Merrick, North Merrick Board of Eds. uncontested

As the school budget and Board of Education elections quickly approach, here’s what the community needs to know on May 16:

Both Board of Education races in Merrick and North Merrick are uncontested. There are two seats up for grabs on each board, both held by incumbents.

Polls open in Merrick at 7 a.m. at the district’s administration center, 21 Babylon Road, Merrick. Taxpayers can cast their vote till 9 p.m. Schools affected include Birch School, Chatterton School and Norman J. Levy Lakeside School.

Polls open in North Merrick at 6:30 a.m. at the North Merrick Public Library, 1691 Meadowbrook Road, North Merrick, and close at 9 p.m. Schools affected include Camp Avenue, Old Mill Road and Harold D. Fayette Elementary Schools.

Up for re-election for the Merrick Board of Bducation is Jill Levine and Nicole Venditti.

Levine has been a Merrick resident for over 20 years and a board of education trustee for nearly a decade. This past school year she served the board as its president. Levine has raised her three children, alongside her husband Craig, in the Merrick community. Levine also founded Forever 9-The Robbie Levine Foundation, in honor of her late son, Robbie, who suffered a heart attack in 2005 while playing baseball. An active member in several Bellmore-Merrick organizations, Levine runs on a platform of being dedicated and open-minded when dealing with issues that directly affect different stakeholders in the community and believing in the importance of listening to all opinions.

Venditti was first elected to the Merrick school board in 2020, running on a platform dedicated to evaluating policy and programs, so the community could understand and make informed decisions about the value they bring to Merrick schools. A mom to three children, one of whom has special needs, she’s an attorney, who is dedicated to helping others navigate the world of special education. An active volunteer in schools, she helped the Merrick school district charter a Special Education Parent Teacher Association, later serving as its first president. Venditti believes in building trust with the community, and demonstrating the qualities needed to best serve Merrick schools. 

In North Merrick, Tracey Miller and Ed Corona are up for re-election.

Miller was born and raised in the North Merrick community, attending Camp Avenue Elementary School, Brookside School and Sanford H. Calhoun High School. Moving away for college, she returned to the area in 2004 to raise her children, and give them the same experience she received. Miller has been a dedicated leader and active member of her children’s CYO and PAL teams, a committee chair of Boy Scout Troop 351, and a Calhoun football dinner mom for 4 years. A science teacher at Thomas J. McAnn Middle School in Sunnyside, Queens, Miller is ready to serve her third term on the board, working to strengthen the wonderful district for future generations of North Merrick children.

Corona has been a North Merrick resident since 1994. He and his wife Marriane raised three children in the area, who attended Old Mill Road School, Merrick Avenue Middle School and Calhoun High School. Corona is the current vice president for the Board of Education, and has also been a member of the Bellmore-Merrick Central District board. Corona has served as liaison to the North Merrick PTA Council, and has been involved in Boy Scouts, CYO sports and the music ministry at Sacred Heart Church. A retired math teacher, Corona has dedicated his career to public education, and looks forward to continuing to serve the community on the North Merrick board.