Colleen Yasenchock

A Word from the Candidate¹ 

"Hi everyone! I am thrilled to announce that I am running for School Board Member at Large for the city of Rochester! I have created a Facebook page as a place where I will share information, videos, updates, etc. I would love for you to like, follow, and share it! I have also developed a website where you can learn more about who I am, my experience, and the goals and objectives I have outlined for my platform.

You can visit my website here: https://sites.google.com/view/elect-colleen-yasenchock/home

You can find my Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551660871365

Please remember to vote on Nov. 7th! Thank you for your support!" 

View the Candidate's Responses in the 2023 Foster's Candidate Survey by Clicking Here!

Colleen's Approach to the Position²

Community Driven

I bring 20+ years of experience as an effective collaborator, communicator, and leader working with stakeholders from across communities including all levels of a school system.  

•  I will be a spokesperson, champion, and advocate for our team (the entire community of Rochester).

• I will listen and respond to the ideas and concerns of our school community: parents/guardians, educators, students, and leaders.

• I will work for fiscal responsibility and accountability, balancing the needs of our school system with the needs of the community at large. 

Student and Future Focused 

I believe that our children are our future and it is up to us to ensure they have the tools and skills necessary to face the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow's world. I will support our educators and leaders in their efforts to foster students who:

• Read, write, and compute at appropriate levels  

• Utilize critical thinking and problem-solving skills

• Effectively collaborate and communicate with others 

• Take advantage of Career & Technical Education programs and partnerships with industries

Additionally, as a mom of a neurodiverse child with Dyslexia, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and anxiety, as a former special education teacher, and a national literacy leader, I will promote inclusive education that addresses the diverse needs of all students. 

Did you know that nearly 1 out of every 5 RSD students has been identified with "disabilities"? 

Colleen's Goals and Objectives²

As a leader, educator, and consultant I place a high value on research and the use of reliable and relevant data. School district data can be collected in many different forms including but not limited to assessments, observations, surveys, tracking (attendance, behavior), evaluations of professional learning experiences, teacher and administrator evaluations, graduation rates, budgets and expenditures, etc. In this role, I will be prepared to use, analyze, question, and communicate these data to other board members, Rochester School District staff, and community members. Below is an outline of 3 objectives and the related goals for my campaign. 

1.) Develop effective methods for both giving and receiving information across our community

• Immediate action! 

• Complete the anonymous survey I created to seek your input 

• Like, follow, and comment on my Elect Colleen Yasenchock Facebook page

• Email me at colleenyasenchock@gmail.com or send regular correspondence to 35 Capitol Circle, Rochester, NH 03867

• Coming Soon! 

  • • Newspaper editorials

    • Recorded videos

    • Meet with your organization - invite me to a meeting! 

2.) Collect, analyze, communicate, and act on data that provides a picture of how we're doing 

• Immediate action! 

• Review the Rochester School District Report Card (from the NH Department of Education). 

  • • • • Did you know that according to 2022 data reporting 70% of Rochester students are not proficient in English Language Arts? 76% are not proficient in math and 77% are not proficient in Science. Click to review student proficiency by subject. 

• Review the district's 5-Year Plan Overview 

• Review NH Department of Education's iPlatform data reports on RSD

  • • • • Did you know that according to the iGrant portion of this report on total ESSER funds allocation, nearly 64% went to Inspection, Testing, Maintenance, Repair, Replacement, and Upgrade of buildings and 19% went toward staffing (salaries)? Less than 1% went toward services to support staff development, and 16% went toward "other". 

• Next steps

• Summarize and share my findings

• Generate questions and seek to understand current action plans, for example, related to Learning Objectives  

• Visit schools and classrooms to observe our students in action 

• Collaborate with key stakeholders to update and articulate short and long-term goals and action plans 

• Monitor necessary shifts and support the ongoing work of our curriculum and instructional leaders, educators, and support personnel 

• Create transparency and engagement around the data, goals, action steps, and results 

3.) Address the staff shortages plaguing our district

2. • As stated earlier I will seek to promote an inclusive educational environment for all students. I understand that parents are frustrated with the level of services their children are receiving. One part of the solution is addressing the fact that we are short-staffed. As of 9/23/23 RSD is currently seeking:

   • NINE special education teachers

   • Reading specialists, math interventionists, and science teachers - all areas where the majority of our students are not proficient 

   • 44 Para-educators, despite increasing pay rates. 

   • Do now- Gather data and complete a root cause analysis

     • Conduct surveys

     • Have ANONYMOUS surveys been completed by current staff? If so, what do these reveal about job satisfaction and working conditions? Determine how these will be shared with the community. 

     • Compile and review data from exit interviews

     • Have exit interviews been conducted, and what have these revealed about staff departures? 

     • Next steps- work with the board, committee members, interested community members, local business, etc. to 

       • Develop steps for solutions and prevention

       • Pilot these steps

       • Monitor and analyze the results- collecting new data 

       • Communicate results to the community at large

Resources to Learn More About Colleen Yasenchock

"Elect Colleen Yasenchock" Facebook Page

Candidate's Website

Candidate's LinkedIn Profile