.

I am running for BW Board of Eduction because I am tired of personal politics getting in the way of our children's futures. I want to bring respect back to our Board Meetings instead of name calling and a lack of communication that revolves around personal differences.

As a school board, the children of the district should be the most important thing. Personal differences need to be checked at the door to ensure communication flows respectfully and efficiently so that outcomes remain productive.

I am a firm believer that public education, while affected by politics, should remain non-political. Our children deserve better than to be reduced to political talking points or suffer as political cannon fodder from partisan arguments. The job of the board is to ensure fair and accessible education to all of our children in a safe and nurturing environment. We don't all have to agree about ever single thing, but I do think we have to agree about this: Our children come first. Their safety and well-being are not points for political debate. They are the future of this community, this state, and this nation, and they deserve to be treated as such.

Please list below 3 key messages of your campaign. What are the main points you want voters to remember about your goals for your time in office?

• Public education serves the common good. The state has been actively fighting fair funding for public education, and it hurts us all (95% of Ohio's children attend public school). House Bill 186 is currently going through the Ways and Means committee, and is actively targeting public school funding to provide property tax relief, but without finding alternatives to keep our district growing and thriving. BW stands to lose $21 Million in funding over the next three years alone if (when) this passes. HB 96, passed earlier this year already attacks out fiscally responsible reserves. Things cost what they cost. Negotiations only go so far. We need someone who will go to bat for our District's funding and out Children's futures.
• In a growing district that is facing funding cuts, it is important to plan for the future and what it looks like (it's important anyway, but especially when having to strategize where to spend money without compromising services to our children). Our district's last released strategic plan was created in 2015 with a target goal of 2020. We need plans for the future, not the past. Current projections show our district growing with a plateau around 2040. Some members of our district have nearly 30 minute drive to the high school. Do we have plans to better serve those families as be plan eventual new buildings? We need to. We need a plan that helps everyone in the district to thrive, regardless of zip code.
• Communication builds bridges. It doesn't matter how much or how little money our district has, if the community doesn't understand what is happening at the statehouse or the implications of our legislator's decisions. They can't choose to get involved if they don't know how to. It doesn't matter what plan the district has for the future, if nobody knows what they are. Current funding policies and district plans need to be communicated to the citizens of the Big Walnut Community - state policy and local planning affect the community as a whole, and people deserve to be able to be involved and provide feedback and ideas to strengthen our schools. Let us find strength in unity.

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

I am passionate about funding initiatives that affect our community - access to excellent public education, clean water and air, access to affordable housing and healthcare. If it helps me neighbor (and I consider all of BW to be my neighbors), I'm here for it. I'm against partisan politics since I think that viewing ideas based on the party of the person who brought it to the table, rather than on the merit of the idea itself, is eroding public policy and the common good.
My current passion, is public education, as I feel it has come under attack. It's not perfect, but policy should focus on fixing the cracks instead of burning the whole thing to the ground. Our children deserve our support for their future.

What characteristics or principles are most important for an elected official?

Elected officials need to check ego and personality conflicts at the door. We used to call our elected officials public servants, but more and more it feels like elected officials at all levels of government are more focused on being self serving and pushing personal agendas over working to find common ground.

An elected official should be respectful of others, both their colleagues and the community at large. They should be able to communicate with others with whom they do not agree without name calling, belittling of ideas, or disrespect for person.
The board of education is a role of stewardship, and it is important to remember that we may not always agree on everything, but that so long as we all have the common goal of strong and excellent public education in our district with our children's best interests at heart, then there is always common ground to be found.
Elected officials should seek first to understand, and approach every situation without the bias of assumed ill intent.
Ego needs to be checked at the door. Members of the Big Walnut Board of Education, are making decisions that affect people's children, and those decisions won't always be agreed with by 100% of the population. It is important to not act like you're thoughts and ideas are somehow more important because you are in a seat of power and they are not. Everyone's opinion is valid - even if you don't agree. Listening with empathy and courtesy is an important skill. People's concerns should not be dismissed, but instead addressed. As a board member, people are aloud to disagree with your decisions, and I think the onus is on the board, as it is on any elected official, to clearly communicate the reason behind decisions and work with concerned citizens to allay concerns are work toward solutions that work for the betterment of society.

A good elected official works with everyone, not just people from the same political party. We are all this this together.

What do you believe are the core responsibilities for someone elected to this office?

