School News

Two vie for school board in Elmont

Posted

Two candidates are squaring off for a seat on the Elmont Board of Education. Michael J. Cantara, 41, a pediatric physical therapist for the New York City Department of Education, is challenging incumbent Leslyn Stewart, 40, a registered nurse.

Stewart, an Elmont resident, was appointed to the board following the resignation of Jon Johnson a year and a half ago. She has two daughters in the school district, a junior at Elmont Memorial High School and a fifth-grader at Dutch Broadway Elementary School.

Cantara lives in Stewart Manor with his wife and three sons. Two are in Stewart Manor Elementary School — one in fifth grade and one in second — and his youngest is in pre-K.

Both candidates have experience working with community members and school administrators. Cantara has been active in his sons’ educational development, and Stewart has been involved in various community programs during her time on the board.

Stewart credits the Elmont community for helping her through a tragedy. In 2005 her husband, Dillon, an NYPD detective, was killed in the line of duty in Brooklyn. Stewart was forced to raise her daughters on her own, and relied on the community for support.

“The support we received from the district and received from the school was just awesome,” she said. She later started a scholarship fund in her husband’s name.

The issues

Both candidates see issues within the school district that must be addressed. For Stewart, the budget remains the main roadblock for the board, which must deal with a small tax cap each year while costs such as salaries and health benefits rise. Presenting a budget that doesn’t raise taxes while also maintaining programs and staff is key to Stewart.

“The goal was to keep programs that we have and not cut back on them, and we’ve been able to maintain that,” she said. “I think to be able to provide a good education for the students today gives them a better chance out there.”

During her time on the board, Stewart has become more involved in the inner workings of the school district and the budget process. In next year’s budget, no programs are being cut, and taxes aren’t being raised, she said.

Page 1 / 3