001Mhm. >> Mhm. >> 15 >> Okay. Good evening. Welcome. It's 6:00 on Wednesday and we are I am Margie Skinner from the League of Women Voters of Albany County to moderate a candidate's forum for the school board race in Bethlehem. I live in Albany, so I have nothing at stake here and the questions I'm going to use were submitted by people in Bethlehem who were solicited by the school district and many many questions came in, so I don't want to take a lot of time and waste the time so we can answer as many questions. Little bit of plug on the League of Women Voters was established in 1920 when women got the right to vote and it's one of the nation's most respected community-based organizations. We work in elections. We volunteer our volunteers work
002on issues of local importance. Locally, we are 100% volunteers. There is some staff at the state level and the national level, but all the people that you see at voter registration events and things like this are volunteers. We are open to men and women 16 years and older our membership and encourage everybody to join and be as active or as inactive as you want to be. Won't spend any more time on that. I'm going to talk a little bit about the ground rules that you all got for this evening, so I want to make sure that you understand, I understand what's happening. You will you will all have a two we we before when I came in a few minutes ago, you all drew cards so that we know what order you will be going
003in and it looked by luck you're sitting in the right order, so I might not mess up. And you will have a two uh two minutes a piece for an opening statement. We will ask questions and then you'll have two minutes a piece for a closing statement. Um, and again to get as many questions in we have like 15 questions and we might be lucky and get nine or 10 in. So, I hope I picked the good ones and um, you can uh use your time to give your answers. Um, our we have two timekeepers from the League of Women Voters, Jenny and Jack. They will tell you when you're a minute from the the time up and then 30 seconds from time's up and then the big red thing will come up and will
004stop you. All right. So, with that I hope that's enough. One other thing for those of you out there, voting is next Tuesday the 19th. You can if you won't be around on the 19th, there is an opportunity for you to get an absentee ballot and vote ahead of time on your absentee ballot. Show up at the school district office um, anytime before Monday um, and uh pick up your absentee ballot if you won't be able to vote on Tuesday. That's it for me. So, um, you're going in order. Sarah is the uh starter for this uh round of opening statements. So, Sarah, two minutes. Tell us all about yourself. >> Great. So easy in two minutes. Uh thank you Margie for moderating and to the Jenny and Jack for time keeping and to the
005League of Women Voters for hosting. Um, my name is Sarah Bailey. Uh I am a proud Bethlehem graduate from the class of 2004 uh and have always wanted to be involved in education. I was a teacher for six years. I taught middle school for five of those years and then one year at the high school level uh all in Massachusetts. And [snorts] then uh my husband's work took us to Pittsburgh. So, we moved down there and I started to work for an education foundation. Uh the foundation really prioritizes relationships, which is great because I think those are incredibly important in education. Uh, and that allowed me to go around to different parts of the country, see different schools, and also to do a lot of reading about schools and about teaching and learning, which is
006really been incredible and it's been a lot of research. Um, it also means that I've gotten to write a fair amount about [snorts] schools. So, school is, even though I'm not still in the classroom, really still at the the center of my world. I had kids. I have two boys who are at Glanmont Elementary. I have a kindergartner and a third grader. Uh, and got involved in the PTA right away and have really loved being involved in that way. Uh, it's been really joyful and meaningful for me. And so, I hope to continue to serve the, you know, the wider district, um, and not just Glanmont by by this role. Thanks, Sarah. Okay, Holly. Sure. Uh, I will echo Sarah's thanks to the League for organizing this event. Uh, my name is Holly Dalenba and
007I'm running for re-election, uh, to the school board. I represented our community on the board for the past 9 years and I really would be honored, um, to continue doing so for another term. I'm a writer, an editor, and an attorney with nearly two decades of experience in both the private and public sector, in commercial litigation, mediation, and emergency preparedness and response. And I'm also a parent, uh, who has navigated the full K-12 continuum in Bethlehem. So, I think that also gives me a lot of experience with, uh, with our school district. For the past 9 years, I've been actively engaged on the board. I served as the board's vice president for 1 year, um, and I have I've as board president for the past 7 years. Um, I've also served on the board's policy
008committee for all 9 years, um, as well as the, um, the audit committee, um, at certain times, and the strategic planning committee, and several hiring committees for, uh, various administrative positions. And I'm running again because I I really don't feel like my work on the board is done. I feel like there is more to do. We depend on our schools, and I want to be part of maintaining our district's high level of education and solving the challenges that I'm sure will come up in the next few years. I want to continue to use my leadership and advocacy and communication skills on behalf of our district, and I believe that my experience on and off the board will be a true asset to our community. Thank you. Thanks, Holly. Meredith? Uh, thank you to the League
009of Women Voters. Um, hello, my name is Meredith Moriarty, and I would be honored to have your vote for the Board of Education for Bethlehem Central. Uh, with 9 years of service on the Board of Education, and as a parent of three children currently in 10th, 8th, and 6th grades, I bring both [snorts] experience and perspective to this role. My time on the board has given me a deep understanding of how our district operates, um, from budgeting to policy decisions. And just as importantly, my day-to-day experience as a parent has kept me grounded, um, in what these decisions mean for our families and students at every stage in their education. Um, over the past three terms, I have focused on maintaining strong academic standards, supporting teachers, and ensuring responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources. I believe
010that effective governance requires both thoughtful long-term planning and responsiveness to the immediate needs of our school community. Um, my professional experience is as an attorney, and that has strengthened my ability to ask productive questions, weigh complex decisions, and advocate for solutions that benefit all students. Um if reelected, I will continue to prioritize transparency, open communication, and collaboration with families, staff, and students, and community members. Uh our schools are strongest when we work together, and I remain committed to ensuring that every student has access to high-quality, well-rounded education in a safe and supportive environment. Um I grew up in Delmar and moved back to Bethlehem when my children were young so that they could attend Bethlehem schools. Um it's been an honor to serve this community, and I would be proud to continue that work. Thanks,
011Meredith and Becky. Hi. Thank you again to the League of Women Voters. Um my name is Becky Von Wedel. My family and I have lived in the Bethlehem district for the past 19 years. I have three children who are all Bethlehem graduates. They graduated in 2019, 2017, and 2025. I've been involved with the Bethlehem community in various capacities over the last 18 years. I became [snorts] interested in pursuing this opportunity after I was a member of the hiring committee for the director of athletics and wellness earlier this year. I bring the perspective of a parent with a recent graduate, as well as someone without children currently in the district. I have worked in the accounting field for over 20 years and added in some data analytics over the last 6 years after getting my MBA
012with a concentration in information systems and business analytics. I bring the skill set of being able to listen with an open mind to everyone to be sure that everyone's voice is heard and make decisions that represent the best interest of everyone involved. I have worked for NYSCIT for the last 18 and 1/2 years and am currently the union rep for my staff union, which gives me not only a thorough understanding of what's impacting school districts and the staff, as well as a union structure as well as union structure and bargaining agreements. Given this background, I I feel I can be a valuable asset to the board and the district. Okay, thanks Becky. Now, for the first question, Holly, you'll go first. Um, what do you think are the strengths of the Bethlehem School District and
013in what areas would you work for improvements? And how well do you think the district prepares students for the future? I think our strengths are in our our staff, our teachers, our educators, um, uh, as well as, um, everybody who supports the district, um, in all of its functions. And then we have our our operations and maintenance and food service and transportation staff as well. And they're really the ones that they keep things going. Um, and they keep our they get our children to school, um, and they keep them from being hungry. And then our teachers and our educators make sure, um, that they are that they're learning. Um, I think that, uh, we have work to do, um, with respect to making sure that all of our students, um, particularly our special education students,
