Elections

On May 20, residents of the Malverne School District will vote on a $43.5 million budget for the 2008-09 school year, an increase of 4.73 percent, or $1.9 million, over the current budget. The increase, school officials said, is the smallest that District 12 has proposed in nine years. After adopting the spending plan on April 8, members of Malverne's school board announced that it included a tax levy increase of $1.2 million, or 3.97 percent, and that the average homeowner's tax bill would increase about $195.
      Karen Aker, who is running for re-election for a four-year seat on the Malverne Board of Education, said that board members have worked collectively to devise new programs and find other ways to improve the school district while keeping taxes as low as possible. Aker, a Lynbrook resident, was first elected to the school board in 1996 and re-elected in 2000 and 2004.
      After getting $608,707 more than expected in state aid 'd1 which brought District 12's total state funding to $8.6 million 'd1 board members used the additional money to reduce the projected tax levy increase from 5.35 to 3.97 percent. Aker, 60, said that if she is re-elected, she will continue to focus on efforts to lower taxes 'd1 such as sharing expenses with other schools.
      "When making decisions, the school board always keeps the taxpayers in mind," Aker said. "With the rest of the school board, lowering taxes is something that I will continue to work on while making sure that our students don't go without the tools and programs they need to succeed."
      Aker's challenger, Julian Jones Jr., 53, a Lakeview resident and a first-time candidate for a trustee seat, said that District 12 school board members could do more to lower the tax burden on residents. If elected, Jones said, he will push for meetings and forums that will improve communication between the school board and the community. As things stand now, he said, district expenditures are not clearly defined to the public.
      "Taxpayers need to know where every dollar is being spent," Jones said. "All residents hear is taxes are going up, but we need people on the school board who will explain to taxpayers exactly where their money is going."
West Hempstead
      Residents of the West Hempstead School District will vote on a proposed budget of $52.6 million, a $1.8 million 'd1 or 3.63 percent 'd1 increase in spending. Despite the increase, school officials project that the tax levy will increase by no more than 0.77 percent, to $35.4 million. West Hempstead's three-year average tax levy increase, school officials said, has been less than 1 percent.
      Board of Education incumbent Trustee Pamela Lotito, who is running unopposed for a three-year term, said she would help the board continue reducing school taxes, and this is one reason why district residents should re-elect her. Lotito noted that the board had managed to keep tax levy increases to a minimum while making curriculum upgrades such as proposing a district-wide kindergarten-through-second-grade foreign language program in this year's budget.
      Lotito, 57, was first elected to the school board in 1999, and re-elected in 2002 and 2005. "I want to continue to be a part of the board's efforts to be fiscally responsible," she said. "Working to keep up this trend of keeping our school taxes low is all intertwined with the reasons why I want to continue to serve on this school board."
      Board President Vincent Trocchia is also running for re-election to another three-year term. It would be the seventh consecutive term for Trocchia, 56, who is being challenged by resident Walter Ejnes, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for a seat on the board in 2003.
      Trocchia said he wants to continue to improve district students' education. The proposed budget includes funding for additional computers and SMART boards. "I want to increase our technology program because that's really what the future is all about 'd1 technology," Trocchia said. "I really feel that my experience and different ideas will continue to be one of the positives about this school board."
       If he is re-elected, Trocchia added, he will work to attract more students to West Hempstead schools. In March, Island Park residents approved a proposition that allows the village's students to attend either Long Beach or West Hempstead High School. In the past, Island Park students who reached high school age have all enrolled at West Hempstead High, but Island Park voters approved a five-year contract with both schools, and many West Hempstead residents expressed concerns about the possibility of losing too many students at a community forum on March 27.
      "We have new programs 'd1 like the elementary foreign language program 'd1 that we're looking to establish for our students," Trocchia said. "Our schools are great, and my direction is to continue to come up with ways to attract more students to our school district."
      Ejnes said that the newly approved contract puts WHHS in competition with LBHS for students, and he wants to serve on the board to support initiatives that embrace this idea. "Parents in Island Park will now be looking at West Hempstead and Long Beach high schools in greater detail to compare them," he said. "I want to help find ways to help our district really shine, because we're in a unique position with this contract, and we have to turn it into a positive by showing parents what's great about West Hempstead High School and all of our schools."
      Ejnes, 43, also said that one reason he chose to run for the seat is because the school board needs members who will embrace new concepts with open minds, especially when choosing different ways to use technology throughout the district. "Our district needs to improve on how it integrates technology to benefit students' learning in the classroom," Ejnes said. "I'm active in many committees where issues like this are discussed, and I think more needs to be done on our school board to address how technology can help children's ability to grow as students."
Comments about this story? DWilliams@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 205.
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Meet District 13 candidates
By Andrew Hackmack
      There are three candidates running for three seats in Valley Stream District 13. Incumbents Frank Chiachiere and Debra Evans are seeking re-election while Thomas Speranza is running for the seat formerly held by Cathy Subbiondo. All terms are for three years.
      Voting will take place on Tuesday, May 20 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the Howell Road, James A. Dever, Wheeler Avenue and Willow Road schools.
Frank Chiachiere
      Longtime District 13 Board of Education member Frank Chiachiere is seeking his sixth term. First elected to the board in 1993, he is running unopposed.
      Chiachiere, a resident of Malverne, said he grew up in a family where volunteerism was encouraged and that is why he has dedicated the last 15 years to public service. "I think we all have to give something back," he said. "Teaching and learning is what I know."
      Holding his doctorate in educational leadership, Chiachiere was a Spanish teacher in Uniondale before moving on to the Half Hollow Hills School District. There he was the district supervisor of foreign language, then served as a middle school assistant principal before retiring in 1999. He teaches a graduate class in education at Stony Brook University and works for a company that recruits school superintendents.
