This spring, multiple seats on Bryan County School Board, including the chair, will be on the ballot. Early voting kicks off April 27 and the General Primary is May 19.

In this next Q+A installment, the Bryan County News spoke to those running for the School Board - District 5 seat, including Bonnie Bhonsle. Those also running for the seat include incumbent David Schwartz and businesswoman Megan Sullivan.

Follow the Bryan County News for more election coverage.

Who: Bonnie Bhonsle, student information specialist

Describe your background for readers.

My name is Bonnie Bhonsle and I am a homeowner in Piercefield Forest. My daughter and I moved to Richmond Hill from Savannah around June 2022. My background consists of Food and Beverage, Insurance, Sales, and Management in the car industry. I was a stay-at-home mom until my daughter started Pre-K around 2021 at which time, I entered the education field. My first position was as a paraprofessional, then secretary and now my position is as an Student Information Specialist.

What inspired you to run for the School Board – District 4 seat, and what qualities would you bring to the role?

Running District 5 for the Board of Education is just a way of giving back to my community. I feel as though it's my responsibility to bring my experience in both education, management, and people relations to the Board of Education.

What do you see as the biggest challenges currently facing our school district, and how would you address them?

Some challenges I've seen from our community is keeping up with the population, infrastructure and forecasting those areas in a timely manner. Transparent budgeting, prioritizing classroom resources, addressing infrastructure needs, and ensuring equitable funding to prevent structural deficits. Effective stewardship requires balancing local property tax revenue with state aid to avoid excessive burdens on taxpayers.

Where do you see the district in 5 years?

Richmond Hill is transforming right before our very eyes. Guiding Richmond Hill towards a prosperous future involves leveraging local assets, fostering community engagement, and enhancing regional cooperation.