April 25, 2008 08:13 am
—
By MICHELLE MILLER
Staff Writer
Cooperstown Central
School district residents will
soon have the opportunity to
cast their votes for who will
fill the vacancies on the
Board of Education.
Three candidates are running
for three seats. Candidates
include Dr. David
Borgstrom, Dr. Theresa Russo
and incumbent Anthony
Scalici.
The two candidates who
receive the highest number
of votes will each serve threeyear
terms and the remaining
seat is for a one-year
term that will fill the seat
vacated by the resignation of
Jean Schifano, who has taken
a new position out of the
area.
The League of Women
Voters is planning to hold a
Candidates’ Night on Monday,
May 12 at 7:30 p.m. in
the cafeteria at the middle/
high school. Elections will be
held on Tuesday, May 20
from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. in
Sterling Auditorium.
Borgstrom, who is a surgeon
at Bassett Hospital,
said he has decided to run for
a position on the BOE because
he cares about the
school, and about his children’s
education. Borgstrom
has two children that attend
CCS, one in middle school
and the other in high school.
Borgstrom said he has an
interest in education, and
has gone to school many
years himself.
``I believe I have the ability
to understand things that
are hard to express simply,’’
said Borgstrom. ``If I can help
answer some questions I
have for myself, I believe I
can also help get answers for
the parents and the community.’’
Borgstrom said he has experience
working with professionals
and working in
large groups. He said he is
also familiar with going to
meetings and working with a
board.
Borgstrom said he has
been living in Cooperstown
for seven years, and has gotten
involved with many programs
for children such as
Little League — which he
has been taken part in for
about five years.
``We all can give time,’’
said Borgstrom. ‘’I think this
(running for BOE) is something
I can do for the kids
I’ve gotten to know and all
the rest of them as well.’’
Russo has been living in
Cooperstown since 1999, and
is an assistant professor of
human ecology at SUNY
Oneonta. She said she has
always thought about running
for a BOE seat, and felt
because there were openings
this year, it would be a good
time to throw her name out
there.
Russo said she believes
she can contribute with matters
such as program evaluations
and child development
because she has a master’s
degree in human development
and child studies from
the University of Maryland,
and a PhD in development
and family studies from Kansas
State University.
Russo also has children
who attend CCS — both elementary
students.
She said many of the other
board members have high
school-aged kids, so she believes
it would diversify
things more to have a parent
of elementary-aged kids.
Scalici admits being on
the BOE is not always an
easy undertaking, but still
plans to run for re-election.
Scalici has been serving
on the board for 12 years,
and said he got involved because
his background was in
education. Scalici said serving
has been his way of staying
in touch. He said he was
also a part of a community
advisory group that dealt
with school matters, and felt
he had some familiarity with
what goes on and could be a
benefit to the district.
The board members work
in committees, and Scalici
said each member tries to
work on issues or matters
where he or she will be most
accommodating.
Scalici said because his
background is in education
and administration, he sticks
with helping with curriculum
matters mostly.
He said he also assists
with financial decisions and
grounds and maintenance issues.
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