Utica school district: Who's running for school board, where do they stand on issues?
Utica residents can go to the polls Tuesday, May 17, to elect two new school board members and to vote on whether to approve the district's proposed $213.5 million 2022-23 budget.
Long-time board members Louis LaPolla, currently the board president, and Christopher Salatino, a former president, are leaving the board at the end of the school year. Six candidates, many of them familiar names in the Utica area, are vying for the two, five-year terms.
They include two former Utica council members, Jack LoMedico and David Testa; Tennille Knoop, previously director of communications for Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon; activist and previous school board candidate James Paul; and businessmen Howard Potter and Michael Fellows.
More: How do the Utica schools want to spend $18 million more next year?
More: Utica schools counting on concealed weapons detection system to keep schools gun free
More: Lawsuits could pave the way for a good budget in the Utica schools
Michael Fellows
Age: 42
Job: Entrepreneur
Education: High school. Tradesman.
Family: Wife and three children, ages 5, 6 and 7
How would you make sure that Utica residents and especially parents are kept informed about what is going on in the district, and how would you make sure their voices are heard in formulating district policies?
Transparency. Information needs to be made public whether policies are succeeding or failing and we need to improve trust in our elected officials. The local school board exists for the benefit of the students and to ensure concerns raised by parents are heard and acted upon. I would champion a parent portal to shine light on current initiatives in our schools and what actions and steps are being taken to exploit successful programs and rejuvenate those that are failing.
Utica is a high-poverty, high-diversity school district. How can the district ensure that all children are treated equitably and given equal opportunities?
We need to get back to the basics — reading, writing and arithmetic. By doing so we can focus our efforts on what’s truly important, that ALL regardless of race, color, gender or religion receive the exact same quality education. This education should prepare them for life’s challenges and provide them the ability to earn a living once complete. The attainment and use of knowledge is the most powerful possession one can have.
What do you see as the top two or three challenges facing the district and how do you think the district should address them?
Getting faculty to address the problems they face without the fear of retribution for raising awareness on failed policies or agendas. Allowing our community NOT a select few to have the opportunity and fill the positions that become available in the schools to move up and on the School Board. Creating an atmosphere that encourages children to become inspired and yearn to learn. The old school way had prepared me to be just as successful as anyone else and I will to bring that back for our community again.
Tennille Knoop
Age: 45
Job: Writer and owner of T.K.Millo & Co., a content writing company
Education: B.A. in English. Earning Master’s in writing in December from Johns Hopkins University.
Family: Husband, Shannan Knoop, and three children, Sebastian, Lennon and Hudson
How would you make sure that Utica residents and especially parents are kept informed about what is going on in the district, and how would you make sure their voices are heard in formulating district policies?
As president of the PTO, our organization could never survive without working closely with parents, learning about our students’ varied cultures and beliefs, and listening to everyone’s ideas. I believe that same aspect comes when creating policies. We must invite parents and teachers to the table so we can create a crystal clear understanding of our policies so all parties involved know what to expect. The basic guidelines should be consistent and, above all, collaborative.
Utica is a high-poverty, high-diversity school district. How can the district ensure that all children are treated equitably and given equal opportunities?
Equity can only be achieved when all students receive the same opportunities, access, and resources that help them become college and career ready. We need to open conversation with our students to see where our schools fall short, review our hiring practices, and work to strike the right balance of fair and equal treatment without losing sight of our common goal: to create safe learning spaces where all students can learn and grow.
What do you see as the top two or three challenges facing the district, and how do you think the district should address them? Safety, mental health and community engagement are my priority. When we create an environment where students feel safe and are mentally prepared to learn, we open the doors to the education they rightfully deserve. We must prioritize available services offered through our community and offer full-time positions for security officers so we can attract personnel that’s present five days a week to ensure feelings of trust, safety, and security so crucial to learning.
Jack V. LoMedico
Age: 66
Job: Retired Lieutenant Colonel U.S. Army, N.Y.S. Parole Officer, Councilperson, Utica Common Council
Education: B.A. with concentration in Sociology, Associate’s Applied Science, Business Data Processing.
Family: Widowed, with 3 children and two grandchildren who attend Utica public schools
How would you make sure that Utica residents and especially parents are kept informed about what is going on in the district, and how would you make sure their voices are heard in formulating district policies? As part of the enrollment process, I would encourage all parents to participate in their child’s education, by stressing the importance of our collaboration and commitment to their child’s learning experiences. I would determine early on whether there may be some impediment with regard to a parent’s ability to receive communication, to ensure that there is an open 2-way channel. I would employ several methods, including e-mail, website, text messaging, and personal phone calls.
Utica is a high-poverty, high-diversity school district. How can the district ensure that all children are treated equitably and given equal opportunities?
It begins with awareness. Some teachers may have bias, so it’s important that leaders be patient and communicate ways the teacher can grow. I believe the most important thing for a student is that they feel a sense of belonging. So the relationship that a teacher builds with their students is key, and is more important than race, socio-economic status, or even peer relations. Children need to feel that they are important – that they belong.