014are reaching their fullest potential, um, in the district. Um, that's one of the reasons that, uh, we went ahead, um, and uh, supported hiring a consultant to do a special education audit to flag where we need to make some improvements. Um, and I and I think that, um, that when those results come back, you know, we can implement, um, implement necessary improvements in that area. Um, I do think that we are preparing our students to be, uh, to be leaders in a global world, um, and I and giving them the base that they need to, um, to go forward, and all different aspects. Thanks. Okay, Meredith. Do you want me to repeat it, or you got it? >> If you could, I would appreciate that. >> Sure. Okay. What do you think are the strengths
015of the Bethlehem School District, and in what areas would you work for improvements? And how well do you think the district prepares students for the future? Um, I think Bethlehem has has so many strengths, and I think a lot of that comes down to the community, and how well we support our schools. Um, you see that in uh parental involvement, um, and and in the the wider [snorts] community. Um, certainly, and we also have, I think, very high academic standards, and um really work on bringing um, all students, uh, to their highest potential. Um, one place I do see, um, room for improvement is within our special education department. Um, I think that we, um, certainly have been working on, um, improvements in that department. Um, last year, we there was a state assessment, >>
016[snorts] >> um, and it was found that we needed improvement in certain certain areas within the special education department. And this year, um, certainly, I think the school district took that to heart, and has been working hard on those standards. And, um, just recently, we found out that um, we have been graded as meeting expectations for those standards. Um, but I think that, um, was certainly, um, an important, uh, point that we really do have to work to improve that, and not just [snorts] to um, meet expectations, but we want this to be, um a a program that is exceeding expectations. Um, so I I think that that is a place that we could still work to improve. Um, in terms of preparing for the future, I think our school district is really concentrating on
017that. Um, I This year I had a chance to tour um, our BOCES facility and see the different many different programs um, that we are preparing um, kids for at different um, types of careers and I was blown away by the the different types of um, programs that we have there. Thanks, Meredith. Becky, do you want me to repeat it or you got it? >> Sure. >> [laughter] >> What do you think are the strengths of the Bethlehem school district and in what areas would you work for improvements? And how well do you think the district prepares students for the future? So, I think the biggest strengths that the district has is not only the staff that we we have here in the district in ranging everywhere from the teachers, the the aids and monitors,
018the custodial staff, um, but also the opportunities that are available to the students in the district. I believe we have a good variety of programs that they can choose from. Um, some improvements I would like to see is that making sure that every student gets to be seen. So, in terms of my my three kids that went through the district, they were [snorts] all three very different students and had three very different experiences. So, I would like to see that um, students don't get to have more experiences than another just because they're a different type of [snorts] student. Um, and as far as preparing them for the future, um, I think Bethlehem does a great job at that. Uh, my youngest actually went to school down south and found that the northern students are more
019prepared than the southern students [snorts] um, at the school down there. So, I think we do a really good job of that here. Okay. And Sarah? I'll give you another reading of it, okay? >> I'm okay, Mary. You got it. Okay, good. Well, you have heard it three times. >> it three times. >> [laughter] >> I'm on a roll, right? Um, I yeah, I think there are an abundance of strengths in the district. Um, I you know, absolutely staff. I think anyone who has regular interactions with any member of staff of the Bethlehem district is really constantly delighted. [snorts] Um, and and so I think that is absolutely a strength. I think the range of extracurricular activities that we have, um, really allow a lot of kids to feel a sense of belonging in the
020school that they are in and that is crucial. Um, and I think our academics are are for the most part really strong. Um, in terms of areas for improvement, I will echo special ed. I think that's that's an area that requires some more time and attention. Um, and but you know, I'm hopeful that the audit that's happening will will tease out some threads of how to do that in a [snorts] careful way and um, will involve some deep listening from families who are going through special ed. Um, and I'm really taking that perspective. Um, I also think that we could do a little more work around how we utilize technology and evaluate how we're doing that so we can make sure that the technology that we're using is is there to really support learning and
021growth and not there because it can be there. Um, yeah, and I think in terms of how we're doing overall, I I think we're doing really well and it's a never evolving landscape, right? It's hard for us to know and I think harder for us to know now what jobs are going to look like in 10 years and how that's going to go. Um, so I think, >> [snorts] >> you know, having a a more diversified uh, landscape, more offerings through both these, right? Both kinds of things will will only help. Great, thanks. Okay, um Now, let's see, Meredith, you start and I picked up a term in all of your comments and there's a question that addresses that, so I'll give you a chance to even elaborate on what you said. What special ed
022goals, areas of improvement, and funding levels do you think the district should focus on? Including the metrics evaluating whether Bethlehem is meeting the needs of students with disabilities and what role should the board play in this process? Um so, as was mentioned, this year the district engaged outside consultants to review our special education department and hopefully see what's working within special ed, but also what can be improved. I'm I'm excited to see that report and see what data they suss out. Um at at the end of the year also we're going to have some personnel changes within the special ed department including the appointment of an intern a new intern director and an assistant director. So, I do feel as though this um time of change of within leadership in the special ed department along
023with the outside consultants who can really help us decide if the structure that we have right now and that we are going to be having next year is the appropriate structure. I think certainly that is one overarching [snorts] question about how the department should be structured. Um one issue that came up during the rezoning process was the fact that special education students um move schools frequently and that was really first of all, I think that that was an important um thing to support ensuring that those students were not part of the rezoning process, but that debate also brought up the question of why are so many students moving so frequently um as um you know, as their their programs may change location. Um I think that that was an important data point that um I
024don't think that we have um gathered that data yet about how frequently um special ed students are asked to change schools. So, that is a data point that I would um ask for as a member of the board next year. Thanks. Okay. Becky, do you want Do you got it? Do you Do you want me >> You're good. Okay. [laughter] Um you know, I would like to see you know, as far as what special ed goals that we would have Excuse me, [clears throat] that we would have as a board. I would like to see um definitely a deep dive and and look and evaluation into the program. Um but it is the board's role to uh look at policy and guide the district in that way. So, um as far as the metrics go,
025you know, as I touched upon in my opening statement, I have been involved in data analytics for the last 6 years. So, um really deep diving into the metrics and evaluating what is a strength, what is a weakness, and how how we can fix that. And also working closely um with the department and seeing how we can help support them to progress the special ed program. Okay. Thanks, Becky. Um Sarah? Yeah. So, I there was a working paper out of Boston University, I think just in this last March that said that students who receive special ed services over the course of 3 years, they can actually gain an additional half of a year to a year of growth, right? So, special ed services are [snorts] essential. And I think that one thing that would benefit
026is it's more clarity in communication around special ed. I think that there are families who don't appreciate, right, like how much goes into that process for families. And I also think that there needs to be more communication from the district around how different groups are formed, right? With some of the self-contained classes or classes that aren't entirely self-contained but have an element of it. What that what that looks like and why. I think that we need to focus on on research and and evidence-based practices, right? And that having some metrics around what are all of the practices that we're using, how do they line up with those would be really helpful. And I would also love to see a satisfaction [snorts] survey, right, as a as a data point from families to see how are
