By:Nick Buglione
A resident of East Meadow for 18 years and a New York City school teacher for 34, Barry Rubinstein has an extensive background in community service and education.
Though he was mostly a math teacher, Rubinstein served seven years as a dean and ended his education career as a mathematics facilitator in Queens' District 27.
After his retirement, Rubinstein became increasingly involved in East Meadow. He ran for school board and won in 2001, and is now seeking his second term.
He is also an active member of the East Meadow Kiwanis and Chamber of Commerce. Rubinstein has served as first vice president of the Special Education PTA and is currently second vice president of the Council of East Meadow Community Organizations.
Looking back over his first term, Rubinstein said the district has made great strides. "The greatest accomplishment has been working together in hiring qualified, outstanding individuals for our administration," he said.
Rubinstein also points toward the improved standardized test scores in East Meadow schools.
"What I would like to accomplish in my second term as a board member is to ensure that all students educated in our school district, no matter what their level, will have an easy path to reaching their maximum potential," he said.
"This includes that they meet the new state higher standards by passing state assessments with minimum difficulty in order to obtain a high school diploma, and that they develop socially and emotionally enough in order to become upstanding and productive citizens."
Photo #90285A: Janet Mangano
Age: 54
Family: Husband Steven, sons James and Tim
Occupation: Works with special needs kids at Rosemary Kennedy Center
Seat: Mangano is seeking incumbent Barry Rubinstein's seat on the East Meadow school board.
Like her opponent, Janet Mangano has logged years of service in East Meadow , both as a concerned mom and community leader.
A 25-year resident of the neighborhood, Mangano is perhaps best known for her involvement in the East Meadow Little League.
"It's a unique organization, because it gives me access to so many children," Mangano said. Aside from coaching in the league, she's also served as its vice president. She's currently league president, a position she's held for six years but is soon to relinquish.
Mangano wants to continue serving the community, even though she's retiring from the league. Running for school board is one way to do that, she said.
"I have endless energy and a basic knowledge of how the system works," she said.
Mangano, a mother of two, was involved with the PTA for some 17 years. She was president of the Parkway Elementary School PTA for two years and headed up the Woodland Middle School PTA at a critical time when the district converted its junior high schools into middle schools.
Mangano cites her organizational and communication skills as her best qualities and believes that, if elected, she can strengthen the cohesion among the school board, administration, staff and public.
"I think you have to build a trust between administration, teachers and parents," she said. "We have to work together as one large group.
"I have a lot to offer," she continued. "I have the energy to do and pursue what has to be done."
Photo #90285C: David Kaplan
Age: 49
Family: Wife Abby, daughters Calli and Sydney, step-daughter Rachel and step-son Jonathan
Occupation: Accountant; adjunct professor
Seat: Kaplan is seeking re-election to his current seat on the East Meadow school board.
"Knowledge + experience = leadership." That's the equation David Kaplan hopes will get him re-elected to the school board for the third time.
He was first elected in 1995, just beating out an extremely popular Richard Bivone. While on the board, he was chairman of the Transportation and Safety committees and the representative to the East Meadow PTA Council.
He was beaten out for his bid for re-election in 1998, however, narrowly losing out to current board member Fran Raikowski. Even after losing his seat, Kaplan remained active in the PTA and East Meadow schools.
Three years passed, and he decided to throw his hat in the ring again, this time winning his current seat on the board handily.
During this term, he's served as chairman of the Business and Technology Committee, which oversees budget development, and the Public Relations Committee.
Improved test scores and hiring vibrant new school administrators are among the district's biggest successes recently, Kaplan said.
"These are young, bright, innovated thinkers and that's how you move a district forward," Kaplan said. "Scores are up [also]. They're not as high as I'd like them, but they're up."
Responding to the community's request for more involvement in the budget process, Kaplan created input hearings last year, giving residents a forum to voice their concerns.
As an accountant and adjunct professor of accounting, Kaplan believes he's a valuable asset to the board when it comes to fiscal planning. If re-elected, he also wants to improve communication between residents and the board.
