On Tuesday, May 19, residents in the Jamesville-DeWitt school district will vote on several matters pertaining to the district from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the high school.
These matters include voting on the 2015-16 proposed budget, which totals is $52.5 million and has an increase of 2.86 percent over the 2014-2015 budget. A proposition to replace four 65-passenger school busses at a cost not to exceed $454,000 will also be decided on at this time.
Citizens will also get the opportunity to choose from four candidates to fill three seats on the J-D Board of Education.
Current president Mark Schulman and Angela Tyson will be running as incumbents, while Jacob Bendix and Michelle Kielbasinski are running as first-time candidates for the board.
Leaving the board will be Ken Dawe, who stepped in to finish out the term for three-term board member Jack McLoughlin when he resigned from the board in October 2014.
The Eagle Bulletin asked each candidate to fill out a questionnaire so voters can be more informed of the views of their candidates. Here are their responses in alphabetical order by last name:
Name: Jacob (Jake) Bendix
Education: BA from University of California, MS from University of Wisconsin, PhD from University of Georgia.
Work Experience: I have taught at Syracuse University for the past 20 years; earlier work experience ranged from house painting to fighting forest fires for the U.S. Forest Service.
Political Experience:
I have been a volunteer for a variety of political campaigns over the years, and I was a candidate for the J-D School Board in 2014.
Organizations/groups involved with: I am active in national/international scientific organizations like the American Geophysical Union and the American Association of Geographers.
Why do you want to run for the J-D Board of Education?
I want to serve on the J-D Board of Education in order to help ensure a high quality education for my own children and all the other children in J-D. To me, that means not just that they learn important facts and skills, but also that they learn to enjoy thinking, problem-solving and discovery of new things — all of which will help prepare them for success in both college and the workplace.
What are the top three issues that the J-D School District currently faces?
As has been the case for several years, there is the issue of meeting budgetary challenges in the face of limited state support without unduly increasing the tax burden we all bear. There is the challenge of incorporating the Common Core into our curriculum with a minimum of stress to both students and teachers (and parents!). And recent events seem to have illustrated that there is inadequate communication between the school district and the public.
If elected, what would your goals as a board member be?
Most important, of course, will be to help maintain and improve the quality of instruction in our schools. If I am elected, I will also advocate for more diversity in hiring — our teachers should ideally be as diverse as our community, and that is far from the case at present. I will push for better communication between the board and the community. For example, when there are legal limits on what can be announced regarding personnel issues, it would be helpful to publicly explain what the reason for those limits are, rather than refusing comment.
Why should citizens vote for you?
Citizens should vote for me because I will devote myself to ensuring high quality education for all J-D students. As an educator myself, I am familiar with both the characteristics and the challenges of good teaching. As a professor who teaches more than 300 college freshmen a year, I have a good idea of the knowledge and skills that our children (not just mine, but all of our children) will need to succeed in college. And as the father of three children currently in J-D schools, I am deeply invested in the quality of our schools.
Name: Michelle Kielbasinski
Education: Attended LeMoyne College
Work Experience: 2008 to 2014: Program Advisor, consulting with prospective university students to help them enroll in higher education programs that best meet their needs while maintaining their responsibilities to their families and careers.
2014 to present: Licensed Insurance Agent, Peoples Protection Group
Political Experience: None
Organizations/groups involved with: Jamesville Elementary School PTG, JDYAA Basketball, WISE Women’s Business Center and FHC.
Why do you want to run for the J-D Board of Education?
These last few months have been a time of deep reflection for me. After being in attendance at many J-D board of education meetings, I found myself with a heavy heart. It is with a hopeful and expectant spirit that I ask for your support in electing me to the J-D board of education.
To put it frankly, this board can do better, this community deserves better! The atmosphere at a typical board of education meeting can best be described as poisoned. There is a clear distrust between the community and this administration that runs far and deep. So much so that some of the positive work this board has done has been lost in the eyes of a community desperate for transparency. It is my desire to change this culture. To embrace this community, our teachers and students alike and move forward in a positive direction.