027they navigating the system, where do they see challenges. So even after this process with the audit is done, could we create something as a district that would allow for families to regularly feel like they had that opportunity for feedback. Thanks. And Holly? Sure. Um you know, as I mentioned with one of the previous question, you know, I think the district has work to do to make sure that we're allowing all of our students to reach their fullest potential. Um and ultimately I think improving special ed lifts up all of our students. It lifts up our general education students because you are reducing your strain on resources and teachers across the buildings. Uh the good news as Meredith mentioned is that our IDEA results this year show that Bethlehem is now considered to meet requirements. And
028all of those gains um, I think were in areas of student performance. Um, if you look at the, um, the IDEA dashboard that the district is maintaining, um, which is online and you can sort of get to it through the strategic planning dashboard, um, you can see where we have improved, um, and I think we're now at a 93% out of 100. Um, but to me 93% shows that we still have room for improvement. Um, and so those, uh, those metrics in particular, um, are where I think, at least in the short term, we can focus and see, you know, where can we do better on that next year. Um, I think the board's, uh, main role, uh, is to provide the resources that the district, um, needs. Obviously, uh, with fiscal accountability, um, and,
029um, keeping that in mind, but, um, but making sure that, um, that the district has what it needs to make the changes that are necessary and to move forward. Um, I think one thing I would really like to see, um, moving forward is the continued, uh, good communication between the special education community and the district, so that issues, um, that might be bubbling under the surface come to light and, uh, the administration and the board hears about them. Um, and I will stop there. Okay. Meredith? Or is that it? We're done with this one, right? Okay, sorry. No, next question, um, Becky, you go first. And, um, I'm this is again, all of these were submitted by people in the district, so um, this will be a sort of, um, how the day goes. Please
030comment on the amount of time that is currently spent at each level, elementary, middle and middle school and high school, using technology apps and Chromebooks. Too much, too little, the right amount? Do you think the district should establish the district should establish policies that set specific limits for each level on the time spent on Chromebooks and apps? And how should the district handle families that wish to opt out of certain digital activities including laptops at home? So, it's a big bunch of of questions, but it all folks into I guess technology and apps and how much the time the kids are spending looking at their things in school and out. There you go, Becky. >> That is a whole [laughter] lot of information in one question. This is actually something that has been on my
031mind recently. Uh when my children went through elementary school, they didn't have the technology that the elementary school kids have now. Uh but I do think that in the district we saw the improvement with the kids getting off their phones and getting away from some screen time. So, I think less screen time is better. Um and it does also lead to using paper and pen more is better for retention and learning and keeping the repetition of things in there. Um so, I do think it should be evaluated and it should be something that the board should discuss and look into. Um but I wouldn't say we need to go totally away from technology either. Technology is very important to be introduced even at a young age so that they are accustomed to it, they learn
032it, they know it so that it's not something that's scary that they they get drawn into or um distracted by as they get older. They also need to be prepared when they leave Bethlehem to [snorts] get into the working world and have the technology because technology only gets more and more complex as we move on. Um this is something that I live my daily life working in the IT department where I am. So, we're constantly evolving and needing to change. So, technology is a is very important piece of education to prepare the children to get out into the world, but it is also important that they have the balance. It's all about balance. Um I know there was some other part in there, but I don't know if I answered >> [laughter] >> Um but
033I don't know how should the district handle families that wish to opt out? Um I think that should be a discussion point that we we should look into. Um But again, I think it's so important that kids get exposed to the technology that if it's a complete opt-out, I think it's something we would have to work with the families on. And uh have a discussion. Okay. Sarah, you got it? Or Three parts. >> [laughter] >> Um yeah, I I would be a big fan of evaluating our technology use. And uh you know, my kids are in elementary school right now, and and and just what we do at home and what they do from school, um I think I have some questions around how we might be able to do that better. Um there are
034New York State standards around technology. So, we do have to pay attention to those, right? We can't we can't throw those out the window. Um and that's one important piece in this. Um I do think that it's a compelling idea to look at the different stages of development and and apply [snorts] some limits. Um I I think that would be a beneficial move. I also just think the range of time that we're spending on technology varies, right? And I think likely this goes back to COVID when we needed when we needed to have a lot of technology, and then it was there, and so we could use it in different ways because all of a sudden it was accessible to us. And I don't know if after that we've taken a really solid look at
035how we're using it, when we're using it, why we're using it, and making sure that we're being really deliberate because we want to be really deliberate with our kids. Um and I think in so many ways what the district is doing is really deliberate careful work. So I think this would want to fall in line with that. Um I would be curious to kind of start with what is the range of time that different different teachers at different ages are spending on on tech and and trying to figure out how to make that uh come into [snorts] line a little bit more. Not that it has to be lockstep, it doesn't. Um I think families opting out is actually pretty tricky because there are New York State standards. So I think there might be conversations
036around potentially Chromebooks at home. Like that kind of a thing, maybe there's there's wiggle room there. Um but I think opting out of a lot of tech things would actually get pretty complicated because of the learning standards. Great. Okay, Holly. Ultimately, uh technology is a tool, uh but it is not a teacher. Um we need to prioritize direct instruction, reading, writing, um and face-to-face collaboration K-12. Um and we need to make sure that our technology is being used thoughtfully um and in limited ways and support professional development for our teachers on effective use of technology in the classroom. Um you know, Sarah mentioned that uh we are in part we're guided by the New York State um computer science and digital fluency standards and we've next generation ELA standards as well. One of the other
037factors um that comes into play at uh the elementary level is that the New York State testing program starting in third grade is computer-based And we don't want to have students that are facing [snorts] those tests for the first time in third grade never having had any experience um on a computer and how to use that. So, because that wouldn't be fair to them in terms of giving them a way of showcasing what they know. Um but it but it is, you know, about a balance. Um and my understanding is that the administration has been hearing um the concerns from the community about the use of Chromebooks particularly in the elementary school and the middle school um and has had conversations with the BCTA about um student Chromebook use. Um and I think next year
038um there is there are some suggestions about not requiring students um kindergarten through fifth grade to have to bring those Chromebooks home to in order to allow them to stay at school in those little charging carts. Um and um and one that um I would be rooting for would be not requiring um the i-Ready lessons in middle school, leaving that up to teacher preference. Um that doesn't mean the diagnostics, just the lessons. I'll stop it. Okay, and Meredith? Um this is uh an issue that's very important, very personal to me. Um for families who choose to limit their children's screen time at home, it sometimes feels like you are can be fighting a war um with your your students uh teachers and with screens. Um I understand the positive uh aspects of technology in the
039classroom. There certainly are a lot of them, but I would support efforts to reduce time spent on Chromebooks both at home in the classroom. Um I've supported changes to district policies and procedures such as um how I just mentioned about um elementary students not being required to bring home their Chromebook. Um also um assessments for our youngest learners being on pencil and paper, not on the computer. Um kindergarten first graders are still just learning. They don't need to be doing assessments on the computer. Um additionally, I think it's very important to reduce Chromebook usage in the middle school. 6th through 8th grade is such a vital time for kids and um that those distractions can be harmful to students' development. Um I would um aim to ensure that teachers have enough resources um and instructional
