Voting set for school budgets, board trustees in Wantagh, Seaford

I think it would be great to have an educator on the school board.”

Andrea Parisi, first-time school board candidate

In addition to school budgets, Board of Education seats throughout Nassau County are up for grabs on May 15.

In Wantagh, Trustee Anthony Greco is virtually assured re-election to his third term, because he is once again running unopposed.

In Seaford, there’s a contested race for incumbent Trustee Patrick Rail’s seat. His opponent, Andrea Parisi, is an educator, a mother of two young children and a first-time school board candidate.

Rail, 53, who is running for his second three-year term, says his career and experience are more essential than ever to the position. He is a Nassau County Police Department detective at a time when school safety and security are in the spotlight, and people are divided on how best to achieve and sustain it.

“Recently, the security, health and social welfare of our students has been a hot topic,” Rail said. “My background in law enforcement, and everything I’ve seen over my 53 years, has been very helpful in setting policy, giving recommendations and helping the superintendent go in the right direction. We’re always looking to make it the most safe and best learning environment for our students.”

Parisi, 37, is a kindergarten through fourth-grade reading teacher in the Freeport Public Schools. She runs an annual family reading program in Seaford, and is involved in the Seaford PTA.

“Working collaboratively with our superintendent and board members, I want to help shape the future of our district to create well-rounded individuals who contribute positively to our community and the world beyond,” Parisi said. “Whether students need academic support, enrichment or social/emotional intervention, providing the right program is crucial. I want to be an advocate for the community in keeping our schools safe and offering our students all we can.”

Parisi grew up in Wantagh, and her husband, John, a Long Island Broncos football coach, grew up in Seaford. The couple originally lived in Wantagh, but five years ago moved to Seaford. They have a child at Manor Elementary and another entering kindergarten at Manor in the fall.

“I think it would be great to have an educator on the school board,” said Parisi, who has been teaching for 13 years.

Rail is a certified public accountant with a degree from St. John’s. The father of three worked as a CPA in the late 1980s before becoming a police officer in 1990. For the past three years he has represented the school board on the audit committee.

He said he considers recruiting a new superintendent the board’s biggest accomplishment in his first term. He also points to the program that will provide computers for sixth-graders to high school seniors by 2021, and a new accelerated program in the middle and high school.

“Putting the right people in the right positions makes the district run smoother,” Rail said when asked how the board addresses its biggest challenges.

In his second term, he said, he would focus on “balancing the most important priority, the health and safety of our students and staff, while being cost-effective.”

Parisi said she is “very committed to the safety and well-being of our children, along with the educational programs, extracurricular activities and other opportunities that make Seaford a wonderful community.”

“As an educator with various degrees and certifications, and a mother of two small children, I believe I can bring a new and unique perspective to the board,” she added. “I am invested in this district for many years to come.”

Next door in Wantagh

Anthony Greco won his seat on the Wantagh School District board in 2012, and last week said he was “delighted” by the community’s commitment to continuous progress and growth.

Greco, 52, moved to Wantagh 23 years ago with his wife, Elizabeth Leahy, a lifelong Wantagh resident. They have six children: three graduates of Wantagh High School, one senior and two juniors.

During his six years on the board, the retired New York City police officer has been president twice and vice president once. He said that during his tenure, the board has been able to fund full-day kindergarten, hire good security at all the schools, and appoint the finest of administrators. He also oversaw budgets, and proposed spending plans with no tax-levy increase twice in the past three years.

He is also a member of the PTAs at Forest Lake, Mandalay and Wantagh Elementary; the Special Education PTA; the Wantagh High School Band Wagon; Wantagh Sports Booster Club, and St. Frances de Chantal CYO.