Meet the Board of Education Candidates

Responses received from our GTA survey. 

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 Timestamp What is your name and how long have you lived in the district? What qualities/strengths will you bring to the Board of Education? What are the priorities, as you see it, for the Guilderland School District over the next three years? What are the biggest challenges facing Guilderland CSD and how would you address them? As a member of the Board of Education, how would you view your role in working with the district’s administration and staff?

4/29/2012 18:53:04 Catherine A Barber, 20 years I served two terms on the Guilderland SchoolI served two terms on the Board of Education, 2005-2011. I was Vice President from 2009-11; served on many committees, and was liason to five different schools. Prior to serving on the board, I was a member of the citizens’ budget advisory committee for many years (beginning in 1995). I also served on the FMS building cabinet and as a volunteer writing tutor at Lynnwood. I have been active in the PTA and the Music Parents’ Association. Currently I have two children in college, both Guilderland graduates. I am an appellate attorney affiliated with a Guilderland-based law firm. I also play violin in the Schenectady Symphony, am a member of American Federation of Musicians Albany Local #14, and serve as chairperson of the orchestra musicians’ committee. * My priorities are to maintain, and enhance whenever possible, our excellent educational program. I support and encourage flexibility and creativity in teaching and learning. I believe that it will take real commitment, in light of current State trends towards toward more extensive curriculum standardization and emphasis on high stakes testing, to maintain a rich and varied program in the best educational interest of our students. * The economy is the biggest challenge facing this District, and every other school. There is no easy answer to this problem. In general, I favor increasing opportunity for community members and staff to be involved in the budget process. In the 1990’s, staff participated along with community members on the citizens’ budget review committee. Perhaps re-instituting a more in-depth discussion format such as CBRC would be beneficial in generating budgetary ideas. * As a two-term board member, I very much valued having good working relationships with both administrators and staff. The board works closely with district office administration, and I respected their expertise and advice, even if I did not always agree with every recommendation. *

 

  
  
  
  
  
  

4/29/2012 19:04:00 Christine Hayes, approximately 20 years As a graduate of the Guilderland Central School District and a certified teacher who has worked in the District, I will bring the unique perspective of both Guilderland student and teacher to the Board of Education. I believe that it is essential for board members to be cognizant of how the decisions they make impact those in the schools. My experiences learning and working in the District will enable me to fulfill this role. As a board member, I will work hard to represent the interests of students and educators in our schools.

In addition to my work in education, I am also licensed to practice law in both New York and Massachusetts. Currently, I am employed by Questar III to develop training programs for public schools to meet the legal requirements of the Dignity for All Students Act (NYS anti-discrimination/anti-harassment legislation that takes effect July 1, 2012). This work has given me great insight into the issues of discrimination, harassment, and bullying in schools. My knowledge of this new educational law may benefit the Guilderland CSD in development and adoption of its own training programs.

Finally, my educational and legal background has given me the ability to objectively view issues from many different perspectives and explore creative solutions. I am a hardworking, dedicated, team player with the intrinsic desire to help maintain the quality of education offered in Guilderland.

 Guilderland is a school district rich with academic and extracurricular opportunities. As a board member, it will be my priority to preserve these invaluable opportunities in light of the current economic climate. As a student of the district, I was fortunate enough to benefit from the vast array of sports, clubs, and performing arts offered in Guilderland. I will aim to preserve these programs so that current and future students will have the same opportunity to explore their interests. Additionally, as a board member, I will make it a priority to keep tax increases at a minimum. The biggest challenge facing the Guilderland CSD is the economy. It is no secret that we have fallen on tough economic times. However, in light of the economic reality that surrounds us, it is important for the Guilderland community to work together for the good of our students. Therefore, it is our duty to maintain the programs offered in Guilderland by exploring all possible cost-cutting mechanisms. To truly achieve the best outcome, it is vital for ALL interested parties (students, teachers, administrators, staff, board members, and community members, etc.) to engage in open discussions about the challenges facing the district. Compromise will be an essential element of this shared decision-making process.

As a member of the Board of Education, I will work cooperatively with the district’s administration and staff. It is important to listen objectively to all viewpoints and make informed decisions. As previously stated, we have fallen on tough economic times and, therefore, it is imperative to work collaboratively as a team in developing solutions to the issues that face our great district.
 
