Voters in the Northwestern Lehigh School District are being asked to choose four people from the six candidates seeking seats on the school board in the May 16 primary.

All candidates have cross-filed.

Todd Hernandez and Phil Toll, are seeking to return to the positions they now hold.

Alan L. Rex of Lynn-port says the environment in Washington, D.C., is not forgiving to public education.

“That means we have to be diligent on a local level,” Rex explained. “Policies from the state and Washington, D.C., have to be studied for how they affect local issues.

“If funding is pulled out of local schools, who will be left to educate the children?”

Rex has tried twice for open positions on the school board when a replacement was needed but the positions were given to Don Link and Bill Dellicker.

“Now, it is time to run for election,” Rex said.

His parents were 1966 graduates from Northwestern and he graduated in 1985.

Rex is the father of two sons. One attends Penn State. The other will graduate from Hofstra University this month.

A vice president of the Mid Atlantic Division of Billitier Electric, which does work for Wegmans and Dorney Park, Rex serves on the Curriculum Steering Committee of Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, Schnecksville, to help ensure students will be able to obtain jobs when they graduate.

Jim Warfel, a retired educator with experience as a special-education teacher and supervisor was the first principal at Northwestern Lehigh Middle School.

An Army veteran who served in Vietnam, he earned a doctorate in special education administration from Temple University and a Master’s degree from the College of New Jersey.

He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from LaSalle University in 1971.

Warfel served as an adjunct professor holding faculty positions at Penn State and Lehigh University.

He is a member of the Lynn Heidelberg Historical Society and the Lehigh Valley Community Music School.

Warfel says schools need to offer a wide range of quality programs taking into account the community’s ability to pay.

He and his wife, Mary, who reside in New Tripoli, have two sons.

Marci Handwerk Piescienski of Germansville is a 1988 graduate of Northwestern Lehigh and a 1993 graduate of Kutztown University, where she earned a BSBA in accounting.

This led to corporate accounting and payroll administration, and working as an assistant management coordinator.

She is active in Girls on the Run and Northwestern Elementary fitness, part of the Fit Kids Club.

At present, she is an instructional assistant at the middle school.

Handwerk Piescienski is an active board member of Sons of the Carpenter, a church activity that builds or repairs houses.

She has worked with Northwestern’s professional development and Act 48 committees.

Handwerk Piescienski says her activities give her an understanding of what’s new in education.

She has a daughter who graduated from Northwestern, two sons in the high school and a grandson attending Northwestern Elementary.

Tom Nardone of Lynn Township says he has spent his life as a learner and teacher and toward that end, he has experience as a principal.

“Improving schools can always be better,” Nardone said. “That’s the kind of voice I want heard. I want to make a contribution.”

Nardone said sometimes school boards become political but he does not believe they should.

“They should be beyond politics,” he said.

Nardone says he has had tremendous success with special needs children.

He was chosen twice as an assistant superintendent in Manhattan, N.Y. but with the 9/11 attacks, the job was put on hold.

“The work is in the classrooms,” Nardone said. “The board does not only hire a superintendent.”

Nardone says he supports good charter schools.

“There are difficult problems that need a lot or rethinking. We think of answers and blame someone but we shouldn’t blame the students. If learning is not taking place we have to look at the teaching.

Nardone says he attends school board and workshop meetings and keeps up with the schools online.

“We have a lot to celebrate,” he said.

Todd Hernandez of New Tripoli, who has lived in the school district since 1998, says he wants to give back to the community.

“First and foremost the board job pays well (zero), and I want to see that it goes in the right direction,” Hernandez said.

Hernandez said as soon as his kids were old enough for school, his wife became a coaching assistant for softball, soccer, lacrosse and the field hockey program and is treasurer for the Northwestern Youth Athletic Association.

Hernandez feared it may be an ethics problem to participate but he helps out wherever needed as a cheerleader for the kids.

He said from a taxpayer’s standpoint, the premise of his belief is “you have to stand up and help.”

“If I want a voice I have to volunteer,” Hernandez said. “Schools are evolving. There has to be a happy equilibrium.”

Henandez says he takes an active part in executive sessions and at the committee-as-a-whole meetings where issues are vetted but not voted on.

The issues are discussed at the open board meetings where votes are taken.

Phil Toll of Weisenberg Township, says he wants to continue to represent all residents in the four townships.

He said the public should be periodically informed of the district’s many achievements, issues and how their tax dollars are spent to support educational programs.

“The district does a good job of communicating to the parents but over 60 percent of residents do not hear from the school because they have no children,” Toll said.

He urges residents to send their thoughts and concerns to board members.

“To see that our students have the opportunity to obtain a quality education, I want to support our teachers in having the resources they need to teach and be creative,” Toll said. “It is clear our teachers and students are high achievers based on overall test scores, a high graduation rate and the awards received in academic and athletic events.

“Many board members have unique talents and work experience from small businesses that they can share.

“My background from several large corporations provides me with an opportunity to offer to the administration suggestions with actual experiences from this diversified experience.

“Hopefully these suggestions reduce risks and cost for the district.”