POTSDAM – A recently appointed state Board of Regents member from Morristown will be in Potsdam May 13 to hear ideas about teacher evaluations and plans for curriculum changes.

Beverly Ouderkirk will attend a listening session at 6 p.m. May 13 in Potsdam High School’s auditorium.

The session is intended to provide an opportunity for teachers, school administrators, students, and community members to speak about teacher evaluations and curriculum.

POTSDAM – Following protests from parents refusing to let their children take Common Core assessment tests, newly appointed New York State Board of Regents member Beverly Ouderkirk of Morristown will visit Potsdam to listen to public comment.

Ouderkirk will attend a listening session on school issues at 6 p.m. May 13 in Potsdam High School’s auditorium.

In March, she was appointed to the New York State Board of Regents Fourth District, which goes from St. Lawrence County east to Clinton County and south to Schenectady. She replaced James Dawson, who represented the North Country on the State Board of Regents since 1993.

The meeting comes on the heels of strong opposition from parents and teachers including protests by parents refusing to let their children take the Common Core assessment tests. Around 25 percent of students in Massena, Potsdam, Canton and Norwood opted out of the tests.

As parents kept hundreds of their children from the six days of tests that are supposed to measure students’ and teachers’ progress, frustrated parents took the unusual step in order to move representatives in Albany and state and federal education officials to change the way new standards and procedures are being implemented, and it might be working.

The listening session is intended to provide an opportunity for teachers, school administrators, students, and community members to speak about teacher evaluations and curriculum.

“I'm looking forward to the opportunity to hear from local residents on their vision for the future of education in New York,” said Ouderkirk, who was appointed to the powerful Board of Regents in April, bringing with her a wealth of experience working in North Country schools from the classroom to the boardroom.