  
  
  
  
  
  

4/29/2012 19:08:24 Jennifer Charron
Resident of GCSD for 6 yrs		 I have 14 yrs experience as an elected member of the board of directors on the local, state and national level of a non-profit, so I’m well versed in budgets, policy, leadership and coalition-building. I grew up in a NYS public school district (Baldwinsville), and since the 1990s, I have lived in 6 different public school districts and bring innovation and best practices to the GCSD. My experience in sales and marketing and my knowledge of government contracting will help the district raise revenue from outside sources. And the strongest quality I have is a vested interest in the quality of education my own children receive while attending Guilderland schools to best prepare them for college and their future. When my youngest child was at Lynnwood, I volunteered to read and assisted in the Library. With both children playing musical instruments, I have aided the FMS orchestra and band leaders for field trips and concerts. I was a member of the CBAC for 3 yrs and have participated in both of the past two Community Budget Forums. I have 2 yrs experience on the GCSD Green Task Force, and with my PR and marketing skills have more than doubled our revenue for the Recycling Events from $700 for the first event to $1800 for the one last fall (and hopefully even more for the 4/28/12 event). My priority for the GCSD over the next 3 yrs is to build up our position as a top school in the state because the education of ALL of our students comes first whether they want to go on after graduation to a local business, the military, vocational school or college: (1) support the special education services and enrichment needed by students in the district to give every student the opportunities they need to excel; (2) encourage evolution of curriculum to embrace STEM and the realities of the 21st Century workplace (for example, for the same reasons high schools don’t teach shorthand anymore, we should embrace the reality of local employers like the chip fab plant and CNSE, and teach programming classes for students that create websites or apps for the smart phones in their pockets); (3) maintain and grow the number of college prep and AP courses, since the few hundred dollars spent on these classes by parents is so much cheaper than what it would cost to take these courses in a college and may help those students save a year of expensive tuition dollars. It is well known that one of the biggest challenges facing the GCSD is managing the 25% of the budget that we have control over to get the best value of the money we spend. Also, the taxpayers are dealing with lost jobs, falling property values, and taxes increasing every year. We need to conduct a cost benefit analysis for every major item on the budget. We need to take a look at other school districts – even those outside of NYS – and see how they innovate and get the best value for their dollars. Another big challenge is the apathy of the residents to vote in the elections and to come and participate in opportunities to effect change in the district. In the days of the CBAC, nearly 100 people were in the room every meeting, but since then, we’ve been lucky to even have 40 people participate each time. Maybe the residents believe that the BOE during the early years of the Recession wouldn’t listen to their wishes, so maybe the residents have given up. We need to rebuild that trust, provide complete transparency to our residents of all financials so they can understand how we spend their tax dollars, and do more community- and coalition-building. And we need to do a better job marketing our district versus other top districts in the area to bring in more families to grow our enrollment. As a member of the BOE, I view my role in working with the district’s administration and staff as collaborative!!! The district employees receive continuing ed, professional development and trade information on the newest technology and great innovation in working their trade. Their ideas is of the utmost importance to the BOE to ensure our district is ever evolving and always innovating. Plus, the diverse skills set of the 9 members of the BOE brings the proper complement to the perfect team to help our students exceed. This collaboration can help us all invest in our students, phase out older, more costly ways we did business, and guaranty the best value in education here in Guilderland.
 
  
  
  
  
  
  

5/1/2012 Emilio Genzano Resident since 1988 I have been appointed to the Board of education for three one year terms. Qualities that I have brought to the Board are persistence and problem solving. I am very proud of this district and to have been part of the Friends of Guilderland Athletics. I have a construction and management background. I am presently employed as an assistant vice president of engineering and construction at Albany Medical Center. Education has always been important in my family. My parents immigrated from Italy to the US in 1956. It was their mission to make sure my sister and I received an education. I have made this my mission as well with my three children to the best of mine and their abilities. As a district we must set our top priority to educate our children to the best of their abilities whether it is for college, military service or the workforce. We must be able to adapt to the constraints of the Education system and the ever changing technology environment. I would like to continue to look for ways to have district members participate in solutions such as FOGA (Friends of Guilderland Athletics). I would like to expand that concept to include more extra curricular activities. Change is necessary but it is not always accepted. I have viewed my role as helping with change. It is important that the staff and administration have a comfort level with the BOE. While we have different perspectives because of our roles, we must find that level of understanding. We are involved because we value education and the positive influences it has on our children. Just as my parents worked so hard so that my sister and I attained a good education, I want to do the same for not only my children but for all of our families. I want to work for having PTA meetings that have many participants like when I was growing up. I want to promote more parent support for the staff so that they can do what they do best, teach. I want to help inspire staff to continue to think outside the box for delivering education to our children. I don't have all the answers but I will work with community members and staff and administration to find them.

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