001I have combined similar questions by topic and I will ask these questions in a way that I hope will give you an opportunity to better know the candidates' positions. To the candidates, thank you for participating this evening. I'm just going to review the format for all of you so that the community also understands. You will have 2 minutes for opening and closing statements and those will be asked of you in the order that you appear on the ballot. Each of you will have 2 minutes for your opening introductory statement and 2 minutes for a closing statement. The questions from the community, however, will be rotated so that each of you will be able to answer a question first and you will also have 2 minutes for those questions. All of you will answer each of
002those questions and I am happy to repeat a question for you. I'd also like to remind you of two things. It's important to watch the timekeeper who will hold up the yellow card to let you know when there's 30 seconds and then the red card when time is up. Uh we will try to adhere strictly to that just because there are so many of you and um we do have the time frame. So, when you see the 30-second card, please begin to shut down your last statement. The other is that while you're free to speak on how you and your platform ideas and viewpoints might differ from others, I'm asking that you be respectful and do not call out or criticize a specific person. So, we are now going right to the opening statements. And
003the first opening statement for 2 minutes is from Dr. Ruby Belton. Please go ahead. You just need to unmute, Dr. Belton. To my mother, father, and every mother and father within earshot of my voice. I'm going to move at a fast clip. All is well. I come as a parent, grandparent, neighbor, and friend. I am a more power to the parent advocate. Listen to the order. Dual role board member, represent concerns of citizens, taxpayers, and parents. To school administrators, represent needs of students. To citizens, taxpayers, parents of the community. Those will be my orders. I will carry them out. You notice the parent is always listed last in each one of those assignments. I will not forget you. Reinventing the wheel and its components is not needed for successful education of your child. It is
004called to realign and to readjust and to allow concerned parents to work hand in hand but not at the bottom of the tier but at the top of the tier in educating your child. You, the parent, should be at the top of the food chain. Why? Because the parent and the child are one. You are linked. You are conjoined. The basis of all life on Earth is plants. The basis of survival of this education system rests with the parent. The parent knows the trajectory of the child. The parent and the child are inextricably linked and perpetually conjoined no matter what the age. And I'm going to move to the last page. Put the parent at the top of the food chain, the top of the tier. Listen. They know the child. Hand the steering wheel
005to the child, to the parent. Not when things go wrong, but give it to them all the time and then the entire five tier teachers association, PTSA, parents, school board, and the principal, and all of the rest work together for the benefit of that one child and that parent who should be at the top. Thank you. And I approve this message because I wrote it. Thank you. Mr. Jeff Casey, you get to have 2 minutes for your opening statement as well. You need to unmute as well. Thank you, PTSA, and thank you, Sherry, for hosting uh the event this evening for all the candidates. My name's Jeff Casey. My wife and I have two children, an 8-year-old at Park Road and a 5-year-old at Christ Clarion who's excited to join kindergarten in the fall. I'm
006an attorney. I spent the first 10 plus years of my career with a law firm in town called Ward Greenberg, first as an associate attorney and then as a partner. I'm currently a senior counsel in the legal department at Xerox. I'm running because I believe that as an attorney, I'll bring a unique perspective to the board. In particular, I've developed the following skills during my career that I believe would be a benefit to the board and the district as a whole. Strong civil advocacy on behalf of clients, experience interpreting complex laws and regulations, knowledge of legislative process, creative problem-solving skills, and successful collaboration with individuals and groups with often divergent views and interests. My interest in serving on the board of education goes back several years, but really peaked in 2017 when the board and
007the district were looking at implementing full-day kindergarten for the first time. I started attending board meetings and I realized I was interested in the business of the board far beyond uh kindergarten programming including district policies, curriculum, capital projects, and governance. This year I've attended the budget workshops and the board meetings and I've met with current and former board members and administrators from Pittsford and other districts to better understand the role of a board member. I believe that the board's ability to represent the best interests of the students and the community at large is strengthened when it's comprised of members of a variety of backgrounds and experiences. As an attorney, I hope to add a unique perspective that is not yet represented on the board and I hope to earn your vote on May 18th. Thank
008you. Thank you. Next in ballot order is Ms. Jen Canning. 2 minutes opening statement. Good evening. My name is Jen Canning. I use she/her pronouns and I thank the P- PTSA for hosting this event as well as those who are watching and actively engaging in this important decision-making process. I've been an active participant, collaborator, and leader in our Pittsford schools and community for the past 16 years and I'm excited to consider a new role as Board of Education member. I'm a parent of two children in the district, 8th and 11th grades, and through their activities, I've been connected to the programming and the people of our schools through music ensembles and plays, scouts, and academic teams. I was Community Service Chair for Jefferson Road Elementary for 7 years and I'm serving my sixth year as
009District PTSA Co-Liaison for the Urban-Suburban Program. I've enjoyed utilizing my fundraising, volunteer management, and event organizing skills to bring our community together through the Kicks for Campers kickball tournament fundraiser for the past 4 years. I possess many skills that translate to being a strong board member. I'm a trained social worker who connects people to a variety of services and providers and acts as an information processor of vital knowledge from sectors like healthcare, housing, employment, and education. I also spend a lot of time as an active listener, listening to learn as opposed to listening to respond. I have been an educator in a variety of settings from discussing causes of homelessness and cultural competency with volunteers to presenting to business leaders and policymakers on early brain development in young children to my current role as program
010manager and instructor at Nazareth College leading experiential learning seminars and teaching a course in academic and college success. Being a voice for kids is important to me. I am an advocate for children in our schools and our community. I have met with county and state legislators here in New York supporting the Children's Agenda, a local nonpartisan advocacy group, and educating lawmakers on the need for more resources for childcare and early intervention services. These experiences will inform my work as a board member in ensuring our district receives the resources it needs for our teachers and our kids. I have the skills, experience, and knowledge to be an effective and collaborative board member supporting our district teachers and children and I would appreciate your vote. Thank you. Thank you. Ms. Sarah Pelusio, your 2 minutes, please. Good
011evening. I am Sarah Pelusio. I'm a lifelong resident of Pittsford with roots going back 100 years in our community. Longtime residents may remember my family's grocery store that was a fixture on Main Street for many decades, Burdett's Food Market. The Burdett family has a legacy of service in our town. My ancestors prided themselves on giving back to their community and it is my wish to carry on this tradition in service to Pittsford schools as a member of the Pittsford Board of Education. My husband, David, and I are graduates of Pittsford Sutherland High School. I hold a BA in Hospitality Management from RIT. Our three children currently attend Allen Creek Elementary School. We live in Pittsford for tradition, for legacy, and for excellence in education. I currently serve as the president of Pittsford Central PTSA. I
012became involved in the association when my oldest child was beginning her educational journey through PCSD several years ago. Over time, I have held numerous positions in PTSA and on many Pittsford schools committees including District Planning Team, Instructional Leadership Council, Reopening Scenario Planning Committee, and District Advocacy Team. Since the onset of the global pandemic, I have fought tirelessly with our district leaders to ensure that our students are receiving the best possible educational experience that we can provide. Through my various committee work, I have seen firsthand the district's commitment to its mission to inspire and prepare our students to be their best, do their best, and make a difference in the lives of others. Working collaboratively with our district stakeholders and local government agencies, we have advocated for guidance that would allow us to return to our
013fully in-school education system that we have developed for years to become known as best practice. I fully support our district's equity initiative and was fortunate to partake in the equity training with Generation Ready. I recognize that everyone has been impacted by the circumstances of the global pandemic. I am pleased to know that our district is taking the steps towards addressing mental health needs, learning gaps, and social emotional development. If elected to the Board of Education, I pledge to continue the collaborative nature in which Pittsford schools have operated for many years. Together, we can accomplish our goals and provide the best quality education for all Pittsford students. I look forward to the opportunity to answer your questions here tonight. Thank you. Thank you. Next, we have Ms. Renee Sanchez-Kazakis for your 2-minute opening statement, please. Good
