Reintroducing Myself to the Community: A Reflection on Achievements and Future Goals

Reintroducing Myself to the Community

Let me reintroduce myself to the community. I'm Vikas Agrawal, a resident of this district for eleven years, with two sons in the school district. My wife and I, both physicians, own our medical practice. We're a sports-loving family—playing, discussing, and watching sports.

My First Term: Board of Education

The Board of Education works as a single unit. During my first term, we accomplished a lot collectively as a team. I would like to claim my share of credit for the following:

• Addressing community demands such as veterans' and seniors' tax exemptions while maintaining fiscal responsibility despite high inflation.

• Successfully navigating the challenges of the receding pandemic, bridging educational deficits, and managing leadership transitions.

• Implementing a multitier system of support to ensure students and teachers receive necessary assistance in a changing landscape and launching various curriculum initiatives.

• Utilizing data-driven decision-making for optimal resource allocation.

• As a board member, I've championed transparency, advocacy, and represented Ardsley parents.

1. Addressing Community Demands

One of our top priorities was to address the concerns and demands of our community members. We recognized the importance of supporting our veterans and seniors and therefore worked diligently to implement tax exemptions for these groups. Despite the challenges posed by high inflation, we were able to maintain fiscal responsibility and ensure that the burden on our community members was minimized.

2. Seeking Another Term

While I am proud of these achievements, I recognize there is a lot of work to be done. The following are some of the things we need to work on:

• A smooth transition to new administration benefits from institutional memory, which I provide with my first three-year experience on the BOE.

• A great educational experience for all children is a continuous improvement process. This will always be a work in progress. We need to be constantly on our toes, solving new problems through innovation and collaboration with stakeholders.

• I believe we have a growth mindset and tirelessly work for every child. Our school ranking will catch up with Ardsley as the number one place to live. If we make every child realize their true potential, our ranking will improve, and it would boost our brand, which may further help us build great relationships with top colleges.

• Prioritizing wellness and increasing attention span for students through sports, nutrition, appropriate technology, and social media usage.

• Supporting incremental innovative projects like website enhancement, science program expansion, and new clubs.

• I find residents of Ardsley extremely intelligent, caring, engaging, and informed about the education of the school district. I propose we can take a new initiative of forming an innovation council (as a liaison committee) and engage in meaningful discussions to solve our problems and grow.
  

3. Enhancing Educational Opportunities

Education is the cornerstone of our society, and we are committed to enhancing educational opportunities for all students in our district. We implemented various initiatives to promote academic excellence, including the expansion of advanced placement programs and the introduction of new extracurricular activities. By providing a well-rounded education, we aim to prepare our students for success in the modern world.

Looking Ahead

As I embark on my second term on the Board of Education, I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead. I am confident that with the continued support of our community, we can build upon the progress we have made and further improve the educational experience for our students. I remain committed to serving the needs of our community and ensuring that our district remains a place where families can thrive and succeed.

Thank you for your continued trust and support. Together, we can make a difference.