Tina Bleakley

On the Record

What experiences do you have that make you a good candidate for office?

I am a current school board member and parent of 3 in the district. I have been a social worker and educator for over 15 years. I have had the priviledge of being an active member in the Batavia community. I served as a successful PTO President at Grace McWayne school for 3 years. I helped on the Build a Better Batavia committee and supported the Bulldogs Unleashed campaign for Grace McWayne. I am currently the chair of Batavia Inter-school council. This unique organizations goal is to network, brainstorm and collaborate on various ways to continue the success of Batavia schools and stay connected with our community.

What are your top two or three priorities if elected?

My goal as a board member will be to make the tough decisions while keeping Batavia a strong community with top performing schools and exceptional administrators and teachers. Another goal as a board member is communication. Communication is key to success. I want to continue the excellent communication with our administration and BEA along with strengthening the boards communication with our community members.

Would you support freezing your taxing district\'s levy until housing prices rebound? Why or why not?

I ask myself why do I live in Batavia? For many reasons, the schools, the community and the quality of life the area has to offer. When you freeze taxes your schools are at a stale mate. Batavia is a top performing district and that along with your community will suffer.

What one decision by the school board do you most disagree with and why?

Cutting the districts budget was a decision that was difficult to make. Being a board member means making tough decisions but always keeping in mind the best interest of the students, teachers and community.

What was the biggest accomplishment of the board in the past year?

One of the many accomplishments of the Batavia BOE was balancing our budget with minimal program cuts. We also have a wonderful working relationship with our BEA, resulting in a teachers contract through successful negotiations.

Why should voters elect you to office?

I am a current board member who has the knowledge and understanding of how a successful school district functions with the support of staff, administration and the community.