By Mary Malloy and Anthony Bottan
Two candidates are running uncontested for a seat on the East Rockaway School board. Candidate Linda Schmidt was appointed to the board in February, after trustee William Barton resigned. Debbie Tufano, whose term is up this year, has chosen not to run again. President Mary Boccuzzi's term expires next year. Vice President Marie Girace and Trustee Vicki Alspector's terms expire in 2010.
The district runs its elections "at large" which means that they are not running for any particular seat. In this case, the highest vote getter will get the longest term - which is the seat vacated by Barton - and the winner will be sworn in for the May-June term, and then start their three-year term immediately after (they will hold the seat for three years, 41 days). The second elected candidate will take the other open seat for a three-year term.
Linda Schmidt
Linda Schmidt has lived in East Rockaway since 1993. She attended Hofstra University and holds a Bachelor's degree in Banking and Finance. She works at Chase Bank in Bellmore, and has been a Personal Banker for 22 years. She is married to Gary, and their children, Olivia, 12, and Justin, 9, attend Centre Avenue Elementary School.
Schmidt is co-president of the Centre Avenue School PTA, and is on the Yearbook Committee.
"I'd like to see us get a little more money into the schools," said Schmidt. "I would like to work with local politicians and experienced school board members and make it feasible to do that."
Schmidt has been on the board since February, having been selected to fill in William Barton's seat after he resigned. "I have learned so much, especially since it's budget time," she said. "I don't think many people know what the district has to pay for, even those who go outside of the district. I think [Superintendent] Dr. Melucci is doing a great job." Schmidt said she would like to implement programs for 7th graders, especially those who are not "into" sports. "If you are not athletic, there's not much for them to do."
In her spare time, Schmidt enjoys bike rides, gardening, and trips with her family.
Neil Schloth
Neil Schloth, 51, lives in Lynbrook but in the East Rockaway School district, with his wife, Teresa, and sons Jonathan, 11, and Neil, 15.
He holds an associate's degree in Liberal Arts from Queensborough Community College and took Computer Science courses at Nassau Community College. He is employed in the New York State Court system as a Senior Court Clerk at Nassau County District Court in Hempstead.
Schloth has been a PTA member for 11 years, and is a member of the East Rockaway Fire Department. He has been in charge of the Junior Fire Department, and is a coach with the Lynbrook/East Rockaway Soccer Club. He has been on the schools' Site Based Committee's for eight years, and is the chairman of the Centre Avenue Safety Committee. In his spare time, he enjoys camping and biking with his family.
"One issue that concerns me is that there seems to be a point in middle school where the students' academic level drops," Schloth said. "There needs to be a better transition from grammar school to middle school. Since we don't have a separate middle school, it's certainly a turbulent time for them." Jonathan attends Centre Avenue School and Neil attends East Rockaway High School.
Schloth said he also will fit in on the board because it's time for a better cross-section of representatives.
LYNBROOK
Alicemarie Bresnihan
Alicemarie Bresnihan has lived in Lynbrook since 1959 and is mother of nine children, all of whom graduated from the Lynbrook School district. She has been on the Board of Education for 33 years and has held the position of president, vice president and secretary during her tenure on the board.
Bresnihan was a past president of the Nassau-Suffolk School Board Association and past president of the West End PTA. She has a Bachelors degree in biological science and is a retired probation officer.
She also is a volunteer for the Girl and Boy Scouts and is a past recipient of Hofstra University's Phi Delta Kappa Educator of the Year Award. Bresnihan is also a past recipient of the Lynbrook Woman of the Year Award.
Lawrence Lombardo
Lawrence Lombardo bought his home in Lynbrook in 1994 and has been married to his wife Lydia for 22 years. Lombardo's daughter, Allison, graduated from Lynbrook High School in 2006.
He has a Bachelors degree in Law and Criminal Justice from SUNY Old Westbury, is a retired New York City Transit Police Sergeant and a former New York City Correction Officer. Lombardo is a Grand Knight in the St. Mary's/Maris Stella Council #2228, a former officer of the Sons of Italy at the Frank Gullotta Lodge and is a former executive assistant of the New York City retired Transit Police Association. Lombardo is also involved in the community as a member of Lynbrook's Character Education Committee and as a eucharistic minister for Our Lady of Peace. He is also a member of the community board for the Malverne Group Home.
He said he hopes to institute a district budget and finance committee and place term limits on board members. "We need independent voices," he said.
Ellen Marcus
Ellen Marcus, is a mother of three boys: Alex, Jonathan and Ethan, all of whom attended school in the Lynbrook district for the past nine years. She is a practicing attorney and has a background in education law and insurance defense. She currently works for the Sewanhaka school district and serves as a hearing officer for suspensions and residency hearings.
Marcus graduated from the University of Vermont in 1989, and graduated from Hofstra Law School in 1992. "My legal background in education will be a key asset in my capacity as a Board member," she said.
In addition, Marcus has served on the Board of Directors for the Long Island Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for the past three years. She is also an active PTA member and has chaired several committees. Marcus has also been involved with the hiring of district staff. "I have a commitment to the needs of the district and also to the schools and students within that larger framework," she said.
Mimi Rosen
Mimi Rosen has lived in Lynbrook for 21 years and has been married to her husband, Jamie, for 26 years. Rosen has four children, all of whom attended the Waverly Park School and Lynbrook Middle School. Her youngest daughter, Jessy, is currently a sophomore at Lynbrook High School, while her oldest son, Jason, graduated from LHS in 2003 and from the University of Maryland last June. Her daughter, Meryl, is a 2006 graduate of LHS and is in her sophomore year at the University of Michigan, while her other daughter, Dana, graduated from LHS last June and is in her freshman year at Pace University.
"I take great pride in the community I've called home for the last 21 years," she said.
Rosen received a Bachelors degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida in 1978 and is a former marketing manager for the Times-Mirror Publishing company in New York. Rosen is also an active member of the PTA. "The experience I have gained at every building level, as well as my familiarity with the college application process, has given me a well-rounded perspective of the needs of our school district," she said.
