Herald Editorial

Support incumbents in Oceanside, Island Park school board races

Posted

In this year’s Oceanside and Island Park school elections, all Board of Education races are uncontested. We believe that is because people are generally happy with the quality of education district children are receiving.

In Oceanside, Trustees Robert Transom and Michael D’Ambrosio are running unopposed, while Trustee Tara Byrne is running in Island Park.

Transom, D’Ambrosio and Byrne all volunteer their time and are dedicated to helping their school districts thrive. They are not compensated for their efforts, yet they care enough about their community to run for another term. The community, in turn, should show respect for their work by voting for them.

Transom, 65, is a 30-year resident of Oceanside and the father of three Ocean-side High School alumni. He has been on the board since 1998, and has also shown his dedication to the hamlet by volunteering — as the president of Oceanside Community Service Inc., post commander of the American Legion Memorial Post No. 1246, and formerly as president of the Kiwanis Club. He said he planned to listen to the community’s needs before implementing changes in his next term on the board.

D’Ambrosio, 61, has lived in Oceanside for nearly 40 years, and served on the school board for six. As a father of three, he has made attending his children’s school events a priority. He is also the chairman of TOPSoccer, an outreach program for children with special needs, and serves on the boards of various community organizations, including the Kiwanis, Oceanside Community Service Inc., the Oceanside Department of Community Activities, St. Anthony’s Pastoral Council and the Knights of Columbus. He works for the Nassau County Parks Department and his family’s hardwood flooring business. He said he would place a strong emphasis on mental health support and school safety as he seeks another term.

Byrne, 54, an Island Park resident for 17 years, has previously served on the PTA board as president and recording secretary. She has been on the school board since 2013, and works at an insurance agency. She also advocates for students with disabilities, and said she aimed to support leadership development for teachers in her next term.

On Tuesday, show your support by voting for these trustees, who have dedicated so much time to helping students reach their potential.