Compiled by Dan Israeli
She received a Bachelor's degree in community health and a Master's degree in public health from Columbia University's Mailman School.
A certified health education specialist, Guibert was appointed to be the board member representative to the state's mandated District Health and Wellness Committee. Guibert is currently vice-president of the Elmont board, finishing her first term as a trustee.
In light of the recent zero percent increase, what does the district need to do to continue producing a budget that does not burden its taxpayers?
The approach takes a combination of two things. We must be very cognizant of our children's needs, as it is imperative that they are our first priority. We also have to be constantly in tune to our duties, which includes being fiscally responsible. The district's goals are the same of the community and its residents. This will continue to benefit our district, being responsible while not compacting students needs.
What educational program, element or aspect do you think is most in need of improvement, and how should it be addressed?
We have a superintendent in Al Harper who is a leader. He is someone who did not inherit a perfect district but someone with a vision to aim higher for academic excellence and work solely for the benefit of our children. We can certainly work on more for our children, but what we have now is outstanding. There has been an expansion of the Enrichment Program which I fully supported. Our programs with Hofstra have been exceptional, and our science research programs with the high school have spawned award winners. We can certainly do more for parent participation. Finding appropriate times to involve working parents, that would be a positive aspect.
The buildings and grounds have been in good shape, according to Superintendent Harper, but what capitol project - whether it be a repair, renovation or something new - would you most like to see happen in the next three years?
A most important concern is to provide safety and comfort for our children. The schools are in great shape, but I'd become very concerned with improvements as soon as we see something in risk of deteriorating or breaking down. I feel that things have worked well where we can continue to ensure safety and comfort for our students. As for a new project, I believe we should seek input from the parents, and the flowing participation of what they would like to see. I don't see anything we need to immediately invest in. Right now the district seems to be in fine shape.
How important is state mandated training for board members, and do you see any flaws in the system?
In my opinion, [state mandated training] should not be an obligation. This is an unfunded mandate. I went to grad school because I chose to. Similar to that, the training is something that should be left to the individual. At the same time, we as board members should make it our own obligation to be better trained. The state programs need to bring us something that we can ultimately share with our community. They shouldn't be attended just because they are mandated. I feel that it is a matter of what you can get out of it. It all comes down to our vision for the children. We have all this potential as board members, but what's really important is the vested interest in the thousands of children we are servicing.
Anthony Maffea has been an Elmont resident for nine years, and is currently employed in banking as a chief compliance officer, bank secrecy act officer and network administrator. He and his wife Patricia have been PTA members in the Elmont School District ever since their first son Anthony Jr. enrolled in school.
In addition, Maffea is a manager with Elmont Little League, a chapter member of the Elmont Dad's Club as secretary, a den leader with local Pack 294 of the Boy Scouts of America, a member of the Elmont East End Civic Association and a member of the St. Vincent De Paul Feast Committee.
In light of the recent zero percent increase, what does the district need to do to continue producing a budget that does not burden its taxpayers?
The district needs to look at other ways to cut costs. The zero percent increase came from extra state aid, which is not always going to be the case. While it is great for next year, we need to still be actively looking at other ways to prevent another catastrophe like we had in 2002. We need to cut costs within our own budget, without affecting our children's education.
What educational program, element or aspect do you think is most in need of improvement, and how should it be addressed?
We can't have a knee-jerk reaction to how we educate our children. We need to address it, of course, but not go at it blindly. A lot of time and money is wasted if you don't look at things with a level head. We need to look at the whole picture, look at things like TerraNova testing, and what areas need to be addressed and the best ways to address them. There is no one size fits all solution to everything.
The buildings and grounds have been in good shape, according to Superintendent Harper, but what capitol project - whether it be a repair, renovation or something new - would you most like to see happen in the next three years?
Speaking primarily in relation to Covert Avenue School, if something can be done in a fiscally responsible way, it would be the ball fields. I'm a little league manager and the fields are constantly soaked. Everyone is focusing on health and safety, and we need better fields where students aren't in risk of getting hurt. We need to look for something that is safe now and in the long run for our kids. The district should consider turf field options, as long as it doesn't provide a long term hazard to children. Other than that, we need to keep up with maintaining our buildings to ensure that our kids can go to school in comfort.
How important is state mandated training for board members, and do you see any flaws in the system?
I think with any position, training is definitely needed to become familiarized. Can I say the system is flawed? I would have no clue at this point. Do I agree with out-of-state conferences where taxpayers are paying for travel expenses? No. I believe that is a colossal waste of money. We need to look at cheaper training alternatives, because the elements are still important. One thing that gets lost in the shuffle is that the school district is a business, with an over $60 million budget, and the taxpayers are the shareholders. We need to make sure we are doing the best we can for our shareholders, the people of this community.
