Amanda O’Connor is a Democrat running for CBSD School Board Region 2.
Why do you think you are qualified to effectively represent your community on the school board?
I’m qualified to represent Central Bucks because I bridge the perspectives of educator, parent, taxpayer, small business owner, and community leader. I hold a B.S. in Adolescent Education from St. John’s University and a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Delaware Valley University. I taught high school history in Pennsylvania for over a decade, and I’ve written curriculum approved at the local and national level. As a small business owner with two children in the district, I’m both student-first and understand the importance of being fiscally responsible. I know how to use data, listen to stakeholders, and build consensus so we deliver safe, excellent schools that reflect our community’s values.
Together, these experiences make me uniquely qualified to ensure Central Bucks is the community families want to move to, where home values stay strong, and our schools continue to thrive.
Over the past few years we have seen attempts by some school boards across Bucks County, as well as Pennsylvania and the country, to either unilaterally ban books or make it easier for community members to challenge and have books banned, often by usurping the authority of librarians and administrative leadership. What is your position on book banning and how will you implement policies to support faculty and students?
I oppose blanket book bans. History shows that censoring books and ideas consistently makes societies less free and less capable of critical thinking.
READ: The Quiet Creep of Censorship: How ‘Everyday Banning’ Is Reshaping American Schools
I believe decisions about library materials should be professional, transparent, and age-appropriate—never political. Our job is to set a sound policy, then trust our librarians and educators to apply it. That means robust selection criteria, a clear reconsideration process, and tools that let parents guide their own child’s choices without restricting everyone else’s access.
Decreasing teacher and staff retention is also a growing issue school districts are facing. What is your role in the recruiting, interviewing and hiring process and what role can a school board do to reverse this trend?
The board’s job is policy, budget, and accountability, not individual hires. I’ll set clear retention targets, support paid mentoring and competitive compensation, protect planning time, strengthen behavior supports, and access university partnerships as a hiring pipeline. When educators feel respected, supported, and able to focus on teaching, they stay and our students thrive.
I know how to use data, listen to stakeholders, and build consensus so we deliver safe, excellent schools that reflect our community’s values.
What are the school board’s biggest challenges in the coming months; the next four years?
Our most immediate challenge is rolling out Full-Day Kindergarten in all 15 elementary schools and realigning grades with 6th grade moving to middle school and 9th grade to high school. My focus is on safe, smooth transitions so day one feels organized and student-centered. We also need to be prepared for leadership changes. Depending on the outcomes of the Jamison Elementary employment matters, we may need to recruit and onboard new administrators and set clear expectations for culture, safety, and instructional leadership.
Financially, we must manage unpredictable state and federal funding changes to minimize their effect on our schools. At the same time, several buildings need capital improvements; we’ll phase that work so it doesn’t disrupt learning.
Longer term, we need to measure and close remaining COVID-19 learning gaps with evidence-based supports and keep great teachers and staff.
How will you work with administrators and fellow board members to address the district’s biggest challenges?
I will work with administrators and fellow board members by setting shared goals with measurable milestones and aligning the budget to those priorities—always remembering I was elected to represent the community.
We’ll collaborate professionally, use data to guide decisions, and hold regular check-ins with the superintendent. This approach keeps projects on schedule, classrooms supported, and students first.
CBSD CANDIDATE Q&A’s:
School Board Candidate Q&A: Daniel Kimicata – Central Bucks School District
School Board Candidate Q&A: Katrina Filiatrault – Central Bucks School District
