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Batavia City School District candidates outline priorities at board forum ahead of May 19 election
Summary
Three candidates for two open seats in the Batavia City School District spoke at a forum hosted by Dan Fischer, emphasizing student-centered policy, clearer district oversight of curriculum, stronger community access to board meetings, and improved supports for students with special needs.
A forum for candidates seeking two open seats on the Batavia City School District board on Tuesday drew three contenders who emphasized student-focused priorities, greater community access and concern about administrative turnover.
At the forum hosted by Dan Fischer, candidates Katrina Daneiro Hansen, Zach Cordelius and Matt Horn each said they would prioritize student outcomes while stressing different approaches to oversight and community engagement. The candidates spoke before an audience one week ahead of the May 19 election, when the top two vote-getters will win three-year terms.
"I want to make sure not only my children but all the children in our community have a wonderful safe environment to learn in," said Katrina Daneiro Hansen, a parent who said she would keep close communication with teachers and aides if elected.
Zach Cordelius, who previously served an appointed two-year term on the board, said the district should be "student first, accountability second" and pressed for stability in school leadership. He told the forum the district’s graduation rate has fallen "from close to 95% to close to 85%," and called administrative turnover a likely contributor to declining outcomes.
"When you don't have the same people in the building consistently ... you start to see a little bit of a decline," Cordelius said, adding that participation in extracurriculars and attendance figures matter alongside test scores.
Matt Horn, a former teacher of 16 years, urged the board to exercise oversight rather than get "in the weeds" writing classroom lessons. He said the board should work with administration to meet state curriculum requirements while supporting teachers with differentiated instruction and professional development.
All three candidates said the board should expand channels for community engagement. Cordelius proposed easing public access to the board by allowing residents to speak without pre-registration and reviving community-school activities. Horn and Daneiro Hansen emphasized attending school events and keeping open lines of communication with parents, teachers and taxpayers.
On special-education supports, candidates described a mix of strategies: Horn cited individualized IEP and 504 processes and differentiated curriculum; Daneiro Hansen called for appropriate numbers of aides and earlier interventions; Cordelius suggested exploring alternative in-district placements and improved onboarding and training for aides.
The candidates also addressed ethics and conflicts of interest. Daneiro Hansen said she has no conflicts. Cordelius and Horn disclosed family members employed by the district and said they would disclose and recuse where votes directly affected relatives.
The forum closed with reminders on voting locations and hours. Voters north of Route 5 will cast ballots at John Kennedy Intermediate School; voters south of Route 5 at Batavia High School. Polls are open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on May 19.
The candidates did not take formal questions about specific policy proposals that would bind them after election; each described general priorities and areas where they would press district leadership for further data or change.
