Countdown to North Shore Schools election begins

More than 30 residents attended Meet the Candidates Night at North Shore High School on Tuesday. With two open seats on the North Shore Schools Board of Education and three candidates running, community members had the chance to meet them face to face. Incumbent Joanna Commander is running for re-election against first-time candidates Cheryl Brown and Richard Galati. Trustee Lara Gonzalez is not seeking another term.

The forum was hosted by the North Shore Schools Coordinated Parents’ Council and moderated by the League of Women Voters of Nassau County. The vote on next year’s school budget, and the trustees, is May 16.

Residents’ questions touched on a number of topics, including current challenges in public education, class curriculums and the types of testing that would best suit the district. They also asked about ways to improve students’ quality of learning. A recurring subject was the use and effectiveness of the International Baccalaureate program, compared with the Advanced Placement program.

Natasha Gordon, of Sea Cliff, and several other attendees asked the candidates for their thoughts on the district’s current use of I.B., which was introduced to juniors and seniors at the high school during the 2015-16 school year. While all three candidate said they supported the program, they each had a different take on it.

“I believe that it’s the gold standard for learning,” said Brown, who teaches first grade in the Islip School District. “Students are really asked to think more carefully with I.B. instead of just answering multiple-choice questions. I.B. focuses more on the process rather than the product.”

Commander, who was first elected to the board in 2014, said that the benefits of the IB program stay with students after they finish high school. “I think our children are being taught great thinking skills that will serve them as they enter their adult lives,” she said. “As far as testing goes, we need to have a way to assess our students towards where they are going and how well they are doing.”

Galati, a former high school science teacher at North Shore, said he would continue to support the program but he would like to add a few changes to the current curriculum.

“The IB program gives plenty of opportunities to fully evaluate students but I would like the option of AP to still be in place,” he said. “There are some students who would like to take more courses in the IB program but it’s limiting in terms of some of the electives.”

As for changes in the district, Commander would like to see more socialization between people who have different outlooks on the community. “I think it would be great to see these people come together in an environment where everybody feels like they can trust each other to settle our differences,” she said.

Galati explained that the changes he would like to see implemented involve the expansion of opportunities for children, both in and outside of the classroom. He once again placed an emphasis on the inclusion of the AP program in the district’s curriculum. “I think our students deserve the opportunity to have that choice between IB and AP,” he said. “We have a high school that’s touted as being self-select so I would like to promote those values. I think that could certainly be done within the budgetary constraints.”

Candidates were also asked to describe the qualities of a great board member and the legacy they plan to leave behind if they are elected or re-elected.

“I hope to leave as my legacy that I had the reputation of being fair, honest, responsible, hardworking, and I always put the kids first,” Galati said. “I think the prime goal here is we want to do what’s best for our children.”

Brown agreed with Galati’s comments and added that transparency between the school district and its community is essential. “I’m always going to be honest, I’m always going to do the work, and I’m always going exercise due diligence to find the answers,” she said.

Commander would like to be remembered for raising the standards of her community and improving the social and emotional health of students in the district. “If there is less substance abuse in the community and children start to live a healthier lifestyle, I would feel that I have accomplished what I set out to do,” she said.

During next month’s trustee election, residents will also have an opportunity to vote on the 2017-2018 school budget proposal.