Boards welcome new trustees

Two new trustees have officially taken their seats on Valley Stream’s elementary boards of education following reorganization meetings held over the last two weeks.

Toni Pomerantz was sworn in on Monday night as the newest member of District 13’s school board. She was elected to a three-year term in May as she wrapped up a 31-year teaching career in the district.

New to District 24’s Board of Education is John Maier, who this past year served as co-president of the William L. Buck School PTA. He took the oath of office at the July 2 board meeting. Maier was elected to a three-year term.

Leaders and high school members

At District 30’s reorganization meeting on July 2, there were no surprises. Carolyn Torres was elected to serve a second year as Board of Education president, while Cristobal Stewart got another year as vice president.

Torres, Ken Cummings and recently re-elected trustee Elise Antonelli will continue to serve as the district’s three representatives to the Central High School District Board of Education.

Leadership changed in District 24 with Paul DePace taking over as president for the 2013-14 school year, a post he most recently held in the 2008-09 school year. Donna LaRocco will be vice president, her first time holding an officer position.

LaRocco and re-elected trustees Tony Iadevaio and Larry Trogel will again represent District 24 on the high school board.

There was dissension in District 13 in selecting the three high school board members. Trustee Bill Stris questioned the re-appointment of Joseph DiSibio to the board.

“I have serious concerns over the high school’s recent attempt to eliminate transportation to private schools, open the student parking lot at lunch time and to totally eliminate teams such as the rifle team,” Stris said. “The first two would, I believe, directly put our students in danger. Safety must always be a trustee’s primary concern.”

Stris nominated Debra Evans to serve on the high school board along with Frank Chiachiere and Jeanne Greco Jacobs, but she declined. The vote to appoint DiSibio was 5-1 in favor, with Stris the lone dissenter and Pomerantz abstaining.

Sean Douglas was unanimously elected to serve as District 13’s board president. Evans was chosen as vice president, a position she also held in the 2007-08 school year.

At the high school district board meeting on July 9, Antonelli was named president for the school year and Chiachiere will serve as vice president.