014evening, everyone. Thank you, PTSA, for hosting this great event tonight. My name is Renee Sanchez-Kazakis, and I'm seeking a second term to the Board of Education. My family and I have been residents here in Pittsford since 2010. My husband, Jamie, and I have two children who both attend Barker Road Middle School, and I am proud to say that next year, I will be the mom of a freshman at Mendon High School. I am a 23-year veteran public school teacher. I have spent my entire career teaching 7th and 8th grade social studies. During my years as a classroom teacher, I have acquired unique experiences of working with parents, students, teachers, administrators in various capacities, and it has assisted me in my board work. Many of my appointments have included teacher recruitment, advisor to student council and
015junior honor societies, shared decision-making committee, collegial coaching, educational study groups with colleagues, and I'm about to start work on a newly formed social and emotional learning committee. I am and will continue to be an ardent advocate for all students in public education. I have attended the Committee of 100 in Albany, where I've had the ability to meet with state legislators and discuss all aspects of public education and help them to understand the specific needs of our schools. During my tenure as a board member, I have participated on different committees committees, rather, that allow me to learn and explore many facets of our school district, such as community engagement, communication and messaging, Pittsford Teacher Center Policy Board, and the Audit Oversight Committee. Being both a parent and an experienced educator makes me an ideal candidate for
016this position. As policies are being drafted and discussed, I have the advantage of understanding the potential long-term effects they will have on our schools, as well as in our homes. Many people have asked me why I wanted to run again, given the difficult year we've all experienced, and my response is simple. I believe in our community, and I believe in public education. And during this tumultuous year, we've continued to make great strides in academics, given the restrictions of the learning models. We continue to learn and grow in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and social and emotional learning, but there is more work to be done here, and I would like to see those areas remain at the forefront of our district's priorities. Thank you. Thank you. And for your opening statement, Ms. Nicole
017Sedore. Thank you very much, PTSA, for this opportunity. My name is Nicole Sedore, and I'm the mother of three children in the Pittsford district ages 13, 12, and 10. I hold a PhD in English literature, and I have 15 years experience in higher education as a college professor, which has included not only teaching, but extensive committee work on hiring, curriculum development, and equity. I'm running as an advocate to return our kids to full-time in-person school and to keep them there. Our district was a leader in our area in September when we offered full-time in-person school to our elementary students, but now we are lagging behind not only our state, but also the nation. As of today, 67% of K-12 students in the United States are attending full-time in-person school. In New York State, 76% of
018K-12 students are back full-time in-person, including many similar suburban schools in counties with case rates similar to our own, like Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk counties. While many expect school to return full-time in the fall, we need to realize that neither our elected officials nor their policies make this a guarantee. I advocate an approach based on reason, not fear, that uses advocacy to tell our elected officials that at a time when bars, indoor dining, and high-contact sports are permitted, all of our kids need to be back in full-time in-person school. There is much that school districts don't control, but we need to be working on what we can control to ensure the best possible outcome for our students. Both now and in the post-pandemic period, transparency, accountability, and communication will be key as we negotiate safety
019measures and how to spend the increased funds coming to the district both from foundation aid and from the federal COVID relief funds. In other policy areas, I continue to emphasize the importance of reason and accurate information. Recently, there have been debates in the district relating to issues of equity and diversity. In these debates, it is important to recognize the value of input from different viewpoints and to work at building consensus. Above all, we must realize that in the study of history and society, presenting our students with a variety of different interpretations and asking them to think critically about them, rather than teaching a single absolute truth, is key to preparing them for college and for their futures as citizens in a democracy. Thank you very much. Thank you. Now, we are going to begin with
020the questions, and I am going to go back up to the top of the order for the first question, and I have been given permission by the candidates to use their first name, and that's what I'm going to do from here on out. To the candidates, as I promised, I'm going to give you some background to the questions that I have combined because there were so many, and that way you can target your answer, or you can specific or you can generally answer the question that I ask you. The first most frequently asked question was around academics. The areas that were specifically asked were around concerns about trends in college readiness, keeping academics strong for Pittsford K-12 students, views on teaching K-12 sex education, how you would support students with disabilities, fostering critical thinking, and
021providing professional development for teachers in the science of reading. With that background information in mind, please answer this question, and Ruby, you get this first. How will you work with the Board of Education and district leadership to ensure that all students are provided the resources and supports that will enable them to successfully pursue whatever choices they may consider upon graduation? The most important thing is to make sure that you have the right faculty. So, I would focus on recruiting the most educated and credentialed faculty that you can. My children, both of them, are products of the Pittsford Central School System. One is a physician with other titles, but DVM. My daughter is a vet. So, the system has a wonderful uh trend in science, and I see the education the the graduation rate is also
022very high. The most important thing is the faculty. Faculty and also parents um uh need to kind of have some input in there also, and also a diversity. Uh you know, education should be well-rounded and not just focus on the sciences, because you can have uh a child who's a genius uh in the sciences, but if they haven't learned how to to um survive when they leave the Pittsford environment, they're going to have problems. So, the most important thing is to get If you want a strong academic program, you got to have good teachers. You got to have good, dedicated teachers. And um that's about about all I have to say about that. And then you have to have children who are interested, and if they have problems, have problems set up so that you
023don't take them out of the class, but bring them up to the level that they need to be in. Thank you. Jeff, same question, please. Yes, thank you. So, one of the most important factors in the programming that's going to be that can be offered in the school is a sustainable budget to do so. And you know, so with that, we need fiscal responsibility. We need um long-term planning around budgets uh that will prevent us from going off of a fiscal cliff at some point. I believe the district has been very responsible with its budgets to date, and I that is something I would continue as a board member. Another part of that is that we should, as a district, be continually assessing the offerings for relevance and based on participation. So, we should um
024you know, some of our students uh today are going to be in careers that we've never even thought of yet. Um so, we need to be on top of technology. We need to be looking at our offerings constantly for what is the next thing. What What can we offer our students that will help them succeed once they leave our hallways. And another part of that is we need to recognize not every student is going to go to college. We need to look at vocational offerings. We need to look at um, programs that will support those students. And you know, so the And for the students that will go to college, let's have the appropriate courses in place that will let them be successful. Whether it's AP courses, um, science courses, a blend of the liberal
025arts courses. We want to create a programming that supports the whole child and give them the best experience we can here in Pittsford so that when they go out to college or to a career or to a vocational training, they're well prepared to succeed in whatever it is they choose to do. First and foremost is making sure that we have the budget in place to support those programs for every child in our building. Thank you. Thank you. Jen, same question, two minutes. Thanks. Uh, my role in higher education allows me to see first hand what skills and abilities are needed for student success in higher education. So this lens allows me uh, to share insights into how our schools can be proactive and forward thinking and preparing our kids for what comes next. And um,
026as was said before, there are many pathways to student success. And in fact, this is one of the topics that we cover in my first year student course in how do students define success? And I would like to see our teachers and staff support our students in whatever pathway they choose, understanding that that each child does have different strengths and and skill sets. I think that some areas that we can continue to focus on which were highlighted by the last year of um, trying of educating in this um, pandemic setting include investing in technology so that our kids are prepared to enter a world where lots of things happen via Zoom and on other technologies. And in In addition, we need to make sure that our teachers are trained so that they feel comfortable with
027the uh, curriculum that is presented as the world continues to move faster and faster and we are trying to to keep up and make sure that our kids are prepared to enter that world. In addition, I think that communicating with individual families and providing equitable services that the students' families identify as needing, um, including extra support services for families that might have IEPs or special needs, um, need to be a focus so that all of our our stakeholders are on the same page. And I think that working together, um, to strengthen that communication will will result in positive outcomes for all of our students. Thanks. Thank you. Sarah, same question. Thank you. The first step to addressing student needs is to listen to what the students are asking for and the families that uh, together.
