On the record with the Hewlett-Woodmere board candidates

The four Hewlett-Woodmere Board of Education candidates sat down separately with the Herald and answered five pertinent questions. Three of the candidates, incumbent Steven Witt, Jonathan Altus and Melissa Gates are running as a team, while Fred Usherson is running independently.

The terms are for three years. The highest vote getters in the at-large contest win the board seats.

In addition to voting for school board candidates, district residents will also vote on the $105.785 million proposed budget on May 15 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Woodmere Education Center, 1 Johnson Place in Woodmere.

JONATHAN ALTUS
What makes you a good candidate for this position?
I think I add a different approach to what’s been on the Board of Education. We’re facing different times now and it’s time to come up with different ideas and places as we can’t think about every year, there has to be a big picture in the district for five, 10 and 20 years from now, not just May 15. We need forward thinking with how to educate our children and I’m hopeful I can add some of that.

Do you feel the $105.7 million budget up for vote on May 15 adequately serves the needs of the students in the district? Why/why not?
For the short-term, yes. For the long-term, I would love to see technology expanded, engineering classes added, foreign language classes taught at an earlier age and CPR training for high school students.
It’s frustrating for all Long Island school districts because New York State pays a minimum amount for education. We need to communicate to the state legislature. There has to be a commitment at the state level because education is too important and we need funding for [unfunded state mandates] such as teacher evaluations. How are we going to fund that? We need the state legislature to understand they’re investing in the future and to increase or expand funding.
I want to see the district thrive. When I was growing up in Queens I knew about how good this district is and I chose the district because it’s fantastic. Although we’re doing great at Hewlett, we could always do better and we need to make things better. The passion that I bring to this job will help make things better for the district.

What do you think the impact will be from teacher evaluations on the teachers themselves and the students they teach?
I think teacher evaluations and state mandated tests are misdirected points of view. Teachers should be good and no one will debate that but this is not the way it should be. A testing system is not the way to show success. These have a negative effect on teachers and students and are another cost.
It could create competition among teachers and students. State mandated tests should be intended if a student is failing or falling through the cracks not [demonstrate] that a teacher is better if there students do great on the test. The focus is on studying for the tests and we need to get students thinking critically.

What is your view on consolidating classes for special education students as Ogden Elementary School students will be moved to Hewlett Elementary and a life skills class will be added to the high school curriculum?
I’m very sensitive to the needs of special education students. I understand it comes down to money but I will advocate for these students as they deserve special emphasis.

In what area do you think the district could most improve and how would you help to improve that area?
I think the district has many Advanced Placement classes but we need to make sure the mid-level classes are being stretched so the students in those classes are not only meeting goals but also exceeding them.
Computer technology, science and writing are the future for students and we need to be expanding those. There is also such a passionate amount of parents and students when it comes to athletics. Studies show kids do better if they’re involved. If we take an assessment of the teams we have and find people who are passionate, we can make our athletics bigger and better.

MELISSA GATES

What makes you a good candidate for this position?
I have no personal agenda and when people talk to me, I listen. I have thoughts, ideas and sometimes they go somewhere and sometimes they don’t. For the past 17 years I have been advocating for all children and I think that now is time to go to the next step. I’ve been asked to run for the Board of Education before and when something feels right, it’s time.
I also have a good working relationship with the current Board of Education and the community. I feel like I’ve already proved myself to the community. They know who I am and what I stand for.

Do you feel the $105.7 million budget up for vote on May 15 adequately serves the needs of the students in the district? Why/why not?
I do. There are no programs being cut and only two administrative positions and some teaching positions being cut, none of which I feel will directly impact programs to children. There is a cost benefit without being detrimental to the students.
The budget also falls under the two percent tax cap. Looking at what other school districts are doing, God help them. I also feel that Nassau County is trying to fix some of their problems on the backs of our kids and that is unacceptable.

What do you think the impact will be from teacher evaluations on the teachers themselves and the students they teach?
Teachers are under a lot of pressure to begin with and standardized tests are not useful in many ways. It’s very frightening that children are being evaluated but also that now teachers and their principals are being evaluated on this test. It’s ridiculous to me.
I would hate for our students to lost out on creative learning because teachers have become so focused on the state tests. Our school district has done a good job not teaching to the test but there are so many opportunities that are lost under these teacher evaluations.
While teachers need to be evaluated, there’s no perfect way to do it. These evaluations are detrimental to the teachers and students and there are so many other ways of knowing if a teacher is good enough.