040support to assign work off of Chromebooks. Um I would ask um our school district to do an examination of the use of flipped classrooms um uh including interviewing um students and teachers to determine whether or not this is the best use of classroom time. And I would propose a screen time audit, an official screen time audit for our whole district, so we can collect and share um with community accurate data about how uh kids are using technology in the classroom, what types of activities are assigned on Chromebooks, and what families and educators think about school mandated school mandated screen time uh through surveys. Okay. So, that's it for that question. Now, the other one that kind of relates to the daytime activities in the school um and Sarah, you'll go first on this one. Um
0411 2 3 4. Uh yeah, what role should the board play in supporting instructional practices that combine memorization and recall with application of knowledge, critical thinking, and hands-on engagement to prepare students for the future? Well, I mean, the board has oversight, right? And and the ability to help create policies and maybe most importantly in this context, um the ability to ask really good questions. So, I think that in [clears throat] terms of memorization and recall, I mean, I I think that a lot of those those instructional practices have to be up to the experts in our schools, right? And this is where I think it's tricky because we have to we have to trust the educators that we've hired as a district um to be able to make a a lot of those instructional calls.
042Um so, I think if there were conversation around like policy around getting rid of something like that, the board would absolutely be involved in that. Um but I think in a more granular level, that's not [snorts] the role of the board. Um so, I I think that I think that question's a little bit tricky in that way. Um can you tell me if there's another word for it? Um really just not really combine memorization, recall with application of knowledge, critical thinking, and hands-on engagement. So, should the I guess should the board should the board support these practices should you know, somehow be aggressive in a supporting these practices. And I don't know where the question came from. >> that's totally fair. That's totally [laughter] fair. And that's a wide range of practices. >> Right? Uh
043recall and memorization is very different than hands-on learning. So, you know, the extent to which we can um as a as a board uh offer you know, offer the resources that our schools need in order to create those kinds of opportunities, of course, to uh help students critically think because if not, what are we all doing, right? Um those those are really important. Um but I also think that so much of this is up to the folks that we've hired who are experts in their fields to be able to make the the right decisions. Okay, Holly. Um I think the the important thing to remember with that question is that while the board sets district policy, um the board doesn't run the district's day-to-day operations. Um the board shouldn't be down in the weeds um
044with all of that uh that in that such in such a granular way. Um when we have um big changes in curriculum um such as the introduction of Foundations or Book Worms at the elementary level, um we, you know, we'll get presentations on the changes in the curriculum um so that the board can understand um and as Sarah said, ask questions um and um sort of elaborate what is what is happening with the change in curriculum. But ultimately, we have to trust our expert educators that are in the classroom and that are choosing the that that curriculum. Um you know, I am I am not a teacher. Um I have a lot of other skills to bring to the table, but I need to rely on the expertise and we have a lot of it
045in the district with respect to those um those kinds of uh the nitty-gritty curriculum pieces. Um and again, uh asking questions to the best of my best of my ability. Okay, Meredith. Um I think I would echo Sarah and Holly about um remembering uh the important role the board plays and what role it doesn't play. Um certainly as a board, um I would expect to um ask questions to administration regarding our curriculum and if if it does not seem like it is going in you know in a direction that I liked you know asking those questions requesting presentations so that information is put in front of the entire community not just the board so that we all have that information about what type of learning is most appropriate for different stages as Holly said I'm
046not an educator I would not pretend to be so we do rely on the expertise of the administration faculty and staff that we hire and that's a big that's also is a big part of the board's role is ensuring that you know the administration is um up-to-date on all of the different types of education advancements that are out there so certainly I think the board's role in that is asking those questions making sure that our administration is exploring all types of advancements in education and um simply making sure that that that um we are being transparent in the type of curriculum that we're offering all right Becky so you'll hear a lot of the same from me >> [laughter] >> as the other candidates have stated it's not the the school board's role to dictate
047direct instructional practices that that is up to the individual expertise again I am not an educator um so I think it's important that we bring perspective and are able to listen to the community and the parents to hear what is going on, but it is not our job as the board to to dictate those practices. We would work closely with the administration and go from there. All right, I'll jump out of the classroom now and >> [laughter] >> ask you maybe a more board related question. This is how should you and the Okay, and let's see how I use start with this one. How should you and the board work to ensure that the Bethlehem school taxes do not impose an excessive burden on taxpayers? Well, I think every year we are we are faced
048with we have a tax cap. This year, for example, it is 2.61%. I think I got that right. And you know, through the lengthy budget process, one of the things that as a board we need to do is look very closely what the budget is for the next year and do our very best to to keep ourselves under the cap and to keep those increases as as low as possible because they do really impact the members of our community. You know, this year one of the choices that we made in order to close the gap in our budget, but to keep that increase lower was to use money think 1.1 million dollars from our fund balance and you know, it is and to and otherwise we would have had to go over the cap and
049increase the burden on our on our community members. You know, one of the one of the things that we need to do as we are looking at the budget Um, I think the district does a great job of doing this when they're presenting it to the board, um, is really being thoughtful about where we make additions to the budget and really considering where we can, um, make reductions, where we can cut back. Um, for example, maybe with decreasing enrollment, um, there are teachers that are retiring or positions that, um, that are retiring that don't need to be filled, um, because we maybe don't have as many students in the building. Um, but uh, it is challenging because we're facing inflation, um, rising healthcare costs, and unpredictable energy costs. Okay. Meredith. Um, I do think that
050one of the most significant issues facing the district is an increasingly tight financial outlook. Um, but that is also the same thing that is, um, that is concerning to members of our community. Um, everyone is feeling the costs of, um, their household budgets. And, um, those same financial pressures that people are feeling in their homes are also being felt at the district level. Um, so I do think the board is going to have to make, um, some difficult decisions when creating a budget in the coming year. Um, as Holly mentioned the past few years, um, previous to the past few years, um, the the board, um, and the financial office, um, found a way to, um, increase reserves and shore up those reserves so that they would be there, um, in, um, situations where there'd
051be difficult years. Um, over the last 2 years, um, the board has decided to dip into those reserves in order to avoid going over the tax cap and in order to avoid, um, large increases [snorts] to people's tax bills. That is certainly something that you one has to be careful with to make sure that you don't take out all of your reserves. But that is a strategy that the board has used in the past two years and I think they've used it responsibly. Certainly I if reelected I would work closely with the administration to come up with even new ideas about controlling costs without compromising our standards because I understand that even percentage point in the tax rate makes a real difference to people's households. Okay, thanks Meredith. Becky. Yes, so given my background in
052accounting and analysis, you know, I think I fit well in with one of the biggest roles that the board has which is fiscal responsibility. And I do think one of the biggest concerns over the next few years is going to be the budget constraints that will be coming along. For the last several years I always pay very closely attention to budget time just because it's what I'm interested in. So I've been watching the trends and seeing what's been happening with the district and the taxes. So it is definitely um important to do some smart evaluation based on data. You know, and as they had mentioned before, you know, if we have enrollment dropping then maybe we can shift some things around and be able to compensate for any increases that are coming along our way.
