Candidate Profile: Beth Niznik, Boulder Valley School District

BOULDER, CO — Three seats are up for election on the Boulder Valley School District's Board of Education.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as Election Day draws near.

Beth Niznik is running for BVSD's Board of Education, District E.

Family: Married; daughter in first grade in BVSD

Education

• BA in Psychology, Summa Cum Laude, with honors, University of Colorado, Boulder
• M.Ed in Educational Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle
• M.Ed in Educational Leadership, University of Washington, Bothell
• Mediator Certification, Seattle University

Occupation

• Special Education Regional Facilitator/ Mediator with Colorado Department of Education – current position
• Student Services Coordinator (administration) – 3 years
• School Psychologist, Washington state - 8 years
• Special Education teacher, Kennedy Krieger, Baltimore, MD

Campaign website: bethforbvsd.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

While I bring over 15 years as an educator to the board—having worked preschool to high school—and experience in the classroom, building, district, and state levels, it was my role as a parent and community member that inspired me to run. I am running for school board because I believe that we are all in this together and what happens on the board truly matters. The school board decides if our kids go to school, how we interpret polices, etc. These decisions have both immediate and long-term impacts on our kids today and on our community tomorrow. I want to be part of the solution in these difficult times.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

Pro science, support BVSD's response to the COVID pandemic.

Competency without bias: never worked in BVSD but have a systemic perspective that allows informed yet impartial governance

Teacher and more: systemic thinker with educational leadership experience not only on the classroom level, but on building-, district-, and state-level.

Conflict mediator: state-level professional resource for conflict resolution in special education.

Proud parent of BVSD student.

How do you think local officials are performing in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

I am pro in-person learning because I believe it is overwhelmingly the best place for our kids to learn and have their social-emotional needs met. Accordingly, I support the BVSD's goal of in-person learning five days per week. I support the district’s partnership with local health experts and continued efforts to follow science. If wearing a mask means my daughter can go to school, then I support in-person learning with layered measures of protection until otherwise directed by health experts.

Covid has created anxiety and profound uncertainty in budgeting and in programming. Moving forward we need to have a good relationship with the state to facilitate seamless support, open communication with teachers and parents to best navigate this together, and school board leadership that can be responsive in these unprecedented times.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Invest in people: attract, retain, and hire the best and most diverse staff possible. We need to offer competitive wages and create an environment that is inclusive to all.

Support policies that seek to narrow the achievement and opportunity gap at both the elementary and secondary levels by prioritizing engagement for students who have been excluded from our AP classes, offer enrichment opportunities (e.g. high-intensity tutoring), and improve access to dual enrollment programs

Declining enrollment districtwide. Enrollment is the major driver of our budget. Fewer kids in schools means less funding with far-reaching implications. Less money means decisions about how to adjust our workforce, increased class sizes, and possible school closures.

My budget priorities lie in creating a sustainable budget that will allow us to weather these budgetary shortfalls

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

Over my 15-plus years in education, I have sat in many seats around the proverbial table. I have experience on all levels from the classroom as a special education teacher, to the building as a school psychologist, to the district as a special education administrator. I’ve worked with students and staff from preschool through high school. And now I am working on the state level with the Colorado Department of Education as a conflict mediator in special education. My professional background has given me the ability to be an informed leader, to think systemically, and to ask questions that honor the nuances of an incredibly complicated system

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Always lead with your values. Don't worry about what anyone else is doing in this race.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I value data-driven decision making, systemic thinking, and transparency. I am committed to being a collaborative board member and to seeking out community voices. I will bring my varied and broad experience in education to the table to ask thoughtful questions, to take perspective, and to work together to move forward.