Steven Anderson (Ohio)

This page was current at the end of the individual's last campaign covered by Ballotpedia. Please contact us with any updates.

Steven Anderson

Nonpartisan

Elections and appointments

Last election

November 7, 2023

Education

High school

Coventry High School

Bachelor's

University of Akron, 1978

Personal

Birthplace

Akron, Ohio

Religion

None

Profession

Farmer

Contact

Personal Facebook

Steven Anderson ran for election for an at-large seat of the Pickerington Local School District Board of Education in Ohio. He lost in the general election on November 7, 2023.

Anderson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.

Biography

Steven Anderson was born in Akron, Ohio. Anderson's professional experience includes working as a farmer and small business owner. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Akron. Anderson has been affiliated with the ACLU.

Elections

2023

See also: Pickerington Local School District, Ohio, elections (2023)

General election

General election for Pickerington Local School District Board of Education At-large (2 seats)

Mark Hensen and incumbent Cathy Olshefski defeated Cheryl Ricketts, incumbent Keith Kristoff, and Steven Anderson in the general election for Pickerington Local School District Board of Education At-large on November 7, 2023.

		Candidate	%	Votes
✔	Submit photo	Mark Hensen (Nonpartisan)	24.7	7,677
✔		Cathy Olshefski (Nonpartisan)	22.7	7,073
	Submit photo	Cheryl Ricketts (Nonpartisan)	22.1	6,883
		Keith Kristoff (Nonpartisan)	18.0	5,602
		Steven Anderson (Nonpartisan)	12.4	3,858

---

	Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source 1 Source 2	Total votes: 31,093
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
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Endorsements

Ballotpedia did not identify endorsements for Anderson in this election.

Campaign themes

2023

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Steven Anderson completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Anderson'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.

Hi, my name is Steve Anderson and I am running for Pickerington School Board this November 7th.

My wife and I are retired Pickerington teachers who have lived in the community for 45 years. It has been my privilege to have participated in the school system as a teacher, coach and substitute teacher. If you see signs for MR ANDERSON, that's me! I have chosen to run because of my concerns about the direction of education in our community. As Pickerington grows, our ability to guide and educate our diverse student population needs a renewed vision. While keeping the traditional values that have made this a great community and school system, we must investigate and incorporate new strategies to insure that our students will have the educational opportunities to succeed in a rapidly changing world. As a Pickerington School Board member, I can work with the teachers, administration and the community to make better education a reality.

I ask for your vote on November 7th and that you spread the word so that our community can be even better.

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?

• Increase teacher input
• Try and untangle the state mandates that hinder educational progress
• Start programs at the earliest grades to identify students falling behind and take steps to allow those students to be successful

What areas of public policy are you personally passionate about?

State mandated testing policies that tie the hands of school districts

Who do you look up to? Whose example would you like to follow, and why?

I look up to anyone who thinks outside the box and lives a life that improves the world around them

Is there a book, essay, film, or something else you would recommend to someone who wants to understand your political philosophy?

Illusions. The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah

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

To believe in what they are doing.

What qualities do you possess that you believe would make you a successful officeholder?

Tenacity

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

To improve what needs improved and leave alone those things which are working.

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

My parents took my brothers and I to an open area to watch Sputnik fly over. I was five years old

What was your very first job? How long did you have it?

Worked at a drive-in theater the summer prior to my junior year of high school. Worked there for the summer

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

To foster an atmosphere that encourages education

Who are your constituents?

All people of Pickerington

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

Increase communication with these groups to understand their needs

How will you build relationships with members of the broader community? Which groups, organizations, stakeholders will you specifically target?

Invite any group or individual to attend our meetings and express their concerns and ideas

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

Good teaching obviously must meet the academic needs of the students. Beyond this good teachers create the environment described in the proceeding question. To promote advanced teaching approaches we must untie the teachers from state mandates that limit teaching methods and topics

In what areas would you like to expand curriculum? For example, do you see a need for advanced technical training or apprenticeships? What sort of innovative programming would you advance if given the opportunity?

I would especially like to see the introduction of family counseling services for our youngest students and families to identify and address issue that might hinder the progress os students.

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

First and foremost we must identify our financial needs and then be transparent and open with the public about those needs

What principles drive your policies for safety in schools?

Students must feel safe at schools. Bullying and intimidation are an area of concern for me. We must initiate policy to curtail this behavior and train staff on how to recognize bullying.

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

Making our schools safe and welcoming for students and staff is the first and biggest step. A person who feels accepted and important will be healthier. I believe we need to increase our counseling staff numbers make their number one job to help students and staff

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

Cell phone use is a big obstacle to the educational process. We will change that policy. I would like to involve our teachers in curriculum development

What organizations or individuals have endorsed your campaign?

I am counting on the peoples endorsement

Describe your ideal learning environment for students.

The ideal learning environment must first and foremost be a safe and welcoming place. A place that allows personal and group growth. A place that meets individual needs

How do you feel like your school district handled the coronavirus pandemic? What, if anything, would you do differently in the future?

It seems that the biggest problem during the pandemic was keeping the students involved and on task. This was a nation wide problem and we must study the data and find what worked in other districts

What will you do to build a relationship with parents in the district?

By meeting their and their children's needs

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

By making our school system one of the top systems in the state. A school system that will attract the best people

Note: Ballotpedia reserves the right to edit Candidate Connection survey responses. Any edits made by Ballotpedia will be clearly marked with [brackets] for the public. If the candidate disagrees with an edit, he or she may request the full removal of the survey response from Ballotpedia.org. Ballotpedia does not edit or correct typographical errors unless the candidate's campaign requests it.

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