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Candidates outline board's oversight role as new Somers superintendent begins
Summary
Candidates said the board should set policy, establish shared goals and hold the superintendent accountable while giving the chief executive the autonomy to operate. They discussed onboarding and the need for clear communication and norms.
Candidates at the Somers Central School District forum described the board’s role in supporting and overseeing a newly hired superintendent after the board’s unanimous appointment of Dr. Adam Braunstein.
Amanda Kandel, who said she led the search process, described onboarding as a matter of setting roles, norms and communication channels. “We really lay out our roles as board members and norms and communication and how that's all gonna go down,” she said. Kandel said a board should both support the superintendent and hold the leader accountable, not “rubber stamp” proposals.
Chadwick Olson said the search produced a strong pool of candidates and that community feedback helped guide the board’s choice. Yifei Chang cautioned that while consultants are useful, the board benefits from the experience of trustees who work through the hiring process.
Candidates described the superintendent as the district’s chief executive who translates board policy into administration and operations. Several candidates called for setting shared goals and transparent community communication during onboarding and the superintendent’s early months.
The forum discussion was advisory; no governance changes or formal board directives were made during the event.
