THE GENERAL ELECTION IS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2025.
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Stow Collaboration for Change endorses Tina Merlitti for the Stow-Munroe Falls Board of Education (SMF BoE). Raised in Stow, Ohio and a current resident of Munroe Falls, Tina has extensive experience in school safety, government finance, and school facilities. Tina has been serving a partial term on the BoE since January 2025 after filling a board vacancy left after Nancy Binzel’s resignation. We had the opportunity to connect with Tina to discuss her experience, campaign, and stance on important issues.
Follow Tina’s campaign on Facebook at Tina Merlitti. You can donate to Tina’s campaign at tinamerlitti.com. Interested in volunteering? Email tinamerlitti@gmail.com!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Introduce Yourself
Why did you decide to run for the Board of Education (BoE)?
I have two children currently attending school in the district. I see being on the school board as a great opportunity to use my experience in school safety, government finance and school facilities to help grow our district into the school district of choice for the area.
We have several amazing programs that give our students the opportunity to be ahead of the game when they leave to pursue college and a future career. I would like to see us continue to expand these programs and ensure that we provide a safe learning environment for our children.
What accomplishments are you most proud of during your time on the BoE thus far?
We have put our record retention system on the right track to provide for transparency of public records. We have rewritten the credit card policy to include more safeguards for taxpayer dollars. We are working towards professional standards for hiring and dismissal of district staff that are not under contract. We are working on improvements to the website and other outreach effort through our new Public Relations Coordinator.
What are your priorities, if you are elected?
I see a great opportunity to raise the level of professionalism in our schools so that our district can be the best it can possibly be. I have spent 28 years writing policies and procedures for Summit County. I want to provide a fair and safe work environment for our employees so they can help our children reach their highest potential.
My priorities if elected would be to establish a framework through policies and procedures that would provide safe and equitable working conditions for staff and students. I will look for creative solutions for cost savings and funding for our district. I will work to improve communication between the public and the school district through proper records management and increased public relations.
What should voters know about your background and qualifications? What makes you a good fit for this role?
I grew up in Stow and now live in Munroe Falls. I have 28 years of public service, including 10 years of working on facility safety plans for all of the schools in Summit County. I served for 7 years on Akron City Council. In that time, I was the Finance Chair during the 2008 Recession and served as Vice-President. I served on the Akron Public Schools Facilities Committee for the building of 23 buildings. I was President and Government Committee Chair for the League of Women Voters of the Akron Area.
What are the most important things the Board needs to be focused on?
We need to focus on policies and future funding. We need to ensure that our staff works in a fair and professional environment. We need to make sure their needs are met so they can provide their very best effort for the school community.
We need to look at how we are spending the money we have and research to see if there are ways to be more efficient. We also need to look at all of the possible ways we can legally fund the school and explore new avenues to meet the needs.
What challenges do you foresee and how do you plan to meet them?
We need to protect equal public education as a right that every citizen has in this country. We need to work on creative local strategies to make up for the shortfalls in state and federal funding. We need to continue to put policies and procedures in place to offer a work environment that protects the rights of everyone working for the school district. We need to work on internal cost-saving measures and build a strategic plan for the future that outlines our goals.
How do you imagine a better Stow-Munroe Falls? What does this look like for students, faculty, staff — and the greater community?
We want people to have open communication and collaborate with students, staff, and the community. I would like a system where everyone is a co-creator, which will allow us to have a system that meets everyone’s needs.
We need to look at all of the moving parts of the organization and create an environment of belonging so people feel that they are stakeholders in our Bulldog family. We have to understand how everyone can work together.
Policy & Important Issues
District policies, like the antiracism policy, and DEI initiatives, like the DEI Committee, have been suspended in the past year due to Trump’s Executive Order. How do you plan to uphold a commitment to an equitable, anti-racist, and inclusive environment in the district?
I believe that every person should be treated with respect. I was brought up to love my neighbor as myself. It is our job to educate the children of this community so they can pursue their dream and be the best person they can be. We will encourage them to be responsible citizens so they may give back to the community. We need to continue to have open communication and seek feedback from our staff and students and collaborate with them to address any challenges.
Why is it important for BoE members to support mental health initiatives and anti-bullying policies? How do you plan to support mental health initiatives and anti-bullying policies if elected?
Providing for the health and wellbeing of our students allows them to focus their energy on learning in a safe and supportive environment. We will continue to provide a safe environment for them to grow into responsible citizens.
The Board of Education passed a Pride Month Resolution in 2022. How do you plan to honor, uphold, and even expand the commitments outlined in that resolution?
I appreciate resolutions that support groups in our school family, but the current Federal Guidelines will prevent us from continuing this practice. We need to continue to support all of our students and staff so they feel safe so they can focus on the learning and teaching experience. We need to continue to put policies and procedures in place that can ensure that everyone in our organization is treated with dignity and respect.
Today’s climate presents increasing challenges for vulnerable student populations. How will you advocate for and support students of color, LGBTQIA+ students, students with disabilities, and other marginalized groups?
We need an environment where everyone whose voices need to be heard can feel safe to participate in school success and growth. We need to reinforce positive views and feelings regarding the school system by fostering a culture of respect for all.
With public education funding facing threats at both the state and federal levels, how will you face these attacks and advocate for fair and adequate public school funding?
As a past president of the League of Women Voters of the Akron Area, school funding has always been a top priority. It is unfortunate that our state and federal leaders do not see education as a fundamental right that we should provide to our children. Without fair and equal education, we cannot provide an educated workforce for our state.
We cannot see our children flourish and improve our society if they must struggle paycheck to paycheck. I will continue to lobby our state and local government for the necessary funds. I will also work with our community partners to find creative solutions for filling the funding gaps.
We need to encourage the community to connect with our schools. We need to create a sense of belonging for the entire community and encourage engagement so they want to support the school and the students. We need to communicate all of the positive things that are going on with our staff and students, and we need to get community input on what the community needs from their school system.
The separation between church and state is a fundamental concept in our Constitution which I have sworn to uphold. However, we must follow the law and we will work to find the balance between our differing beliefs so we can put education first. We are currently working on how to implement the state law in a way that keeps our children safe.
Do you support continued student representation on the BoE? Why or why not?
I support having a student representative. The student perspective has been very helpful in understanding how the programs we have put in place work in real life. I also believe it is a good learning experience for the student representative.
Some people in the community feel that members of the BoE should be completely non-partisan. What are your thoughts on this?
The School Board should remain non-partisan. Keeping the School Board non-partisan allows for a wide variety of candidates to participate in the way we run our schools.