      Chiachiere said his knowledge of the educational system makes him an effective board member. "I understand the language that the superintendents and principals use when talking about best practices," he said.
      He is pleased with the state of District 13. Class sizes are not too big, there is a strong reading program in place and a good leader in Superintendent Dr. Elizabeth Lison, Chiachiere said. In fact, he cites her hiring as one of the board's greatest accomplishments during his tenure.
      A recent accomplishment was the successful negotiation with the Valley Stream Little League to build a new baseball field at the Howell Road School. It beautified the grounds and gave kids a new place to play. "What a gift to the school community," he said.
      There are some obstacles the board must work to overcome. "We are faced with a plethora of unfunded mandates," he said. "I think that is going to continue to be the biggest challenge.
      Another, he said, is how to deliver a strong academic program in a time of stressed financial resources. Valley Stream 13 is not a "Gold Coast" district, he explained, so board members and administrators need to find ways to give students a good education at a reasonable price. "The challenge is how do we do that and not tax people out of their homes," he said.
      Chiachiere is an advocate for exploring alternative ways to fund education. There may not be a better solution to the property tax system, but it should at least be discussed, he said.
      The state budget process is frustrating, Chiachiere said, but fortunately local legislators have successfully fought for increased state aid in recent years.
      For all but the first year of his board tenure, Chiachiere has also served on the Central High School District Board of Education. Chiachiere said it has been an honor and privilege to serve Valley Stream schoolchildren in both capacities and looks forward to continuing his board service.
Debra Evans
      Compared to some of her colleagues, Debra Evans is a relative newcomer to the District 13 Board of Education. Currently serving as vice president, she is seeking her second three-year term and is running unopposed.
      Evans, who lives in Franklin Square, said she is proud of what the board has accomplished over the last three years. She says that they have worked hard to give District 13 children a high-quality education. "We're very responsive to the needs of the students in providing new and improved programs and learning tools," she said.
      District officials keep up with the latest trends and best practices in education, she said. Programs are constantly revised to best meet the academic needs of the students.
      Evans said the board strives to maintain a level of academic excellence while keeping in mind the burden placed on district taxpayers. Unfortunately, she said, sometimes the buck falls on local residents for reasons beyond the board's control. "The unfunded mandates are the biggest stumbling block of any school district," she said.
      However, Evans said she believes the board has done a good job of meeting these requirements at a minimal cost to local taxpayers. "District 13 has always been very conscious of finding ways to provide what is necessary," she said, "while maintaining its fiscal accountability."
      If the district is planning a major project, Evans said the board tries to spread the cost out over several years, instead of one big budget hit. This summer, the parking lot at Howell Road School will be renovated, as money has been set aside over the past three years. "Now that we have the funds available, we'll go ahead with the project," she said.
      Evans has two children who attended Willow Road School before moving on to North High. She was active with the PTA, served as a Girl Scout leader and Cub Scout den mother. This past year as a board member, she led a committee that created a time capsule to be opened 100 years from now. It is now buried behind the James A. Dever School.
      Professionally, Evans is the senior associate director of financial services for Adelphi University. She said her job gives her a unique perspective. "I'm seeing the end result of the public school education system," she said. "I have to say, right now I think we're doing a pretty good job."
      Evans said she always makes decisions in best interests of a child's long-term education. She said she initially ran for the Board of Education three years ago because she felt she could bring a different viewpoint to the group.
      The board has a good dynamic, she said, which fosters debate and sharing of opinions. Virtually every decision they make, Evans explained, is well-thought out. "We have been an excellent team," she said.
Thomas Speranza
      Thomas Speranza is set to become the newest member of Valley Stream District 13's Board of Education next year as he is running unopposed for a three-year term. He is seeking the seat formerly held by Cathy Subbiondo, who resigned earlier this year.
      Speranza has been a substitute teacher for the last six years. He worked for three years in District 13 and three years in the Valley Stream Central High School District and Hewlett-Woodmere School District. As a substitute in District 13, Speranza said he taught at every grade level and in every subject area.
      "I think that gives me a perspective that's very unique," he said, "and probably matched by few other people that are running for a board seat."
      Speranza said he is running for the board of education for several reasons. He would like to see a higher level of student achievement and greater control on spending. He says Valley Stream's four school districts should consolidate purchasing functions into one, which would increase purchasing power and hopefully lower costs.
      There needs to be a stricter compliance to discipline procedures, he said, to curtail student behavioral problems. Often discipline problems follow a child through their educational career if not handled properly early on, Speranza said. He also supports a stricter dress code.
      He is in favor of toughening the guidelines to ensure that all students legitimately live within district boundaries. Parents should be required to show proof of residency every year, he said. He also said that if a student is found to be living in the district illegally, the district should bring a civil lawsuit against the parents to recoup tuition money.
      Speranza said there needs to be greater communication between the many constituencies of the school district. He said there should be quarterly meanings attended by a representative of each of these groups, including the board of education, administrators, teachers and parents. The purpose would be to establish what each group's role is in creating a school environment that fosters academic excellence.
      Students, too, have to be part of the discussion and part of the process, Speranza explained. He is concerned on a national level about student achievement, with the United States ranking even behind some third world countries.
      He said the No Child Left Behind culture has created an atmosphere that forces every child to meet the same standards. But not every student will not be going to college and those kids have other talents. Speranza wants schools to foster these talents in children even at the elementary school level. "Early on," he said, "there has to be a better assessment of these students."
      Speranza has lived in Valley Stream for the past 29 years. He is retired electrical engineer who has worked for 48 years in the public and private business sector. He served three years in the United States Army and another five years in the reserves.
Comments about this story? AHackmack@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 265.
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