Due to our election letters policy, the Eagle Bulletin is not able to print any letters to the editor regarding the upcoming board of education elections. We are currently in the process of reviewing our letters policy as it relates to posting letters to the editor online to our website.If you would like to send a letter to the editor, please email [email protected]
Here are letters to the editor for the week of May 9. This list will be updated as letters are submitted.
F-M board president endorses reelection of Romano, Swanson
To the editor,
I write in strong support of the reelection of Kim Swanson and Elena Romano to the Fayetteville-Manlius Board of Education on May 17.
Kim Swanson has an impressive record of accomplishment during her first term as a school board member, and deserves reelection. She has been a tireless advocate for parents, teachers and most importantly students, during her tenure on the board. She has worked hard to address such important issues as how best to protect the privacy of student data, ensuring the adequacy of the district’s safety/first responder plan and providing inclusive extracurricular activities for all students.
She currently serves as chair of the board’s Policy Committee, and has done yeoman’s work at overseeing the process of reviewing and updating our entire set of board policies governing district operations. We continue to need the type of strong, hardworking dedication that Kim provides to our district.
Elena Romano has been a passionate and dedicated member of the F-M school board since 2001. She has the breadth of experience and commitment to our district that is critical moving forward. She currently serves as chair of the board’s Facilities Committee, and has worked tirelessly to shepherd through the ongoing evaluation of our long-term facility needs. I firmly believe that Elena’s continued involvement with this process is crucial to its ultimate success.
It has been my honor to serve with both Kim and Elena over the past three years, and it is my sincere hope that you will join me in voting for them on May 17.
Jeff Brown
President, F-M Board of Education
Support for McGuire in May 17 F-M school board election
To the editor,
I write in support of Mary McGuire’s candidacy for a seat on the Fayetteville-Manlius school board.
Dr. McGuire’s professional credentials make her well-suited for public service. As a member of the Political Science faculty at SUNY Cortland, Dr. McGuire has both research and teaching experience with education policy and local government. At Cortland, she has extensive experience working on faculty committees that deal with personnel, policy, and curriculum. As director of Cortland’s Institute for Civic Engagement, she has demonstrated the ability to work effectively with members of the college and local communities and to achieve consensus among parties with multiple and sometimes competing interests.
Moreover, as the parent of an F-M Hornet, Dr. McGuire has strong commitments to F-M schools. During her 13 years living in the district, McGuire has volunteered with organizations and activities at Fayetteville Elementary, Wellwood Middle School and F-M High School.
Dr. McGuire has the personal and professional qualifications that should make her a valuable member of the F-M School Board and the F-M school community. I encourage F-M voters to give her their support in this month’s election.
Matt Lessig
Manlius
Elect Wheeler to the F-M School Board
To the editor,
Daryll Wheeler is an outstanding candidate for a position on the F-M School Board of Education.
As an educator herself she has the background and experience to make wise decisions in the interest of our children. She is eminently capable of carrying out the duties required of a school board member
As the mother of seven whom she has guided to adulthood she is familiar with the needs of children of all ages. She also supported her husband behind the scene as he dedicated his life to education.
I have known Daryll since she was a child in the family of Rex and Dorothy Fitch. I know her to be a woman of integrity and sound values. She is intelligent, kind and generous with her time. She is unselfish in her sharing her gifts with her church and community and friends.
I urge you to join me in casting your vote for Daryll Wheeler.
Kathleen Elliott
Swanson seeks support for reelection to F-M Board of Education
To the editor,
I am grateful to the Fayetteville-Manlius community for allowing me to support our schools for the past three years as a member of the F-M Board of Education. I view my role as a board member as an honor and a commitment that I take very seriously. Board members take an oath; I have pledged to fulfill that oath and the F-M Mission: To provide excellence in education for all students.
As a board member, I represent all stakeholders and all students. I am committed to the concept of student first, fiscal responsibility and legal compliance.
When talking about individual board of education members, the word “agenda” is often mentioned with a negative connotation. I disagree with that assessment; I feel that every board member should have an agenda, or goals, for their service on the board. My goals are: student first, fiscal responsibility and legal compliance. I am committed to objectivity and looking at law, policy and facts.
As a board member, I am one of nine people. Any action is a collective action. Each of us contributes different skill sets to the board and to the district. Currently, the board includes two physicians, two attorneys (one is also a former teacher), a scientist and a business owner. My professional background is in executive leadership and disability management (including regulation, policy and law). Additionally, I have above average knowledge in technology.
Over the past three years, I have brought forward initiatives on many issues including: ensuring data privacy through best practice data destruction, examining our safety/first responder plan, inclusive extracurricular activities for all students, supporting our principals and staff with policy changes, new board member orientation training, accountability for board members through a Code of Conduct, accessing free board member training opportunities through our paid member associations rather than paying for out-of-town conferences and teacher diversity training. I was also involved in the hiring of our new Superintendent, Dr. Craig Tice.
As chair of the Policy Committee, I lead the revamping of the entire policy manual. The expected completion date of this substantial and important project is January, 2017. Additionally, I have been an active participant with long range facilities planning and promotion of legislative initiatives for replacement of tax revenues. These are all long-term and labor-intensive projects that require a great deal of time, energy and knowledge.
Looking forward, I am strongly interested in student/staff data privacy, individualized learning/blended learning, extracurricular collaboration with teachers, parents and community members in areas such as coding, robotics and gaming; exploration of block scheduling; later start times at the high school; the possibility of corporate sponsorship for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering Math) programs; student mental health issues and the relationship to stress, drugs and sleep; and ways to assist our students and staff through educational programming, community outreach and/or greater internal supports.
I continually improve myself through school board training. I believe in coming to meetings thoroughly prepared and dedicated to a Student First approach, fiscal responsibility and legal compliance.
I am an experienced board member and involved in many critical projects. I would like to continue in my role to complete projects, to assist our new superintendent and to help F-M excel. I am committed to our community and to our schools. Please join me in that commitment and vote to re-elect me Tuesday, May 17.
Kim Swanson
Incumbent F-M BOE member