053All right, Sarah. If only bake sales were enough. Right, it would be great if there were it would be great if there were were different streams of revenue and that's also really difficult because largely we're talking about these sums of money that will impact taxpayers, right? To the the question asker's point. I I it's important to keep in mind a couple of things, and one is that I think Bethlehem has a history of staying underneath or at the tax cap. Um I think the past 10 years, right? The district hasn't gone over that. Um so that we can be really fiscally responsible. And I also think it's important to note that so much of the budget for the next year, it's over 75% is going towards salary and benefits. And our teachers and staff deserve
054to be paid reasonably, right? And and they also deserve good health care. Um and so I think this is a real tension point. It's going to be a real area of balance. Um and I think it's going to be something that the board really has to collectively work together on to try to figure out how to make it so that we aren't doing I think it I think it might be Scotia-Glenville this year that is increasing by like 12%. I think that was what the Times Union reported. Um it's a it's a big increase, right? And and we don't want to do that because that would make things very burdensome um for folks in our district. So I think it would be very careful work with also the recognition that the spending that we are
055doing is is here for people, right? And we are a human-centered endeavor. That's what education is. Okay, this is a quicky that sort of follows a financial thing, I think. Um not being from Bethlehem, I think so. >> [laughter] >> Meredith, yeah, Meredith, you go first. Um would you support having one full-time school resource officer assigned to cover five elementary schools? I'm guessing that's a budget question. >> [laughter] >> Um sure, I'll take the time to talk um a little bit about our school resource officers. We um have a really good relationship with our school resource officers. They um work um in aspects of our school that I never would have realized that school resource officers do, and they also do work in our elementary schools. Um, I I think that, um, it would be
056cost prohibitive to, um, hire school resource officers to be assigned at each of the elementary schools. Um, I I just don't think that, um, I I think that would be cost prohibitive. However, um, I do have confidence that our current school resource officers, um, have the ability to work within, um, all of our schools, and they do work within all of our schools. They have great relationships, um, with not only the the faculty and staff, but with the students who really look up to them. Um, so, um, well, I understand, um, people's concerns about, um, safety. Um, I will say that one one thing that has been in the budget the last couple years, um, has been, um, hardening our, um, entrances to all of our schools, including our our elementary schools. Um, so, and
057also, we have been, um, implementing, um, changes to the, uh, door locking systems to make sure that we have, um, monitors on all those door locking systems. So, school safety is very important to me, certainly school safety within our elementary schools, but I don't think we need a school resource officer in every elementary school in order to, um, to achieve that safety. Okay. So, this question said one assigned to cover all five. I I'm guessing it meant that there's only one for all five, but maybe not, maybe I You thought it meant one in every school, right? That That's what I thought the question was. >> I'm okay. >> answer would still remain the same, that I I I do think that, um, that would be cost prohibitive to um hire another school resource officer
058for the elementary schools. Okay, thanks. Sorry about that. Becky Hi. Is it clear now what you are saying? >> I I do think that it would be an extra expenditure that we wouldn't be able to absorb at this time. Um but I think that with the hardening of all of the entrances and the school resource officers work the current school resource officers that we have um that work across the district, I think do a great job and um >> [snorts] >> are ensuring that all of our students are safe. Uh I know when we had the swatting incident uh two falls ago, my daughter's senior year, um the response time was fantastic. The communication from the school was fantastic. Um I think that went as smoothly as something like that could and I think the
059school does a great job in keeping all of our students safe uh especially with the new procedures and um expenditures that they've put in for hardening all of the entrances and the new security systems at the front doors. Great. Okay, Sarah. No, I do not think that that would be a great idea. Um and and from [snorts] a cost perspective absolutely. I also think school resource officers work the most effectively when they are entrenched members of the community um and sharing one across five elementary schools, I don't know how much um benefit there would there would be just at the elementary level. I think they're great resources to be pulled in in specific ways um but not necessarily that they need to have that kind of coverage. Um so I I totally agree uh from
060that from that perspective um and I think that in in upcoming years when the budget is going to be even tighter, um that that just wouldn't make sense. All right. And Holly? Um, you know, I would agree with Sarah. I think if we're talking about one for five buildings, it that doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Um, you know, given the additional cost and that our um, our current SROs already are spending time in our elementary school buildings. Um, and you know, as Meredith said, it having one in each building um, would certainly be cost prohibitive. You know, we have to keep in mind that the SROs are town employees and full-time police officers. Um, and so you're talking about the town adding police officers to their staff. So, any conversation about SROs
061also means a conversation with the town. Um, but I think, you know, the really important thing to remember is that school safety is a bigger conversation than just do we have SROs or not. Um, you know, as um, has been mentioned, you know, hardening the entrances in our buildings, that's school safety. Installing the Avigilon door monitoring system so our doors can't be left propped open, that's part of school safety. Um, as is, you know, the Raptor screening process that was implemented um, a few years ago. And things like keeping our district safety plans up to date and responsive after we, you know, when we learn things after things like the swatting incidents that um, that Becky mentioned. Um, we also have um, things like our our software programs like I think it's uh, Gaggle that
062um, helps monitor for concerning content so that we can keep an eye on what is going on um, behind the scenes. And from the you know, board perspective, setting policy to allow our district to operate as an opioid overdose prevention program. Um, that all ties in with safety. Um, and I think and ultimately also as a board continuing to provide resources and support for mental health programs in our schools. Um, goes a long way to keeping our schools safe. Okay, so I hope that I can read this one as it was given and you can understand what it where it's coming from. Um, Ed Becky, you're going first on this one. And it kind of to me follows it up. It's just how do you think Bethlehem should make its schools a safe and an
063inclusive community for all? And it's particularly for students of color and I would add maybe just students that are different um, in any way any way, shape or form. So, Becky >> [clears throat] >> Um, I do think that uh, an environment where there is inclusivity is of the utmost importance. Um, and no child should feel that they're they're excluded from things. Um, I think it is important that the school district has the resources and abilities to um, be able to provide that type of environment for all of the students. Um, as far as uh, different programs that are offered, I know there's a clubs that are out there that involve um, the after school clubs that at the high school that where the children can go and attend um, to talk about the different
064diversity and and it's not it's open to everybody. You know, um, when my youngest came through, she she would go to um, I don't even remember the name of the club at this point, but she she would go to different clubs just to learn about them and see and to be exposed to the differences and um, make sure that the opportunities are there to be inclusive. Um, the unified sports also provide a lot of that benefit too at at the high school level. Uh they have the the bowling, the boccie, and the basketball, which I think is a great opportunity for these special ed kids to be um interacting with the gen ed uh students, and they work together to play those sports. So, I think that's a great opportunity for inclusivity as well. Okay,
