By RICK MILLER
OLEAN — Personal safety, high student absenteeism and low math and English test scores highlighted comments by Olean City School District Board of Education candidates last week.
There are five candidates for three school board seats. They are Catharine Young, Timothy Sherlock, Alex Calbi, James DiBlasi and Aubree Malik. Their names are on the ballot in voting Tuesday from 7a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Olean Intermediate Middle School.
The seats on the ballot are for a five-year term, a three-year term and a two-team term. The candidate with the most votes will win the five-year seat, the second highest the two-year seat and the third highest vote will win the two-year seat.
The candidates each read statements prior to Tuesday’s school board meeting. Board President Kelly Keller read a statement by candidate Calbi.
The candidates emphasized the need for transparency, accountability and improved safety measures. The also called for enforcing the code of conduct, addressing chronic absenteeism and improving mental health support.
Young was the first to address those at the meeting that also addressed the proposed $68 million capital project and the $57.9 million budget, a 3.2 percent increase. Neither the capital project or budget are projected to require any property tax increase.
Young, the former state senator who resigned in 2019 to become executive director of the New York State Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture disclosed that she, Calbi and Malick were campaigning as a team for the three seats.
Young spoke of a “stressful year” for her grandson who attends East View Elementary School “due to at least 10 lengthy evacuations from their classroom” because the administration refused to address serious behavioral issues.
“These few teachers and parents in multiple classrooms have been pleading for help for the entire school year,” Young said. “Now the administration says they are taking steps to resolve the problems. Why did it take so long. Every child in the classrooms deserves to get the support that they need.”
Young added: “Regrettably, significant issues exist at the middle school and the high school aslo. Parents tell me that their students are scared. They tell their parents about kids being assaulted, fights, bullying, drug use, vaping and other untoward incidents that are triggering all to frequent shelter in place and lockdown orders in both the middle and high schools.”
She said this has resulted in students leaving Olean schools with their parents either paying tuition at other area schools or homeschooling them. “Alex Calbi, Aubrey Malik and I are passionate about the well being of our children,” Young said. “That’s why we are running as a ream for the school board.”
Sherlock said he thought all candidates were in agreement with Young’s comments on the issues. “There’s no denying that our district is facing very difficult times.” With parents, students and teachers speaking out, he said, “I want to say that I do hear you. Each person stands before you, bringing something different, unique, a new skill set to the table. Each candidate possesses something that might be outside the box, but they’re stong and they’re genuine ideas.”
Sherlock said, “We need a strong administration that acts quickly and effectively in dealing with the behaviors to ensure that we’re connecting our parents to the school community.”
Also, said Sherlock, “We need a strong board to direct our district to ensure that this administration is effective and that the teachers, parents and students are getting the support they are asking for.
An Olean native and a parent with a child in Olean schools, Sherlock is a former Child Protective Services investigator in Seneca County who currently works as a court advocate for a Syracuse attorney. He said his father was a firefighter and his mother was a Head Start teacher.
“I know I can make the needed changes here,” Sherlock said. “But we can do that together through strong, transparent policy, a responsible budget and honest and open communication to build a partnership with our parents and community.”
Keller, the school board president, read Calbi’s statement. She said residents’ “involvement and commitment is vital to the improvement of the Olean School District’s reputation.” A 2010 Olean High School graduate, she is a graduate of Edinboro University and works at Stevens Energy, formerly Dresser Rand.
“Running for school board,” Calbi said, “means having a chance to give back to my community by helping shape the future of our schools. It’s about using my voice to advocate for the students, support educators and make thoughtful decisions that reflect the needs and values of families in our district.”
Calbi said, “Student safety, chronic absenteeism and test score remain at the top of the list. It is disheartening to hear from parents that they won’t send their children to Olean or hear alumni refuse to teach in the district. Teacher knowing the generations of families in Olean is what makes this community so unique.”
DiBlasi, a 2010 Olean High School graduate and graduate of Jamestown Community College, said, “I’ve seen firsthand the incredible impact our teachers and staff can have, but I’ve also witnessed one of the failures in recently years and stand with a growing number of stakeholders concerned about the administration failing our community.”
DiBlasi said, “All of us candidates have made safety the cornerstone of our campaign because we had those conversations with parents, the staff and students getting up to our decision to run.”
He said, “In regard to eduction, when students don’t feel safe or supported, they disengage and stop showing up to class. And when kids are absent, they fall behind.” This alarming rate of absenteeism has led to not only some of the lowest math proficiency levels in the state, but over 100 students now being home schooled and 140 paying tuition to attend other districts, DiBlasi said.
“The board must decisively hold the superintendent accountable, which I will do, for the distinct’s climate, performance and responsiveness to community concerns,” he said. “This position demands accountability, ethical decision making, clear metrics for success, transparency and presence.”
The district needs improved behavioral and mental health counseling, DiBlasi said. A certified behavioral specialist is needed in some buildings, he added. Addressing these concerns will not only help students, but could restore some enrollment that has been lost.
Malick, the last candidate to speak, is an Olean High School graduate and former elementary teacher who said many of the parents, teachers and community members she spoke with feel their voices are being ignored. The lack of transparency and accountability and the growing issues over safety are real, she said.
Malick said, “These issues are not going away. That’s why I’m standing here today. I want to ensure the values I grew up with, trust, support and a shared sense of purpose are upheld within our schools.”
Malick said, “As a former educator, I understand firsthand the challenges our teachers face everyday. I hold a degree in elementary and special education and a masters in differentiated instruction, both from St. Bonaventure University. As a parent, I know the profound impact that our educators can have on a child’s life.”
She said, “When I hear that families are leaving the district in droves, when I hear that teachers are considering leaving because of the lack of support, and when I hear my own child asking not to go to school because of what he has witnessed and experienced, I know something has to change in order to turn things around.”
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