"I'd continue to open the door to the community and let them know what we're doing in that board room," he said.
Name: Louis Labush
Seat: Labush is seeking incumbent David Kaplan's seat on the East Meadow school board.
Requests for Labush's picture and biographical information, as well as an interview with him, were unanswered.
Photo #90285D: Steven Jacobs
Age: 46
Family: Wife Ava, daughter Alexis, and sons Matthew and Daniel
Occupation: Attorney
Seat: Jacobs is seeking incumbent Fran Raikowski's seat on the East Meadow school board. Raikowski is not seeking re-election.
If elected to the school board, Steven Jacobs promises to be a responsive and responsible community representative.
Having served five years on the district's Financial Advisory Committee, which comprises volunteer residents, Jacobs decided to take a shot at the school board.
He's previously served on the Parkway Elementary School PTA and Woodland Middle School PTA. Jacobs is also a past chancellor commander of the East Meadow Knights of Pythias and is on the Temple Emanu-El board of trustees.
"I have three children in the school district, and I'm concerned," he said.
Jacobs, a six-year president of the Federal Credit Union, figures his financial experience to be one of his strongest assets in these tough financial times.
In his years with the Financial Advisory Committee, Jacobs said he learned the ins and outs of the budget process, as well as the fiscal state of the schools.
If elected, he promises sensible spending, ensuring taxes are spent wisely. He also vows to explore alternative forms of revenue, such as corporate sponsorship, in order to ease the tax burden on homeowners. Improving school facilities is also at the top of his to-do list.
"I think with my financial background and my experience as an attorney, I feel I'm very qualified to represent the community," Jacobs said.
The community's access to the board and school district is another area in need of improvement, he said. "I think there is a need to have responsive board members," he said.
Photo #90285E: Debbie Kirsh
Name: Debbie Kirsh
Age: 47
Family: Husband Howard, son Corey and daughter Kelly
Occupation: Paralegal
Seat: Kirsh is seeking incumbent Fran Raikowski's seat on the East Meadow school board. Raikowski is not seeking re-election.
After spending 11 years on the PTA, Debbie Kirsh had been thinking about taking a shot at the school board for some time and figured now was her chance.
"It's been something I've been thinking about," she said. "I've been encouraged by people to run."
Dedicating much of her time in the last decade to the school district, Kirsh said she now wants to serve in a more influential and substantial manner.
"I've been actively advocating for the children for 11 years and I want to continue to be involved," she said.
Her rsum is extensive and includes stints with the Meadowbrook PTA and W.T. Clarke PTSA. Currently first vice president of the East Meadow PTA Council, Kirsh is also membership chairwoman of the Nassau Region PTA.
She describes herself as honest, independent, reliable and fair, citing communication and organizational skills among her best qualities.
Financial constraints currently pose the biggest problems to the school district, Kirsh said. If elected, she promises to continue to lobby the state for East Meadow's fair share of funding.
Kirsh also wants to improve communication between the school board and community. "I would like to see improved communication with the community," she said. "I'd also like the community to be more involved."
Enhancing education programs is something Kirsh wants to focus on as well. "We have very innovative programs and scores are improving," she said. "I'd like to see that maintained."
Photo #90285F: Janet Barsky
Name: Janet Barsky
Age: 44
Family: Husband Robert and two children
Occupation: Attorney
Seat: Barsky is seeking re-election to her current seat on the East Meadow Public Library board of trustees. She is unopposed.
A lifelong resident of East Meadow and former valedictorian of East Meadow High School, Janet Barksy has served on the library board since 1999.
She describes herself as a dedicated, concerned resident and library user "committed to maintaining the excellence and unequaled service that residents have come to expect from the East Meadow Public Library."
During her high school years, she worked at the library's reference desk. She is also the immediate past president of the Barnum Woods Elementary School PTA and is the incoming first vice president the East Meadow PTA Council.
A graduate of Cornell University, Barsky is a member of the Cornell Alumni Ambassador Network, where she interviews local high school students trying to get into the college.
