Meet the Board Candidates

Do you have children attending Churchville-Chili schools?

Our children, Zachary and Katherine, are both graduates of the district (2014 and 2017 respectively).

Please list your contributions to or involvement in the community and the community service you have done:

I have served as a Churchville-Chili School Board Member for the past 15 years.  In past years I have been part of the Audit Committee, the Memorials Committee, the Title 1 Parent Advisory Committee, and the FLASH Committee.  Currently I serve on the 5-8 Instructional Leadership Team and Monroe County School Board Association (MCSBA) Steering and Budget Committees.  I am also the co-chair of the MCSBA Information Exchange Committee.  Recently I have also started volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House in Rochester.

Why do you want to be a BOE member:

I would like to continue my work on the Churchville-Chili School Board to continue to give back to a school district that has provided my own two children with a great education.  It was that solid foundation and school experiences that eventually led both my children to careers in education.  As a recently retired teacher from the Penfield School District, I understand the impact that decisions made at the federal, state, or local level have on classrooms.  I believe that my work as a public school teacher has been able to provide a unique perspective for the school board.  I have a skill set that allows me to support the district, its teachers and most importantly, its students.

What do you think are the two top issues facing Churchville-Chili schools over the next three years?

As a Board of Education, one of our primary responsibilities is to support all students while maintaining fiscal responsibility.  Our schools are full of learners with diverse educational needs.  The rigor of our educational standards requires that students receive appropriate and timely support.  Teachers, administrators, and support staff need to be able to identify the needs of students and more importantly, have the tools and resources to make sure that each one of our students can be successful.  Recently, we have been able to meet the needs of some of our youngest learners through our pre-k program.  However, due to current space restrictions, we are limited in the number of students we can enroll.   Our school board, along with the Monroe County School Board Association, needs to continue to lobby the New York State leadership to change capital project reimbursement formulas so schools across the state, including Churchville-Chili, can move forward to enhancing universal pre-k programs.   In addition, I am a strong advocate for incorporating an alternative education program for students who require a smaller and more flexible school setting to be successful. 

Every year there are new mandates from New York State placed on school districts. In most cases, these mandates are unfunded.  This places a financial burden on local school districts who must comply.  This is not a challenge unique to Churchville-Chili.  Recently, the state mandate for moving districts to a full electric bus fleet is an example of how a state mandate not only seems unreasonable but keeps districts in limbo because of a changing timeline and a lack of regional infrastructure.  As a Board of Education, we have been able to oversee the management of these unfunded mandates while keeping the students’ learning experiences as the top priority. Our district has been able to continue improving and maintaining our facilities as well as adding new programs and opportunities for students.

Do you have children attending Churchville-Chili schools?

We have three children at Churchville-Chili schools. My oldest daughter is graduating this year, my son is a freshman and our youngest is in fifth grade.

Please list your contributions to or involvement in the community and the community service you have done:

I have served as a member of the Churchville-Chili Board of Education for the past three years. In addition, I have volunteered as a coach or manager for several youth sports teams over the past ten years. I also volunteer for various opportunities to support school plays, helping with shows at CRS in previous years and the fifth grade musical this year.

Why do you want to be a BOE member:

I am committed to serving our community and believe strongly in investing my time in the success of our school district. As a parent of three children at different stages within the district, I have a personal connection to the educational experience we provide and a deep interest in ensuring it continues to grow and improve for all students. I am proud of our schools and the opportunities they offer, and I want to contribute meaningfully to their continued success. Over the past three years, it has been a privilege to serve on the Board of Education. That experience has been both rewarding and motivating, as I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with a dedicated and positive team focused on enhancing the quality of education and the overall student experience in our district.

I am seeking a second term because I remain committed to this work and to supporting the students, families and staff who make our district such a special place. 

What do you think are the two top issues facing Churchville-Chili schools over the next three years?

Two of the most important issues facing our district are strengthening student achievement, particularly in literacy and math, and ensuring we can attract and retain talent while maintaining long-term financial stability.

First, continuing to raise student achievement in literacy and math is essential, as these are foundational skills for long-term success. We must ensure our teachers have access to effective tools and ongoing professional development so they can deliver high-quality instruction.

Second, we must balance the need to recruit and retain teachers and staff with increasing financial pressures. Our district is facing rising costs, especially healthcare and a growing demand for student services, including mental health support and programs for students of all abilities. At the same time, federal and state funding is not keeping pace with costs, which adds further strain on the budget. Maintaining a disciplined, forward-looking budget while preserving key programs is critical to sustaining the strength of our district.

Please list your contributions to or involvement in the community and the community service you have done:

I am currently on the Board of Education and was previously an assistant coach for Junior Saints Football, assistant coach for Churchville Soccer, Cub Scouts Event Coordinator, and coached Odyssey of the Mind for four years.

Why do you want to be a BOE member:

If good people don’t volunteer and give back to the community, who will? I want to help keep the district thriving for future generations. It has been great to my family.

What do you think are the two top issues facing Churchville-Chili schools over the next three years?

With the uncertainty of the state budget and funding, along with the potential of costly state mandates, I believe fiscal responsibility and maintaining our great educational and extra curricular activities will be our biggest challenge.

I also believe that retaining and developing quality staff in all departments of the district in an increasingly competitive market will also need to be a top priority.