Timothy Kearney (Southern Lehigh School District, At-large, Pennsylvania, candidate 2023)
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Timothy Kearney (Democratic Party, Republican Party) ran for election to the Southern Lehigh School District, At-large in Pennsylvania. He was on the ballot in the general election on November 7, 2023.[source] He was on the ballot in the Republican primary on May 16, 2023.[source]
Kearney completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. Click here to read the survey answers.
[1]Elections
Per our coverage scope, Ballotpedia does not provide election results for this particular race. Check your city or county government's election website for vote totals.
General election
General election for Southern Lehigh School District, At-large (5 seats)
The following candidates ran in the general election for Southern Lehigh School District, At-large on November 7, 2023.
Candidate | ||
| Eric Boyer (D) | ||
| Emily Gehman (D) | ||
Timothy Kearney (D)  | ||
| Candi Kruse (D) | ||
| Melissa Torba (D) | ||
| Paul Deebel (R) | ||
| Douglas Durham (R) | ||
| James Pica (R) | ||
| Danelle Roy (R) | ||
| Lance M. Tittle (R) | ||
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Southern Lehigh School District, At-large (5 seats)
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for Southern Lehigh School District, At-large on May 16, 2023.
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Republican primary election
Republican primary for Southern Lehigh School District, At-large (5 seats)
The following candidates ran in the Republican primary for Southern Lehigh School District, At-large on May 16, 2023.
Candidate | ||
| Eric Boyer | ||
| Paul Deebel | ||
| Emily Gehman | ||
| Timothy Kearney | ||
| Candi Kruse | ||
| James Pica | ||
| Danelle Roy | ||
| Maria L. Schantz | ||
| Lance M. Tittle | ||
| Melissa Torba | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Endorsements
Kearney received the following endorsements.
Campaign themes
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Timothy Kearney completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2023. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kearney's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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My name it Tim Kearney. I am a father. I taught for 34 years. I earned a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Millersville University. I earned a Master's degree in School Administration and Principal's Certification through Lehigh University. I received a Business and Management Degree from DeSales University. My work in education brought me to Germany to learn about their education system. I was able to attend Space Camp for Educators. I've had Super Bowl champions visit our classroom. Chris Gardner (Pursuit of Happyness) sent our class videos of the movie after I met him and Yolanda King (child of Martin Luther King, Jr.) wrote to my students after I met her and handed her student cards. I was proud the day I found out our class won a statewide contest in Project Citizen. After retiring from full time teaching, I wanted to keep involved in education. I continue to put out a weekly email to educators (3 years running) with resources and updates. I continue to volunteer monthly in Allentown schools. I appear as the Grinch annually as a volunteer in area schools. I also work at Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge
- Focus on academic excellence: I am an experienced educator. I taught for 34 years. I have been working on education issues coast to coast at the international, national, state, region, local and individual level. I served in the principal's office after receiving my Principal's Certification from Lehigh. I've supervised educators, implemented instruction, worked on school budgets, led training, examined individual and building level data in order to support student needs, advocated for support for students in order to achieve improved education outcomes, attended and provided training for professionals and continued to volunteer in schools and work part time in education at Valley Forge.
- Focus on parents and community: I collaborated in 1,500 Parent-teacher conferences in order to meet student needs. I chaired our Site Based Coordinating Council which brought together various stakeholders in order to make school building level decisions on such things as budget, curriculum and procedures. I served on our Parent Teacher Association. I was an original member of our PPL business-school partnership steering committee. I am an officer in our volunteer Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge committee. I created a volunteer program where educators served their school communities - https://www.dailyitem.com/a-twist-on-happy-hour/article_5ec6c014-7deb-5c7f-93e0-c191b7f1fbdd.html
- Focus on school safety: I built quality relationships between staff, students, and their families. I helped build a positive climate that was welcoming and created an environment of well-being and belonging. I ensured that staff was trained in deescalation methods and that school resource officers, counselors, psychologists, nurses, and behavior specialists all played a part. I communicated with law enforcement, mental health and social service agencies. I oversaw the safety of our physical buildings making sure facilities were safe. I have successfully completed over 30 hours training in recognition and reporting child abuse. I facilitated our school safety committee meetings.
