Farrell said her association with numerous groups makes her an ideal candidate for the board, because she has a solid understanding of the concerns of parents and taxpayers. “By talking to everybody,” she said, “I get a feel for what the community wants.”

If elected, Farrell said one of her goals would be to ensure that students in the elementary district are being well prepared for junior high and high school. With a son in ninth-grade and another who graduated high school last year, she says she is familiar with the expectations at the secondary level.

She said she wants to preserve District 13’s gifted and talented program, as well as all support services for students in English and math. In the future, she would like the district to add foreign language, as long as financial resources and time in the school day are available.

Farrell said she favors the tax cap because it helps control costs. “It is getting expensive for us to live on Long Island,” she said. Overall, she added that she believes District 13 has been doing a good job with its budget practices.

As a banker, Farrell said her experience in finance can be asset to the board as economic pressures on school districts continue to mount.

Farrell said the most important role of a board member is to keep the children safe and ensure they are well educated, while remaining financially responsible. She said boards of education can benefit from new voices and new ideas, and feels the District 13 board needs more parent representation.

In the future, Farrell said she would be interested in serving on the high school board, but first wants the experience at the elementary level.

About Patricia
Age: 51
School board experience: None; ran for an open seat last year
Lives in: Valley Stream
Family: Husband, Peter; two sons, Daniel and Christopher
Career: Assistant branch manager at Chase Bank in Mineola
Other: Received New York State PTA honorary life membership; substitute catechist at Holy Name of Mary