What is your view on consolidating classes for special education students as Ogden Elementary School students will be moved to Hewlett Elementary and a life skills class will be added to the high school curriculum?
It can be a good move but the district has to be careful with the transition plans. It can be hard to move these students to another room let alone from one building to the next. We just need to ensure that these children will be transitioned well.

In what area do you think the district could most improve and how would you help to improve that area?
I think communication is a sore subject and while things have improved on our district’s website, the district pays for a phone system and an unlimited amount of messages can be received. I think teachers and administrators should use it or anyone with something to say. The messages are currently from superintendents and principals from schools but it’s there so why not use it.
I know the district is also making an effort to go green so they should be able to collect emails and send out email blasts. Communication is the way to make the community aware of what’s going on.
I also believe that the board needs to be stronger in leading the district.  We hire many wonderful professionals but ultimately the responsibility of everything that happens in the district falls on the board’s shoulders. 
Although the board does not get involved in the minutiae of everyday, they need to be involved and informed and I will certainly work towards that!  The Board needs to stay in touch with the community, professionals, and most of all its students.

FRED USHERSON
What makes you a good candidate for a position on the Hewlett-Woodmere Board of Education? 
Currently, there are no serving school board members with an education background.  As an educator for almost 18 years, I understand the challenges that exist in our schools today and how to improve learning by improving our staff.  Having also worked in industry for almost eight years, I know the value of incorporating technology in our schools, beyond just the computer, to offer our students enhanced vocational and life skills that they could apply in their future endeavors. 
In summary, as an elected official, I understand that I have a fiduciary responsibility to the taxpayers in our district to minimize tax increases.  As a parent, I want the best possible education and learning opportunities for our children.  I would like to return our school district to the great district that it once was--that everyone remembers.  If elected, I know I can improve it!

Do you feel the $105.7 million budget up for vote on May 15 adequately serves the needs of the students in the district? Why/why not?
I think this budget should more than satisfy our district and given the poor economy, the school board should think twice before they ask voters to pay another tax increase.  Residents shouldn’t have to keep paying a tax increase when our school district is wasting money.  Our district has wasted exorbitant amounts of money most recently on 40% salary early retirement incentives (as reported in the media) for administrative staff –while most are already making more than $150,000 annually.  Why are we paying administrators early retirement incentives? These people already have pensions and a huge salary. If you want them to leave, stop offering raises!  Now you know why we paid a school tax increase to our district last year. As a voter and a taxpayer, this wasteful spending is unconscionable and I think we should offer our school board members an early retirement incentive—stop re-electing them and vote them all out of office!
 
What do you think the impact will be from teacher evaluations on the teachers themselves and the students they teach?
 Every job in America has some level of accountability—this isn’t just limited to teachers.  In any occupation, you always have a few “bad apples” and these are the people who will give any occupation a bad name.  These are also the people we remember and discuss at the coffee pot or water cooler.  Unfortunately, we don’t talk about the dedicated, hard working individuals who are doing the right thing. 
As an educator myself, I understand the accountability that I have to my students.  I believe that most teachers also understand the accountability of their job to their students too.  Teacher evaluations is not a new concept, it has existed for many years.  I believe that the teacher evaluation systems that are in place are sufficient and that evaluations should continue to be done by administrators, who are trained and experienced education experts. I think that the impact of the new evaluation system to evaluate teachers is just another political “knee-jerk” response by our state legislators.  If most of the students in a class are not achieving their academic goals, the supervisor should handle it.  However, poor student performance can be caused by a number of reasons, some of which may not be the teacher’s fault.

What is your view on consolidating classes for special education students as Ogden Elementary School students will be moved to Hewlett Elementary and a life skills class will be added to the high school curriculum?
I believe that Special Education is a valuable resource for children with special needs.  The fundamental principal behind Special Education is to provide sufficient services and resources to a child in a least restrictive learning environment, with the overall goal of inclusion into a General Education classroom.  If the amount of students in the elementary schools requiring special education services is declining, this may be due to either a lower enrollment or from students who have met their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) learning goals?  If the latter is true, then obviously, our Special Education services are working. When consolidating classes (school location does not matter), the concern that I would have is the possible elimination of jobs or services available for the remaining students remaining in Special Education.
Having personally instructed a life skills class to high school students earlier in my career, I believe this is a vital course and I’m glad that our district is integrating this course into the curriculum.
 