I am passionate about raising a future generation of students that will be involved as citizens. I work at Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. We work with elementary students all the way up to adults. We educate participants about history, but also our own role in a democracy. Our mission includes respecting the rights and beliefs of others. Courtesy and consideration toward others are measures of a civilized society. It also includes participating constructively in the nation’s political life. Democracy depends on an active citizenry. It depends equally on an informed citizenry. We share the Medal of Honor values of courage, sacrifice, integrity, commitment, patriotism, and citizenship. I am a trainer of trainers in Foundations of Democracy, We the People, and Project Citizen. I was thrilled when our class came in first place in the state in Project Citizen. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was a former chairman of the board. He helped to write the charter. Eisenhower said: "What Freedoms Foundation is doing.. doing so well, is to . . . think of these succeeding generations—our children.. We want them.. to preserve this great nation, to strengthen it, to help it progress". This work is a passion of mine.
My mom was someone who stressed education as valuable in her life and in general. She is probably a big reason I chose to be an educator. My dad was an example, as a 50 year financial advisor, for being fiscally responsible. My sisters, as nurses, are role models for me in service to community and the importance of health care. As a Christian, I try to follow Christ's example of service leadership. I think, more importantly though, is everyone influence who we are. I saw this quote- “Nothing of me is original. I am the combined effort of everyone I've ever known.”. If this is true, even what I might consider a 'negative' interaction can serve to inform me and change me for the better.
I've always been a strong believer in servant leadership. I first heard about it when taking administrative classes for my Principal's Certificate, and it struck a chord. A leader isn't about being front and center. Sometimes it's about being side by side or even taking the supporting role behind the scenes. It is as much about seeing and developing leadership roles for the people in your circle. It's about teamwork. I want to put the needs of others ahead of my own. I want to hear what is important to others more than tell them what I feel is the only way. I want to analyze the needs, hear possible solutions and try to build a vision and consensus for moving forward together. Don't get me wrong. I am proud of what I have accomplished as a leader. But, I will constantly praise people for their accomplishments, even just for the effort they put in and risks taken when goals might not be quite achieved. It's a growth mindset. Lastly and specifically to an elected official, they must be willing to serve all who they are elected to represent to the best of their ability in a selfless manner. They must be independently minded and not loyal to party politics.
I've heard the dates on your tombstone are not the important part...it's how you lived your life between, in the 'dash' between the dates. I want it said that I was loving. I want to have been a good son, a good father, a good brother, a good neighbor, a good teacher, and a good community member. When I pray each week, I pray for more love, joy, peace and patience. I think that would be a nice list for people to remember me by. I can't be remembered as perfect, so where I made mistakes I want people to feel I admitted faults and learned from them and asked for forgiveness. That when I stumbled, that I at least tried to walk in the light. I want people to feel that I loved God and loved people and displayed that love often. I want my daughter to know that I feel education, family, and faith are important. It's what my mom taught me.
My first memories are with my family. My mom was someone who demonstrated the importance of education and service. She was a single mom for much of my life. She was told when she was young that women didn't go to school so she delayed her dream of becoming a nurse. Later in life, while raising the three of us, she got her nursing degree. It was a great example for me. My sisters both followed in her footsteps and became nurses. My father worked 50 years as a financial adviser at Merrill Lynch/Bank of America. So my earliest memories are family memories. Happy holidays with our grandparents...at the Thanksgiving table or around the Christmas tree. Our trips to the Jersey shore. Playing tag, climbing trees, throwing a ball with my sisters and friends.
My first jobs were cutting neighbors yards and working at St Catherine's church rectory. They taught me responsibility and helping the community. My first teaching experience was Sunday School. My first paid teaching position was in Allentown School District. I dedicated myself to helping students, families, and community there for 34 the next 34 years.
