Greco Jacobs uncontested in District 13

Jeanne Greco Jacobs’ youngest of three sons is graduating from North High School in June. But the District 13 school board member and president of the Central High School District board will remain a prominent figure in the Valley Stream educational system. She is running unopposed for another term in May.

Jacobs was first elected to the District 13 board in 2003 and joined the high school board in 2005 where she is currently serving her second one-year term as president.

“I find it very rewarding,” Jacobs said of bring president. “I like the leadership role and working closely with the superintendent to figure what path the district is going to take.”

Jacobs highlighted the high school board’s cost-cutting initiatives and ability to make tough decisions as ways the taxpayers were saved money and the students’ educational experience was upheld. The high school board took part in a weekend retreat that focused on team building and goal setting, which resulted in a continued effort to support students at the highest levels of achievement, she said.

Both District 13 and the high school district put out climate surveys recently to gauge how parents, students and teachers feel about their respective school environments. Jacobs said the surveys give the boards a “unique opportunity to be guided by the thoughts and concerns of parents and residents.”

In her next term, Jacobs looks to continue to seek out inefficiencies in the districts, although there are roadblocks in the way. “[The] challenge is to continue to face the fiscal challenges while maintaining our quality programs,” Jacobs said. “This means not just our core subjects but the arts and extracurricular as well.”

Jacobs, a Malverne resident for 37 years, said she enjoys working on both boards. “It allows me to view the educational system from a K-12 perspective,” she said. Jacobs added that each district is dedicated to serving the educational needs of the children, but there are differences between the two.

“The difference at the high school is that sometimes, as there are representatives from three different districts, it make take longer to coalesce around a decision, which results in lengthy discussions,” she said.

The former PTA president said she still feels like there’s a lot more to accomplish in both districts and she has more to give over the next three years. “In the end we do what’s best for kids,” she said.

About Jeanne

Age: 57

Family: Married to husband, James, for 30 years; son, Dan, graduated North in 2006; son, Ben, graduated North in 2008; son, Andrew, graduating North in June

Career: Attorney for 30 years, has own practice in Malverne