Guilderland School Board
Five run for three seats, hold varied views on issues



GUILDERLAND — Five candidates are vying for three Guilderland School Board seats in the May 15 election.

Incumbents Barbara Fraterrigo and Colleen O’Connell are running as are three newcomers — John Fraher, Carolyn Kelly, and Gloria Towle-Hilt.

All support the $82 million budget on which voters will also decide on May 15.

The three-year posts are unpaid and the three highest vote-getters will serve on the nine-member board.

The Enterprise asked the candidates to comment on six topics:

— What is the role of a school board member" Candidates were asked who they serve. Particularly if there is a crunch — for example, because of economic tough times or because of a controversy over personnel issues — would their primary allegiance be to the students, the taxpayers, the parents, the teachers, or the superintendent"
Certainly each school board member strives for balance but candidates were asked if, for example, they had to choose between keeping separate English and social-studies supervisors as the faculty wanted, or combining the posts to save $65,000 as the superintendent recommended this year, which would they advocate"

— Budget support: Candidates were asked if they support the $82 million budget, and why or why not. They were asked if there were specific items — such as funding for full-time front-door monitors to increase school security, or re-instating some of the teachers’ aides for special education cut last year, or a writing lab proposed by the English and social-studies faculty — they would have liked included, or if there were specific items they thought should have been cut.

— New superintendent: The school board will be hiring a new superintendent before next fall when Gregory Aidala retires. Aidala has said he considers himself to be a non-voting member of the school board.

Candidates were asked what qualities the new superintendent should have and what his or her role should be in relation to the school board.

— Teachers’ contract: The teachers’ contract will be negotiated in the upcoming year; salaries and benefits make up the largest share of the district budget. The superintendent has said, "To reduce salary cost, you have to reduce staff."

Several members of the Citizens’ Budget Advisory Committee have said that contracts are not a mandate and raises for teachers should be reduced to control costs. Candidates were asked for their views on this.

— Should Guilderland’s reading curriculum be reconsidered" Four parents complained to the school board this year about the failure of the district to teach their children to read, echoing concerns raised several years ago by a group formed by Melissa Mirabile, Guilderland Parents Advocate.

(The GPA has endorsed school-board candidates since 2004. GPA-endorsed candidates who have been elected include: Barbara Fraterrigo, Peter Golden, Denise Eisele, and Hy Dubowsky. The GPA will announce its endorsements for this year next week, said Mirabile.)
The president of the teachers’ union said comments made by some board members in response to the parents’ complaints "sent a chilling message of distrust and has provoked fear in teachers and staff." He said the board seemed willing to substitute its judgment of an academic program for that of its professional staff.

The faculty has defended the program, presenting data showing the overall success of the reading program and explaining how learning is tailored to meet individual needs of struggling students.

Candidates were asked for their views on the reading program and the board’s role in it.

— Length of the school day: Should the school day be reconfigured"

A transportation study, commissioned by the district, recommended lengthening the elementary-school day to save money on busing. Some proponents have said this would allow for more instruction.

A committee studied the matter, but reached no conclusion. The superintendent has said there must be a clear priority before there can be change. Candidates were asked if they had such a priority.
Also, there has been discussion at the state level of requiring schools to offer full-day kindergarten. Currently, Guilderland offers a half-day program, and many parents place their children in full-day programs elsewhere. Should Guilderland move to a full-day kindergarten program"