I went to the open forum to hear what the people running for Rondout Board of Education. This is an important time because, although we managed to keep a school open this year, this will be pursued for next year and we want thoughtful people doing it. First I will present their introductions and then the answers to two of the questions I had time for (would you vote in favor of closing an elementary school & what do you see as the weaknesses of this year's budget)
Here is the slate and what they said:
Incumbents:
Pam Longley: Single mother with a son in Jr. High at Rondout. Strong appreciation of the importance of public primary education. Feels she worked hard for the last two terms and has work to complete, primary with the technology committee.
Kent Anderson: Been on the board for the past 6 years and prior to that for three years. Lived in our district for 29 years. He feels this has given him a lot of experience and insight into how the board functions, what prorams re essential, and what the community is willing to pay. He is critical of the Race to the Top and its impact on education. He wants to see a more integrated curriculum.
James Ayers: Previous taught here and is now retired and serving as a substitute teacher in Onteora. He went through the education to be a certified administrator but has not been one. He feel he has a strong connection to the senior citizens in our community and understands their concerns. He is also a bee keeper.
New candidates:
Peri Rainbow: Her daughter is in Rondout High School and she has been in the district for 15 years. She has been an active parent, teaches at SUNY New Paltz, and is a psycho-therapist in trauma care. She believes in stong parent involvement, an inclusive not exclusive model. She is not afraid to put new ideas forward.
Jim Blair: A resident since 1983. No ties to the district as a parent etc. Was a commercial litigator handling complex statewide assessment. He is a member of the property tax reform task force whose focus is on finding alternative revenues for schools.
Questions:
Would you vote in favor of closing an elementary school?
Anderson: This needs to be viewed as a k-12 issue, understand how this impacts students and understand parents wishes. I would need more time and information to decide.
Ayers: Agrees with Anderson, adding we are not ready to make this decision; this needs to be studied more.
Longley: Agrees with above, we need more time.
Blair: Given the declining enrollment for years, he questions why the BOE started looking at this so late. They could have started sooner and had the time this year.
Rainbow: She was impressed wiht the involvement of community members in this process. She does not know if a school needs to be closed. There are many creative solutions that should be looked at as this process effects us all.
What do you see as the weaknesses in this year's budget?
Longley: She is unhappy that the field trips were cut. She feels with more time they could have tightened more. She is concerned about how staff cuts affect us economically and in our inclusion classes.
Anderson: He is concerned about taking so much of the fund balance this year. He feels that class sizes are getting too large and the cutting of field trips. He wishes there was better communication between the budget committee and the rest of the board.
Ayers: Feels we are getting rid of useful employees and does not like the increase in class sizes.
Rainbow: Feels the process lacked creativity, there are ways of keeping program and keeping classes smaller with more partnering and innovation.
Blair: Does not support the 4% increase when the rest of government had to make reductions.
My take you ask? (I will tel you even if you did not). While there are people I think should not be on the BOE anymore, none of them are up for reelection right now. I feel good about the three incumbents. That said, I think Rainbow would also make a great addition and if she doe not get it this year I hope for our sake she tries again next year. I respect Blair's cost cutting attitude but I feel confident that this is already well represented in the existing board. We need more innovation, less bottom line. They both can get a lower budget but the former will also make ours a better school.
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