Three candidates for two seats in Levittown

Three candidates are competing for two seats on the Levittown School District Board of Education this year. Incumbents Ed Powers and Kevin Regan are both seeking re-election. Marianne Adrian, who also ran for a seat last year, rounds out the ballot.

As an at-large election, the top two vote-getters will win three-year terms. The election will be held on Tuesday, May 19, along with the school budget vote. The district also serves North Wantagh and portions of Seaford.

Marianne Adrian

A vocal opponent of high-stakes testing, Adrian wants to bring her knowledge of education issues to the board. She says she is well informed on testing, teacher evaluations and related issues.

Adrian, 41, of Levittown, is a product of the district, having graduated from Division Avenue High School in 1991. She has three children who attend public schools — Anthony, an eighth-grader at Wisdom Lane Middle School, Robert, a fifth-grader at Northside Elementary School, and Emma, a kindergartner at Northside. Adrian noted that beginning in September, she will have a child at each level.

She says she is happy with the education her children receive in Levittown, and wants that to continue. Adrian would like to expand enrichment opportunities for students, and ensure that individualized instruction is being offered for every child.

The public education system is facing many challenges, Adrian explained, including unfunded mandates that impact the budget. The district must find new and creative ways to deal with the these challenges, she said, while making sure that high-stakes tests are not having a negative impact on the teachers or students.

Adrian said it is important to have parent representation on the Board of Education. She is active with the Wisdom Lane and Northside PTAs. Professionally, she works as a secretary in Nassau County District Court. “I just think that I could be an asset to the board and to the community,” she said.

Overall, Adrian said she has a positive outlook on the district, and believes strongly in the public education system.