After all of the executive sessions and hours of meetings preparing budgets and district strategy, the Suffern Central School District has a budget and board vote on Tuesday, May 21. Check for a polling place near you. Sloatsburgers can vote at Sloatsburg Elementary School from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Budget vote aside, stakeholders in the Suffern Central School District face important issues. Of primary importance is voting for two board members who will work to help unify the current board and overcome perceived board overreach. SCSD leadership is at a crossroads — currently SCSD has an Acting Superintendent and a Board of Education that appears to work at cross purposes.

As Honest Abe advocated, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

Suffern Central School Board candidates vying for two three-year terms include current board member Matthew Kern, pediatrician Chris Nicpon, and perennial members of the Suffern Parent Teachers Association and engaged residents and parents Jeannette Kunow and Cheryl Valenti.

Although the four candidates are running as different ticket pairs, that alignment in no way determines that each will vote with the other on all issues.

Of primary importance to many voters is that the SCSD BOE refocus its mission, which is to help develop and provide support and ultimate oversight on the the execution of the district operations and overall educational mission. The Board should support the execution of the Superintendent’s administrative mission, and refrain from engaging in day-to-day administrative operations and/or executing authority over staff and educators.

There are other important topics that have surfaced during this BOE campaign, such as the annual increase in private school transportation costs, the continued decline of enrollment for some elementary schools, and the idea of redistricting of some elementary schools, or balancing enrollment as some define redistricting. Redistricting does not change the boundaries of the district, rather it adjusts elementary school numbers. Some calibration of student enrollment is done year-to-year as it impacts teaching assignments and facility use.

Another enrollment related issue is the question of how to move forward with the Hillburn School administration building. There has apparently been Board discussion of renovating the building vs. doing something else entirely with the property. Hillburn School played a monumental role in the historical narrative of public education in the United States. It provided the impetus for Thurgood Marshall’s later effort on the landmark Supreme Court decision Brown v. Board of Education.

The elementary school “redistricting” and Hillburn School issues were touched on during the recent campaign but neither has been thoroughly vetted in a public forum. Nor should they be broached until the board and superintendent issues are clarified. Superintendent Dr. Douglas Adams has been a steady hand over his time with the district and for the most part his voice has been trusted by the larger community. Any dynamic changes to the SCSD should be made by stakeholders and only after thorough public vetting.

We have more to do create equality in our schools. Zip code shouldn’t dictate funding. Renaming part of Rte.17 in #Hillburn will serve as a reminder to all of us to follow the road traveled by SC Justice Thurgood Marshall and not forget our fight is not over. #ThurgoodMarshallDay pic.twitter.com/amLmnTyeFS

— David Carlucci (@DavidCarlucci) May 18, 2019

Participate in the annual School Budget Vote and Trustee Election
on Tuesday, May 21. VOTE. Polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. For voting information, please call (845) 357-7783.
Sloatsburg registered voters can vote at the Sloatsburg Elementary School.