028So once we know what it is that they need, we can work to meet each child's needs to the best of our abilities. Continually reviewing our academic offerings that will prepare them for their future, whatever that option might be after high school is vital to our success. Everyone has been impacted by the global pandemic and it will take time to address these challenges and work to overcome, but we need to be prepared as a district and as a board of education to meet the kids where they are so that we can work to overcome. My experience serving on PCSD committees has shown that when we all work together, we can be successful. Bringing all of our stakeholders to the table and listening and responding to the concerns is how we get the job done and
029that needs to continue in Pittsford schools. Thank you. Renee, same question. So it's really hard when you are towards the end of the list because everyone takes so many of the ideas that you already say. So I'm going to sound a little like a broken record. Um, first and foremost, listening is the key. Um, I agree with what I have heard across the board that we definitely need to listen to families, we need to listen to students, and we also need to listen to what the teachers need as well. Um, and the reason why I bring that up is because sitting on Teacher Center Policy Board for the past four years, one of the great things that I have watched is as as the needs change for students and as um, different opportunities for growth
030and classes come about, there's always great professional development that backs that up to help our teachers be prepared to educate our kids. And I think that is something we definitely need to keep our eye on and continue to work towards. Um, I also agree with what I've heard so far that, you know, recognizing that not all of our kids are college bound. Um, I've been teaching for 23 years and granted it's been at the middle school level, but I've I've seen kids who are definitely college bound and ready to go. And I've seen other kids who, you know, as much as they're kind of interested in the subject area, their interest lie elsewhere, whether that's building something or being creative in arts or music. Um, I really think we need to keep our eye on
031educating the whole child and making for a well-rounded student. Um, and it's not to set aside the fact that we need to keep in mind um, vocation and trade schools because again, not every student is going to be college bound and it's something that we need to recognize as a district. Thank you. Ann Nicole, same question. Okay, thank you very much. Uh, well, I think that what I would like to see is an emphasis on celebrating the life of the mind and celebrating academic excellence. And I feel that this is not only important in the context of um, giving the students what they need moving forward, but also in and recovering from the pandemic. We need to reconnect with the joy in learning and the joy in in intellectual engagement. So I'd like to see
032us uh, taking some of that money that we're getting because we are getting increased funding both from the increased foundation aid and from the COVID relief funds. I would like to see us invest in things like mentorship programs. Um, I would like to see us investing in programs that um, expand teachers' horizons. So as an academic, I'm a member of the New Chaucer Society which runs programs for teachers at its biannual meetings. Um, this would be this kind of thing I think is a great thing for teachers really to reconnect them because the the intellectual um, life of teachers is deeply connected with that of students. I would also like to see us expanding our AP course offerings. I know that those were reduced uh, several years ago and now that we do have the
033increased funding, it would be like it would be nice for us to invest in that. Um, as a college professor, I can I think I'm well positioned to see what um, our college bound students need and uh, above all, uh, what I saw in college was a strong need for critical thinking in the students coming in to the university. And so this is also something that we want to foster in the district, an ability to sort through varying perspectives, to be able to discern how evidence is being used and to be able to dis- tinguish between um, what is evidence and what is argument. These things are all crucial and um, important for students as they move on, no matter what they uh, end up doing in life. Thank you. Thank you. That moves us
034to question two which is um, the second most frequently asked question, so it is a combined question. Jeff, you will get this one first. And it was on diversity, equity, and inclusion. And for background, um, the community was asking around your viewpoint on teaching critical race theory in schools, um, concerned about the lack of an anti-racist curriculum, making sure that Pittsford is a welcoming place for students of every race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, about supporting anti-bullying behaviors in students, as well as what your journey has been regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. With that background information in mind, please answer this question. What is your overall vision for diversity, equity, and inclusion for the students and staff in the Pittsford Central School District? Jeff, two minutes. Thank you. My vision for the district is a place
035where every child walks in the door feels valued and respected for who they are and every staff member feels valued and respected for who they are. I believe that the district has made great strides in this area and as a board member, I would continue to support those efforts going forward. I think retention of Tasha Potter as a consultant for uh, BOCES Director of Diversity and Equity Planning was an excellent uh, um, that you know, that that was an excellent choice on the part of the district. Uh, I'm certainly interested to to see the work um, with Ms. Potter uh, over the course of the next year. Um, I believe the district did an excellent job uh, bringing in Generation Ready. And they're also doing an excellent job with continual um professional development for the
036staff in uh areas of cultural competency in the classroom, improving social, emotional, academic outcomes for students of color, and microaggressions, and other um other topics in that area. That's not to say that the work is done. It's an ongoing process. It's an important process. Again, if we're going to um educate the whole child, the child needs to feel comfortable, respected, and valued in the school. So, I think that we will uh continue along with the current initiatives underway that I would support as a board member and continue to evaluate with open eyes and uh open mind additional initiatives that may be implemented over time as we continue along this journey to uh create an inclusive and welcoming environment for every child in our building. Thank you. Thank you. Can everyone hear me okay? Okay. We're
037I think we're having some technical dis- difficulties around sound. So, I'm going to move up to um Jan for the same question. Um and then we'll keep watching the chat bar. Thank you. This is uh an important question to me um and something that I do in in my professional and and personal life. I've been studying and learning about diversity, inclusion, equity, privilege, social justice, and anti-racism throughout my career and volunteer involvement. And I've recently uh been selected as a member of Nazareth College's equity mindset working group as part of their strategic planning committee, and was chosen to be an anti-bias champion for the Nazareth College Bias Response and Education Team, which involves extensive training in restorative justice practices. And I also helped develop and implement the Nazareth College Center for Life's Work Call to
038Action, which holds our department accountable in ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion are valued, promoted, and assessed in all aspects of our work. And I would love to see uh the school district continue to move forward um in those areas in its realm as well. Most importantly for me, I acknowledge my own privilege and bias that I carry as pieces of my own identity, which has shaped my experiences, and I value the experiences of others whose perspectives are different from my own. I want to ensure that the experiences of all are acknowledged and upheld at our schools, and that all feel represented with a seat at the table. I I'm really pleased with the work that the district has done in taking steps in curriculum and instruction, in hiring, and in reviewing our internal policies such
039as code of conduct through an equity lens. There's plenty of work to do, and I support the district in prioritizing this work in all areas of our school community. And I think that one thing that we could do is um create a diversity scorecard or or dashboard similar to one used at Nazareth to not only help us track things like diverse hirings, um but also progress being made in the area of DEI so that we're including descriptions of not only our efforts and initiatives, but also measurable outcomes such as percentages of teachers who are taking trainings, and most importantly, how our students feel so that everyone has a sense of belonging in our classrooms. Thank you. Uh Sarah, same question, please, 2 minutes. This is a really great question, and I'm so glad it's been
040asked cuz it's critical to our district right now and moving forward. I fully support the district's equity initiative, and as I previously stated, I participated in the Generation Ready workshops as a parent leader. I learned a lot from that training and will continue to advocate for inclusion in our schools. I know that our district has been working hard first acknowledging that there is a problem, and then working to resolve it with a long-term, multi-step plan. I also appreciate that the district admits that mistakes will happen along the way, but that can't prevent us from moving forward. This journey is far from over, but our district is fully committed to the work, and I'm eager to continue along the journey as a member of the Board of Education. I believe that with the plans that are
041in place moving forward, once we return to full in-person learning, we can reinvest ourselves completely into our initiative of diversity and inclusion, and provide better opportunities for professional development, for parent and student engagement, and again, bringing back our collaborative nature, we can work together to address this issue head-on. Thank you. Renee, I know that you saw the question. Would you like me to repeat it or provide any of the background for it? Yes, could you do both, please? I'm very sorry. Absolutely, no worries. Technology is what it is. It is. Um the second most frequently asked question was around diversity, equity, and inclusion. And for background, the community was asking several things: your viewpoint on teaching critical race theory in schools, the lack of uh the concern over a lack of an anti-racist curriculum, making
042sure that Pittsford is a welcoming place for students of every race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, about finding ways to support anti-bullying behaviors in students, as well as what your journey has been regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion. With that background in mind, the question is, what is your overall vision for diversity, equity, and inclusion for the students and staff in the Pittsford Central School District? Um that that is a great question. Um that that is a very big question. So, I can start off by talking about where we've been, what we've been doing, and where we will hopefully go as a district. Um initially, we started out working with Natalie McGee, who was a consultant um prior to COVID, prior to the shutdown. And unfortunately, when that happened, we needed to figure out where we were
043going to go next, like how we were going to continue on with this movement. Um so, we recently started working with the BOCES Director of Diversity, um Equity, and Inclusion, Tasha Potter. Um we are having her review and evaluate our beliefs, our programs, our policies, as well as procedures. Um and I think that's definitely on the right track, considering that there are so many programs that we that we can bring in, especially through the lens of social studies. Um I know that that's something that's very near and dear to my heart as far as being a social studies teacher and bringing in multiple perspectives and point of views. And there are quite a bit out there. But one of the things that I'm really pleased with is recently I sat down with Melanie Word, our
044Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, and we started talking about curriculum. Um and I can tell you that we are well on our way with grades K through 5. Um teachers will be getting together with Melanie, as well as with Tasha Potter, and they're going to take a look at New York State standards and how to incorporate more diversity, equity, and inclusion within the social studies realm, K-5, so it's age-appropriate, it fits in with the themes, it fits in with the standards. Um what I really like about it is that this is it it's more than just a small group. This will be a large group of people getting together, social studies experienced teachers who will have great ideas to be able incorporate new ideas and new lessons into what New York State has already provided that
045we have to follow via their curriculum. Um I would like to see that grow. I would like to see that more than just K-5. I know that this is just a beginning, but I look forward to seeing where this is going to go grades 6 through 12. Thank you. Nicole, same question, 2 minutes. Okay, thank you. Uh this is an important issue to me uh both professionally and personally. Uh so, um race theory and um African American literature and history were an important subspecialty of mine. I'm a medievalist by um by focus, uh but uh black feminist theory and black women's literature is um an important um focus as well for my scholarly work. So, I have uh studied it in graduate school, um took a number of courses studying under some prominent African American
046um professors of literature and theory, and then continued that in my career as a professor. So, teaching diverse uh syllabi, uh teaching um African American writers like Toni Morrison, Gwendolyn Brooks, and many others, um also South Asian writers, Asian American writers. Um so, this is this is an important issue for me professionally. I also um as a college professor on committees, worked on issues of diversity. Uh perhaps my uh one of my proudest moments was as co-chair of a mentorship event for young um women of color at the university where they were linked up with women of color who were more advanced in their careers, um and that was that was a a really wonderful event. And I look back proudly on it. Uh I think that when it comes to teaching race and race
047theory in the school, one thing we have to keep in mind is that um the ideas, for instance, that come into critical race theory, these are ideas that grew out of a scholarly environment uh in the 1990s and and then moving up. And so, these are analytic ideas that were um being used in in quite advanced reading materials. And so when you um bring those ideas to a K-12 education, you have to be careful how how you do that. And it's important to keep checking back and making sure that what your intention is is actually what's happening in the classroom. So I think that's important. I think continuing evaluation, continuing continuing attention is so important. The other thing that I would say is it's also very important for us to understand that a multiplicity of
048perspectives and a multiplicity of interpretations is always key to the educational process for students. That we are teaching students not what to think, but how to think. And that should always define our our approach to teaching. Thank you. Thank you. And Ruby, same question. Equity and inclusion. There are some of us who have studied it and teach it. And there are others like me who have lived it. I'm going on 76 years old. You're looking at the first African-American female graduate from the University of Rochester Medical School and Dentistry. That's me. I came here at the age of 22 from Mississippi. One of nine. Parents never finished high school. So I have lived it. Let me explain something about equity and inclusion and how how the district can go forward. A school environment should reflect
049the society we live in. So you need more people out here who don't look like you. That's number one. Number two, the schools should reflect diversity diversity in their staff by hiring more principals or counselors more teachers. That's the only way you're going to change the system. The other way you are going to have to change the system is to get the parents more involved. Once you get your parents on board and working with you they can help the children. The children are at home most of the time. They're with you part of the time. If you don't get the parents on board to help you with this problem you'll be talking about this 5 years from now when I'm going on 81 years old. Thank you. The third question, and Jen, you get this
050one first. Um it was the next most frequently asked question and it was about reopening schools. For background there were questions regarding your stance on students returning full-time immediately or in the fall your position on mask wearing, restrictions you would support on play, group learning or in other areas. Is there a need to look at the long-term health effects of COVID? And what you believe are the critical components of a reopening plan? With that background information in mind, please enter answer this question. In your view what do you believe is required in order for the district to provide for the full reopening of schools for students K-12? Ex- um I'm eager for children to return to their school routine of 5 days a week in-person instruction as many of us are. I think that none
051of the scenarios that our kids have experienced this past year have been ideal for any family. But I am grateful that Pittsford schools have had in-person classes for 4 and 1/2 days for the K-5 set and and 2 days a week for the older kids since September without any interruptions or having to shift from from module to module. I know that there are state and local regulations that must be followed around increasing the number of the people in the middle and high schools and that our district is in compliance with those regulations. And our district has also advocated at the state and federal level for full return. I hope that the district looks to teachers and families for lessons that they have learned around what has worked and what hasn't during this time as we
052move hopefully towards a full reopening in the fall. The use of technology and collaboration among schools can be seen as positives. My child who attends Calkins Road is now connected with a whole bunch of kids at Barker Road that he didn't know last year. And he met them through the online opportunities because we weren't out and about so that he could meet them in person. So that's a real positive that I think the district should leverage. When reopening, the district also needs to be prepared to support the transition back to 5 days for the older kids with emotional and social supports as some may still have anxiety about being in the classroom, being in large crowds, or being away from home after such a long time. The district has been awarded federal grant money to
053address learning gaps that have occurred and hopefully will be asking for input from the community on how those dollars should be spent in the short term. And I'm confident that our community has the creativity to support our kids in order to excel in our ever-changing world. Thank you. Uh Sarah, you get this question next. Thank you. Great question again and something that I have been a part of with our district since day one, since the onset of the global pandemic. I've been working with our district leaders to determine what we need to return to full in-person learning. Um as a member of the reopening scenario planning committee, I worked with a group of stakeholders uh all summer long and it's continued all this current school year. We've been meeting monthly. Last summer it was weekly,
054sometimes almost full days to assess every aspect of our educational system and what we needed to do to accommodate our system with the restrictions placed by New York State and by the federal government. Since that moment that we first started addressing the situation and planning for a return to school, we have also worked alongside those plans to continue to advocate for metrics that would allow us to return to what we all know as normal school, full in-person learning. I support our district in all of their efforts to gain those metrics, following the data and following the science so that we can return to school safely. Safety has always been our number one priority, protecting our students whatever it takes. So I support again our district in their efforts to get to that point and ensure
055that we can fully reopen when it is safe to do so. Once we get back into school we can start assessing the damage done, the learning gaps, the mental health and social emotional needs that our children now face and and address those and meet our kids where they are and work to bring them back to where they need to be to compete with their peers. That's all. Thank you. Thank you. Renee, you get this question next. So in my role as a board member, I also have to remember I wear another hat of a classroom teacher. And this has been a very long and difficult year for families, for students, for educators like um nothing's been easy. Um I can tell you as a teacher um we are all looking forward to going back full-time
056and I can assure you that Pittsford does have plans ready to go to have our students back in school full-time. All of our plans moving forward really have been looking at starting school in September with everyone in the classroom, having a normal academic school year. Um we know that that's the best place for students to be. Um it is the best practice that we can give our students and it's the best place for them. We do recognize though that this past year students reacted differently to the hybrid model versus being fully remote and we recognize that. So we will have plans moving forward to address some of those issues with students who may be comfortable still at home versus those going back full-time. I'm not saying anything is put into place, but it is something
057that we need to recognize that there are going to be some students, whether it's medically related could be social anxiety related, there are going to be some significant concerns. Um as far as when we can go back, I have to be honest. We as Board of Ed members take an oath of office. And we have to follow the state and public health guidelines. Um with that being said we are doing our best to get everyone back into the classroom. Um I too trust the decisions that have been made. We've had many stakeholders come together to sit and talk through different plans to bring our students back. Um, at this point we still have a lot of unanswered questions from the state, um, but we are ready to deal with those as well. Thank you. Thank
058you. Um, Nicole, same question, 2 minutes. Okay, thank you very much. Well, I think that first and foremost we need to realize that in Monroe County we are exceptional. We are exceptionally late in returning our middle and high school students to full-time in-person education. So, districts in Westchester County, Nassau County, Suffolk County have now had their full K through 12 students back for a full-time schedule. Many districts in those counties, uh, since uh, late March and up through early April. Okay, and those are districts that have the same that are bound by the same rules as ours and they have same case rates at our as ours. These are suburban, New York City districts in dense areas. And the difference between them and us is advocacy. Um, it's also true of, um, the Onondaga County
059districts, which have also returned. And again, uh, it has to do with advocacy and also with a sympathetic, more supportive public health official. And so, the question for us is when are we as a district really going to advocate for the kids to get them back? I think it's pretty clear now that it's not a safety issue. When you have bars open until midnight, when you have high contact sports permitted, when you have 150 people able to attend a wedding in New York State, when you have in-person dining and beauty services, you know that the issue is not safety. Not to mention that more than 50% of our state is now vaccinated and all of our teachers and staff have had opportunity to be vaccinated, but however, the goal posts keep moving and we need
060we need to be aware of that. As a district, no, we can't control everything and we can't of course act against the law, but there's nothing stopping us from speaking out and speaking for our kids and I think we really need to do that because our kids are suffering terribly with their mental health. I was speaking to a pediatrician the other day in the in the community who told me that he has become a a a psychiatrist because all of his patients, so many of them, have mental health issues. We also have to think of our students writing the SAT, writing the ACT alongside students in the rest of the country who have been back in full-time school for months. Um, so this is a this is an important issue for us to advocate on.
