While I was never fully content with how the ACSD school board was conducting their Facilities Master Planning process, among other prior objectives (under Peter Conlon’s leadership), I have been extremely concerned with the sudden and narrow minded way and accelerated pace in which the restarted process has been conducted over the last nine months during the pandemic (under new leadership). The board’s efforts and information that has come out about behind-the-scenes maneuvering and actions have increased my feeling that it is time to get some new voices and energy on the board.
It is in part for this reason that I put my full support behind Chris Kramer for the Cornwall seat on the ACSD school board. I have worked closely with him for nearly three years as part of the Friend of Cornwall School (FOCS). When the time came for a transition in leadership, he jumped in head first after only one year interacting with FOCS. I became treasurer at the same time he became co-chair, and in that time we have worked collaboratively together with each other and other FOCS officers, members, and school personnel on many initiatives and activities. In my view every action he takes as a member of our school community is meant to support the whole body, not just a select few. This has been especially pertinent over the last year while we have supported Cornwall School in new ways and continued traditions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He has been willing and much more able to interact on the larger school community level than myself. He then thoroughly reports what he has learned and observed back to those of us who are less able to participate at that higher level. He has continued to exhibit his willingness to support the greater good of our district community by expressing and standing by what could be unpopular positions in our town. I believe it is more an expression of the need for everyone to keep an open mind and not jump to or seek certain conclusions during the information gathering processes involved in making good decisions that will make our district stronger in the face of adversity.
As I have said before, I would love to see every school be able to remain open. Our current dynamics locally and statewide provide too many challenges to maintaining the status quo. I only ask for a board that is willing to look objectively at all viewpoints and I know Chris will do that in a transparent way.
I thank Peter Conlon for the work he has done in support of the whole ASCD community for well over a decade, and continue to welcome his service at the state level, where he is in a good position to support initiatives that help schools navigate many challenges. It is just time for new, more inclusive perspectives to have a voice on the ACSD board.
While this is a race for the Cornwall seat on the board, it is an at-large position representing the whole district. So I encourage all voters in the ACSD to visit Chris’ campaign page at votechriskramer.com or Facebook page at facebook.com/pg/votechriskramer/community to learn more about this upstanding citizen.
Ian Ross
Cornwall