The Peru Gazette

Beginning in early March, Peru Central School District sought candidates to fill two (2) vacant, at-large seats on the Board of Education due to the upcoming expiration of the terms of Ms. Sarah Mitchell and Ms. Linda Morgan (appointed to fill the vacant seat previously held by Mr. Thurber).

The individual receiving the most votes will be elected to a term of July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2028, plus will serve from May 17, 2023 – July 1, 2023, to fill the remainder of the current term of the seat previously held by Mr. Thurber.

The individual receiving the second highest number of votes will be elected to a five-year term of July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2028.

Voting will occur on Tuesday, May 16, from Noon to 9 PM at the Peru High School Community Room.

Two residents responded to the school district’s call to serve – Incumbent Sarah Mitchell and Stephanie Boswell-Davies.  Voters first elected Sarah Mitchell in May 2018. 

The Peru Gazette posed five questions to each candidate.  

What in your background leads you to believe that you would be an effective school board member? 

Stephanie Boswell-Davies – My background that leads me to believe that I will be an influential Peru school board member is my diverse background. I am a Peru alumnus, Class of 1996, and an educator at SUNY Plattsburgh; I have been an RN for 23 years and a Certified Nurse Midwife for the past seven years while teaching at the college level for the past 14 years. I am the Vice President of WoodmenLife Chapter 1016, but I have held the office of President for several years. I am also a Northern Adirondack Nurses Association member and have held several positions, including President and Vice President. Having a background in education and healthcare, I am familiar with the importance of effective communication and proper education. Being an educator and team player at PSU, I know the importance of a commitment to high-quality education and the desire to improve outcomes for all students regardless of their diverse backgrounds or circumstances. It is essential for clear, effective, and persuasive communication with community members, stakeholders, administrators, and faculty to ensure decisions are made to better our school system despite the challenges we face. 

Sarah Mitchell – Throughout almost two decades, I have been involved in many different facets of educational related organizations here in Peru.  I held multiple roles for Peru Nursery School including President, Peru PTO including the role of Treasurer, and for the last five years I have been an elected member of the Peru Central School Board of Education where I am currently the Vice President.  I have attended almost all board meetings, multiple trainings including board officer training and have been involved in successful contract negotiations with three different unions in my tenure.  I am a lifelong resident, tax payer, graduate of Peru School, and the proud parent of a 2022 Peru graduate and a member of the Peru Class of 2024.

How will you engage the community to improve the district?

Stephanie Boswell-Davies – My husband (Shawn) and I have three children (Spencer, 15; Sawyer, 12; and Annabelle, 10) who attend Peru School. Our children are active within the community with sports and extracurricular activities throughout the schools. We are also known within our community for growing up in Peru, working, volunteering with our children’s sports teams, coaching for the Town of Peru, and owning a small family business. Attending these community events helps to build relationships while listening to concerns our community members might have. Transparency and communication are vital; community members should express their concerns or suggestions to the district; this would allow them to voice their opinions and for me to listen and note them. My goal as a school board member would be to create an environment where the community feels heard and valued. Using these strategies, we can work together to improve the district and provide the best education possible for the students.

Sarah Mitchell – The board has been working with multiple avenues to communicate with the whole community to engage them in the happenings in the district.  We utilize our recently revamped website, social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook, our digital sign, ParentSquare, SportsYou, podcasts and postal mailings to provide the community with updates.  All of our monthly board meetings are video recorded and posted to allow for the community to view.  We provide media releases to Peru Gazette, The Sun, and Press Republican in addition to our local television outlets. We have many committees that include community members such as Hall of Fame, Strategic Planning and stakeholder groups that  interview for administrative positions.

What is your vision for education in the community? How does it support the economy and quality of life in the community? 

Stephanie Boswell-Davies – As a school board member, my vision for education within our community is to create a high-quality, equitable education that prepares students for success in the future. We must ensure that our community members, leadership, educators, and support staff work together with a shared vision to provide positive outcomes. While providing rigorous academic programs to help prepare students for college and career success, it is also vital to incorporate access to high-quality educational opportunities, creativity, collaboration, and effective communication, which are needed in today’s world. While everyone learns differently, supporting students socially, academically, and emotionally is essential. It is also vital to include students with special needs while creating a safe and inclusive learning environment for them as well. It is essential to engage families within our district and allow them to voice their concerns that they might have within the district. Working together with a shared vision can only have a positive influence and inclusive community within the school system.  

Sarah Mitchell – My vision for education in the community is for the school to be the heart of the community once more as we heal from the pandemic of the last few years.  We need to encourage and support learning inside of and outside of school.  There are so many pathways for learning that don’t solely occur inside the brick and mortar school building but can be supported within it.  We can work with our community leaders, fire departments, charitable groups and businesses to create relevant learning opportunities such as internships and shadowing.  We could work with the town to identify unmet community needs that are appropriate for Peru students to be involved in. This would support the economy and community quality of life by promoting the many people and businesses that make Peru a great community and allowing students to be exposed to potential career paths.

