HERALD ENDORSEMENT

Madden, Vizza, clear choices for school board

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As the community prepares to vote on a $104 million school budget, residents are also weighing their choices for Board of Education. Four candidates, all newcomers, are running. The Herald endorses Tim Madden, of Sea Cliff, and Lisa Vizza, of Glen Head.

Endorsing Madden was an easy decision. He previously served as a school board trustee in the Northport-East Northport Union Free District, where he learned about how to formulate school policy and collaborate with other trustees. As a social studies teacher for almost 30 years, he knows education.

At a recent Meet the Candidates Night, Madden called himself a “constructivist.” That is, he believes people construct their understanding of the world through experience. As an example of his real-world learning, he cites his work as co-founder of a local online news website, which allows him to keep his pulse on the community.

Vizza, who is a social worker, has served as a leader of the North Shore Special Education PTA and the Coordinating Council of Parent Organizations. She has also contributed to the district’s Legislative Action Committee, Shared Decision-Making Committee and two policy-formulating committees.

Outside the district, she’s a parent representative for the North Shore Coalition Against Substance Abuse and president of the Glenwood Landing-Glen Head Civic Association.

She is also formerly an information systems project director, responsible for managing complex administrative structures.

We are thrilled to see Andrea Macari, of Glen Head, campaigning for trustee, and admire her vision to bring a fresh perspective to the board as a clinical psychologist. While we did not endorse her, we believe her passion for mental health and teaching would suit any one of the district’s policy-making committees.

Sea Cliff resident Anthony Stanco demonstrated character at a recent Meet the Candidates Night. He told it like it was and made it clear why he is running for the school board: to eradicate drug abuse in the district. We are not endorsing him, but believe he would be an asset to the North Shore Coalition Against Substance Abuse.