Assemblywoman Addie J. Russell, D-Theresa, says she is confident the newly elected regent for the Fifth Judicial District will be a frequent visitor to schools and communities in Jefferson County.
The state Legislature elected Luis O. Reyes, Nan Eileen Mead and Elizabeth Smith Hakanson to the New York State Board of Regents. Smith Hakanson, a Syracuse educator for over 30 years, will fill the Fifth Judicial District seat.
Several candidates, including a trio from the 116th Assembly District, interviewed for the Fifth Judicial District seat.
The Fifth District regent represents a mix of urban, suburban and rural school districts in Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, Onondaga, Oneida and Herkimer counties.
"All candidates from our area interviewed very well, but there were many candidates from the large Fifth Judicial District, which stretches from the Mohawk Valley through Syracuse into Jefferson County," Assemblywoman Russell said.
"It is a process. Many of the assembly people from the Fifth Judicial District and the members of the assembly that sat in on the interviews for the Board of Regents reviewed the candidates and two names came forward for the vote on the floor," she noted.
Assemblywoman Russell said after sitting in on the interviews and talking to the candidates she chose to support Hakanson's nomination.
"Although none of the Board of Regents candidates nominated this week were from my assembly district, I fully expect Regent Elizabeth Smith Hakanson will be responsive to the needs of the North Country," Assemblywoman Russell said.
"She conveyed to me her plans to visit the area's schools and wants to hear from the community, especially parents and teachers," she added.
Assemblywoman Russell noted the state Legislature had elected the candidate she had nominated for the Board of Regents, Beverly Ouderkirk, to the Fourth Judicial District seat in 2015. That district stretches from St. Lawrence County to just north of Albany.
"I was fortunate to have a constituent from this district - a resident of Morristown - elected to the Board of Regents last year. I would have loved to have had two members on the board from this assembly district, but it didn't work out that way this year."
The 17-member Board of Regents is responsible for the general supervision of all educational activities in the state and preside over the State University of New York and the state Education Department. The Board of Regents sets the standards for elementary and secondary education in the state.
Assemblywoman Russell said Hakanson has already met Regent Beverly Ouderkirk.
Hakanson has more than 32 years of education experience, which includes teaching at the high school and middle school levels in the Syracuse City School District.