POUGHKEEPSIE – The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way school budget votes and school board elections are being conducted this year. Governor Cuomo has ordered that voting be conducted “remotely.” In the Poughkeepsie school district, two seats on the board are up for election and eligible candidates must inform District Clerk Becky Torres by 5 p.m. on Monday, May 11 if they want to have their name placed on the ballot for the June 9 election. Torres can be reached at 845-489-1254.
Traditionally, candidates for the school board must obtain a pre-determined number of voter signatures on nominating petitions in order to be placed on the ballot. The governor has waived the petition process due to the pandemic. Although the petition process has been aborted, potential candidates must meet other requirements, according to the New York State School Boards Association.
Generally, school board candidates must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years old, qualified voters in the school district, and able to read and write. They must be residents of their districts continuously for one year (as little as 30 days or as long as three years in some city school districts) before the election. At the time when the board member takes office, they cannot be employed by the board on which they serve or live in the same household with a family member who is also a member of the same school board.
Board Vice-President Debra Long and member Doreen Clifford have terms that expire this year. Clifford has not decided if she will seek another three-year term. Long did not respond to a request for her intentions. The election will be conducted by mail-in ballots that the district will be sending to eligible voters. The return postage will be paid for by the district.
The School Boards Association website has compiled a list of responsibilities associated with serving as a member of a school board.
- Create a shared vision for the future of education
- Set the direction of the school district to achieve the highest student performance
- Provide rigorous accountability for student achievement results
- Develop a budget and present it to the community, aligning district resources to improve achievement
- Support a healthy school district culture for work and learning
- Create strategic partnerships with the community stakeholders
- Build the district’s progress through continuous improvement
- Adopt and maintain current policies
- Hire and evaluate the superintendent
- Ratify collective bargaining agreements
- Maintain strong ethical standards
Information about the Poughkeepsie Board of Education can be found at https://www.poughkeepsieschools.org/domain/26.
