Residents meet school board candidates

A position on the school board is no easy task, comes with a major year-round commitment and sometimes decisions made can draw criticism from the community. But a spot on the board also gives members a unique ability to make choices that they think are best for students, parents, employees and residents.

In Lynbrook, there are three people — two incumbents — who are looking to make the commitment to a position on the board. William Belmont, who is running unopposed, is seeking a third term. William Kayen, is also running for the third time, but his seat is contested by Heather Hanson, a mother of two students in the district who is active in the both the West End Elementary School and North Middle School PTAs.

The three candidates, in addition to members of the district and community, gathered last week for the annual Meet the Candidates Night at Lynbrook High School, which was hosted by the Lynbrook Council of PTAs. Residents posed questions to the candidates about their stances on issues as well their qualifications for the school board.

In her opening remarks, Hanson said she decided to run for a spot on the board because she wanted to help make Lynbrook the best it can be. She added that she wants Lynbrook schools to be “a place that fills my kids and their classmates with pride and a sense of opportunity and optimism, and for me, a seat on the school board seemed the best place to achieve that end.”

Kayen, who has two children who have graduated from Lynbrook High School, said it’s critical to provide Lynbrook students with a high-quality education to better equip them for their futures. He said offering students foreign language at a younger age, as well as computer coding and other Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics courses will help them grow. “It’s important that we have an environment that is open to change,” he said, “even though our schools do a lot right, there is always room to improve.

“Together we can continue to ensure that Lynbrook continues to be a community that we want to be a part of,” he added.