What special background or experience do you have that will enable you to be effective in addressing these persistent disparities?

Five candidates are running for two vacant positions on the New Rochelle Board of Education in elections to be held on Tuesday, May 20.

Board of Education candidates (L to R): Myriam Decime, Elana Jacobs, Jessica Klein, Rosa Rivera-McCutcheon, and Keith Singletary

Among the critical issues in this election are the persistent racial disparities in opportunities, achievement, and disciplinary action in the city’s public schools.  Members of the Board of Education, who serve 5-year terms, will have the responsibility and power to make changes to reduce or eliminate these disparities.

New RoAR News wanted to know how each of the candidates understood this problem, what they intended to do about it if elected, and what qualifications each of them had to address this issue.

On May 3, New RoAR News sent each of the candidates a brief fact sheet on the disparities in our schools, along with three questions for each of them to answer.  All the candidates responded in writing by the deadline of May 9.  This week, we will publish all of their responses.  

To see the fact sheet sent to all the candidates and the questions they were asked, click here. Over the past two days, we have presented all the candidates’ responses to Question #1 and Question #2. Today, we present the candidates’ replies to Question #3.

Don’t forget to vote on May 20!

Question 3: What special background or experience do you have that will enable you to be effective in addressing these persistent disparities?

Rosa Rivera-McCutchen

I have been an educator for nearly 30 years, with a career-long focus on understanding and disrupting educational disparities affecting Black, Latinx, and other historically marginalized students. I began this work as a high school teacher in the Bronx and have continued it as a professor of school and district leadership (master’s and doctoral-level).

 In my role preparing aspiring leaders, I have centered equity and justice in every course I teach. I guide students through equity audits to identify systemic gaps in access and outcomes, then support them in designing actionable plans to address these inequities. My students know that I expect them to connect theory to practice; many now lead at various levels in school systems, applying the tools and perspectives they gained in my courses.

 Over the years, I have also studied the leadership approaches of those committed to social justice in education. This work has resulted in numerous peer-reviewed articles and culminated in the development of a leadership framework called Radical Care, which I explore in my book “Radical Care: Leading for Justice in Urban Schools” (Teachers College Press, 2021). This framework guides leaders in building relational, justice-centered responses to systemic inequity.

Keith Singletary

Westchester Clubmen: As a Clubman, I’m the educational liaison for the “Higher Aims” program. Higher Aims provides educational support, mentoring and cultural enrichment to young Black and Latino men of New Rochelle H.S. and White Plains H.S. My roots are from a working poor family in Bridgeport, CT.  I identify with economically disadvantaged youth and now keep my boots on the ground at NRHS to be aware of the educational pathways of the students.

What helped me to be successful and chose to leave the inner-city was a mentor that truly cared about me. He took me on my first college tour and now I have coordinated college tours for Higher Aims over the past 4 years. I would be honored to expand my reach as a mentor that is on the BOE.

As an active dad in the Girl Scouts organization (GS), I’m aware of the need to educate kids on navigating bullying situations also.

Trained CPA: I’m trained to pay attention to detail. I have a trained diligent eye to examine documents. Thus, I would encourage “smarter spending” and keep a keen eye towards improving our results (i.e., attendance, grades, test scores, and graduation rates across our system).

Myriam Decime

I successfully graduated from New Rochelle schools and know exactly how to maneuver the system. My son graduated with 35 college credits.  I’ve had years of experience advocating for family, friends, on class selection, program access, conflict/superintendent hearings.  Always speaking to and mentoring students. I’m the PTAC Rep for the Lincoln Ave. Attendance Zone PTA. Conduct trips to the largest, northeast HBCU College Fair, where seniors can receive on site acceptance letters, scholarships, application fee waivers.  

I’m a Chemical Engineer with 25+ years corporate experience in consumer product research & development & manufacturing. Develop, formalize, document work/life processes, so roles, tasks, output/handoffs, decisions, are identified, documented to successfully achieve agreed measurable goals/results to continuously Improve.  

All value added process improvement, project management skills, that are directly applicable to education and that our district need. Running for the BOE is another avenue to continue to contribute to New Rochelle, my hometown that helped shape me and that I love so much.

Elana Jacob

As an attorney, I’ve been trained to zealously represent those who need strong advocacy—a skill I’ll bring to the Board on behalf of our district’s children, particularly those from historically underrepresented communities. As a law student, I participated in the Innocence Project Clinic, representing prisoners in their appeals, and the Unemployment Action Clinic, helping individuals secure vital benefits. As a practicing attorney, I’ve represented clients in pro bono asylum cases, including helping a man from Honduras achieve asylum to remain with his wife and child.  

 My in-house legal professional experience aligns with the analytical demands of addressing educational disparities. I regularly review and analyze large volumes of information to assess legal and business risks. This experience directly translates to the Board’s need to evaluate district performance data, identify patterns of inequity, and develop evidence-based solutions. Additionally, in my role managing lawyers, I’ve developed expertise in assessing achievement metrics and ensuring adherence to company policies and procedures—skills essential for providing effective oversight of district equity initiatives. I also seek opportunities to create more inclusive environments beyond my daily responsibilities, such as mentoring summer interns and serving on a committee responsible for assigning mentors to new hires.

Jessica Klein

My academic work through Harvard University focused specifically on implicit bias and creating solutions for achievement gaps in urban school settings. This research-based foundation gives me a deep understanding of evidence-based approaches to addressing educational inequities.

My teaching experience has allowed me to witness firsthand the challenges students face, particularly in post-pandemic learning environments. In my classroom, I’ve successfully implemented culturally responsive teaching practices that have increased engagement among diverse student populations. I’ve also participated in district-wide equity initiatives, allowing me to understand effective implementation strategies and potential pitfalls.

Additionally, my community involvement through organizations like the National Education Alliance has provided me with strong connections throughout New Rochelle’s diverse communities. These relationships will be invaluable for fostering the collaborative approach necessary to create meaningful change.

I’m particularly encouraged by Dr. Reynolds’ recent interventions and strategies, and look forward to partnering with him, the district, and our community to build a more equitable educational environment where every child can thrive regardless of background.