061Thank you very much. Thank you. Ruby, same question. You need to just unmute. The answer to your question uh, is really focused on line two uh, in your in your in your question there. Talking about reopening the schools, you have to realize that we're not talking about the school. We're talking about a business. We're talking about consumers. And we're talking about customers. The consumer and the customer is the parent. The business is the district. It's a multi-million dollar district. $22,000 is spent per student. The answer is you're going to have to fork up more money to make it safe for the children to get back to school. That's all I have to say on that one. Thank you. And Jeff, the same question. Thanks. Uh, thank you. Uh, like to commend the district first of
062all for having K through five students in four and a half days a week. Uh, and I think that was terrific. Uh, I I fully understand uh, how difficult this has been for the middle and high school students, their caregivers and families and uh, it's it's been a tough year. It really has. And the lack of action on the part of the New York State Department of Health for such a long period of time was incredibly frustrating uh, to to everybody. Um, so uh, I am like the rest of the candidates here in favor of getting our students in school five full days as soon as we can within the law, within the regulations. Here in Pittsford, uh, in in in the and what's what's keeping us from doing that right now is the rate
063of community spread in Monroe County under the current regulations. Here in Pittsford we've consistently had a lower rate of community spread uh, especially in our schools. We uh, I I believe I read that we actually have a higher uh, rate of vaccination in Pittsford than other areas of Monroe County. So, as a board member, I would pledge to work with uh, fellow board members to really advocate at the state and federal level for more local control over school openings so that we're not tied to what is going on in the rest of Monroe County when we can when we have our own situation here in Pittsford that may be very different from another side of the county. If we can reopen our schools safely and do it uh, within the regulations that are in place
064at the time. So, that is and I would use my skills as an attorney and as an advocate for the district to go to the state, go to the federal government with fellow board members uh, to advocate on behalf of our students to get some more local control and get them back in school safely. Thank you. Sarah, you will be getting this next question first. And while it was a frequently asked question, I'm actually going to ask one of the questions that was submitted because it really encompasses the substance of the other questions. And it was kind of touched on during your answers. What should the district be doing to support the social, emotional, and mental health needs of students as we emerge from the pandemic? And what should the district do regarding those needs
065for teachers and staff as well? And 2 minutes, Sarah. Thank you. That's a great question and very important as we look to re-enter normalcy as we're coming out of the global pandemic. Uh, the budget that has been presented to our our public this year includes many efforts for social, emotional learning and mental health education. Uh, those are top priorities that were factors in our in consideration to our budget. Um, that those priorities came out of the in part from the district planning team, which I serve on. So, together as a committee we worked to prioritize our our district's needs for next year assuming that we were going back and planning for a full in-person school year. So, once we are there, which we are hoping to be there in September and planning for it, we'll
066be able to first determine what each individual child needs as far as social, emotional, and mental health. And then we can start assessing and and meeting them at that need and providing the support that's necessary. We've talked about adding behavioral specialists, adding counselors, adding opportunities for small group counseling, whether it's after school or during a free period. In some cases that might be it might be mandatory that that happen in place of something else during the school day because the priority and emphasis needs to be on what the child needs at that current moment. I fully support all of the district's effort for social, emotional learning even this year given the limited opportunities. I appreciate how our high schools have taken a very small window of home room and used that to introduce social, emotional
067learning into their students' days. We've been very creative. Everyone in this district has been creative and supportive of making the most of what we have. And that's just one example of how we are supporting our students' social, emotional, and mental health needs this year given a pandemic. I know that working together we can address these issues head-on and best help our students when we return to school in September. Thank you. Renee, you get this question second. I agree with Sarah on many aspects of what she said. Um, first and foremost, one of the things that I have been thinking about in great detail when it comes to mental health in our students is again to hire more staff members. Um, we will be receiving federal grant money. Um, but like someone mentioned earlier and I
068don't remember who it was, it is important that we start by getting ideas from the community as to how to spend that money, but one of those ways I'm really hoping is for social and social and emo- emotional needs for our students. Um, and this this hits me a little bit harder than most parents, um, possibly because, you know, not only as a teacher have I seen this in my own classroom, but within my own family. Um I think it's really important that we hire more professionals and then when that federal grant money runs out, what I would really like to see happen is that we find ways to retain those people long-term through possible grants. And there are a ton of grants that are out there that we can look into in order to
069retain staff members. I think it's important that we continue our relationship and grow our relationship with Pittsford Youth Services. I've also honestly been thinking outside of the box. It would be wonderful if there was a possibility with some of the federal grant money to even start a parent support group because when our students go back there's going to be a lot of need for parents to be able to discuss how they're feeling and sending their kids back as well as our kids going back and the needs that they'll have. Like Sarah, another idea thinking outside of the box, um my kids often talk about their study halls and their enrichment times. And I had the idea of, you know, how great would it would be if there are some students who are doing fine and
070they're acclimating well, that's wonderful. They can use their study hall and enrichment time, but I'm wondering if by thinking outside the box we could use some of that time to to to allow kids to sit and talk about how they're feeling and how they're readjusting back to a full 5 days a week. And as far as staff is concerned, to me that's that's the hardest one. Um as adults we're supposed to be strong, we're supposed to burden everything, we're supposed to, you know, smile and keep moving on. Um and teachers are definitely no exception to that and I think it's going to be very difficult to reach a lot of our faculty members because they have been so tough and so strong. Um I'm sure if we asked any of them right now, they would
071have a difficult time um expressing what it is that they need. Um but I do think it's important that we work collaboratively with PDTA and other coalitions to find out what their people need and to be able to move forward on that as well. Thank you. Nicole, same question. Thank you. So this has been a big concern of mine and one of the reasons that I have advocated um so long and so passionately for the reopening of schools is precisely because of uh the damage that has been done by school closures, which has fundamentally uh taken the fabric of children's lives and ripped it apart. Uh and those effects are very severe. I think they're probably most telling in our district, of course, because we have been really fortunate with the elementary students going back
072um full-time in September. I think really this has been so most damaging for the middle and the high school and I think that the teens because of the fact that developmentally uh sociality is so important to that age group, uh this is this is a very serious problem compounded by the fact that uh the kinds of psychological supports um that that we would need are in very short supply. Uh again, because the demand is so high. So how do we cope with that? I I I am happy that we will be receiving the COVID relief uh funds and of course, as others have noted, it it must be used as a grant. It it cannot be incorporated in the budget, so that gives us some opportunities to explore um some options. I actually would suggest
073too, not just going in the psychological and counseling direction, but also going in the joy direction. Uh really restoring, as I spoke earlier, the joy in the life of the mind, the joy in learning. Giving our students opportunities that they missed, giving them those those times to together and um exploring the world that they did miss in the pandemic era. So things like mentorship programs and things like uh career development programs sound like they're distant from the kind of psychological counseling that that we may feel student needs, but students need, but they may be more accessible for us and we should think about those kinds of of programs to really restore the students' joy, to restore some of that dynamism and and energy um that the pandemic um took away from our students. Thank you.
