School board candidate’s forum to be held Monday

On Monday night, the Long Beach Central Council Parent Teacher Association will host its candidate’s forum — an opportunity for residents to get to know the Board of Education candidates and learn their positions on the issues.

Two seats are up for election this year, currently held by President Pat Gallagher and Vice President Dr. Dennis Ryan. Gallagher announced last month that, after 12 years of service, he would not seek re-election. Three challengers — Warren Vegh, Maureen Vrona and Lynn Gergen — join Ryan in the race for the two seats. The forum will be held on Monday, May 5 at 7 p.m. at the Long Beach Public Library.

Ryan, a retired school administrator, was an assistant superintendent of schools in Great Neck, and a teacher, coach, athletic director and director of pupil personnel services in Long Beach. He will be running for his third term, after six years on the board.

“With tax caps and the Common Core,” he said, “there is a greater need for experience on the Board of Education.”

Vegh, a 32-year Long Beach phys. ed. teacher and the owner of a commercial pool company, was second to declare his candidacy, bolstered, he said, by a great show of support in the community.

“I am looking forward to serving our future generations and working to enhance the quality of our school district,” Vegh said in an announcement on Facebook.

He said that he would bring to the board business sense and knowledge of the school district and students, and that he would run on a platform of equal-opportunity education for all students, though he offered no details.

Vrona, an active parent in the school district, said that she decided to run because she thinks the board needs more members who have kids currently in the district.

“I feel like I’m more in touch with what’s going on in the buildings,” she said. “It gives me a different perspective.”