BOE seats are open, could be the perfect fit

Do you ever wonder how to get involved with issues that are important to you, your family, your neighbors and your community — with how to take that first step? 

If the state of education is among your priorities, this may be the perfect time to place one foot in front of the other, as our local Boards of Education (BOE) are holding elections come Tuesday, May 18. 

Qualified school district voters who are concerned with how local children are being educated; with how their tax dollars are being spent on educating those children; and/or with how much they’re being taxed to educate those children might just want to consider this: You can have a seat at the table — and a say in such matters — if you run for a seat on the BOE. 

Just this week, district offices in schools across the state have started distributing information packets with nominating petitions and other details for anyone who is considering becoming a candidate for his or her local BOE. 

The volunteer position does require a lot of time, energy and dedication — but with the coronavirus pandemic, a lot of people are finding they now have some extra time on their hands. Keep in mind: Candidates should have a true interest in seeing children develop academically, emotionally and socially. They should also want to do everything possible to help students thrive while advancing through the ranks from elementary school to high school, until they ultimately take to the stage for that sheepskin diploma. 

Pine Plains Central School District (PPCSD) BOE President Chip Couse, who has served for 21 years and counting — making him tied as the third longest serving school board member in his district — spoke bluntly of what that moment means to him.

“Every June that I’ve been president of the board, I get to sit on the stage and hand out diplomas to graduating seniors,” he said. “There is no more rewarding moment than when that young adult smiles as he or she receives that diploma. For me, all the hours, all the frustration, all the reading becomes worthwhile in that instant! More generally, I am always impressed with the professionalism and caring of our staff at PPCSD. It’s contagious. I want to be part of that!”

That’s pretty impressive coming from a man who admits to spending 10 to 15 hours a week, if not more, volunteering his time to a position simply because he feels “a desire to contribute” to his community.

Schools boards fill important roles in our hometowns. Aside from developing the annual budget and presenting it to the community, which is voted on each year at the same time as the BOE elections; the board adopts and maintains district policies; hires and evaluates the superintendent; ratifies collective bargaining agreements; maintains strong ethical standards; sets the direction of the school district to achieve the highest student performance; provides rigorous accountability for student achievement results; and creates strategic partnerships with community stakeholders; among other tasks, according to the New York State School Boards Association.

During the past year, as the world has struggled to deal with the new normal of the COVID-19 health crisis and New York students have been challenged to learn amid the pandemic, our Harlem Valley BOEs have been on their own learning curve. Yet they’re more essential now than ever as they make decisions about how to keep our children educated while also keeping them healthy and safe. 

If those are they types of conversations you would like to be a part of, along with weighing in on how to manage your district’s buildings and maintenance funds; its academics and extra-curricular programs; whether to consider offering students options like an on-campus health clinic (as the Webutuck Central School District did this past year); when to approve staff salary increases; and so much more that impacts both our students’ education and our taxpayers’ pocketbooks, why not consider running for your Board of Education? It’s certainly gratifying. Just ask Mr. Couse, who, while taking a couple of periodic breaks during his 21-year tenure, keeps coming back for more, calling it a “rewarding and fulfilling” experience.

For details on what one can expect when serving on the school board, what is needed to run for the BOE and when nominating petitions are due back to district offices, read this week’s front page article by Editor Whitney Joseph.