Who are the East Rockaway and Lynbrook school board candidates?

Three people will be vying for two seats on the East Rockaway Board of Education that will be voted on in May. The seats will be vacated by longtime board members Vicki Alspector and Marie Girace, both of whom have chosen not to serve again next year.
It was announced on Monday night that the candidates are Patti Nicoletti, Kristen Ochtera and Samuel Schwarzman. They will run at large, meaning that the two candidates with the most votes will win seats.
Alspector, who has been on the board for 15 years, said it was time for new people to step up and share their perspectives. “My kids are out of college and I just felt it was time,” she said of her decision not to run again. “It’s very healthy for the school district to have parents of current students as well as people with a history to sit on the board together. My time seemed up.”
Board Vice President Linda Schmidt’s term is up in 2011, as is Trustee Neil Schloth’s. Trustee Michaelene Abbott-Cooper’s term is up in 2012.

In the Lynbrook School District, the terms of school board Vice President William Kayen and Trustee William Belmont are up, and both will run unopposed for re-election. Board Secretary Ellen Marcus’s and Trustee Alice Marie Bresnihan’s seats are up in 2011, while the terms of board President Catherine Papandrew and Trustee Robert Paskoff are up in 2012.

The candidates will be profiled in upcoming Herald stories.