What do you see as the top two or three challenges facing the district and how do you think the district should address them?
The District will need to address its infrastructure. A committee including teachers, engineers, and others will need to accurately assess and develop a plan that accommodates all. As an inner-city school we are in many ways unique. We must work diligently on improving our proficiency rates and our graduation rates, while reducing our dropout rates. Teachers and staff need to feel motivated, so they in turn can motivate our students to achieve to their greatest ability.
Howard Potter
Age: 41
Job: Owner, partner and CEO of A&P Master Images
Education: Utica schools with graphic design studies at BOCES, associate degree from Mohawk Valley Community College
Family: Wife, Amanda Potter, daughter Angelena and son Ayden
How would you make sure that Utica residents and especially parents are kept informed about what is going on in the district, and how would you make sure their voices are heard in formulating district policies?
I have been making sure parents are informed for the past couple of years by creating a public page with up-to-date information about the school district. Over the past year and a half, I have not only been at the school board meetings, but Facebook-lived the public commenting so all could be heard. I am having a website designed to help bring everyone the information they are seeking about our district.
Utica is a high-poverty, high-diversity school district. How can the district ensure that all children are treated equitably and given equal opportunities?
First it starts by listening to the concerns of the children, parents and faculty in the school board meetings and recording them for all to hear. I would work to ensure the budget is reallocated to help invest into our students by way of supplies, hiring more tutors, guidance counselors, teaching assistants and social workers. It is also important to create after-school programs that not only help our children, but our parents, too.
What do you see as the top two or three challenges facing the district and how do you think the district should address them?
Shutting parents out: Allow them to be heard. Let them onto subcommittees. Promote starting PTA's or PTO's.
Faculty moral: Utica Teachers Association survey made it clear that the staff do not have a productive work environment with the support from the administration.
Safety: Better training for security. Purchase better cameras with sound.
Busing: Create a 5 year plan to take it back over to make it safer for the children.
James Paul
Age: 54
Job: Senior tour guide at the Energy Zone, NY Power Authority
Education: Associate degree
Family: Wife, Olivia, and children Devin, Mason and Alexandria, all Thomas R. Proctor High School graduates
How would you make sure that Utica residents and especially parents are kept informed about what is going on in the district, and how would you make sure their voices are heard in formulating district policies?
I have a campaign P.O. Box that I will keep open for anyone to send me letters so I could raise those concerns anonymously to school board colleagues. I will create a newsletter that anyone can sign up for that will provide updates on recent board meeting recaps and identify areas where parents’ voices are most welcome to formulate district policies. The community is looking for collaboration, transparency, and communication. I will provide that.
Utica is a high-poverty, high-diversity school district. How can the district ensure that all children are treated equitably and given equal opportunities?
It starts with the school board, teachers, faculty and parents having conversations about those equitable needs to support student success in every school. The annual budget needs to invest resources where they are going to make a transformational impact such as before and after school programs, mental health services, etc. We can implement a Grow Your Own Teachers program that would organically produce teachers from our diverse student body.
What do you see as the top two or three challenges facing the district and how do you think the district should address them?
The district needs to address the teacher contracts, its culture and transportation. Superintendent Bruce Karam must negotiate a contract with the Utica Teacher Association that educators deserve. The low morale of teachers and growing frustrations by parents mean there’s a big opportunity in this election to move the district culture towards collaboration and unity. Let’s reduce bottlenecks in busing by adding before and after school programs.
David L. Testa
Age: 64
Job: Retired from Utica city schools maintenance department
Education: Graduate of the Utica schools
Family: Married with two children, both Proctor graduates
How would you make sure that Utica residents and especially parents are kept informed about what is going on in the district and how would you make sure their voices are heard in formulating district policies?
Communication is critical to the success of our school district. I would build upon and enhance the communication tools that are currently available such as the school district website, the district’s Facebook page, and the district’s app, which enable communication in real time. I would also encourage parents to be active participants in their school’s parent organizations and I will be available to listen and act upon any of their ideas, feedback and/or concerns.
Utica is a high-poverty, high-diversity school district. How can the district ensure that all children are treated equitably and given equal opportunities?
We can accomplish this by celebrating our diversity and viewing it as an asset to our school district. Additionally, this can be accomplished by continuing to promote and provide educational, extracurricular and athletics programs which are accessible to all students. Finally, we can ensure this by providing a welcoming school climate and a classroom environment where our students have the freedom to express their thoughts and ideas in a safe and nurturing learning environment.
What do you see as the top two or three challenges facing the district and how do you think the district should address them?
One challenge I see is continuing to provide a safe and secure learning environment. I support any initiative that will enhance the safety of our students and employees. Equally important is continuing to raise student achievement so that our students can graduate high school ready for whatever path they choose whether it is college or joining the workforce, by ensuring elevated levels of support for our teachers along with strong fiscal management.
Amy Roth is the health and education reporter for the Observer-Dispatch. Email Amy Roth at aroth@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Utica school district: Here's who's running for school board?