What are the top three issues that the J-D School District currently faces?
Personal accountability, technology/social media and school funding.
If elected, what would your goals as a board member be?
To change the current culture, this community should be able to come before the board of education and have a conversational experience. Teachers should not only feel free to express their concerns, they should be encouraged to do so. I want to be sure that any parent that stands before this board advocating on behalf of their children is treated with respect. As a community we must agree that if this district does not start with a foundation of trust, transparency and accountability, the road ahead will be long and difficult.
Why should citizens vote for you?
It is my opinion that an open dialogue leads to trust, trust will lead to confidence and confidence to belief. When we can get to a place where we can believe in each other, this district will be able to do amazing things! Please be sure that when you cast your vote that it is for an individual who will serve this community with your family in mind.
Name: Mark Schulman
Education: Jamesville-DeWitt High School, University of Rochester, Western New England University School of Law
Work Experience: Attorney at Koldin Law Center, P.C. in East Syracuse for over 20 years practicing in the areas of elder law, estate planning and Medicaid law.
Political Experience: Have served for 6 years on the school board and this year as president of the school board.
Organizations/groups involved with: President-elect of the board at Menorah Park and past president of the board of Temple Adath Yeshurun.
Why do you want to run for the J-D Board of Education?
I have two sons at J-D. Hal is in 10th grade and Max is in eighth grade. My wife and I are both J-D graduates. I care deeply about J-D and want to continue to serve on the school board to have a positive impact on the high quality education and programs that J-D provides to its students.
What are the top three issues that the J-D School District currently faces?
1) The district has had some high profile personnel issues recently that have been in the press. The school board takes confidentiality very seriously when it comes to personnel issues. The public and the media want more information than the district and the school board are allowed to provide. This can be very frustrating for all parties involved.
2) Putting together the budget is a challenge every year. I feel that we have put together a very good budget to present to the taxpayers that they will hopefully approve.
3) Mandates from NY State, such as testing and teacher evaluations continue to be a challenge for all districts including J-D.
If elected, what would your goals as a board member be?
My goals are to continue to steer J-D in a positive direction. While J-D is an outstanding school district, there is always room for improvement. Every year presents different challenges for the district and the school board. It takes a dedicated group of school board members to deal with those challenges in the best interests of our students. I hope to continue to be a part of that group.
Why should citizens vote for you?
I feel I have done a good job of representing the residents of the district on the school board for the past six years. I have a long history with J-D that provides me with a unique historical perspective. I always think about what is in the best interests of the students in all decisions I make on the school board.
Name:Angela Tyson
Education: B.A. in Mathematics, Hartwick College
Work Experience: Reimbursement Analyst in the Financial Services department at Upstate University Hospital. Prior to working at Upstate, I worked at Empire BCBS (Anthem) for 25 years in the Medicare Audit and Reimbursement department as a Reimbursement Manager.
Political Experience: none
Organizations/groups involved with: Jamesville-DeWitt Board of Education, one year.
Why do you want to run for the J-D Board of Education?
Fulfilling a one-year term on the Jamesville DeWitt Board of Education provided a high level introduction to all aspects of the district’s operations. I acquired an immeasurable amount of knowledge, aptitude and experience that I would like to continue developing and applying by serving a three-year term.
What are the top three issues that the J-D School District currently faces?
The top issues for the JDSD are 1) ensuring the district receives equitable state funding to support the annual budget and current educational programs, 2) implementing NYS budget changes to the evaluation and tenure processes for teachers and 3) finding cost savings and operational efficiencies to improve district effectiveness and optimize learning opportunities for students and faculty.
If elected, what would your goals as a board member be?
My goals align with the district’s goals. I will propose process improvements, seek development opportunities, strive for excellence, stay up to date on education regulations and make challenging decisions in the best interest of the students and community.
Why should citizens vote for you?
The community should support me because my beliefs, values, standards, expectations and behaviors are representative of theirs. I am collaborative, optimistic, open-minded, goal orientated, quality-driven and experienced with high quality management systems. Thank you for your support on May 19.