065thanks. Sarah? Yeah, I you know, in talking about safety, obviously, earlier we're talking about physical safety, but psychological safety is also paramount to schools being able to do the work that they need to do, right? If if you can't show up genuinely as yourself each day when you come to school, what [snorts] kind of academic learning can you do? And so, I think it's really important to create schools that are open and welcoming and accepting, um and where kids don't feel like they need to fit in, right? I need to change this about myself, um but where they really do experience belonging. That is really important. Um and I think it absolutely speaks to clubs and sports and the different ways in which kids can find that, but I also think that we can be
066really intentional with curricular choices, right? And and who we're choosing to celebrate. Um I think you know, unified sports are a great way to a great way to do it, um but I also think that it's in the materials that we have around us on the walls, right? It's It's not just um it's not just the opportunities that kids can participate in, but it's also, for lack of a better term, the the window dressing on the school, right? It's It's how you approach it and how you make sure that um that kids have trusted adults um in in the building so that they can go to them and and talk about whatever they need to talk about. Um so, I think that this is a a multi-layered uh question, but I think that the psychological
067safety piece is really key. Okay, thanks. Sarah Holly. I think to truly build an inclusive environment, we need to create a um a culturally responsive education for our students. Um, we need to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for them um in the buildings and um and offer opportunities to elevate historically marginalized voices um in our schools. Um, we need to as a a board, we need to provide resources to support our libraries so that they can have resources, books that they need um in the library to have a balanced diverse collection of materials available to our students. Um, we can support a review of the curriculum to make sure that there is diversity in our um instructional materials and inclusivity. Um, we can also help uh maintain uh equitable hiring and promotional practices in
068the building um so that we have um we have diverse uh staff coming into our buildings. And we can support um uh uh things like the um kindness micro assemblies um that uh have taken place in the last year where we had our high school students trained as peer leaders deliver presentations to younger students um on the power of words, um microaggressions, and um the influence of stereotypes. Um, and I strongly think that there's a lot of times when younger students might not listen to adults in the room, um but they look up to and respect older students. Um, and so having that opportunity both for the high school students to be leaders and to share their stories and for the younger students to hear from them and and look up to them and really
069take them seriously. We can build a foundation in our school community for what respect and kindness look like. Okay. And Meredith? I would agree with with everyone else here that every student deserves to feel safe, respected, and valued in their school. When students feel like a valued member of their community, they show up more engaged, confident, and better prepared to learn. As far far as concrete steps that we can take, um the district does administer surveys um that ask questions about students, you know, current mental health and also how they are feeling about different ways they are treated within the school. Um I think it's really important to analyze subgroup responses to what those the survey is showing us. Um and delve deep into that data to see if there are trends that we've been
070overlooking or if certain subgroups are experiencing um certain things in our school that we were not aware of. Um such looking at things such as graduation rates, discipline rates, chronic chronic absenteeism um especially education services as it relates to the different subgroups, I think is is really important. Um certainly um as was mentioned earlier, we do have a lot of programs and extracurricular activities that try to bring together different groups and also celebrate groups. Um we have the unified sports. We also have unified PE, which I think is a wonderful program as well. Um and as Holly mentioned, um, I think it's important to look at our hiring practices, um, just to ensure that our staff and faculty, um, reflect the greater world and and our students. Great. Okay. Thank you all. All right, I
071got two questions that are kind of related. To me, one's an old question and one's a new one, maybe. Um, what do I know? [laughter] Um, so let's see. The first one, Sarah, you're the first one. Please com- >> Yeah, I lost track. Yes. Right. Okay. It's me. >> [laughter] >> All right. It's me, this is the old question, but I'll give you it. You're new, you can have a shot at it. >> [laughter] >> You other two have already answered it in the past, but you can answer it again. Things might have changed. Please comment on starting school later in the morning for high school. What obstacles do you see in changing the bell times for the high school in the near future? What a question. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, I mean, I it's
072hard because I I think there is good research around changing the times that kids are coming to school, um, and when kids are awake and alert and ready, um, and that's a real challenge, right? This is This is one of those things that is a real challenge, um, because it impacts how families can get to work, right? There There's a challenge there. It also impacts our athletics program, um, in terms of what time we can, um, have kids excused and not miss academic time, right? This is This is a um, a really nuanced question, so I on the whole, while I totally appreciate the want for high schoolers to start later and to allow my very sweet 6-year-old to get to school when he is awake and ready, which is way earlier than anyone else
073would be. Um, in concept, I love it and I think it presents some logistical challenges that go outside of our district and that would make it really hard to execute. All right, Holly. I would love to see this happen. Um there's no question that the research um supports the need for more sleep for our teenagers and really not even so much more sleep, but just that their sleep schedule shifts. Um and anyone who remembers being a teenager or has lived with one um knows what that looks like. And I was thrilled when we were able to move the high school to 8:00 a.m. back in, I think it was the 2020-2021 school year. And I was disappointed when we had to, you know, go back. Um but we had a lot of practical issues and
074we had after COVID um a real bus driver shortage. Um I think we had almost um you know, 20 fewer drivers than we did when we had originally been able to implement it. And so it was making a two-tier bussing system impossible. Um and we've looked at um some of the other possibilities including flipping building level start times. Um but there was that presented family problems for our families with respect to child care um and problems for our teachers um some of whom are coming from um outside of this district as well. Um and we also looked at one point at adjusting our walking distances in order to decrease the bus ridership. Um and that also came with its own set of problems um for people who had concerns about their children walking to school
075where on streets where there were no sidewalks. Um but listen, I don't want to give up on it um and I am continuously optimistic that we can keep exploring this issue. You know, one possibility maybe with declining enrollment um and ridership on the buses, maybe there might be a way to combine students from different building levels, um, onto a bus, but it would be something we would have to discuss with transportation. It would we would have to discuss it with our community members, um, and as with most things, it wouldn't happen overnight. All right, Meredith. Um, I have a similar response to Holly. Um, I I definitely fully support, um, following the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding shifting that start time. Um, as children grow into adolescence, their sleep cycles do change.