I believe that fiscal responsibility is a key component of a local board of education. We need to plan for the future growth of our district (be it explosive or far slower than initially anticipated), and how to fund projects, materials, and staffing as that growth occurs. Fiscal responsibility is more than simply spending or not spending money, however, it is choosing the most important things on which to focus spending for the greatest impact. Sometimes that means spending less, sometimes more. Sometimes the fiscal responsibility looks like community communication so that support can be rallied around a levy (only if a levy is absolutely necessary - I don't like my taxes going up any more than the next person), sometimes it looks like creating a committee of interested community members to look for creative solutions to problems that may not require money to fix. Being able to budget and plan for future expenditures while working with the superintendent and district treasurer is of vital importance.

Our board needs to be in the schools talking to administration, teachers and other staff. They are the boots on the ground and have a first hand perspective of what district needs to better serve out students.
They also need to make time for community engagement outside of three minutes of feedback at board meetings.

It all comes down to research, planning and communication.

What is the first historical event that happened in your lifetime that you remember? How old were you at the time?

While most people from my generation would say the fist historical event they remember experiencing during their life time is September 11, 2001, that is not the case for me (though that memory is likely far more impactful, as I was more aware of what it could mean).

My first historical event that I remember was the end of Operation Desert Storm I. My father was a fighter pilot stationed in Germany at the time, and was part of a squadron on the front lines assigned to fly out of Kuwait. I will never forget his plane landing at the Air Force base as he and the men under his command came home safe. I don't understand at the time just how dangerous his mission had been or that his life had been in constant jeopardy as he had surface to air missiles fired at him, but I knew that war was a big deal, and that it was over, and that my daddy was back home and that all my mom's friends were crying. It was less than a month after my third birthday, and I will never forget it.

While I didn't realize it at the time, my family was also in Germany on German Reunification Day on October 3, 1990, the day after my sister arrived as one of the final babies to be born in West Germany. I was 2. I do remember my sister coming home - which at two, is a pretty personally historical event.

What is your favorite book? Why?

My favorite books all have an element of an underdog rising to the occasion and saving the day. Tris Prior (Divergent), Katnnis Everdeen (Hunger Games), Darrow O'Lykos (Red Rising), and Violet Sorrengail (Empyrean series - Fourth Wing). I'm inspired by characters that don't let the world define them but forge their own path and fight for justice and freedom.

If you could be any fictional character, who would you want to be?

Hermione Granger. She's smart, driven and has magical abilities! Can you imagine how fast chores could be knocked out?! I would have so much time for activities! Like running for Big Walnut Board of Education!

What is the primary job of a school board member in your view?

The mission of the district "is to inspire and guide each student to his or her maximum potential."
The board's primary job is to create local policies, and advocate for state policies, that support this goal.

Who are your constituents?

My constituents are residents of Sunbury and Galena, as well as residents of the following townships (in part or in whole): Birkshire, Genoa, Harlem, Kingston, Porter, and Trenton. If I can work to make Big Walnut the best it can be for our students and the community while effecting positive change for the rest of public education in Ohio, I will, but the students and community of Big Walnut will always come first.

How would you support the diverse needs of your district’s students, faculty, staff, and community?

I plan on establishing open office hours (frequency and duration yet to be determined) that allow for student and their families and other members of the community to express their concerns and ask questions. Right now we offer 3 minutes of participation from community members during board meetings and also provide the impersonal communication of email. Personal conversations foster a sense of community and a feeling that your concerns are important to the listener.

I plan on implementing open forums for our employees to bring ideas and concerns to the board's attention.

Anything discussed can be addressed as brief agenda item to fulfill and concerns about sunshine laws. This allows for more involvement without sacrificing transparency (I would refrain from disclosing names and only disclose the matters that were discussed).

What constitutes good teaching? How will you measure this? How will you support advanced teaching approaches?

I believe good teaching looks like meeting every child where they are at. If a child needs an IEP (individual education plan) and special concessions made to ensure they are guided to their maximum potential, we do that for them. If a child is performing well with general education strategies, we provide help as needed in areas of struggle. For our gifted students, we continue to create WEPs (written eduction plans) that help define the best path forward that keeps them challenged and engaged in their learning journey. As I am not an educator, I would work with them to determine how we ensure that me measure student progress outside of standardized test scores (these are a great baseline, but not ever child is good at taking tests, and guessing could lead to correct or incorrect answers that don't adequately relay the depth and breadth of a child's understanding of topics which they have been taught).

What strategies or plans would you advance to ensure the schools are properly funded?

I would advocate with our lawmakers, as I have in the past, when policies that are still in committee look to have a negative impact on public education funding. I would communicate with the community what the advantages or disadvantages are of proposed funding and tax legislation so that they can also advocate, if they so chose.

