Sandy Volpe McCurdy was the only Moon Area School Board candidate nominated by both parties this year and led the balloting in last week's election.

Last night, she made a plea for a more congenial stance for the coming board and proposed that the board members consider creating bipartisan leadership at next month's reorganization meeting.

"As I went door-to-door, one thing I heard consistently was that people wanted this board to work in a more collaborative, cooperative manner," Ms. McCurdy said.

The board has been sharply divided for the past half-decade, mostly because of differing visions for a new high school building. The four-member Republican minority will dwindle on the new board, however: Ben Bonham and Carole Cellini did not run and Mark Limbruner lost the general election. Incumbent Jeff Bussard and newcomer Michael Nagy, who trailed Ms. McCurdy in the election but were in the top four, will be the only survivors in the GOP camp.

Ms. McCurdy said she wanted to raise the issue of bipartisan leadership now, before she is seated, so members "would have some time to think about it."

"This is our chance to establish a new way of doing things," she said.

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