Email Announcing My Run for Re-Election and Budget Vote Information

Apologies for this long mass email, but I wanted to let you all know that I am running for re-election as a Trustee of the Dobbs Ferry Board of Education. I'm proud of the exciting things that our district has accomplished in my nine years on the Board, but there is still work to be done. In addition, we are now facing significant fiscal, educational and safety challenges presented by the coronavirus pandemic. I believe my experience and perspective can help us navigate through these uncertain times and I look forward to being a part of our district's continued progress.

The BOE Election and School District Budget Vote will be conducted BY MAIL-IN ABSENTEE BALLOTS ONLY. All registered voters in the district will receive return-postage-paid absentee ballots that must be received by the district by June 9. The BOE election this year is a contested election, so it's important that everyone make an effort to vote by filling out the absentee ballot that you receive in the mail and returning it by mail right away. (If your mail is delayed and you're worried about your ballot making it back to the district by June 9, we plan to have a secure drop box for ballots to be returned in person, set up outside the HS gym during the day on June 9, with physical distancing and safety measures strictly enforced.) 

I also urge you to vote "YES" on the District Budget. For the 9th year in a row, this budget stays within the NY Tax Cap. Due to cuts in State Aid from NY State and other normal revenue sources (as a result of the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic), the BOE and administration have carefully trimmed the budget in an effort to protect the integrity of our most important instructional programs while minimizing the impact on our taxpayers. Because our fiscal year begins on July 1, this year there will be no time to put forth an alternative budget if this one fails to pass. Rather, we would be forced to adopt a "Contingency Budget" that would lead to substantial teacher layoffs and cuts to programs. So, this year in particular, it is vitally important that we all support our schools and our children by voting YES on the Budget.

Most of you know me well enough to know what I have been doing as a member of the BOE and the ways I've been involved in our schools for many years (including as one of the co-founders of SPRING Community Partners). But just in case, here are some things you should know about me:

Accomplishments and areas of focus while on the BOE for 9 years:

• elected by my fellow BOE members to a board leadership position for 4 years (3 as President, 1 as Vice President);

• immersed myself in education issues at the local, state and federal levels and brought lessons learned back to the BOE and district:
• Westchester-Putnam Schools Boards Association (WPSBA), Board of Directors (2017-present) and DF liaison (2012-present). Through WPSBA I've stayed apprised of regional trends and issues, been involved in advocacy efforts on behalf of our region's public schools, and helped plan programming for member districts. WPSBA has asked me to conduct trainings for new school board members for the last 3 years in a row;
• completed the Education Policy Fellowship Program, a year-long joint program of the Institute for Educational Leadership and Columbia University Teachers College;
• attended conferences and trainings of the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA); recipient of NYSSBA's "School Board U" Board Mastery, Board Excellence, and Board Achievement Awards; invited to speak (together with Superintendent Lisa Brady) about school start times and adolescent sleep at 2016 NYSSBA Convention.

• advocated for the district's change to a later morning start time in the Middle School and High School, based on research linking later school start times to improved student health and academic performance;

• building on my work with SPRING Community Partners, championed the issue of equity in our schools to make sure that our district serves the needs of all types of students. This has resulted in expanded academic supports for economically disadvantaged children, data analysis at all three schools to monitor academic progress, and increased staff awareness of the different types of challenges that some of our students face outside of school.

• highlighted the importance of a teaching staff that reflects the diversity of our community, leading to our district studying this issue and organizing the Rivertowns Diversity Career Fair, now an annual event aimed at broadening the pool of applicants for teaching positions in the Rivertowns;

• prioritized student wellness, improving school culture and mental health awareness. This led to our change to later school start times, mentioned above, as well as a district-wide re-examination of homework practices, class schedules, and awards and competitions. As part of this work, we will be partnering with Challenge Success, a research-based program that brings together administrators, teachers, parents and students to re-imagine our definition of student success and improve student health, engagement and motivation;

• worked to expand and modernize district communications, including live-streaming BOE meetings, maintaining a robust social media presence, e-newsletters, and regular "advertorials" in the Rivertowns Enterprise;

• focused on improving BOE operations, such as written BOE/Superintendent Protocols, written guidelines for the orientation of new BOE members, updating our systems for the annual Superintendent Evaluation and Board Self-Evaluation, and maintaining an effective committee system.

District highlights over the last 9 years:

• expanded access to the IB Program by increasing IB course and Diploma Program participation in grades 11-12, and by adopting the IB Middle Years Program for all students in grades 6-10;

• embarked on a 1-to-1 technology initiative, providing all students in grades 4-12 with access to their own device and training teachers so that technology is incorporated into classrooms carefully, effectively, and appropriately. This gave us a "head start" compared to many other districts when schools were forced to close due to the coronavirus pandemic because we could quickly and smoothly transition to distance learning. In addition, we have provided more than 200 additional Chromebook computers to some of our K-3 students whose families had technology needs.

• made significant improvements to facilities, including a new MS/HS cafeteria, turf fields, tennis courts, new science labs, air conditioning parts of Springhurst and the High School, and new MS/HS library; with the Capital Project approved by voters last year, we will soon be seeing a renovated and air-conditioned MS/HS Auditorium, a new Springhurst library, refurbished softball field, complete air conditioning at Springhurst and the High School, and a new sidewalk to Springhurst, among many other things;

• kept tax increases low and passed school budgets that have stayed within the NY State Tax Cap every year since its inception in 2011;

• retained a stable and highly accomplished administrative team, including our Superintendent Dr. Lisa Brady for 9 years and counting; I firmly believe that this is a testament to a well functioning Board of Education.

If you have any questions, about me as a BOE candidate or about this year's School Budget, please feel free to reach out. I'd love to hear your goals for the district, your thoughts, your concerns, and also how you are doing during this most difficult time.

I hope I can count on your support -- both for me and for the School Budget -- in the upcoming ABSENTEE BALLOT ONLY election. Please watch your mail for your ballot and send it in right away; ballots must be received in the District office by 5:00pm on Tuesday, June 9. 

If you feel comfortable, please forward this email to your own DF friends whom I might not know or post something on Facebook. And if you feel like writing a letter to the editor of the Enterprise, that's even better! The deadline is Monday at 12:00pm and the email address is editor@rivertownsenterprise.net.

Thanks in advance for your help, and sending you my best wishes for good health and safety during these uncertain times.