Awesome God by Rich Mullins. I heard it yesterday. My family went to Nashville and while there we got to hear and be part of a symphony recording of the song (I have the live CD). It also reminds me of the amazing life of the song writer. I saw Rich Mullins in concert a few times. He was open about his shortcomings. He started a community for people who wanted to be instruments of peace. The most amazing thing to me however was his simple reliance on others. Even as he became somewhat famous, he gave all his money to someone else to handle. He did not want to know how much money he had coming in. He asked that it be spend on good works and that his pay only be what the average worker in the US was making that year! To me, that is astounding faith in action. The song itself is just a reminder that we have a good God. It reminds me that when life sometimes seems like a tangled mess, it might just be the back of the tapestry that we need to flip over to see the design.
On a technical but simplest level according to PA School Code, school boards adopt and enforce reasonable rules and regulations regarding the management of its school affairs. In my own words, as I did at the classroom level, it is to ensure at the district level and education is provided in an efficient and effective manner.
Our core constituents are the students. Our primary responsibility and level of concern for an education system should be on those being educated. However, there are many stake holders in the school community. Boards must hear from district employees. They must hear from student guardians, including parents, grandparents, and caregivers. The board must hear from taxpayers. The need to listen to property owners, businesses and people in the community. If, as the saying goes, it takes a village, then anyone in that village is the constituent.
I would support diverse needs the way I did for 34 years as an educator. From a physical needs perspective, I would want our facilities to meet needs. From an academic perspective, I'd aim to have a curriculum that meets the diverse needs of our learners. I'd want to be a leader in making sure our program has many enhancement and opportunities to advance, while also have a vitally important remedial component. My own daughter had an IEP (Individualize Education Plan) to meet her needs, so I have participated in planning adaptive education as a parent, as a teacher, and as the building leader. I was a building supervisor that had to provide resources and support and opportunities for growth for the staff. On a weekly basis, if not more, I communicated with families of students, providing them with information to support them.
I would continue the work I did as an educator and building leader. I was on the ground floor as an original member of our School Business Partnership with PPL. For decades, I went to steering committee meetings and discussed student needs with our partners. I very often was a speaker at our end of year breakfast. I have had volunteers from church visit our classroom. I even had our crossing guard volunteering in my room. I started a volunteer program for educators to be a bigger role in the community where they teach. On a monthly basis, I asked educators to help out for one hour afterschool. I set up the experience...at a neighborhood center, Habitat for Humanity, women's shelter, Salvation Army...to name a few. I am also a big believer in Community in Schools and have done extensive work with their organization. As a teacher I had a great partnership with Miller Blood Bank. They bought my students Christmas presents one year. When we opened our new school I door knocked on local businesses letting them know about the new school and how they could help. I also went to local meetings to hear concerns. I've attended many board meetings both where I worked and where I live in order to hear public comments. Here is the volunteer program I started: https://www.dailyitem.com/a-twist-on-happy-hour/article_5ec6c014-7deb-5c7f-93e0-c191b7f1fbdd.html
Having been recognized as an Outstanding Educator in Allentown, I have some ideas. A good teacher uses data to inform instruction. They meet student needs. They go above and beyond expectations. They use various measures and consider many variables in assessing a student. While test scores are important, we also know people are more than test scores. My own daughter was in the gifted program so I'd want there to be opportunities and materials necessary for advancement. There is a both and art and a science to good teaching. I not only used the teacher evaluation system, I trained them and rated teachers with it. I provided teachers feedback on a daily basis and would encourage administrators to the same. I would want our trainings to be productive and appropriate by looking at training evaluations and feedback.
I am a member of Lehigh Valley Labor Council and I've advocated for apprenticeships. I think we always need to evaluate where we are and where we want to go in the future. Expanding curriculum might be as simple as updating and seeing what new research is out there and what type of materials and programs match that best practice and research based findings. I have done a lot of work in citizenship and leadership. I feel expanding that idea is cross curricular and helps lead to a better school climate overall.