076Um, and in supporting that, the board, um, did change, um, our school start times, um, back a few years ago by using a two-tier system, meaning, um, right now we have a three-tier system, meaning that there's the high school buses, the middle school buses, and the elementary school buses. Using the two-tier system, there was a combination of things that was very complicated, but we were able to get it done for a year, and people uh really appreciated it. I think it was it it was only even a half an hour difference, but it really did make a difference to high schoolers, and I don't, um, dispute that. However, with the bus driver shortage, we simply can't do the two-tier system. Um, we have tried figuring out other ways to do it, um, but those involved,
077you know, like kindergarteners waiting, um, for their bus when it was still dark out, you know, coming. So, they would have to send them so early. Or, the middle school not even getting out until 4:00, and then what do they do for their after-school activities, um, or, you know, or, um, sports. So, I truly believe that, um, this issue has been examined. We have a wonderful transportation department. Um, I I support, um, the growth and retention of uh our transportation department by trying to recruit more school bus drivers, obviously like looking at driver pay, offering incentives. And also we have been allocating more resources to technology that could help our transportation department make routing more efficient, which would mean that perhaps fewer drivers would be needed. But this is a complex problem. Becky. >> [laughter]
078>> So in regard to the later start time, just like the others, I do fully support and understand the the change in the sleep cycle of the teenagers having had three of them go through my house. But I do see and know that it's a bussing issue. It conflicts with sports cuz when you move back the start time, you move back the end time, which then you have to coordinate with all of the other districts in the area and it makes it very difficult. I know when my children were in school [snorts] and they were one of the schools, I think Gilbert had a later end time and they were always late getting to the the contest. So it it definitely causes a big problem for the after school. And if the elementary school students
079are going to school before the high school students and getting out before the high school students, that creates an aftercare problem a lot if they're getting home much earlier than they normally would and um it it as Meredith said, it's a very complex issue to have to navigate. All right, Holly, you're first on this one. This is I I see this as a new issue since similar to that but different. With more periods of excess heat excessive heat occurring in June, has the district considered shortening the February break so the school year could end earlier in June with no loss of instructional days. So, one of the tricky parts with that um has to do with the um the state requirements and when the Regents exams are set. So, the state says this is when
080the Regents exams are going to be held and schools need to be in session while those are being held. So, right now those are in June. Um and um that's one of the reasons why our school year goes until the Regents exams are over. Um and you know, that is um anything uh another piece of it um if you're talking about um about uh changing your breaks um anything like that would be um negotiable with our unions um and that's something that um uh that uh I think you know, that's a whole separate conversation, but really ultimately it's not as it's not as easy as the district wanting to end school on June 1st. Um and uh and just be able to make it happen. Um there are at the state level uh Regents exam
081issues that tie into it. Meredith. Um certainly I echo Holly's comments regarding um the New York State Regents schedule and how we really are tied to that um which would make it um impossible for us to to simply just end earlier. Um regarding uh concerns about excessive heat though, I completely um support um anything we can do to reduce that. Um it was a big concern for me. Um my uh children went to elementary school um at Elsmere. Elsmere is it has two floors. It's a very old building and the second floor, um, faces the sun and it gets excruciatingly hot there to the point where, um, children were often sent down to the nurse, um, because, uh, they they they couldn't, um, handle it anymore. Um, so 2 years ago there was, uh, a
082heatwave during, um, the Regents tests and I supported, um, bringing portable air conditioning into those, um, testing areas in order to at least cool that off so, um, our high school students wouldn't, um, uh, their their grades wouldn't suffer because of that. Um, but that was, um, an emergency, you know, no one was expecting it. It was, um, surprising. Um, last [snorts] year, after that experience, last year we planned ahead and had those, um, uh, portable air conditioning units, um, reserved ahead of time which definitely decrease the cost, uh, of that, um, but, uh, that just goes to sup- to show why, um, I support I supported in our bond project, um, >> [snorts] >> giving, um, area certain areas of our schools at least, um, air conditioning because there are just certain areas, um,
083that make it just miserable for students and teachers and they should not be uh, trying to learn in that environment. Okay, Becky. Um, so I'll echo Holly and Meredith a little bit here in that the board does not have full control over the academic calendar. There are certain dates and guidelines set by the state, um, but there was recent legislation that was passed that has led to, um, if a classroom becomes 88 degrees or hotter, um, then there there is a policy that has to be followed with that, but that is what has led the district to uh incorporating air conditioning into the buildings across the district now into the common areas um to help alleviate with the heat and allow the students to be able to learn comfortably. Sarah. Yeah, this is an interesting
084long-term problem because it's not getting colder in June. And so you know, I think obviously there there are pieces around the calendar that that we can't move even though my husband is from Nebraska and I know he desperately wants one break in March and to call it done. Um but I that's that this is a regional piece, right? Like it's it's not quite that simple, but I do also want to say that I I think it's problematic to go to half days even though the heat warrants it, right? And it should because those buildings are awful to be in when it's too hot. But it's also a child care issue then, right? So when you get short notice that you're going to have a half day and then you have to plan for how that's
085going to work, that's a lot of scrambling that has to get done. And so I do think we need to consider a variety of solutions in terms of how we navigate how hot it gets particularly in June though sometimes also in September. Um so that we're also not burdening families in that way because that's that is also a burden. Okay, I'm looking at the clock. I we have I want to start your final things at 10:00 of. So I'm going to give you a quickie easy question with a 1-minute time limit instead of a 2-minute time limit, all right? Somebody submitted it. I didn't make it up. Um and let me see I forget. Meredith, you go first. So if you could add one snack to the vending machines, [laughter] what would it be? And
086remember fruit and veggies and nuts are not considered a snack. >> [laughter] >> I did not prepare for this question. >> [laughter] >> Um I would certainly I would add um Reese's Peanut Butter Cups because [laughter] everyone loves a little chocolate gets you through the day, helps you wake up. Becky. >> [laughter] >> Um one new snack I would suggest is something that's high protein that the students could get to. >> Nuts are protein, not veggies. [laughter] You said no no protein is what I said, not fruits or veggies. Okay. >> Right. Um so but if we could integrate some sort of high protein um snack for the especially the high school students that have a that have a lot of activities after school to help them get through. Or if they're struggling in the
087day and need a little pick-me-up to get them through the rest of the day. That's a better answer. >> [laughter] >> Sarah, you've had a you've had a chance to think. And I was cuz at first I was like Oreos and then I was like no, surely there are Oreos. Um I this would require special a specialty vending machine, but I think we should have yogurt and it can be the yogurt that also has M&M's on the top. Right? Like the YoCrunch. Um because yogurt is a lovely and delightful snack. It does meet some protein needs, so like that's great. Um but I think it's also just a it's a lovely thing that you don't find often enough in a vending machine. So I'm going to go with that. All right, Holly. I assuming that
088we are not uh investing in uh refrigerated vending machines, >> [laughter] >> um I would also say some kind of a protein bar um because I think there are a lot of times that there are uh particularly students um at the high school that are staying after for something um and it's been a long time for them since lunch and they need something to eat. And it would be great if they had something to grab that was not [snorts] chips. Cool. See, and we ate up a little 5 minutes. We have We might have a little [laughter] leeway at the end. Okay. So, now and I'm start the person that was the last is first for the >> [snorts] >> closing statements. You still go in order, so it's not exactly the best of deal.
