Marcus, Silverstein, Reyes in District 15

There's no question that all six candidates running for seats on the Lawrence School Board are dedicated to improving the district's educational standards and doing everything they can to provide the resources for a successful learning environment.

Jay Silverstein is challenging Sol Blisko, Annie Reyes is challenging David Sussman and Nicole Di Iorio is challenging Nahum Marcus.

Each candidate brings skills and experience that would be of value to the tremendously complicated and difficult task of serving on the school board. The three winners must try to satisfy a community of diverse needs and expectations, develop constructive policies that guide administrative decisions, set performance standards, evaluate staff performance, negotiate fair contracts (and help define what "fair" means), hire and fire wisely, represent the interests of taxpayers, parents and children, be responsible managers of a $94 million budget and be strong, decisive leaders of the district's educational efforts.

This can be rewarding work, no doubt, but it's also asking an awful lot from mere mortals, so whoever seeks such a position should be lauded for their willingness to make significant personal sacrifices for the good and welfare of the district's schoolchildren.

We think that incumbent Nahum Marcus and challengers Jay Silverstein and Annie Reyes bring the experience and balance the board needs to deal successfully with the challenges the district faces.

Annie Reyes, a graduate of Brooklyn College and a longtime resident of North Lawrence, is a parent of eight Lawrence High School graduates and has four grandchildren in district schools. In her more than two decades in Lawrence, she has displayed a deep passion for helping those in need through her involvement with organizations like the Five Towns Community Center, Rock and Wrap it Up!, the National Council of Negro Women and the National Council of Jewish Women-Peninsula Section, in addition to mentoring students at the former Number One School. We hope and expect that Reyes will work extra hard if elected to become knowledgeable on all important issues.