In the Springs School District three people are running for two seats. The incumbents Erik Fredrickson and Emma Field are seeking second terms, while Gerard Picco is running for his first.
Mr. Fredrickson is the current president of the board, and served as vice president the year before in his second year on the board. “It takes three years to really learn the nuances of being a board member,” he said Tuesday. “What’s important to me now is creating stability and building on the momentum.”
Speaking by phone Tuesday morning Ms. Field said that if re-elected she is looking for that as well. With the principal, assistant principal, and superintendent each leaving the district since she began her term on the board, “I feel like a lot of my first term was spent in problem-solving mode more than focusing on continuing to make things better and better,” she said.
Both Mr. Fredrickson and Ms. Field pointed to the board’s focus on sharing services with the other local districts. “We want to continue to work with surrounding districts to provide the best resources to all students in Springs and East Hampton Town,” Ms. Field said. “I’m looking forward to bettering all the programs and I want to continue on our path for a very happy environment for the students and teachers to come into.”
Mr. Fredrickson also pointed to the board’s work making the school’s wellness committee stand alone and creating the communications committee. Through that committee the school’s website has been redone and an outreach email was created so community members can be more familiar with what’s going on at the school.
Mr. Picco, the challenger, made it clear on Monday afternoon that he did not want to diminish any of the work that the current board has done, but said he sees himself as a fresh pair of eyes. “It might be time for a fresh pair of hands on the tiller,” he said.
A Springs resident for 20 years, he has three children, one of whom was an eighth grade valedictorian two years ago. Another is in fifth grade in Springs and his third is in prekindergarten at the Country School in Wainscott.
One thing on his mind as he seeks a seat: improving the communication between the school and parents. He spoke about how he couldn’t be reached when one of his daughters sustained a concussion on the playground because of poor cellphone service on school grounds.
He would also like to expand electives in the curriculum and provide more opportunities outside traditional education. “I’d love to see a level of electives that nurture and draw out every student’s gift and god-given talent and abilities, whatever that is,” he said, mentioning art, theater music, or languages.
He would like to see more field trips, guest speakers, and trips into New York City to visit museums. Above all, “I want to bring new energy to the board,” he said, “and make sure kids have an advocate and that their voice is heard, and the teachers as well.”