074Thank you. Ruby, 2 minutes, same question. I said thank you. Once again, you have to remember that this is a family problem of everybody involved in this pandemic. The ones who have taken the biggest hit is the mother and father. They're the ones who are suffering. Trying to figure out how to get to work and take care of their child or if the child goes with someone, whether they're going to catch the virus. So anytime you start talking about trying to treat a child, please remember this is a family problem. The the the number of dollars that the district spent previously on this well-being of the mind, they're going to have to spend more money if we want children are resilient because they're young. They like to play, they like to go to school, they
075love seeing their friends, they love their teachers. They like going to have lunch. The children will be fine because they're going to have the support of the mother, the father and the school, but you have to keep the parents healthy also. So anything that you do for the child, and remember the four words I used, the parent and the child are inextricably linked and perpetually conjoined. They are one. So what's good for one has to be good for the other. And it's going to take more money and patience and time. And thank you. Thank you. Jeff, Thank you. My wife is in the mental health field, which has really broadened my perspective uh on this topic and uh she had been talking for actually several years about the increased mental health and social emotional needs
076of students uh and how those have been increasing uh over the last 8 or 10 years. So when we come back from an event like COVID-19, uh the needs are going to be just enormous. And we are fortunate, as some of the other candidates have mentioned, to have some of this federal money that will be available uh to uh reacclimate our students, bring them in, get them services. Students, their caregivers and our faculty and staff and teachers, everybody is going to need some support as we go back and we try to return to normal. I believe that because we have this federal, which is essentially federal grant money and it's not going to be available on an ongoing basis where we can't necessarily count on it, I believe we should look to uh community partnerships
077uh in the short term that we can take advantage of to help our students, their caregivers and our staff reacclimate to schools. Uh the district already has a partnership with Genesee Behavioral Health. I believe that um the district should look into opportunities to expand that partnership. We have some of the premier uh mental health and medical facilities in the country right here in Rochester. Uh and I think we should take advantage of those resources if we're able to. I know they're all stretched thin as well. Um but we do we are fortunate. We have some financial resources that would not otherwise be available to address these social emotional needs and um achievement gaps and other things that our students are going to struggle with as they get back into a routine of coming to school
078again every day uh and reconnecting with their peers and I I think um community partnerships are the way to do it. Thank you. Thank you. Jen, same question. Uh mental health has been a known issue with with many of our students even before the pandemic. Uh we had a a climate survey in 2019 of our students and many of them talked about their emotional health. And so we need to continue to check in with our students. Um only a small number of high schoolers were were surveyed in that climate survey, so I think we need to continue to get a handle on what our students are struggling with and and how we can best support them. Uh prior to the climate survey, there had been a wellness survey that showed anxiety and sleep issues are
079something that a number of our students are dealing with as well. So I think defining the problem um is the is the first step. Um currently in this this upcoming um budget for next year, we do have uh funding for a full-time social worker um at each high school, which is an increase for next year. And to in order to both utilize our resources smartly and make sure our students' needs are being met, I hope that we can we can learn about how that full-time social worker uh was utilized at Sutherland High School this past year and what sorts of issues were dealt with uh during for our students. At the middle and elementary level, we have access to Pittsford Youth Services social workers. Yet at a recent PTSA presentation, uh PYS mentioned that they
080have a waiting list of students needing services. And as was mentioned, the school district has partnered with the U of R for a school-based therapist, but this is also limited in service for the district. All of these things point to needing more resources and additional mental health services for our kids so that we can make sure that they are all being served and that their their needs are being met in a culturally responsible way considering the different needs at different grade levels. And I think hearing again from the community, from the parents, would be helpful to help define the the problem and make sure that the students are receiving the services that they need. Thank you. So, moving right along, you guys are doing great. So, the next question, there were several questions regarding start
081times for high school students, and Renee, you get this question first. Do you believe that it should be a priority to focus efforts on the consideration of later start times for our secondary students? You got to unmute. Sorry, I just realized I was muted. This is a really big and important question because science shows and studies have shown that later start times for our older kids are definitely better for their bodies. Their clocks are just set very differently than younger kids. They like to as I'm learning with teenagers in the house, I'm learning they like to sleep in more and they're up later. I think it's really important that we start to look at other school districts and see how their experiences have gone. Webster is one of our local area schools that definitely has
082tried this. I would like to sit down and talk with parents and students and staff members and see how it actually worked with them. If you asked me this question before I was on the board, I would say yep, let's do it right now. Because I do think it's a good idea. However, that being said, now having been a board member for 4 years, what I realized is that there are a ton of other factors that go into this. It's not just bussing, it's sports, it's music, it's arts. Um, it's how this could very well impact families as far as child care goes. So, if this is something that we are going to consider and look into, then we need to start from the ground up. We need to have community members working together, starting
083a committee, discussing what our needs are, and the possibilities of moving forward and what that could look like. This is not something that I see happening overnight, but with the right groups of people sitting down and talking and planning, I can definitely see us moving forward on something like this. Thank you. Thank you, Nicole. Same question. Thank you. Definitely, the science shows that the later start times are better for teenagers. Their circadian rhythms are simply set to an owl-like rhythm, going late to bed and rising later in the morning. So, I think it is much better for them. I know other districts have done it, but I agree that we have to look very carefully at all of the practical ramifications. But hopefully, if we are willing to work together, we can make that a
084reality for our teenagers to improve their learning and improve their their work in school. Thank you. Ruby, same question, please. I'm looking at all these young people on the screen here and and everybody I see up there's probably probably the age of of my children. I'm an old-fashioned lady. Once again, the New York state says they're not grown until they're 18. Talk to the parents, we can get around tables and try and make changes to to keep you know, everybody happy, but you don't want to disrupt the entire family because a child wants to stay up until 12:00 and get up at 10:00 and go to school. So, I once again, the consumer and the customer is the parent. If you involve the parents and the parents say yep, it's a go, I would say
085I'm on board. But I would not eliminate the parent who is the customer and the consumer and the boss until they're 18 unless you have their go-ahead. And thank you. Thank you. Jeff, you get this question next. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, I I think it sounds like we're all in agreement here that the science is behind you know, an initiative like this. I think our first and foremost the goal has to be reopening the schools, getting our kids back in before we can start talking about start times, but I recognize that it is an important issue to to many members in the community. And the district actually had a committee a few years ago that looked at this topic. And I agree with what the other candidates have said that if you're going to undertake
086an initiative like this, we need all the stakeholders. We need from inside the district the family members of the students because this will change the entire day and how it looks for every family in the district. I also believe that it is something worth exploring if it's going to be explored on a county-wide basis because we're going to have schools beginning and ending at different times. You know, there are sports and music and other activities that happen um with other districts. And so, those schedules may then be out of line. It may prevent some of our students from participating in some of those activities. So, I I fully agree that this you know, it health-wise I I think it makes a lot of sense. I think it's something that is worth exploring and it but
087it is a very big undertaking that is going to take input from the entire community. And but our first focus should be on getting back to school, opening our schools, getting our kids back into a routine, and possibly then revisiting this at a later time. Thank you. Thank you. And Jen, you get this question next. I work in a parent support center outside of Seattle, Washington in a community similar to Pittsburgh 20 years ago. And that district was starting to explore shifting um start times for the high school, and it was such a hot topic in the community, and it's it's incredible that it continues to be a a hot topic and that it continues to be studied and considered, and that just shows how complex of an issue it is. As was mentioned, you
088know, the science states that that it's a good idea. And the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that that high schoolers don't don't start classes before 8:30 in the morning. And there are lots of benefits for for having that later start time for them. I definitely agree that looking to other school districts, both locally and nationally, such as Webster, for best practices would be a way to go. And collaborating among the county is something else that I think might help solve some of those logistical issues around activities happening, games and practices and and performances and things like that. Brighton and Rush-Henrietta each have a chapter of the Start School Later campaign in their districts, and so that would be something where Pittsburgh could start possibly with parent advocacy in utilizing the resources of that national organization
089and looking to do more collaborative work. We also have a great collaboration among our county superintendents, and so maybe that's something that they can discuss as a group as a whole when looking towards making some changes around this issue. I think we we do need to be forward-thinking while keeping all of those complexities in mind so that we can work together to find a solution. Thanks. Thank you. And Sarah, same question. Thank you. This is a very complicated issue for all districts in our area and beyond. As was mentioned a few years ago, our district formed a committee to assess the pros and cons of implementing a later start time for our secondary students. A lot of great discussion came out of that committee, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to move forward with it at
