Rochester School Board incumbents to face off against bloc of anti-establishment candidates
The Rochester School Board race features three incumbents — and one candidate backed by the current seat-holder — facing off against a bloc of candidates running under the moniker “4 Your Children.” (The latter chose to respond as a group.) All positions are citywide.
School Board Position 2
Justin Cook
Intellectual property attorney
I am running for office this cycle because …
I think it’s past time we add a parent’s perspective on our school board. My wife of 17 years and I relocated to Rochester 5 years ago with our 4 kids. This fall we will have a 7th grader at Kellogg; and a 5th grader, 2nd grader, and kindergartner at Jefferson. I am troubled by the district’s stubborn inequities and challenging financial forecast, and I’d like to help navigate this chapter.
This school board election is about …
Deciding the direction of our schools as we emerge from a challenging chapter. As Rochester continues to grow, the next several years present opportunities to lay the foundation for a more vibrant, robust economy to come. Ours is a community that understands the benefits of being best -- just imagine how we could prosper if it were our schools that were the envy of the nation.
The district’s top priorities should be …
Safety in our schools. Student and staff safety on school property from both internal and external threats should always be our district’s top priority. The district should also be focused on academic success, fiscal responsibility, public transparency, community engagement, addressing inequities, and recruiting and retaining top-notch teachers.
If elected, I would focus my energy on …
Ensuring that every 3rd grade student attains reading proficiency. I will insist on equipping our schools with a multi-tiered system of supports framework that offers evidenced-based structured literacy grounded in the Science of Reading. Achieving this key objective is both a strategic opportunity for our schools to differentiate themselves and a moral imperative.
In contrast to my opponent, I …
Am not running to be part of a bloc of candidates with a predetermined agenda. I am running to bring my individual perspective and passion to the board. I’m inquisitive, I’ll question long-held assumptions, and I love data. Let me bring my energetic problem- solving approach to bear, and let’s add public education to the list of things Rochester is best at!
School Board Position 4
Julie Workman
School board member since 2011, retired teacher
I am running for office this cycle because …
I am running for re-election to the Rochester School Board Position 4, in order to advance the comprehensive, cohesive, and carefully considered work that we're doing to ensure that students learn and thrive through the implementation of the Strategic Plan, Climate and Safety Plan, and Budget Plan.
This school board election is about …
The School Board election is about the importance of decision making in the light of verifiable information, using best practices, data, research, and feed-back from staff, students, families, and the community in order for students to thrive, to advance academically, find their purpose and develop into their best selves.
The district’s top priorities should be …
The District's top priorities are comprehensively outlined in the 2022-2025 Strategic Plan: Planning for Purpose; the School Climate and Safety Plan; the Three Year Budget Plan. Some key issues within these plans include improving the safety and well being of students and staff; a multi-tiered approach to academic achievement; and transforming school and family engagement. The board, superintendent, and others monitor progress with data and adjust when needed to stay on track.
If elected, I would focus my energy on …
If re-elected, I will focus my energy on communicating to staff, families, students and the community the progress of these priorities and initiatives. I will continue to thoroughly prepare for School Board meetings, and ensure I have all necessary information to make responsible decisions through a lens of equity, which means providing each student with the tools, support, and resources they need in order to thrive and be successful in their endeavors.
In contrast to my opponent, I …
I am informed, knowledgeable, thoughtful and experienced in making carefully considered decisions on complex district issues. Twelve years on the board, preceded by 36 years of teaching make me extremely well versed and uniquely qualified when considering multiple perspectives in the light of facts, research, data, and best practices. I respectfully listen to my colleagues as we work together to ensure our students have the resources they need in order to succeed.
School Board Position 5
Jean Marvin
School board member since 2015, retired teacher
I am running for office this cycle because …
This is both an especially challenging and exciting time for education in Rochester. Our District is undertaking a re-imagination and revitalization of how we educate learners. The process is laser focused on raising the academic achievement of all students and engaging them so they recognize their value, potential and ability to contribute to others. That process must not be derailed.
This school board election is about …
Voters deciding the direction this School District should take: to embrace our diversity of students and perspectives, to support our teachers and staff, and to prepare students to succeed in a multi-cultural society…or to diminish those possibilities.
The district’s top priorities should be …
Ensuring every child has high quality teachers and a student-centered, fact based education. Another priority is ensuring schools are safe spaces—both physically and emotionally— for students and staff. A third priority is to connect learning done in classrooms with the world outside the classrooms so students will graduate as responsible independent learners and critical thinkers.