School funding is not just a local issue. I've gone to Harrisburg to talk to legislators about school funding. I've worked at the national level on the issue. I speak to local legislators regularly. I try to educate the community about the issue. My father was a financial adviser for 50 years and taught me a thing or two about the power of investing and saving. I would do the same at the district level. I would look for efficient ways to save costs. Where necessary and as a last resort, I'd look at slight increases in taxes. I would look to outside organization to assist in funding initiatives and donating in any way they can. I have served on budget committee, as a treasurer covering 5 counties, and as a building leader who prepared budgets. In each case we were able to save money rather than go over budget.
40 YEARS EXPERIENCE PROTECTING CHILDREN. I have dealt with, in a school setting, issues dealing with abuse, protection and safety. I have successfully completed over 30 hours training in recognition and reporting child abuse. I volunteered this year to be on a statewide safety task force. I went through A.L.I.C.E training (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate) with staff and students. I've gone through lockdown drills. I educated teachers about the anti-bullying program Safe2Say before it was implemented by the state. I was part of the building safety committee in our school building. Safety is about quality relationships between staff, students, and their families. It is a positive climate that is welcoming and creates an environment of well-being and belonging. It is a staff trained in deescalation methods and all staff being involved. It is community support. It is safe physical buildings.
My mom was a nurse. Both my sisters are nurses. All my nieces are involved in health care. My daughter is going to college for Pre Med, and my wife is a physician. I am from a surrounding that makes health care a priority. I chaired a state committee on state health care. I have spoken at school board and other meetings about the importance of health care, and it is a topic covered in many of my weekly education updates. I would continue to advocate for awareness and do my best to make sure we have mental health supports. I would try to work with mental health support providers to maintain or enhance partnerships.
I would like to look at the idea of having a student representative on the school board. It would not have to be a voting member, but I'd like to see a student report at board meetings. I'd like to see more parent input opportunities in general. I know I would want a majority of our new policies to be academic excellence focused. I'd like to be involved in policy review meetings with administration. Sometimes it's not creating new policies but looking to update policies already on hand. I did the same work on resolutions at the national, state and local level.
Southern Lehigh Community Partners; Pennsylvania State Education Association
I want our schools to be welcoming and supporting environments. I want the focus to be on the development of the whole child. I want a core curriculum with a vibrant extra curricular program.
I was teaching during the Covid pandemic. It was often said, including by me, that it was liking building a plane while trying to fly it at the same time. The term unprecedented gets used a lot, but in this case it seems appropriate. I believe people who were not experts relied on the best expert advice at the time and made the decisions they felt were best. I appreciated the emphasis on technology. I learned new ways to deliver instruction. I had a new way to interact with parents on a daily basis. I think it highlighted the importance of relying on information (and the danger of misinformation). I think it pointed to the need for respectful discussion (and the danger of disrespectful conversation). It pointed to the need to unify over common themes rather than emphasizing differing opinions. I think it points to the need for the important of further research, especially as it pertains to long term consequences and preventing something similar from happening. It was new territory for decision makers. I would have loved for the infrastructure to have been in place before Covid spurred action. I also would love for the recognition that certain schools needed more support during Covid to not be lost after the pandemic.
I've always had a good relationship with parents. I currently have a weekly education update that I post on several social media sites. As a teacher, I sent weekly resources and ways for parents to support what we were doing and how I could support them. I helped over 1,500 parent teacher conferences during my career and served on our Parent Teacher Association. I've taught children of students that I taught! I want to include parental voice as much as possible so I would look to ways to encourage their participation. One of my favorite nights of the year were our Family Make and Take nights, our Family Fall Fest, our Community Festival, and our Family Nights. As difficult as Zoom was, it also was a tool to virtually bring me into student homes each day and for me to interact with parents each day. I do what I can to be involved in the lives of families. While teaching, I went to student baseball games, football games, theater events, birthday parties and other life events when invited.
I was involved in recruiting teachers for Allentown. I went to a college and interviewed college students. We looked for students who met the needs of our district. I was on panels that recommended hiring people. I appreciated when it was a team approach.
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Other survey responses
Ballotpedia identified the following surveys, interviews, and questionnaires Kearney completed for other organizations. If you are aware of a link that should be added, email us.
See also
2023 Elections
External links
Footnotes
