Incumbent Maggie Cook, Robert Haag, Daniel Hardesty, Robert Izzo, Linda O’Brien, and Don Schutz are running in the nonpartisan general election for three at-large seats on the Mentor Exempted Village School District school board on Nov. 4, 2025.

The candidates are divided into two slates: the first including two Democratic-affiliated candidates (Cook and Haag) and one nonpartisan candidate (Hardesty), and the second including three Republican-affiliated candidates (Izzo, O’Brien, and Schutz, also known as Team ISO).

Heading into the election, one Democratic-affiliated, two Republican-affiliated, and two nonpartisan officeholders served on the board. The two nonpartisan officeholders had either been endorsed by progressive organizations in previous elections or taken progressive stances during past school board votes, effectively giving the board a 3-2 progressive majority. Two of the five board seats, held by Rose Ioppolo (Republican-affiliated) and Lauren Marchaza (nonpartisan), are not up for election this year. If the Cook, Haag, and Hardesty slate wins election, there will continue to be a progressive majority on the board. If the Team ISO slate wins election, there will be a conservative majority.

While Cook, Haag, and Hardesty do not have a joint campaign website or platform, the three have appeared together at charity events and Meet & Greets. Shared priorities include academic excellence, safety, and excluding what they say are “personal political agenda[s]” from school board meetings.

• Cook is a speech language pathologist at Chardon Schools. She was elected to the school board in 2021 and has been board president since 2024. Cook says she “believes in academic achievement for all learners, career exploration and training to prepare students for careers of their choice, and safe school practices that apply to both mental health and physical safety.”
• Haag is retired but says he has 30 years involvement with the school district as a student, teacher, principal, and board office administrator. He says, “Let’s build schools where curiosity leads, focus guides, and experience delivers,” which includes supporting “project-based learning, creative classrooms, and the thoughtful use of AI … [and] focusing on what we’re elected to do: set policy, oversee budgets, and make sure every student can learn and grow.”
• Hardesty is a claims supervisor with Progressive Insurance. He says, “If elected, my focus will be threefold: academic excellence, student safety, and fiscal responsibility. … I bring a collaborative, results-driven mindset that focuses on solutions. I’m committed to working respectfully with all members of the board and the community, keeping our students’ best interests at the forefront.”

The Team ISO slate says it will “Return to: Common Sense Decisions, Respect for Taxpayer Dollars by Cutting Waste, [and] Higher Standards in Academics, Safety and Discipline.” This includes ensuring “decisions are in alignment with the values of our community, not outside influences … cutting bloated contracts and excessive administrative salaries – not services that directly impact students … [and applying] uniform discipline policies that treat all students equally.”

• Izzo is chief deputy of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. He says, “I am the only candidate for this position with expertise in school safety and security and the background in working with a large scale publicly funded budget. … I will use that perspective to … help the board be good stewards of the valuable taxpayer dollars which support our schools.”
• O’Brien is retired and previously worked as a management change consultant/officer at Progressive Insurance. She says she would prioritize “Academic Excellence by focusing on the Basics, Character Skill building by balancing accountability and rewards, Preparing Students for Success by broadening the curriculum. teaching to individual learning style and providing an engaging and fun environment.”
• Schutz is retired, having previously taught and coached at West Geauga Local Schools and Mentor Exempted Village School District. He says, “I will support strong administrative leadership to enforce existing [disciplinary] policies and create a culture that values order, respect, and learning for all students. … I believe in top-to-bottom collaboration and a renewed focus on staff morale. When educators feel supported, students thrive. … I bring proven, hands-on experience to lead real change.”

To read Ballotpedia’s 2023 coverage of the Mentor Exempted Village School District school board election, click here.