Communication with the community is vital. Projects that don't have community support will never get the votes needs to pass a levy or bond measure, if they are necessary to obtain the funds necessary for their implementation.
We need to find solutions to ever increasing property tax hikes that help members of our community to age in place, while not penalizing our children's futures. Good policy doesn't protect one group of people while actively hurting another. I plan to communicate with lawmakers and our community to find the best solution for the highest number of people. I will never stop advocating and communicating.

As someone with a background in philosophy and a current software engineer, I'm used to looking for unique solutions to difficult problems. This will be helpful in planning accordingly, regardless of funding. Communication between all parties involved (lawmakers, school staff, and community members) is the only way forward, and the most important strategy.

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

Mental health is of vital importance. In the words of Elle Woods, "Happy people don't shoot [people], they just don't."

Fostering an environment that discourages and addresses bullying, both the act, and the underlying causes, creates an atmosphere of acceptances and inclusivity. People crave a feeling of belonging. As children navigate the ins and out of establishing their identity (what is important to them, where do they stand on issues, how do they communicate with their peers, what do they want to do with their lives, etc...), they tend to gravitate towards others with whom they relate. While this is a good thing for creating a sense of community and belonging, it can also cause some children to feel left out or worse, ostracized. Helping students to figure out how to navigate these feelings and giving them a safe space to talk and express them (be it to a teacher, school nurse, or counselor) is important to fostering happy and emotionally aware members of society.

I am also a firm believer of emergency preparedness training for building staff. I hope that a lockdown situation will never occur for which we need to be prepared, but if one does, it is paramount that there is a plan in place and that it has been practiced by students and staff. There are professional organizations available to provide training and help our schools implement drills with that cause our students as minimal trauma and worry over situations that haven't happened as possible.

How might you support the mental health needs of students/faculty/staff?

For faculty and staff, I believe it is important that their benefits package provide access to affordable mental health services. For our children, I believe that it is important that they never feel bad, wrong, or broken for experiencing a mental health crisis and that they feel comfortable coming to any of our faculty or staff for help and support. I want to work with our districts mental health and behavioral specialists to create programs and/or resource materials for students and families to help navigate mental health concerns and support our students through turbulent times and feelings.

What existing district policies would you like to change, or what new policies would you like to implement?

I would like to revert the volunteer policy to the way it was pre-2025/2026 school year. I have heard a lot of parental complaints around this policy and the extra questionnaire is completely unnecessary for keeping the district in compliance with House Bill 8 (better known as the Parents' Bill of Rights). It did, however, raise concerns about the district having enough volunteers, or parents signing the form under duress if they want to be able to volunteer for activities with their child(ren)'s class(es).
I know people who already had background checks and filled out the form in late July/early August, but weren't on the district's list of approved volunteers at the August meeting, and found themselves looking for the link to the video and form in their email history to fill it out and resubmit it before being approved at the September meeting. This serves in the best interest of no one.

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

My ideal learning environment is one that adapts to individual needs (do some kids need to work away from other students to avoid distraction? Do others perform better when listening to music? Does working as a group benefit particular children more than others?). It is one where children feel heard, seen and supported by their teachers and peers. It is one where children have received adequate nutrition and are not attempting to learn while hungry.

What are your preferred strategies for faculty, staff, and administration recruitment?

Talking with current district employees and employees of surrounding districts to learn what is most important to them when interviewing for a positions offers invaluable information. I believe that acting on this feedback and working to create a supportive work environment with solid pay and benefits is a solid strategy. Those are the type of things that I look for when pursuing new opportunities, and I can't imagine it's any different for someone working in education. Our district employees take care of our kids, and by extension our community as a whole. They deserve our respect and consideration when we enter into employment contracts with them.

Are there any areas of school curriculum you would like to see changed?

I want to see our K-5 students even have a math curriculum. Right now, teachers are responsible for sourcing their own teaching materials, leading to inconsistency in course offerings across classrooms and schools. This is unfair to our educators and to our students.

What role should artificial intelligence have in your school district?

As a software engineer, I am only too aware of the current limitations of AI. If there are tasks that AI can be used to automate, or daily procedures it can be used to document for training purposes, that's about as far as I would currently take it's use at this time. I think allowing students to use it detracts from learning and cripples creative thinking, but it can be a useful tool to help find a solution to a problem like trying to come up with a science fair idea. AI should be approached with caution in the classroom, if it is even allowed to be used at all.

What is an accomplishment that you are proud of?

I have managed to keep my son alive to the grand old age of 10. As any boy mom will tell you, that can be half a miracle on some days. He is a kind and empathetic human being who cares about fairness and making the world a better place. I hope to continue to inspire his journey while taking joy in his successes and being a constant support during his times of defeat or failures. My son will always be my greatest accomplishment and my greatest joy!

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