In Bellmore, North Merrick board of eds. uncontested

Two of Bellmore-Merrick’s elementary districts have uncontested board of education elections for the 2024-25 school year. Taxpayers will still take the polls on May 21 to re-elect the incumbents on the ballot, and either to approve or disprove the budgets of Bellmore Public Schools and the North Merrick Union Free School District.

In Bellmore, Leslie Cerverizzo and Marion Blane, both incumbents of the board of education, are up for re-election.

Cererizzo has been a dedicated member of the board for the last three years, and has resided in the community with her husband, Chris, for 23 years. Their daughters, Kaitlyn and Julia, thrived in Bellmore’s elementary schools, and are students at Grand Avenue Middle School and John F. Kennedy High School.

She’s had an action-oriented leadership styles, and held various rolls in Bellmore’s Parent Teacher Associations. As a parent and community member, she understands the importance of a strong education foundation, and she’s eager to serve another three-year term on the Bellmore board of education.

Blane has resided in Bellmore for 38 years, and her children graduated from Bellmore’s elementary schools and Kennedy High School. She was first elected to Bellmore’s board in 2003, and has served on the central district’s board since 2009.

She has voted in favor of joining cooperatives with other districts in the county to get the best prices for goods and services; joining component districts in a busing consortium; entering into an energy performance contract that is saving the district money while significantly reducing the district’s carbon footprint; and sharing services with component districts. Blane is honored to be a member of the Bellmore community, working closely in conjunction with exceptional colleagues in various roles within the school district.

In North Merrick, the incumbents up for re-election are Kathy Moran and Mary Keene.

Moran spent many years working in the North Merrick School District, after her youngest child entered kindergarten in 1996. She has since retired, but is excited that she still has input in the district that she loves.

She said it has been an honor to work with a school board and administrators who work tirelessly to bring in new programs and improvements that benefit the students of North Merrick, and she is proud of the wonderful school district.

Keene has lived in the North Merrick community for two decades. A community advocate, who’s worked with the parent teacher association in various roles, she’s well connected to North Merrick residents.

Finishing her first term as a trustee this school year, she said she’s honored to serve the North Merrick community as a trustee once again. She’s running to continue to advocate for North Merrick residents of all ages, especially those who lived on a fixed income and don’t have family members attending schools in the area. She told the Herald she’ll continue to advocate for shrinking the district’s high administration costs.

Bellmore’s proposed budget for next school year is $40,768,742. It aims to maintain a balance between providing high-value education and being fiscally responsible.

The 2024-24 educational plan will maintain current programs and class sizes, and continue technology advancements. There will be some curriculum projects, facility improvements and the district will build upon its Bellmore Rising Stars pre-kindergarten program, as well as its theatre arts program. Visit BellmoreSchools.org for more information on the budget.

The vote will take place at Reinhard Early Childhood Center from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.

North Merrick’s proposed budget for next school year is $40,277,614. If approved by voters, just over $30 million will be directed toward the district’s program budget, which includes expenses for instruction, physiological services, health services, guidance, co-curricular activities and more. Visit NMerrickSchools.org for more on next year’s budget.

The administrative budget and capital budget are both just over $5 million.

Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the North Merrick Public Library at 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick.

At their elementary district polls, voters will also vote to either approve or disprove the Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District’s budget. A breakdown of that budget can be found on LIHerald.com.