OLEAN — Those who cast a ballot in the Olean City School District on Tuesday will have three candidates to choose from for the two open school board seats.
The two seats are currently held by Ira Katzenstein, who is not seeking re-election, and incumbent Alan Peters, who will appear on the ballot with newcomers Betty Burrows and Dr. René Hauser.
The two candidates who receive the most votes will be elected to five-year terms commencing on July 1 and terminating June 30, 2029.
In addition to the school board candidates, voters on May 21 will also cast their ballot for the 2023-24 school budget. The annual school budget vote and board election will be held from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday in the Olean Intermediate Middle School.
Candidate profiles submitted to the Times Herald are listed below in alphabetical order by last name. They have been edited for style and clarity.
Elizabeth Burrows
Betty Burrows, a lifelong resident of Olean, is the oldest of seven siblings who all attended Olean schools. She and her husband, Terry, have raised their seven children in Olean and is a proud grandmother to 13, some of whom live in Olean and attend local schools.
“I am now and have always been very involved in the community and schools,” Burrows said. “PTA, Scouts, Sports, etc. I have met many people through my years in these endeavors and continue the relationships. They give me a unique and insightful aspect into the varied interests and concerns of all.”
Burrows said she began working at 14 as a camp counselor for the YMCA in the summer and continued working in some capacity until her retirement. She said she was a home mom for many years and did part-time jobs in her spare time.
“I was employed by the Cecchi/Rontina family, I was the store manager for Olean Center Bookstore for many years (and) I eventually went to work at Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce, where I retired from,” she said.
While at the chamber, Burrows met many business and community members. She said her role as Administrative Assistant involved many areas and she loved being an integral part of the community and helped plan and run numerous events.
“I also became a Navigator for NYS Health Insurance, which gave me insight into the very diverse and financial part of our community,” she said. Since retirement, Burrows has kept active in the district being a scorekeeper for modified basketball and JV softball as well as filming some games for modified football.
As someone so involved with members of the Olean area, Burrows said she talks to many people regularly — teachers, parents, students, friends, etc. — that give her an insightful look at what is going on in the schools and neighborhoods.
“Lately, the biggest concern on all their minds is safety in our schools. It is very difficult for teachers to teach and students to learn in that kind of environment,” she said. “I have heard a lot of dissatisfaction with the discipline also. There are other concerns, but these are the two main things I hear.”
If elected, Burrows said she hopes to get insight into the realities of these concerns. She said she realizes the school board is complex and responsible for many areas in the operation of the district and believes she will be able to give a good perspective from all constituents in the city.
“I would like to see good communication among all entities. I have now and always will be for the children,” she added. “They, along with teachers and parents, need to be seen and heard. After all, children are our future.
René Hauser
Dr. René Hauser, born and raised in the Buffalo area, has lived in Olean for 14 years with her husband and three children who are Olean graduates. She was raised by a single mother who Hauser said did all she could to ensure Hauser and her brother had food, clothing and love.
“I saw the struggles that my mother went through raising two children on welfare and, though I greatly admire her, never wanted to be in that situation again,” she said.
Hauser became the first high school graduate in her family, went on to get a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, an advanced certificate in school leadership and a doctorate. She currently serves as a faculty member and the Dean of the School of Education at St. Bonaventure University.
Hauser began teaching in 1989 as a special education teacher. Then in 1999, she began teaching at the college level, helping to prepare teachers. She has been at St. Bonaventure since 2004 as a professor in the school of education and has been serving as Dean since January 2022.
“As a life-long educator, I feel that I am very well prepared for a seat on the school board,” she said. “I understand how the public education system works and have great insight into the needs of our students, their families and the professionals that work hard to educate our children.”
Hauser said she believes the board can and must provide the best appropriate education for every student while being good fiscal stewards of district resources.She also said she’s impressed by the capital improvements that will improve the facilities at several of the schools. “These upgrades will help to support the learning of all of our students by creating safer and more welcoming spaces,” she said.
The development of the strategic plan is also quite an accomplishment, Hauser said. As part of that working group, she was highly impressed at the level of participation from students, parents, employees and community members.
However, some things that concern Hauser include the recent drop in the graduation rate — from 84% to 74% — and the lower-than-desired proficiency levels in mathematics and ELA scores.
“I hope to keep the students at the center of all decisions made by the board and to use my knowledge and experience to support the district in doing the best it can for each and every student,” she added.
Alan Peters
Alan Peters, a lifelong Olean area resident, attended Olean schools. Upon graduation, he went to work at American Olean Tile (Dal-Tile) until their eventual closing in 2012. Peters then attended Jamestown Community College and SUNY Empire, pursuing a degree in Human Resource Management.
Peters has been married for more than two decades to his high school sweetheart, Amber. They have three kids, Dakota, Xavier and Allyson, who attended Olean schools until he and his wife felt compelled to homeschool them. When people ask the Peterses why they decided to homeschool their children, he said they are eager to share their school experiences, good and bad.
Peters said his family volunteers at a local soup kitchen in addition to owning their own businesses and have built a good rapport with their clients.
Coming onto the board in 2023, Peters said one reason he ran for a seat was because of the changes he had seen in the school system from the time he attended until recently, along with his and his wife’s own experiences from when their children attended.
Having been on both sides of the fence, as both a student and a parent, Peters said there were times when he felt as though he didn’t have a voice, much like many other parents or students.
Peters said it also concerns him that, while a diverse school community continues to work to be more welcoming to all, it seems some focus on political agendas rather than academics.
In anticipation of the 2023 election, Peters said he looked forward to hopefully bringing back a sense of security for students, both physically and emotionally, by providing a supportive, academically focused environment so the kids can successfully move forward into their future.