What are your three overall education priorities that, in a perfect world, you would accomplish during your time in office? How will you go about achieving them? 

Stephanie Boswell-Davies – Three educational priorities I would like to accomplish during my time in the office include; providing a positive and safe learning environment while bridging the achievement gaps. It is crucial to work towards implementing evidence-based practices while utilizing personalized learning strategies for the students. Investing in faculty and staff is essential to ensure teacher and support staff growth and retention. Investing in our staff will only ensure our students receive the highest quality of education. Finally, while investing in programs and initiatives that foster critical thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, creativity, and digital literacy, while improving communication between schools and parents/guardians is essential. Building relationships with stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and community members, can help achieve these educational priorities. Grant writing is vital to help offset the costs yet advocate for increased funding and resources for our schools. Collaborating with the school board members and district administrators to develop and implement strategic plans and policies that support the school’s priorities. Research to gather data to ensure our decision-making processes are making progress towards the goals that have been set. Utilizing open communication and transparency within our community to build their trust and support is essential. My vision and approach also involve working collaboratively and proactively to achieve our shared education priorities and provide the best possible education for our children.  

Sarah Mitchell – The first priority is to provide students with a safe school experience.  This means a secure, structurally sound building with limited access during school hours but also students’ freedom from ridicule and violence.  Many studies have shown that positive student outcomes are directly correlated to a feeling of “safety”.  Peru School District is actively working on upgrading security in the buildings, and has just completed a district facilities review to guide the next capital improvement project. We also partner with Sweethearts and Heroes who promote positive social interactions.  As a board member I would continue to support these initiatives and evaluate their continued effectiveness, in addition to helping develop a capital improvement plan to address our aging infrastructure. The second priority is to continue to close the learning gap created by COVID.  Our students, like students throughout the nation, experienced a learning loss as a result of the pandemic.  There was a loss in core subjects such as Math and ELA, but also in social and emotional learning.  We are closing the “gap” through targeted programs to address specific areas and behaviors and I would continue to support these programs that have proven success as demonstrated through data points.  The third educational priority is to address staffing shortages.  Rural school districts like ours are facing shortages in all staffing areas.  It is extremely difficult to find instructional and non-instructional staff.  We are competing with other local schools and businesses to hire the best candidates.  Many positions are going unfilled and it’s a challenge many days to provide the staffing that’s needed.  Peru has an amazing group of employees who work together every day to meet the needs of our students by assuming extra duties and sharing work.  I will continue to advocate through NYSSBA and to the NY State Legislature to address the shortages we are facing and explore the possibility of shared instruction with other districts in addition to championing for tax relief for our stakeholders and accountability for every dollar spent on education.

How can the school board be more accountable to the public on student achievement, school performance, and progress over time?

Stephanie Boswell-Davies – Establishing clear goals and objectives, utilizing evidence-based, informed decision-making while being transparent to the community members, and seeking stakeholder input. Communication, clear objectives with goals, transparency, and teamwork are essential while ensuring positive outcomes are all vital to have a thriving school district. Being foster parents, we have had several foster children attend schools in their “home district,” despite us living in the Peru School District. Through parent square messages, I receive many opportunities that other school districts offer their students to ensure success throughout the school year, but Peru does not. For example, currently, a local school district is offering “tutoring opportunities” for AP and Regents exams that will be given in June. Transparency and communication with a detailed schedule were sent out via parent square, so parents are aware and encourage their children to attend these sessions; start studying for these exams now vs. waiting. In August and this past January, the school district offered “boot camps” for students before retaking regents. Offering these tutoring sessions for their students before taking the regents exam offers extra learning to help them successfully pass the regents exams without difficulty. The school district, parents, and the community must work together to help ensure our children are supported and achieve a passing score without struggling. Overall, by establishing clear goals, using data to inform decision-making, holding community meetings, seeking input from stakeholders, and providing transparency, a school board can be more accountable to the public on student achievement, school performance, and progress over time.

Sarah Mitchell – The Board of Education has made great strides on transparency over the last few years. We have a strategic planning committee that involves students, staff, administration, BOE members, and community members that reviews data such as: Math scores, ELA scores, Regents grades, dropout and graduation rates and uses that information to guide the district priorities. The administrative staff also provides periodic updates during our monthly board meetings where these achievement metrics are openly presented and discussed.  Our District and board goals align with community engagement and fiscal responsibility and are discussed and set in public sessions.  We openly invite the community to our meetings and budget workshops.  

Peru Central School District has the best instructional, non-instructional, support and administrative staff that tirelessly works to provide our students with the skills to be successful in the global community.  I have been privileged to be part of the Board of Education for the last five years and am asking for your vote on May 16, 2023 so I can continue supporting the vision of student success that the community has tasked this district with.  I am always open to new ideas and feedback so please feel free to contact me.