You are invited to the PTSA Meet the Candidates Night at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 14 in the Administration Building Board Room, located at 2035 Monroe Ave. This year, voters will elect two members to the Board of Education. There are three candidates and their names will appear on the ballot in the following order: Clayton Jones, Karen Hatch, and Vinod Bajaj. 

During the televised portion of the PTSA Meet the Candidates night, beginning at 7 p.m., community members will hear brief biographical information and candidacy statements from each candidate. Moderator Amy Thomas, executive director of the Monroe County School Boards Association, will then pose questions from the community. Residents can submit questions by email ahead of the event to Monica Alongi at bcsdptsapres@gmail.com. The questions will be compiled and sent to the moderator prior to the event. Please submit all questions by May 9. Please note that you will NOT be able to ask questions during the event. 

You can livestream the broadcast at this link. The recording will be made available later on the District YouTube channel.

Voting will take place on Tuesday, May 20 at the Central Administration Building (gymnasium) located at 2035 Monroe Ave. from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

If you have any questions about the event, please feel free to contact Monica Alongi at bcsdptsapres@gmail.com.

The three candidates for two seats are presented in the order that their names will appear on the ballot.

Clayton Jones (Resident 15 years)

Education: B.S., Psychology, Florida A&M University; M.S., Psychology, Florida State University; Ed.D., Educational Administration, University of Rochester (anticipated completion in Fall 2026)

Profession/Employment: Senior Director, Local Government and Community Relations, University of Rochester

Family: Wife, Sheila; Children, Marlie (sixth grader at TCMS) and Soleil (fourth grader at FRES)

School/Community Activities: Member, Brighton Central School District 2024 Blueprint Planning Day; Member, Town of Brighton 2024 Budget Review Taskforce; T-Ball Coach, Brighton Little League, 2023.

Statement: My name is Clayton Jones, and I'm running for school board to help build on the Brighton Central School District's strong foundation as a preeminent school district for our community. I believe a thriving school system strengthens our entire community, and I'm committed to listening, learning, and working collaboratively to support Brighton's continued success. In my career, I've worked to bridge higher education and community needs — connecting residents to resources, services, and programs, and helping institutions better understand and serve their communities. This work has taught me the value of shared vision, honest dialogue, and inclusive decision-making. Having worked across public and private academic settings, I understand how essential the student and family experience is to informing decisions and outcomes. I'll bring a steady, thoughtful voice to the board, grounded in connection and district success. Thank you for your time — and I hope to earn your support.

Karen Hatch (Resident 18 years)

Education: B.A., English Literature, Mount Holyoke College; M.S., Special Education, Wheelock College

Profession/Employment: Community volunteer and homemaker

Family: Husband, Dirk Bernold; children, Lizzy (Class of 2020), Teddy (Class of 2022), and Peggy (Class of 2035)

School/Community Activities: Member, Board of Education; Member, Board of Education Audit Committee; Member, TCMS School-Based Equity Team; Co-Chair, MCSBA Legislative Committee; Member, MCSBA Steering Committee; Member, World Language Curriculum Review Committee; Former Member, MTSS/AIS/RTI Curriculum Review Committee; Former Member, Curriculum Council; Former Member, District Environmental Committee; Former Member, FRES Principal Interview Committee; Former Member, District Special Education Review Committee; Member, PTSA; Former Treasurer, PTSA; Former President, PTSA; Former Vice President, PTSA; Former Building Chair, CRPS; Former Chair, PTSA District Spirit Wear; Former Co-Chair, PTSA Calendar Committee; Former Chair, PTSA Honorary Life Membership Committee; Former Chair, Nancy F. Beck Memorial Grant Committee; Former Member, Athletic Director Search Committee; Former Member, Assistant Superintendent Search Committee; Former Member, PPS Director Search Committee; Former Chair, Hochstein Youth Symphony Orchestra Parent Action Committee; Former Member, Associate Board, Cancer Action Network.

Statement: It has been my privilege to serve the needs of Brighton’s children and families, both as a parent leader and during my three terms as a member of the Board of Education. I believe that Brighton needs a candidate who not only has deep understanding of the budgeting process and the issues we face at the State and Federal level, but also a candidate who insists that we follow through on efforts to ensure that all students have an equitable environment that serves their academic, social, and emotional needs. As the parent of two BHS graduates and a rising third grader, I have a unique perspective on the developmental continuum of students from preschool through their high school experience. If elected to another term, I will continue the work to ensure that all students have access to a culturally responsive curriculum, to continue my work with the Monroe County School Boards Association to educate NYS elected representatives on the impact of the current Foundation Aid Formula, and to complete the next phases of the Brighton Facilities Improvement Project, while continuing to navigate the uncertainties posed by conditions on a Federal level. Our community expects high-quality and innovative programming; my constant goal is to ensure that the District can meet the needs of all students in a financially responsible manner.

Vinod Bajaj (Resident 24 years)

Education: B.A., Russian Language and Literature, J.N. University India; Master’s in Software Development and Management, Rochester Institute of Technology

Profession/Employment: Recently retired from Product Quality at Baxter Pharmaceutical International

Family: Wife, Neelam Bajaj; Children, Megha (Class of 2000) and Ambar (Class of 2004)

School/Community Activities: Member, Hindu Temple of Rochester Board of Trustee, 2025-present; Member of different committees, Hindu Temple of Rochester; Hindi language teacher for the children of the Indian community, 1985-1990; Education Secretary, Hindu Temple of Rochester; Conversational Hindi teacher for Rochester adults, teachers, and RIT students; Interpreter for Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali, Urdu, Russian, and English; Volunteer, Friends of Strong, University of Rochester.

Statement: I am excited and ready to join the Brighton Board of Education and help out where help is needed. Sources say that Hindi is the fifth-most spoken language in the world. There are 345 million Hindi speaking people. Because of my interest in languages, I would like to add and bring the Hindi language to Brighton’s school curriculum. I will work to bring the Brighton school report card to the next level and help bring more funding. I will also provide foreign language interpretation services when needed to parents at no charge.