090that time. As as was also mentioned, Webster has implemented their later start times, and we were looking to gain insight from them as to their experience, but uh it's something that as I believe it was Jeff who said that our first step would be getting our kids back in school full-time to come out of this pandemic and and then I believe that it would be an appropriate time to reevaluate this conversation, to reform a committee, and and look into it. As everyone I believe has mentioned, the science does show that later start times would benefit our secondary students, and it is a priority I believe we should be assessing at some point soon. Um I I have to mention this came up often during our scenario planning committee this year that uh one answer causes
091a whole new set of problems, and and this is no different. So, one positive thing that I've learned this year in particular is that when we work together, we can overcome, and we can get the job done. Thank you. So, the last question before your closing statements, Cindy, call you get this one first. Um and it's on communication, and it is what communication strategies do you feel would best serve the community for both input and information regarding the work of the board and the district? 2 minutes, please. Thank you very much. Uh well, I feel like I'm well qualified to answer this in a sense because I am a recent arrival in the district, and so I think I have the perspective of someone who really has um is just coming new to the community,
092and um would be the person for whom the the outreach on the website and other public uh mediums is would be the only way I would know what was going on. Uh so, I think we do have to think about the mobility in our district, and and know that not everybody is going to hear things through word of mouth. Uh so, I think electronic media, social media is so important communication. I think that transparency, communication, concrete examples of the of whatever is being uh proposed is so important. I think sometimes the district announces policies, but doesn't have concrete examples of what they're actually going to do, and I think that can create a lot of um confusion and disturbance uh as people wonder, what what do they actually mean? So, I think that is very
093important to just really being as concrete as possible. I also think that uh the board meetings should be as accessible as possible, which means allowing, of course, in-person attendance, um inviting that public comment that's so important, and also though allowing uh the streaming to continue. So, I know a lot of people uh through the pandemic period really enjoyed being able to tune in to the board meetings from their home, and uh hopefully we can continue that as well. Transparency is is also key. Uh the parents are such an important element in the district, the community members are such an important element in the district, and such a rich source of resources for the district as well. So, I think that it's okay to debate things, and it's okay to have differences, and have community members
094question. Uh I think that's the way consensus is achieved. So, I also just wouldn't shy away from difficult conversations. I think difficult conversations are all good to have, and actually create larger social peace in the end um than than repressing the difficult conversations. Thank you. Thank you. Ruby, you get this question next. You need to unmute. Ruby, could you unmute? I'm sorry. Repeat that question again. I absolutely will. It is, what communication strategies do you feel would best serve the community for both input and informa- information regarding the work of the board and the district? I think Zoom is wonderful because you reach more people. So, I I like the Zoom format since I have bought this little special computer here that has it all loaded down, and I hit one and click. Um they
095don't all have to be Zoom because it's that personal touch when it's safe to touch and being able to be in the same room with a parent uh and let them actually see who you are, and kind of feel who you are. So, I think maybe a 50/50 uh part Zoom uh when it's and when it's safe to actually see people, and have them see us. Uh there's a lot um there's a lot lot to be said for the personal touch. Thank you. Uh Jeff next. Yes, thank you. I would echo that uh I think the in-person uh board meetings are key. Um it's good to be face-to-face when we can be. I I think um you know, there's a human touch that's missed when we're not. Uh but I also agree that the YouTube
096broadcast is a is a good thing for people who can't make it uh you know, to every meeting, but are still interested uh and can pull it up later and watch it, or watch it in real time. So, I think that is uh something worth exploring continuing going forward. Uh I find the superintendent's newsletter to be very helpful uh that I get by email. I find that that is packed with information, and it's usually posted to the district website. Um Some things that uh you know, maybe areas where we can look to improve in the future are maybe some uh some layout on the district website. I don't always find it myself to be completely intuitive uh as I look for various items throughout the website. So, maybe uh you know, in the future looking
097to improve uh the website, the layout, just make it more intuitive, easier to find things. And also, perhaps the Board of Education could consider its own newsletter or website where it could post content uh something beyond, you know, the the meeting minutes that are obviously published, but um you know, those are really just the business of the board. Um but maybe the Board of Education itself could consider a newsletter website, post content uh about the the workings of the board and uh initiatives it's working on, and and share those with the community. Um so, those are some of the thoughts I had. Thank you. Thank you. Jen, same question. I think when when we talk about communication, we have to talk about accessibility um in in all realms. I I agree with Jeff about the
098the website. There can definitely be some some improvements um uh in terms of it being accessible and and um adaptive, which is something that is is new technology that many many companies and and uh businesses are using. Having adjustable font size, and adjustable contrast, and uh able to um translate into different languages just improves the accessibility for all of our um consumers, as Ruby would say, or all of our stakeholders. Um that accessibility should transfer over into our in-person board meetings, and having an interpreter uh a sign interpreter available in person. Um I know now that we have been able to um switch to this um online format that closed captioning is is available, which is huge. Um but for those who do want to attend, um having that sign interpreter there uh again allows
099for accessibility. I think that um continuing the online uh accessibility for people to participate as well would would be another way to um increase participation. I'm one of those folks who um after sporadically attending board member board meetings for um in previous years, uh my attendance went up since March of 2020 um because of the ease of um checking in and and listening and commenting from my home um while doing dishes or or cooking dinner. Um and the last thing I'd say is that some some districts hold more uh public forums with their public um and the Board of Education. So, it's not just a um a process where the public is watching, and then making comments at the end, but there is uh it is set up for uh families to bring issues to
100the forefront. Um what's important about that, and it happens before a crisis occurs, and that way we can address issues as they are ongoing, and come to the forefront of parents' minds in that uh public forum. Thank you. Sarah, same question, please. Thank you. I I have to agree with much of what Jen and Jeff just said there, and I would add to that that communication is certainly vital, and can always be improved upon. Uh as PTSA president this year, we've had to be very creative to come up with different ways to reach our families. We're so used to, especially at the elementary level, to be in person, and having those face-to-face opportunities to connect, and that's been quite challenging this year. Um interesting feedback that both Jeff and Jen mentioned about the district website.
101Uh I was prepared to share that I I love the district's website. I am I find it to be an excellent resource for our community to learn about our district. I personally refer to the website frequently to find exact information that I'm looking for. Um, perhaps I'm just such a frequent flyer there that I've gotten accustomed to where things are and I find it easy to access, but I appreciate that and um and I I I appreciate hearing the different perspective on that. Um, being so invested in our district for a number of years, I feel very well versed in what's going on. Um, listening to community members, families throughout this year and in the past, I understand that that's not the norm for all of our community and I've certainly worked to try to
102address that and and bring, you know, more transparency and more topics to light um in my different roles as a parent leader. So, um, again, it's something that I believe we can always improve upon between the board, between the district, between all of our stakeholders in our community, making sure that we're aligned in our thinking and and open to new and expanded ways of communicating. Thank you, Anne Renee. Two minutes, please. Um, I'd like to piggyback on Sarah and say thank you guys for all of the ideas. I was taking down notes um from your suggestions, so thank you for that. Um as a board member, um, I I really do think we do a pretty good job with communication as well as transparency. Those are two key points to make any any industry work,
103any company work, any school district work. You need to have those. Um we do have the superintendent's newsletter that comes out on a regular basis. Um, and when it comes to the board communicating, we actually do have a small piece in there uh with a message. That's actually part of one of the subcommittees that I belong to and we sit and we talk on a regular monthly basis for that matter um just discussing what the important issue is and we make sure that we have a nice article, a nice piece in there that goes along um with the superintendent's article as well. Um, along with the communication and messaging, some other things that we've put into place over the past year or so, there is a fact checker on the website. So again, if there's
104information cuz I heard a few people mention that if there was, you know, miscommunication or they they didn't hear something or they're questioning something, we do have that fact checker where people can go to and check that out. Um, and check to see if that information is correct. Um I also wrote down a quick note about community engagement. We this past year has obviously been a topsy-turvy year, so we have not done what we normally have done with community engagement. And again, it's a subcommittee that I sit on with um a few other members. Well, what we try to do is find ways to engage the community to to meet with us outside of a board meeting. So whether that's going to art and music events, sporting events, academic activities, we want to find a
105way to help the public um really get to know us better. So hopefully now that we're planning on getting back to a normal school year, hopefully we will see more community engagement from the board as well. Thank you. Thank you. So this concludes the questions and now we're going to go back to the top of the ballot order and we are going to hear from our candidates um for their closing remarks and uh Ruby, you get to go first. Thank you. Education, a multi-million dollar business. We as parents do not count our child's worth in dollars and cents. We count love, not dollars. As a parent, we want only the best for them from this district and will accept nothing less. I speak from first-hand experience. Because if they're not successful, we're not successful either.
