By:Jerry Burke
Elmont will vote
on whether to adopt a $54,974,766 budget for the 2004-05 school year, an increase of 8.81 percent over
the current budget. The total estimated tax levy will rise 8.49 percent, to $39,807,971. There are three
three-year terms for trustee on the ballot, and all are contested. Incumbent Robert Nori faces Patrick
Nicolosi, incumbent Lorraine Ferrigno faces Elsy Mecklembourg Guibert and incumbent Carl Termini faces
Pamela Monteverde.
Lorraine Ferrigno
A lifelong, fourth-generation Elmont resident, Ferrigno is a
graduate of both the Elmont and Sewanhaka school districts. She and her husband bought a home in Elmont
in 1999 due to her desire to remain home. Last year she ran unopposed for the one-year term left vacant
when Lillian Carillo retired. "That time gave me the opportunity to work with the board and
administration, to grow and learn as a board member," said Ferrigno, "not only by attending meetings,
but through courses offered by the state, both at conferences for new board members, and locally through
BOCES."
Ferrigno was an attorney in a Manhattan law firm, with experience in securities
litigation, employment law and policy making, commercial litigation, real estate and trusts and estates.
After the events of Sept. 11, 2001, she decided to leave a high-pressure position as a partner in order
to work in her hometown.
Ferrigno says that she has a vested interest in the education offered in
the Elmont district, since she and her husband plan to raise a family in the community. "As a lawyer, I
am able to make decisions and presentations quickly," she said. "I will work to make sure Elmont will
receive everything it deserves. I have the tenacity of a litigator that is needed to balance the needs
of the diverse Elmont community." Ferrigno plans to "leave no rock unturned" when it comes to finding
grants and other funding for the district and its outstanding bonds.
She sees her long history of
community involvement and civic-mindedness as one of her strengths, and an asset for a school board
trustee. She credits her mother, Cathy, as a major influence in developing her love of community
activism.
"I am proud of the success of the schools and of the students' performance," said
Ferrigno, "and the district's ability to meet the needs a very diversified population.
"I want to
continue to represent the community as part of an open-minded, diligent, and cohesive board utilizing
its governing authority to develop policies of fiscal conservatism that will enable the district to be
prepared to confidently address both financial and educational issues into the future."
Elsy
Mecklembourg Guibert
Community and health activist Elsy Mecklembourg Guibert has an educational
background in population and family health and years of experience working with people of different
ethnic backgrounds. As a frequent speaker at Elmont Memorial High School, she discusses health issues,
including HIV and other preventable diseases, with the youth of the community.
In addition, she
conducts parent workshops to promote their interaction with and support for their children, providing
them with updated information on health issues so children can grow both physically and emotionally
healthy. She attends seminars on drug involvement and gang violence to address parent concerns regarding
these issues. Guibert believes that for children to do well in school, they must be provided a nurturing
home environment. Fluent in three languages, she is a frequent guest speaker on these and other topics
at schools, churches, community centers and radio talk shows.
Last year she designed and conducted an
educational program to empower young women by helping them become more assertive and successful, and she
recently began a Parent Training Program (PTP) at Dutch Broadway School, presenting subjects such as
early childhood development, parenting skills, discipline and anger management.
Guibert hosts
events at which community residents and leaders gather to identify issues that affect Elmont, discuss
challenges faced and offer opportunities to work collaboratively in the community.
She has been the
recipient of many awards, including being named a 21st District "Woman of Distinction," the Gay Clark
Stoddard Memorial Award in Recognition of her compassion and commitment to the field of breast health
care, and the Town of Hempstead's "Make A Difference Award." She was the Franklin Square/Elmont/West
Hempstead Herald's "Person of the Year" for 2003.
Guibert is the mother of three boys, all of whom
attended Elmont schools. She says she is committed to reaching out to families in the district, and is
running for the school board "to improve the quality of education for all children in the community, in
recognition of the importance of community service and due to a strong desire to give back to the
community."
Robert J. Nori
Robert J. Nori's first three-year term ended on a good note: his
colleagues on the board elected him its vice president.
"I have a long-term interest in the
quality and success of our school system because of my personal commitment to public schools and because
of the age of my children," said Nori, who, as of September, will have two children in the Elmont public
schools. His oldest daughter attended Elmont public schools and went on to graduate from Sewanhaka High
School.
After college, Nori worked for the national office of the YMCA and was a national staff
member of the Boy Scouts of America. While assigned to Pace University, he directed a national program
that prepared college students to enter youth-serving careers. He later graduated from Boston University
Law School, and has since served as an assistant Nassau County attorney, the liaison to the New York
Senate and Assembly and an associate attorney with the New York State Banking Department. At present,
Nori is the general counsel to a subsidiary of a New York chartered bank.