Aubrey Phillips has been an Elmont resident for over 12 years, and is currently the head of a computer consulting business, with an expertise in network security. He has been been featured in various industry magazines, television and radio programs, and has been recognized by the Nassau Chamber of Commerce as the 2000 Elmont Chamber of Commerce Small Business Person of the Year.
Phillips, a nine year veteran of the school board, also currently sits on the Sewanhaka Central High School District Board of Education. He additionally serves as an executive committee member of the Nassau Suffolk School Boards Association.
In light of the recent zero percent increase, what does the district need to do to continue producing a budget that does not burden its taxpayers?
What this district needs to continue doing is many fold. First and foremost, is to work collaboratively with state officials. The school district is always reacting to state and federal mandates. I want Elmont to be in a place where we can affect these mandates before they happen. This way we don't have to react. It is the model of leadership I use, and why I sit on the Nassau Suffolk School Board Association and the State Legislative Network - to give Elmont a voice. The reason we have affected property taxes in Elmont is because we have been connected so closely with state and federal officials, providing them with information to help them make decisions that won't be burdensome to our community.
What educational program, element or aspect do you think is most in need of improvement, and how should it be addressed?
Our district, like all other districts, has been burdened by the sheer weight of testing, or over testing to be exact. It all comes back to state mandates, because as a Title I school district, Elmont must adhere to the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act. This is forcing districts to teach only to the tests, and Elmont is a victim of this. We need to find a way to get it through to our elected officials that NCLB is hurting our students. With our Enrichment Program and Saturday Academy, we have been giving our teachers the freedom to teach. While there still needs to be a measure of learning, adjustments must be made to the mandates of NCLB.
The buildings and grounds have been in good shape, according to Superintendent Harper, but what capitol project - whether it be a repair, renovation or something new - would you most like to see happen in the next three years?
We currently have the old Elmont Public Library being utilized by administration. We have to focus on what we should use the remaining 70 percent of the building for. There has been an interest, displayed on our board, in turning it into a model for learning for either math or science. If I'm reelected, I would like to continue in helping make that happen. It can be a terrific idea.
How important is state mandated training for board members, and do you see any flaws in the system?
I don't believe that mandated training for board members is useful. It's yet another unfunded state mandate. Before this, we had a long tradition of voluntary training. No one should be asked to help manage a multimillion dollar budget without training. I don't believe that training should be mandated by the state, but board members should come to the board fully prepared to sacrifice the time necessary to manage the educational programs and funding necessary for public education.
Deniece Walker has been an Elmont resident for over 30 years, and has worked as a medical assistant. She is a product of the Elmont school districts, having attended Dutch Broadway School, Clara H. Carlson School and Sewanhaka High School.
Walker has past board experience as a trustee of the Early Childhood Learning Center at LaGuardia Community College for several years. She is currently a member of the High School PTA, Special Education PTA, Committee for Special Education, and a past member of the Clara H. Carlson PTA. Her community involvement includes being a member of the Jamaica Square Improvement League and Locustwood/Gotham Civic Association.
In light of the recent zero percent increase, what does the district need to do to continue producing a budget that does not burden its taxpayers?
We definitely have to stay on top of the state. The money that we receive can fluctuate from year to year. I think it would benefit to deal with corporate American a little more, and the different programs that can be offered. Box Tops for Education is one example that has worked well in the past. We can also work on getting some sponsorship from the big conglomerates, and computer companies. It could help cut our own spending on technology. If we don't get enough money from the state, we can still level out our budget. I am sure the district is already looking at all avenues possible, but maybe I can provide some insight with a different approach.
What educational program, element or aspect do you think is most in need of improvement, and how should it be addressed?
One area that I feel is in need is reading. Last year it was taken care of on a small level, and this year it has already been expanded. I feel programs of this nature can deeply benefit our children. A lot of children are having difficulty with reading and writing, some through a cultural level in our ESL programs, others with their own special needs. I am not privy as to what is being put in place at this time, but as a board member I would have that information and will be able to act diligently on it. It doesn't matter what type of student you are, we have to look out for all of our students to make sure they are getting a quality education for the future.
The buildings and grounds have been in good shape, according to Superintendent Harper, but what capitol project - whether it be a repair, renovation or something new - would you most like to see happen in the next three years?
I have been to all the buildings, and they are all pretty much being taken care of. All the recent expansion projects, like the Carlson auditorium, have been taken care of very well. Mr. Harper has done very well in keeping the facilities up to par and keeping the community aware of what is going on. The continued maintenance of our buildings is key. I wouldn't oppose anything that was intended to improve the safety of our buildings. When it's a matter of finance, I would definitely encourage the board to seek alternatives in order to reduce high costs.
How important is state mandated training for board members, and do you see any flaws in the system?
I agree in being in compliance with some of the training, as far as handling the budget process. Because of the requirements of a board member, not everyone may have that experience. We all budget, just not on such a high level. In terms of guiding trustees on the do's and dont's and how to's, I'm for that. Sometimes we all need a little refresher course.