 In what area do you think the district could most improve and how would you help to improve that area?
The greatest challenge we face in our district is our school performance compared to other Long Island school districts.  Our performance affects not only the education of our children; it affects our property values, the local economy for attracting small business into our community, and ultimately our school taxes.  Performance and fiscal responsibility for our school district starts with our elected school board members who approve district expenditures and authorize policy.  Considering the high taxes we are paying and the poor performance from most of our schools, we are not getting in performance what we are paying for in taxes.
Our district is ignoring the children in the lower grades (FECC, the Elementary Schools, and Middle School) by not providing them with adequate resources, then the district plays “catch-up” with our high school students offering them free tutoring and tablet PCs. When I first brought this issue to the school board, their response was that they feel that “socialization skills are more important than computers”. Looking at our performance data, you decide if you think this policy is working. Furthermore, if that’s how our school board feels, then why bother putting even one computer in a classroom? 
In summary, my technical and education background can help improve our district.
 
STEPHEN WITT
What makes you a good candidate for a position on the Hewlett-Woodmere Board of Education? 
Everything has turned around since I first joined the Board of Education in 1984. We have very little experience on the board except [President] Stephanie Gould and board member Harold Kislik. Two new board members were elected last year [Cheryl May and Scott McInnes] and if I am not re-elected there will be three new members coming in.
I’ve given a lot of thought about not running but these are different times as we have a tax levy of two percent. We’re dealing with difficult times and we have to make tough choices. As a coach [of three sports at the high school], I find students confide more in their coaches more than any other educator, aside from their parents. Education in 1984 was not like the 1950s when I went to school and I find that students can have a great input on education and I will continue to do what I’ve been doing.
Also, as the Nassau BOCES president, I’m able to take what I learn from there and apply it to Hewlett-Woodmere and vice versa.

Do you feel the $105.7 million budget up for vote on May 15 adequately serves the needs of the students in the district? Why/why not?
I don’t think any budget on Long Island fits the needs. We have all been reducing some kinds of service.
After the last recession, we [at Hewlett-Woodmere] have been preparing. As a school district, you are allowed to set up six reserve funds and after that you need the permission of the community and we’ve never failed to set one up. We’ve been able to cushion ourselves for the next few years.

What do you think the impact will be from teacher evaluations on the teachers themselves and the students they teach?
When standardized testing first came out our district pushed for teachers to not get rid of the aspects they enjoyed most as a teacher. This is beginning to change as teachers are being graded on a set of standards and guidelines.
Psychologically teachers are thinking we’ll have to teach to the test because we’re going to be graded. Students should be tested at the beginning and end of the school year to measure their improvement. We’ll be spending less time promoting creativity and teamwork. Part of education is not only the teacher to student relationship but also the student to student relationship.

What is your view on consolidating classes for special education students as Ogden Elementary School students will be moved to Hewlett Elementary and a life skills class will be added to the high school curriculum?
At Nassau BOCES we have houses to teach the students life skills. They go with a teacher to a real house and in Hewlett they are talking about having an oven, a refrigerator and it won’t be the same. For some kids it may be fine and it’s worth a try but if the only criteria for bringing them back is to reduce costs than we will have the same situation as Hempstead School District did with their pregnancy program as only one of 19 students stayed in school.
I voiced my disagreement when discussions first began but our special education director and our superintendents felt we needed to do it and we could do it. I didn’t disagree strongly but I said it was not going to give the students the experience but if you don’t try then you’ll never know. If I am re-elected you can bet I will keep a close eye on it.

 In what area do you think the district could most improve and how would you help to improve that area?
Students are being pressured to get into college and even state colleges have become more difficult with finances being the way they are.
Teachers are giving too many tests and students are taking midterms in three days instead of five. Between that and testing for the state, it is too much and they’re under a great deal of stress. Stress isn’t what school is about; it’s about learning and exploring the areas you are interested in.
Locally, we have to come to an agreement with the length of the tests, amount of tests that can be taken in one day and change the frequency of the tests. We’ve never been a society based on testing until No Child Left Behind. Our students are more creative and work better in teams and we can’t offer activities, athletics, arts and music as successfully if we’re forced to cut them under budgetary restraints or because it becomes too much pressure on the kids.