The Peru Gazette

Peru Central District residents Mark Hamilton, Jonathon Malcolm, and Jeff St. Denis are seeking a five-year term on the Board of Education. School district voters will cast ballots at the district’s annual meeting on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, from 12:00 Noon to 9:00 p.m.

The Peru Gazette posed several questions to each candidate and requested that he limit his response to 450 words. The responses are printed exactly as submitted, i.e. no editing, and published in alphabetical order by last name. 

1. How long have you lived in the school district? 

Mark Hamilton: “I was born and raised in Peru, NY and apart from a few years living in Los Angeles, CA, I have lived here my entire life.”

Jonathan Malcolm: “We specifically chose to move here in the summer of 2011 four our girls to attend Peru Central School.”

Jeff St. Denis: “17 years”

2. Why do you want to be a school board member? 

Mark Hamilton: “My experience can help shape the strategic growth of Peru Central and I will make the needs and opportunities for all students a priority. As a lifelong community member, I understand the importance of Peru Central within our community. I’m also invested in positive outcomes for students because I have two young children currently going through the school.”

Jonathan Malcolm: “This past year has been a trying time for everyone and now more than ever it is vital that we have a fiscally responsible school board that represents all the diverse views of our community. I have been a strong advocate for students/staff for years and I view this opportunity to join the board as a way to continue this work.”

Jeff St. Denis: “I would like to bring a fresh perspective to the board not only as a parent with children in the school district, but also as a business owner with a financial background.”

3. What do you understand the role of the Board of Education to be?

Mark Hamilton: “The role of the Board of Education is to represent the community, to set the vision and direction of the school, develop policies and procedures, ensure proper execution of goals and objectives and to be financial stewards.” 

Jonathan Malcolm: “I view the role of the school board as the representative/voice of the community and the “moral compass” to help guide policies and goals.”

Jeff St. Denis: “To make the best decisions for Students, Administration and Tax payers.”

4. What particular skills qualify you to be a board member?

Mark Hamilton: “I was a high school/middle school social studies teacher at Peru Central. I also coached modified soccer, was the varsity boys basketball assistant coach and was an outdoor track and field assistant coach. I have a well-developed understanding of the school day and the challenges that exist. As the Executive Director of the Plattsburgh Housing Authority, I work with detailed budgets, union contracts, a Board of Commissioners, have created a common sense based collaborative environment, and serve on numerous community Boards.”

Jonathon Malcolm: “As the former School Resource Officer I have been able to see and be involved in the daily function of all parts of the school district. This certainly gives me a lot on insight and understanding on how decisions may affect our school/community. This has also given me the privilege to meet so many wonderful members of our community and learn about their different views/ideas for the district.”

Jeff St. Denis: “I have run our family owned business(Ukies Grocery) for 17 years, I have a good grasp on financial decisions and negotiations helping our business save money while also receiving the best quality products, which I believe go hand and hand making decisions for the Taxpayers.”

5. In what school activities have you been involved?

Mark Hamilton: “Aside from my time as a student and then again as a teacher, my family and I have attended a variety of sporting events, musical concerts, plays and various classroom functions for my children, niece and nephew.” 

Jonathan Malcolm: “Along with the SRO position I have coached/assisted with multiple sports programs, volunteered at countless PTO events and participated in advisory meetings.”

Jeff St. Denis: “I have coached intramural basketball for the school and I also have been commissioner of the Peru AFL football program which is not affiliated with the district but helps kids get Peru students ready for high school sports.”

6. What are 2 or 3 strengths of which our district can be proud? Why do you see these as strengths? 

Mark Hamilton: “The current district staff – teachers, monitors, custodians, grounds, transportation, etc. – are an incredible group that the entire community should be proud of. They have worked tirelessly every day to do their best during unprecedented times and ensure lunches, transportation, disinfecting and education have been provided. Another strength of our district is the creative opportunities offered to our students, i.e., eSports, technology and engineering. We are engaging students and providing safe healthy environments for them to grow.” 

Jonathan Malcolm: “I believe the primary strength of our district is our teachers and support staff. This core group of custodial staff, student support staff, administrative support staff and teachers is what helps give our school that home/family feel. Another primary strength is the greater Peru Community. This fantastic community is what attracts families to move here and helps maintain Peru CSD as one of the top districts in the area.”

Jeff St. Denis: “Our school does a great job in making sure our school holds a high standard for pride with the students, so our community has the same outlook as the students. I also think over  last year the school has done an amazing job in making sure every student has meals on the table every day ,along with trying their best to have every child with some sort of internet, or availability to it.”

7. What are 2 or 3 needs that must be priorities for our district to address? Why do you see these as needs?

Mark Hamilton: “We need to ensure we provide opportunities for students as we come out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The school year has not been appropriate to affirm the desired educational outcomes, so we must create additional opportunities for students to “catch up” and stop any backsliding. Incorporating technology into the fabric of the school day is vital. Our society is changing at incredible speeds. Our students need to keep up with the ever-evolving world – most did not know what blockchain 12 months ago was and now experts expect blockchain technology to boost the global economy by $1.76 trillion by 2030.”

Jonathan Malcolm: “Unfortunately, I have heard from many parents/community members that there is a growing frustration with recent administrative decisions. This is an issue that must be examined and addressed because a loss of trust or the failure to properly communicate information to the school community can undermine the primary goals of the school. I also believe the aging infrastructure is a top priority that should not be overlooked.”

Jeff St. Denis: “Teacher communication and instruction. I know this has been a difficult year for everyone, but there are some teachers that have used this to their advantage and students have suffered, I don’t believe the administration has held the teachers to the highest standards we need for our kids, starting with the superintendent. Communication is the key to success when working remotely from home. Some teachers have not communicated well with students, while others have done an amazing job, all teachers should be on the same page and that is not happening.  Some teachers have given the least possible amount of work while others have continued to teach like nothing has changed, we need consistency.” 

8. What are your best hopes for the district? 

Mark Hamilton: “The district needs to remain on the forefront of educational best practices and cultivate positive outcomes for all students. We are fortunate to have a school community that cares so deeply for our students and works hard to ensure they achieve great outcomes. The district needs to foster and encourage that mindset while developing a vision and strategic growth plan for the next several decades while staying fiscally responsible.”

Jonathan Malcolm: “I don’t just hope…I believe we can and will be the district that leads from the front and other districts strive to be like us for decades to come.”

Jeff St. Denis: “That our Students and teachers get back in class full time and we start getting these children the education they deserve and normalization they need. Also  the Board of Education looks out for the best interest of everyone involved in the School District, My opinion is there are too many conflicts of interest on the board, Some of the members have some sort of family member employed by the school, which I believe is a conflict of interest when there is voting on contracts and job hirings we need a change for our taxpayers.”