106Frederick Douglass said, and I quote, "It is easier to build strong children than repair broken men." I am Dr. Ruby Belton. I'm a breast cancer imaging specialist. I've been a physician for 53 years, over 30 years as a breast cancer imaging specialist. I find them when they're the size of a pinhead. I am also a mother, your friend, and a common woman. I am not endorsed by anyone but you and this community. You, the parent and this community. I love children. I love my children. I love yours, too. I approve this message because I wrote it. I would be happy and honored to serve you. Thank you very much. Thank you. Uh Jeff, you get next for closing statements. Yes, thank you again uh to all PTSA for putting on this event tonight. Thank you,
107Sherry, for moderating. Thank you to all the candidates for participating. Uh this has been a a great discussion tonight and I really appreciate it. Um I would just ask that uh you consider um my qualifications and and what I set forth in my opening statement. I believe I would bring a unique um viewpoint to the board that's not currently represented on the board uh from the legal community. And uh most importantly, if elected, everything that I did would be for the kids. We do every We do everything for the kids. The kids come first uh and their families, obviously, their caregivers. Um as Dr. Belton managed to mention many times, it's a package deal. We as a the community. Um so thank you very much for your time tonight. I hope to earn your vote
108on May 18th. And Jen, next for your closing statement. When building consensus and making decisions within our schools, I will prioritize the needs of our children and join ensuring that voices from all perspectives are heard from, consulted and considered, and that student success is individualized, taking into account the strengths and challenges of each child and considering how we can best support them to be productive adults. My background in nonprofits, community partnerships, higher education and social services is something that is not currently represented on the board, yet is an essential voice when discussing issues of equity, mental health and cultural competence. I have ad- advocacy experience that will help develop and sustain relationships with our elected leaders around legislative and funding issues that will support our teachers and students. We are all here because we care.
109We want our students, our district and our community to excel. I care about making sure our district applies its mission in three areas. That all students are encouraged to be their best in a physically and emotionally safe environment, following all health and safety guidelines, providing mental health services that consider the whole child, supporting their social emotional needs, building empathy and resilience, and to be their best in a way that prepares them to be good neighbors and global citizens by promoting cultural competency in the classroom. Two, that all teachers and staff have the resources, tools and support to do their best in providing what our students need. Teachers and staff need to feel physically safe as well as emotionally supported and they need to have access to continuing education and training and current technologies and best
110practices so they feel comfortable and confident in providing the best education possible. And three, that the district is fiscally, socially and environmentally responsible in order to make a difference in the lives of our students and our community. We should continue to collaborate with all community members in our town and with other other districts in the county in order to leverage resources. I am prepared to serve as a Pittsford Schools Board of Education member to continue to move our schools forward and to champion all of our children. Thanks for voting for me on May 18th. Thank you. Sarah, your closing statement, please. Yes, thank you to the Pittsford Central PTSA, specifically Secretary Jones-Brandio and VP of Education Council Nita Singh for hosting tonight's Meet the Candidates Forum. Thanks as well to Monroe County School Board Executive
111Director Sherry Johnson for moderating tonight's event with genuine professionalism and expertise. Thank you to our Pittsford District Teachers Association for their endorsement and to my many friends and supporters. Thank you to my fellow candidates for coming together to answer critical questions that our community has determined are important factors in choosing the best individual to serve on the Pittsford Board of Education. My involvement as a parent leader in PTSA and on various district committees has given me a broad understanding of the complexities of Pittsford Schools. Over the past several years, I have attended nearly all school board meetings, including budget workshops. It has been my passion to advocate for our students from our littlest learners through our graduating seniors, doing doing my part to ensure that their needs are being met to the best of my
112ability. I take great pride in our community and wish for everyone the same positive experience that I was privileged to have myself as a student in Pittsford Schools. I'm excited to have been a part of the decision-making team that placed equity and inclusion for all as the number one priority in this year's school budget with social emotional learning and mental health education close behind. We acknowledge that our students are facing a great number of challenges because of the global pandemic. I am proud of our district's commitment to supporting the increased needs and preparing to meet our students where they are to be successful in school and in life. I remain committed to advocating for our students, ensuring that they have a positive education in a safe and nurturing environment. I take great pride in the
113outstanding achievements of our district and wish to serve as a member of the school board to build upon that legacy. My experience has prepared me to be a qualified board candidate. My dedication to our community will keep me focused on the path to success. Together, we will continue to uphold excellence in education for all our Pittsford students. I would be truly honored to earn your vote for Pittsford School Board on May 18th. Thank you. Thank you. Renee, you're next for your closing statement. In closing, like my colleagues, I just want to say thank you to all of the viewers who gave a part of their evening to tune in and to learn more about each of us. Thank you for your dedication and your commitment to our community. I would also like to thank Nita
114and Joan, um, for putting on this great presentation for our community this evening. Thank you so much and thank you to Sherry Johnson from Monroe County School Boards acting as our moderator. Um, in summary, it truly has been a pleasure to serve the Pittsford community these past 4 years. And I truly do look forward to serving at least another three. We have gained a lot of ground these past 4 years. We've made a lot of achievements. We've made a lot of changes and I'm very proud of all of the changes that we've made and I look forward to making more with you and the rest of the community in the near future. One of the best things about us as a community is that we are truly collaborative. We work together. We listen together. We
115want to ultimately do what's best, which is doing what's best for the kids. So, I thank you all for your time this evening. Thank you for listening. Um, and again, get out and vote May 18th. We'll see you then. Thank you so much. Thank you. Ann Nicole, your closing statement, please. Thank you very much. Children don't vote and they don't make campaign contributions. Our district exists in a larger political context where powers work for their own interests and not necessarily for the interests of children. We must, as parents, as community members, as district members, we must speak for our children. We must advocate for them because they are powerless. They have no one but us. And I want to continue to urge all of our community members to advocate whenever possible with their elected representatives
116for our children. Um, we have no guarantee for a fall return. We have no guarantee for a continuous school year next year. Unlike every other element of our society, our schools are tied to case rates in the community by our state policy. They're the only thing that is. Um, and we need to advocate for our kids to get back in school and for them to be the first priority. In other countries, schools open first and close last. Here, that is not the case and it's had tragic results. So, I promise you that as a board member, I will advocate for the children. I will ask the tough questions. I'm not afraid to question authority figures for the sake of our children. I I'm also able to work collaboratively collaboratively with others. And I think actually
117that being able to have the tough discussions and ask the tough questions is key to that collaborative working together. I believe that my experience as a college professor in higher education for 15 years prepares me well both for the committee work because I did do so much committee work as a professor in so many different areas. Um, but also, uh, gives me insight into what our children are headed towards, um, in terms of their post-secondary lives. And I hope to earn your vote and I'll see you on May 18th at Barker Road. Thank you very much. Thank you. This now concludes my portion of the candidate night, but I really want to thank all of our candidates for your thoughtful responses and for your willingness to serve in this capacity. And I am now going
118to turn this back over to the Pittsford PTSA for their final remarks. On behalf of the PTSA, I would like to thank all of the Board of Education candidates for participating this evening. I would also like to thank Sherry Johnson, Joan Sperandio, and all of our technical support that helped to coordinate and make this evening possible and available to our community. The recording of this forum will be available on the Pittsford Central School District's YouTube page for viewing likely within 48 hours. Remember, the election takes place on Tuesday, May 18th. Thank you all for joining us. Have a good night.