Alexandra Kane Candidate Questionnaire Response
Why do you want to serve on the Board of Education in North Colonie?
We have a great opportunity to reach children at a young age to assist them in building a solid foundation for their adolescent years into adulthood. I am a nurse and a Director for a medical day program in Albany for those 18 years of age and older. We work with individuals with a wide array of capabilities and chronic conditions. Many suffer from mental health afflictions, and the common underlying theme with many of them is a lack of a sustaining support system. Being able to assist children to best learn how they learn so they can identify their needs and seek out available resources will build stronger, more capable adults. Every child learns differently and as adults, it’s our responsibility to aide them in figuring this out so they have more successful and full-filling educational experience and are overall more prepared for college and beyond. Being part of the entity that can positively affect this effort is exciting to me!
What would make you a good candidate for the Board of Education?
The mission of the board is to serve the district under the guidance of the States’ Commissioner for Education. I feel that my role would be to support the board through research, education, and assessments of programs already in existence. By identifying current needs of the district through analysis of reports & statistics of existing programs, this will better assist in decision making for future projects. Each board member has a responsibility to remain current and aware of the districts cultural and socioeconomic needs to ensure the development of relevant and necessary programs. I have experience in policy development, education, and implementation of programs that serve needy populations. I have oversight for budgets, knowledge of public programs that govern the use of state aide, and quality management auditing of the outcomes of each. I look forward to lending these skills and efforts through board participation.
What do you believe is the proper role of public schools?
School exists as a function to prepare children for continued community growth through exposure, awareness, and engagement of its members. This is comprised of students, teachers, administrators, Board members, and community entities that serve each. Public education serves to integrate core academic skills as well as universal access to resources which will align them for self-sufficiency and societal contribution in the future. It is the districts responsibility to ensure access to these programs and that the programs are relevant to the assessed needs of the community.
How do you feel about the current state of education in the North Colonie School District?
The district has positioned itself to remain competitive and has ensured its growth through preparation and meticulous oversight of the resources that maintain each individual project/program. Any budget that can reflect growth is a smart budget. With the addition of positions (full-time equivalents), new and modified programs, and the addition of necessary equipment, it is evident that planning efforts, oversight, and allocation of the resources and foresight into the districts needs have been managed well. State test results, graduation rates, and those that have gone onto four-year college programs speak to the leadership and abilities of those in the districts’ employ.
Do you feel there are trade-offs that are made when we focus on the physical security of our schools? What do you think is the proper balance?
Anytime a decision needs to be made for a larger group, organization, or “the whole” of something, individual aspects of its’ entirety may become secondary, although no less present. Maintaining a level of security that can protect the district as a whole is priority. Finding the way to adjust this to each individual will be the key to making it successful. The addition of the School Resource Officer (SRO) present on school grounds will add a sense of presence, and should in no way infringe on anyone’s rights if policy, procedure, and rules are being adhered to. Much like that of a police officer parked on the side of the road, there should be no fear or worry from a passing driver if the rules/laws of the road are being adhered to as outlined in the governing regulations which allowed for them to become licensed. The presence of a parked officer on the side of the road, once spotted by a driver, inevitably causes an immediate response for the driver to reassess their speed, position on the road, and evokes a sense of awareness. The presence of a SRO on school grounds will add a sense of presence and guidance for both staff and students. Having a familiar individual available for questions, education, and guidance is something both faculty and students have not had previously available to them. While not the intent of this newly added position, this presence may serve as a deterrent for behaviors which may compromise the safety or security of students and faculty and serve to educate the majority about community safety.
Is North Colonie currently finding that balance?
The district is in the assessment and planning phase of the efforts to make each of its buildings as safe as they possibly can be. Through its efforts to seek out security models which will be the best fit for North Colonie, many changes may take place. The district has done an amazing job at remaining transparent in its efforts and keeping the public informed of its intent and next-step planning. This planning will involve the public’s input and ongoing involvement. It will require, at minimum, an opportunity for an enhanced relationship between the school and the community.
What do you think is the proper role of technology in the classroom? What do you think about the current use of technology in North Colonie schools?
Technology in the classroom offers children a level of comfort to which they have developed and grown into and from. Many two year olds are adept at using an electronic device of some sort. Technology is secondary to most 5 year old students entering school. Using and having available technology to continue their desire to learn and foster what they are used to, schools need to assess what has been proven to enhance learning and incorporate this into their curriculum. Technology opens avenues to students that traditional learning cannot. This should not however detract from the creativity and imaginative efforts that come from reading a physical book, the relaxing effects of crayons and paper, or the ability to write and respond through memorization and practice without the immediacy the internet and technology offer.
What, if any, capital improvements do you anticipate the district needing in the next three to five years (excluding those already planned and approved by the voters)?
The District will almost certainly need to allocate funds for continued technology developments and demands. The district has enlisted the services of a demographer which has highlighted the community’s’ anticipated growth, which in turn, places the burden on the district to anticipate its needs based upon previous usage. This task is not an easy one, since technology is developing and changing all the time and statistics from previous models may not support future needs. Anticipating this cost, specifically, will be challenging. This also supports the proposal for the Capital reserve budget, which will set aside monies up to ten years for costs such as this. With voter approval, the district will be able to meet these demands and remain competitively current with other like districts. Providing the students with competitive skills and enhanced technology will make them more marketable as well as successful in college and in the workforce.