One impact from Tuesday’s elections is that the Rochester school board will lose a longtime member.
Malik Evans, who is also a former president of the board and his been on that body since 2004, was elected this week to City Council. His seat will be filled next year.
Evans says even though City Council doesn’t directly control the district, they are involved with approving the school budget, and Evans hopes to be involved in other ways as well.
“I very much plan to stay involved with the school district and I will be paying close attention to what’s going on over there and when there’s something that I think that can be done to help improve it, instead of criticizing them I will also try to be an agent for change and part of the solution to move them on to positive outcomes for all of our students,” Evans told WXXI News.
Evans says that city government has an important role to play in supporting education.
“Students only spend about 35 to 40 hours a week in school, the rest of that time they’re out, within the community. The city really should be working to see what they can do to increase those supports to families and students while they’re outside of school which has a direct correlation and impact on how they perform when they’re in schools.”
School Board President Van White says he expects that Evans will still contribute to the needs of the district when he joins City Council.
“Now, Malik leaves us, but he goes over to City Council, he’ll provide a unique perspective to his colleagues there, and I think part of that perspective will make it easier for us to continue to be partners."
Evans resigns his school board seat at the end of the year, and the school board will have 30 days to fill the seat. But whoever gets that position will have to run for office next year, and again in 2019 if they want to continue serving on the board.
Tuesday's voting also saw the re-election of board members Van White and Cynthia Elliott, and newcomer Natalie Sheppard.
