With great financial pressures on school districts, Chiachiere said he is proud of the budget proposals the board has put together the past few years. He said the board has worked to create spending plans that focus on teaching and learning, while ensuring the buildings are cared for. “I think we’re the envy of Nassau County,” he said. “We bring in tax-cap-compliant budgets. We’re not laying people off. We’re maintaining good class sizes.”

He pointed out that when the state offered property tax rebates for residents, he fought for a tax-cap-compliant budget at the high school level to ensure that taxpayers would be eligible.

Chiachiere said with his experience as a teacher and administrator, he brings a strong knowledge of curriculum, and a desire to do what’s right for children. “I think I make a difference in children’s lives,” he said.

About Frank

Age: 69
School board experience: 21 years
Lives in: Malverne
Family: Wife, Rita; sons, Frank and Ryan
Career: Retired; former teacher at Uniondale High School, language supervisor at Half Hollow Hills, assistant principal at West Hills Middle School
Other: Former trustee, Malverne Public Library; intergenerational reader at Willow Road School

PATRICK HEANEY

After falling short in his bid to win a District 13 Board of Education seat last year, Patrick Heaney wasn’t ready to throw in the towel.

“I got a lot of support,” he said. “It’s always nice to win, but coming within 23 votes is certainly encouraging.”

This year, Heaney will be running against veteran Trustee Frank Chiachiere. Heaney said he chose to run for this seat because Chiachiere is also a high school board trustee, and Heaney is unhappy with some of the decisions made there last year in regards to budget cuts.

Heaney said he believes that voters should have choices in elections, which makes board members more responsive to the needs of the public. He noted that the first responsibility of a board member should be to represent the community’s views.