If elected, I would focus my energy on …
Continuing to support the intelligent, comprehensive roadmap developed through our Strategic Plan, and to continue engaging the perspectives of families and students as it is implemented. I would work to expand Pre-K opportunities and to prepare every child to read at grade level by the end of grade 3. I’d continue the focus on providing challenging, hands-on career and college prep courses at the secondary level and ensuring access to these courses for every student.
In contrast to my opponent, I …
Have had the great privilege of being able to work in our School District and for our students for decades. In order to be an effective School Board member, one must know what School Boards are legally authorized to do and what they can’t do. It’s important to know what policies are. And I believe it’s of utmost importance that everyone’s child, regardless of how they identify, deserves to be accepted and respected for who they are.
School Board Position 6
Cathy Nathan
School board member since 2019, retired health policy consultant
I am running for office this cycle because …
Our students and schools need passionate, prepared, and persistent school board leadership. Building on the skills and knowledge built over the past 4 years of school board service, I will continue to use my voice to champion schools where all students feel safe and welcomed, and all educators and families feel respected and supported. I will use my votes to back up my words with programs and resources that drive student success.
This school board election is about …
Electing leaders who listen when students tell us what they need to learn, and when educators and families tell us what they need to teach and support students; who use credible information and data to make decisions; who advocate for opportunities and resources for everyone in our diverse school community; and who hold the District accountable to improve student academics and create safe and welcoming schools. I will continue to be that school board member.
The district’s top priorities should be …
Implementing the “Planning for Purpose” Strategic Plan. This Plan includes multiple components that will accelerate positive opportunities and outcomes for all students, including individual school improvement plans, student-centered deeper learning, supports for students struggling academically, strategies for student belonging and behavior, mental health resources, pathways to postsecondary readiness, educator leadership development, and a family engagement framework. Derailing or dismantling the implementation of these initiatives would have devastating impacts on the long-term success of our students.
If elected, I would focus my energy on …
Supporting high-quality learning experiences for every student so that they all build knowledge and skills for success in school and beyond. Ensuring safe schools where everyone is respected, listened to, and feel like they belong. Providing social and emotional resources for students and educators. Welcoming and empowering all families as partners in the education of their children and collaborating with community resources. Providing informed oversight and monitoring of program implementation and financial resources and expenditures.
In contrast to my opponent, I …
Have demonstrated leadership, policy, and oversight skills and the advocacy mindset needed to represent our whole community on the school board. I’ve established a strong record of asking for and listening to student, educator, and family feedback. I use data and information to determine strategies and resources that respond to learning and teaching needs. I develop policies that focus on current school issues. I ask tough questions to monitor student outcomes and financial resources.
Group Response
Four candidates for Rochester School Board are running as a bloc, dubbed “4 Your Children.” They opted to submit their responses as a group.
Rae Parker, Position 2
Retired registered diagnostic cardiac sonographer
John Whelan, Position 4
Retired financial services professional
Kim Rishavy, Position 5
Small business owner
Elena Niehoff, Position 6
Certified public health nurse
We are running for office this cycle because …
This is a pivotal time in our schools. We have the opportunity to restore academics, parental rights, respect, responsibility and accountability, address mental health issues and instill discipline and confront violence. Communication with community, staff and parents has been lacking and needs to be improved dramatically to strengthen the partnership between the school district and its stakeholders. We pledge complete transparency in the discharge of our duties.
This school board election is about …
Values, trust and accountability for what is happening in our schools. This election will determine the future for our children and our community. The election results will either solidify anarchy, confusion, racial divide and lack of academic focus, or give us the chance to regain the academic excellence that was once associated with our city. We look forward to reinstating those high standards.
The district’s top priorities should be …
Academics. We must teach the basics of reading, writing, arithmatic (sic), civics, and history in its entirety without political agendas. Safety for students and staff is one of our top priorities. We are committed to instilling respect, responsibility, accountability and discipline to achieve these priorities.
If elected, we would focus our energy on …
Academics, safety, and open and honest communication with the community, parents, staff and students. We will reassess policies and budgets. We will support parental rights, student rights and ensure equal opportunities for all students and staff. We will assess policies and practices that violate constitutional rights and rectify them.
In contrast to our opponents, we …
Will prioritize academic proficiency. We will assure the curriculum is completely transparent and utilizes the most effective methods of teaching to enhance learning. We will carefully analyze the budget to fully assess necessities over excess. We will address all of these issues in a thoughtful, common sense manner, drawing from our diverse life experiences in the medical care, legal and financial, business management, educational support and youth coaching fields.
Note: Candidates were asked to limit written responses to approximately 75 words. Minor edits were made for clarity.
