Hi! I’m Alexis Kaloyanides.
And I’m running for District 30 Community Education Council.
I’m a mother of two, a small business owner, a non-profit board member, and a community activist & organizer. I firmly believe in the power of hyper-local organizing and being the change. My mother was a public school teacher in the community where I grew up, so I saw firsthand the work that dedicated educators put into their classrooms and students. I also know what happens when families don’t feel supported in their children’s education. With threats to federal educational funding, and many students & families living in fear, now more than ever we need a strong Community Education Council that will fight for the needs of our diverse student population. I want to get to know you and hear about your experiences in your children’s schools: what works, what doesn’t; where do your schools excel, where could they do better. As a working parent, I know how difficult it can be to carve out time to address these issues individually, which is why the collective power of a strong CEC will go to work for you.
Candidate Statement
My name is Alexis Kaloyanides and I have lived in District 30 for nearly twenty years. I am the parent of two young children: a Kindergarten student at PS 149 in Jackson Heights, and a toddler who I hope will get a chance to attend Universal 3K at the same school. However, I am concerned that my younger child won’t get a 3K seat like too many students in our district and across our city. This past year, only about 10% of student applicants received a 3K seat in our zoned public school. Both education and childcare are in crisis in our city, thanks in no small part to a Mayor who has deprioritized the needs of our city’s children and working families. I hope to serve on the District 30 CEC because I believe that every child should be guaranteed a safe, supportive, and challenging academic environment right in their home neighborhood. As a parent who has been thrust into the confusing world of Early Intervention (EI) and Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE) evaluations and services for one of my children, I understand the complexities in navigating these systems. Our NYC Department of Education is often a confusing bureaucracy and it is vital that we parent advocates push to make it more transparent and understandable for all families. As a longtime community activist and organizer, and as the product of public schooling myself, I will not shy away from holding the DOE accountable when it is not serving our children. Since 2019, I have served as a Board Member of Queens STEM Career Women, Inc., a 501(c)(3) community based non-profit dedicated to empowering and encouraging young women and girls to pursue education and careers in STEM fields, and I was an active volunteer for several years prior. My goal in being elected to the District 30 CEC is to ensure that all parents and caregivers feel empowered and have an advocate working for their families. I will work to ensure that our community schools reflect their student bodies’ needs. We need to ensure inclusive, safe, and equitable education opportunities are provided for students with disabilities, immigrants and English-language learners, LGBTQIA+ students, unhoused students, and any other marginalized student community. While the CEC alone cannot repair all issues facing our schools, a CEC that actively engages with district families can bring about positive change.