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School Board candidate Kathy Paspalis, flanked by her 14-year-old twins, Megan and Matthew, with the hosting Chabola family in the back from. From left, Janet and Janet Chabola, their daughter Janice Beighey, daughter-in-law Kim Chabola, son Casey Chabola. Photo, Kayla Chabola.
Isn’t the ultimate compliment for a candidate to win open-faced support not only from colleagues but rivals?
As the flame is turned up on November’s race for three seats on the School Board – either four days or 11 days before the filing deadline – Board President Kathy Paspalis welcomed both types of backers to her latest Meet ‘n Greet yesterday, at Jerry and Janet Chabola’s school-adjacent home.
If the field is not bulging, with five openly declared and more anticipated, it is sizable, and Ms. Paspalis is working industriously to repeat her victory of four years ago.
She is not making any assumptions or substitutes for perspiration.
First-time candidate Steve Levin was a prominent well-wisher in the leafy residential neighborhood on a flawless summer afternoon.
“Since Kathy has been on the School Board,” said Mr. Levin, “she has tried to do the right thing. I have agreed with her on most of what she has tried to do.
“Sometimes it is difficult to accomplish what you want to do because you don’t get to choose. You have to work for a consensus. I hope to be on the School Board with Kathy. I think I can work well with her , and we can get a lot done.”
The only flame-haired visitor in the pro-Paspalis crowd was her running mate on the School Board the past two years, Laura Chardiet.
“What most people don’t realize about Kathy,” said Ms. Chardiet, “is that she is an incredibly hard worker.
“She has an amazingly disciplined work ethic.
“She always is fully prepared for Board meetings. She consistently goes beyond what is expected of a Board member.
“The public may not realize that besides public meetings, you are asked to participate on panels when new persons are being hired. Kathy always is the first person in line to volunteer to participate,” Ms. Chardiet said.
Hostess Janet Chabola said she has been impressed by Ms. Paspalis’s compassion ever since she entered public life. “She totally believes in what she is doing for all of the kids. It is not about her. Everyone pays lip service to ‘working for the kids,’ but not many actually do it. They are in it for whatever political gain they can make. Kathy is not.”
