Hewlett-Woodmere Board of Education races uncontested

For the third time in six years the Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools feature no contested election for the school board. Ironically the last time the incumbents went unchallenged in District 14 came in 2007 when school board president Stephanie Gould and Harold Kislik last ran and three years later the duo is once again seeking new terms on the school board.
In a stark contrast to neighboring Lawrence, Hewlett-Woodmere has had the same school board intact since 2004. The newest trustee is Kislik, who won a seat in 2004 that replaced retiring school board president Richard Braverman.
"I think that the fact that Stephanie and I are again running unopposed indicates a certain level of satisfaction with the current board, although it’s difficult to draw any definite conclusions for a specific year," said Kislik, who is seeking his third term.
Gould, who is seeking her sixth term, said she is not sure why there have been so many uncontested elections in Hewlett-Woodmere but is hoping it is a positive sign that the community is satisfied with how the current school board is conducting its business. "I hope it is because the community realizes that we are trying to do the best we can for students, staff and community members," said Gould. "Listening to our community is very important and I believe our superintendency and our board listen and take into consideration the needs of all segments of this community. We are trying to build a vibrant and united community."
Both Gould and Kislik said one of their main goals for their next term is to make sure there is a smooth transition in administrative leadership once retiring Superintendent Dr. Les Omotani is replaced by Dr. Joyce Bisso, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. Addressing the increasing financial challenges such as rising retirement costs and unfunded state and federal mandates was also mentioned as a priority for the next three year term.

"As always I believe that we must continually assess our programs to provide the best services for our students and our community," said Gould. "The coming years will be particularly difficult as we will need to do all this while keeping costs as low as possible."
"It is critical at this time to have the stability and expertise of experienced board members to help guide the district and support the new leadership over this transitional period," said Kislik. "I plan to contribute to this effort with critical analysis, sound judgment and focus on implementing the district’s strategic goals (which we recently revised and updated) in order to continue to strengthen and enhance our ability to provide a quality educational experience to all our students."
Voting for the Hewlett-Woodmere school board election and budget vote is scheduled for Tuesday May 18 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. at the Woodmere Education Center on One Johnson Place, Woodmere.

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