"I have always been
active in community affairs and community service organizations such as Rotary and Kiwanis," said Nori,
who is currently the president of the Elmont Kiwanis. "My experiences in community service have taught
me the importance of consensus building and diversity of membership."
Nori says his greatest
contribution to the district has been his desire to add school district programs for the children before
and after school. "These programs create a safe harbor for our children," said Nori, who added that his
professional background handling large budgets makes him prepared to assist the school district in
promoting fiscal responsibility.
Patrick Nicolosi
Patrick Nicolosi has been a resident of Elmont
since 1967. He is currently the president of the East End Civic Association, serves on the Elmont
Quality of Life Committee and is a founding member of the recently expanded Community Alliance of civic
associations. He is a former member of the Covert Avenue PTA and the Sewanhaka High School Booster
Club.
He decided to run for a position as trustee because all three of his children have gone through
the Elmont and Sewanhaka districts. Michael, Marie and Angela all excelled in school. Nicolosi feels
that they received an excellent education, and wants to give something back. His dream is that children
in Elmont continue to receive nothing less than the best in the years to come.
Nicolosi also
feels that there are several problems in the Elmont district, the largest being illegal apartments and
the money regularly spent on educating children who live in these apartments. He wants to get
politicians more involved in order to stop this problem. He also feels that the board currently has
trustees that do not know the limits of their position. If elected, Nicolosi says he will not abuse the
position. "I'm concerned about a few things, including whether board members really need to take trips
to New Orleans or San Francisco to look at other districts," said Nicolosi. "Especially if no major
changes come out of it."
Another major concern of Nicolosi's is the district's finances. He would
like to institute a plan that requires a full-time professional business manager, not a part-time
employee acting as a consultant. He wants to help set goals and follow through each year, and feels the
board needs flexibility and creativity as well as diligence and determination. "The taxes in Elmont are
destroying seniors right now," said Nicolosi. "We need to rein these costs in now."
Nicolosi also
supports an at-large process of selecting school board members, as opposed to challengers having to
directly face an incumbent, as is currently done in Elmont.
Pamela Monteverde
First-time
officer-seeker Pamela Monteverde is no stranger to the inner workings of the school districts. During
her 35 years in Elmont, her three boys have gone through the district while she served in the Clara H.
Carson, Sewanhaka and Elmont Inter School Council of PTAs in offices ranging from treasurer to
president. She is currently the first vice president of the Inter School Council.
Monteverde
believes that her experience as an advocate for children and members of the Elmont community has
provided her with the knowledge and insights necessary for her to take a more active role in making
decisions. "My goal is to represent the children and parent of today while fostering a harmonious
relationship with the community to support programs needed to ensure educational success for all," she
said.
Monteverde believes that her participation on various committees will help ensure a cohesive
educational plan for the children of Elmont. She has been a member of the Language Arts, Social Studies,
Curriculum Review, Principal Search, Building Advisory and Elmont Public Schools Comprehensive District
Education Plan committees.
Outside the school district, Monteverde has fought to increase Megan's
Law awareness and was named a panelist on the recent Gang Violence Roundtable. Last year she was named
one of Elmont's "Women of Distinction."
"I believe I can bring a fresh, new perspective to the
decision-making process," said Monteverde. "I want to help ensure a quality education for all
students."
Carl Termini
For the past 12 years, Carl Termini has been a mainstay on the Elmont
school board. The 27-year resident of Elmont is now seeking his fifth term. "I fight hard to see that
Elmont's children are getting a quality education," said Termini in his press release, noting how proud
he is of the improved test scores the schools have enjoyed while he has been on the board.
Termini's two daughters both went to Clara H. Carlson School and Sewanhaka High School. During that
time, he served on the Clara H. Carlson and Sewanhaka PTAs, as well as the Sewanhaka Central Counsel of
PTAs.
Termini has a degree in communications from Queens College and has since studied business
contracts, economics, management, insurance law and marketing at City College.
"I believe that a fully
prepared board member is one who constantly reaches out to the Elmont public," said Termini, adding that
he makes a point to be available to the public. He says he urges community members to make their
opinions and concerns known, priding himself on encouraging residents to use the Freedom of Information
Act and the New York State Open Meetings laws to stay informed. "I believe strongly in the public's
right to know," he said.
Termini has been a member of various committees, including Buildings and
Grounds, Budget and Finance, Shared Decision Making, Curriculum, Safety and Pre-K. Outside the schools,
he was a member of the Progressive Weona Civic Association.
Termini believes in being an independent
voice, supporting nothing less than a quality education for every student. "No child should slip though
the cracks," he said.
