GUILDERLAND — Seema Rivera is a Guilderland High School graduate, a mother, a taxpayer, and an educator, all of which she says well qualify her for serving on the school board.

“I graduated from Guilderland in ’97. I had a great experience....I moved back here, starting a family. I wanted to give back,” she said of making her first run for the board.

Rivera, who has a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction from the University at Albany, works as a teaching and learning specialist at Schenectady County Community College and is also a lecturer in education at the University at Albany.

“In the courses I teach, most of my students are teachers or soon-to-be teachers, so I deal with issues like Common Core, APPR [Annual Professional Performance Review], and Race to the Top on a regular basis,” Rivera said. “My work has given me many opportunities to work with educators, parents, etcetera.”

Rivera, 36, lives in Guilderland with her husband, Tony, a pharmacist, and their two daughters — Lily, 5, a kindergartner at Guilderland Elementary, and Sage, who is almost 2.

Her goals, if she is elected to the school board, include, “Insuring the best for our students, keeping enrichment programs, and expanding technology.”

Rivera said of the relationship between the board and community, “A disconnect doesn’t happen on purpose. There could be a better bridge...I’m a parent and a taxpayer, and I have a background in education. I can be a voice for parents and taxpayers.”

She also said she wants to “create conditions for the school district that would lead to success.”

Rivera gave an example of finding “alternative revenue sources.” At a recent PTA meeting at Guilderland Elementary School, a program where college students help struggling readers was discussed. “We thought we could build on this,” said Rivera.

On the role of a school board member, Rivera said, “The heart of the school district is the students....Each student has a right to the best education we can provide.” And, while that is where her chief allegiance lies, she went on, “I will listen to and discuss issues with all different constituencies.”

Rivera supports the $93.7 million budget proposed for next year. “Some supports for students were reduced, like for speech,” she said, which she thinks are “important to keep.”

She conceded, though, “No one has a magic wand to make money appear. The board did a good job.”

On the fund balance, she said, “I definitely understand the district’s being conservative. You don’t exactly know how much you’re getting.”

If the budget were to be defeated, Rivera said, the board’s response should depend on how much it went down by. “If it’s barely failed, maybe put it up again,” she said. “If it went down by a lot, then it should be revised.”

She said of the tax-levy limit, “Of course, you should strive to stay under it.”

That said, Rivera went on, “The community has expressed its belief in public education. That’s why I moved back here. After so many cuts,” she said, if there were to be still more, the board should consider going over the levy limit.

“The heart of the school district is the students,” she said. “It’s important we support them and the teachers.”

On state tests, Rivera said, “I think the intent of the Common Core standards are a good thing. It lets you compare apples to apples from one state to another. And, from one grade to the next, a teacher knows what was covered the year before.”

Rivera went on, “There still needs to be room for creativity, but that can fit with the Common Core.”

She also said, “Assessments and tests are important, to see how students improve academically.”

However, she went on, “I don’t like high-stakes testing, being tied to teacher evaluation, with such a high percentage. A lot more happens in a classroom than shows in a test. Common Core are just standards. They don’t tell you how to teach to those standards. Curriculum can be created at the district level.”

Rivera said portfolios may be a relevant way to assess student progress as opposed to tests in some situations.  Some state directives, she said, “are like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole.”

On dealing with the problem of excess space, Rivera said, “I definitely don’t think a school should be closed. I don’t think that benefits anyone.”

Rivera attended the district’s forum, held at Tech Valley High School, to brainstorm suggestions after the school board set aside consultant Paul Seversky’s recommendations. “Repurposing is a great idea,” she said. “The school district already does some of it, but they can do even more.”

On giving raises, Rivera said, “I do think having the incentive for faculty is important. We don’t want to lose teachers to other districts. The step increases are necessary. The board should also consider raises. We want the best teachers. If teachers are happy, so are their students.”