Taylor to run for Malverne school board

Michael Taylor says he believes it’s time for change, honesty and raising the bar for students in the Malverne Union Free School District. That is why, Taylor said, he will run for a seat on the Malverne Board of Education in May.

Taylor, 41, a seven-year resident of Rockville Centre, is well known in the Malverne school district. He is the founder and president of the Malverne Wildcats, a youth football program started in 2010, And, he said, he helped bring Relay for Life, a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society, to Malverne last spring.

Often referred to as Coach Taylor, he coaches Malverne High School’s JV girls’ softball, and is known as a mentor to students in the community.

It’s his familiarity with the district, the community and its students, he said, that make him qualified for a seat on the school board. He dedicated all of last year, he said, to observing and understanding the needs and wishes of the community.

“What stood out the most was everybody’s desire to have a better education system,” Taylor said, “and the fact that a lot of people don’t get along in the area.”

He decided to challenge Trustee Karen Aker. But Aker announced at the March 13 board meeting that after 16 years on the board, she will retire on June 30.

Taylor, a stay-at-home father, has two children, Michael, 12, and Michaela, 4 months old. His wife, Erica, is an assistant principal in the Baldwin school district — which, he said, gives him an even greater understanding of the educational system. He has a master’s degree in management from New York University’s Polytechnic Institute, and worked in marketing and sales for 20 years.

Taylor cited several concerns he has with the district, ranging from budgetary challenges to students’ academic performance to race relations. He said he can offer a more aggressive, honest approach that can make a difference in the community.

Among the areas that need improvement, he said, is the expectations of students’ academic achievement. “They should be raised,” he said.

Taylor said he would like to find ways to help students excel even more so they can attend more Ivy League schools. Another issue he would tackle is what he described as a “separation” among members in the community. “I feel like I could definitely change that,” he said, citing his experience as a coach. “I’m in contact with different households. I have an idea of what’s going on. By being open and honest, we can bring people together.”

Taylor acknowledged the community’s race-related issues.“No one likes to talk about it,” he said. “It’s a sensitive issue — some have blinders on. We need people to move on. We need to become united.”

He questioned why some residents are concerned about the salaries of school officials, referring to Schools Superintendent Dr. James Hunderfund. “People’s salaries are magnified right now because of the economic crunch,” he said. “You can sit there and talk about his salary and how someone can do it for less, but are you going to get the effort he puts in? You have to be careful what you ask for. His salary, him being hired, that was voted on by the board.”

Taylor also stressed the importance of maintaining academic programs, as well as clubs and, especially, sports in the district. “Kids participate in sports,” he said. “I believe kids should always have an option to do what they feel will make them a better human being.”

Taylor’s main goal, he explained, is to make himself more accessible to residents and to get to know more of them. And, he said, he is aware of the challenges he would face as a board member. “They make decisions that affect hundreds of households,” he said. “At the end of the day, everyone can’t be happy.”

He added, “I’m not going to make promises to anyone, because I’d only be one voice of five. My only promise: I will be in the service of children.”