089You can't Don't go backwards, but Becky, you can do your opening your closing statement. Okay. Um so, in closing I'd like to thank the League of Women Voters for hosting tonight. I'd like to thank all of you that came to to watch us here tonight. We appreciate having people to talk to. Um it definitely helps helps the night go a little better. Uh I look forward to I look forward to getting the opportunity to continue to serve the Bethlehem community like I have for the last 18 years. I started off with being one of the founding officers in the Eagle PTO and Eagle first opened in 2008. Um I had to get all the paperwork and get us set up as a not-for-profit. I was the treasurer for the PTO over there. I was in
090Eagle for 10 years given the age gap of my children. Um so, I was involved there for a very long time. Uh as my children progressed into the middle school, I remained involved in the PTO >> [snorts] >> there. Um and then as they got into high school, all three of my children were heavily involved in athletics, so I became the treasurer of the BCAA. Um I did that for a few years and I was also the president of the girls volleyball booster club. I think I counted with Lisa Niffin, who's the varsity coach, and I had him involved in um in Bethlehem volleyball cuz my son played as well for 17 years as far as being in in a role there. Um and I have also been involved out in the community coaching sports
091and helping my husband to run the Bethlehem Girls Basketball Club that um provides an opportunity to all girls in grades 3 through 8 in the district to play basketball. Uh we have a little over 100 about 100 girls that participate in the program now. Um and we're continuing to grow and build stronger. So, I look forward to being able to stay involved and keep supporting and helping the Bethlehem community. Thanks, Becky. Sarah? I'll echo my thanks uh to the League of Women Voters and to the folks who are here um particularly for some very helpful nonverbal cues that you were in fact listening. Um that was great and I appreciate it. You know, I think that what most spurred me uh toward this particular challenge uh was that I got to be the the Glenmont
092parent rep for the zoning work that was done earlier this year. Um and that was tricky work at a variety of moments. Um and it was also really important work and I I'm really glad that I got to take part in it. I think that it showed that I have a real want to continue to do this kind of work and not just at the school where my kids are right now, right? But on behalf of the district. Um I think I demonstrated really good communication skills and collaboration skills through that work. Um and and that really showed to me that I have the ability to do this, right? Even though I also have young kids, which I think is sometimes a barrier. But I think it's also important to have the board be reflective
093of the different ages of kids who are in our schools. Um so, I would love to be able to bring some of that really current elementary experience to the board um and and to continue to do that. And I would be deeply honored to have your vote. Thank you so much. Thanks, Sarah. Holly? I care deeply about this school district, and I have always given my position on the board 110%. I believe strongly in giving back to my community, and over the years our schools have been the place where I have given the most of my time, whether on the board, the Hamagrael PTA, or selling hundreds and hundreds of tickets for middle school and high school musicals. Trust me, if you if you have watched a show sometime in the last 10 years, I
094probably sold you a ticket. But I see continuing my service on the board as just a natural extension of the duty that I feel to volunteer and to improve our schools and our district. As a current board member, I've had experience with all aspects of the district, and I think I've built strong relationships with other board members and the administration. I've spent time in classrooms in all of our buildings, taking advantage of the chance to see our teachers in action, and gain knowledge about our other critical functions, like transportation and food service. And I've also done my best to take advantage of opportunities to attend conferences and trainings to stay abreast of new issues in education that have come up over the years, such as changes in the laws that impact our district policies. And
095the same with reading relevant books and articles and listening to podcasts to stay on top of new research in education. I want to keep putting my experience to use to make sure that our schools are giving every student the chance to reach their potential, and I want to give our teachers and students um the support that they need not just to succeed, but to excel. Um I would be honored to continue representing you, um and I would ask for your vote on May 19th. Thanks, Holly. Meredith? Thank you uh to the League of Women Voters for producing this program, um for everyone here who's attending and watching at home, and also thank you to my fellow candidates for engaging in respectful um exchange ideas. Um I'm asking for your vote for the Board of Education
096because as much as I've received from Bethlehem, um both through my education and also the education that my children are receiving, um I feel like I still have a lot uh to give in return. Um the district is entering a period that is going to uh require thoughtful leadership, careful planning, and difficult decisions. Uh we're facing potential financial constraints, much like most members of our community. Um but also there's going to be significant changes in um administration and district leadership over the next year. Um in times of transition like this, I do believe that experience and institutional knowledge um help provide stability and continuity um as new leaders are stepping into important roles. Um I have served on the the board for um three terms, and uh for many years I've served as the vice
097president. I've served on our policy and audit committees, which um gave me a tremendous amount of um education about our education system. When you don't have a background in education, um it's amazing to how much you learn in um sitting not only in our meetings, um but um sitting on these uh committees. Um I will plan to listen respectfully to concerns from the community and do my dress best to address those concerns [snorts] on the board. Um thank you to the members of the community for taking the time to listen um to all the candidates and I'd be honored to have your vote on May 19th. Thank you all. Well, now I maybe maybe I managed it too well. We got about 5 minutes. I will thank you all because as a citizen who has
098not ever considered running for the school board because why would you do all this work for such a job that isn't going to pay you anything? [laughter] You are unbelievable all four of you for sticking your necks out and um and offering yourselves. And the people that came here to support them and listen to them, thank you all for coming and I hope there's a lot of people at home watching. Just a reminder, the election is um next Tuesday and you can get an absentee ballot between now and Monday if you will not be in town on Tuesday or not be able to come. And it's not just the four candidates, you've got to vote on the school budget which we heard a lot about tonight and so I want to make sure that you
099do your research on that, you folks at home, you voters. And also the library, right? The there's a library budget and candidates for the library? I'm sorry. Yeah. Whatever, okay. In Albany I have nine candidates for three seats so I got to go go and do a lot of homework. But um for you folks um again, thank you very much. I I guess it's okay to stop early and you can talk with each other and socialize and um thanks again. Thank you. Thank you. And thanks to OUR TIME KEEPER. >> [applause] >> IT'S AMAZING TO APPRECIATE WHAT DID YOU SAY?