Tuesday, June 17, 2025
A half dozen candidates, including three incumbents, are vying for the trio of seats on the Lawrence Board of Education.
Running for his fifth term, Trustee Michael Hatten is being challenged by newcomers Tova Rosenfeld and Aryeh Dicker.
Dr. David Sussman is seeking his 12th consecutive term against challenger Ezra Glass.
Tova Plaut is also seeking re-election for a fifth term, but running unopposed.
All terms are three years.
Hatten, a Cedarhurst resident initially was on the board for one term from 2006 to 2009. He returned in 2013. Hatten is a professional for-profit educator who owns the New York Automotive and Diesel Institute, and has 55 years of post-secondary educational experience.
He said he is looking forward to continuing the relationship he has built with the Lawrence school district.
“We have really an amazing district right now, we’ve built a fiscally-responsible and academically functioning at a prime level,” Hatten said. “We can all be proud of the job that our President and Vice President have done over the years.”
Should he be re-elected, he is to focus on vocational education so students after high school have more opportunities in the job market.
“I think that vocational education can be a deed toward future success and employment opportunities and I’m hoping to work with the guidance counselors at the high school to see what we can do and make sure that our students that our students are aware of all of the possibilities when they graduate,” Hatten said.
Tova Rosenfeld is also a Cedarhurst resident and a licensed CPA for over 20 years. Though she doesn’t have children in the school district, she wants to address concerns about various issues affecting the district.
“I am running to help address concerns and find solutions that benefit the community, issues like the delay in restarting pre-K bussing, the sea wall project and the purchase of a house next to the primary school for $625k have raised questions about transparency and fiscal responsibility,” Rosenfeld wrote in an email.
Her goals, if elected are — bringing back pre-K bussing, expanding universal pre-K to community-wide organizations, insuring transparency around district decisions and focusing on removing waste while optimizing resources to add services and programs without increasing the budget and taxes.
“I’m committed to listening to the community, being transparent about district decisions and working collaboratively to fins solutions that benefit our students, families and taxpayers,” she wrote.
As of press time, Aryeh Dicker declined to address the issues.
Dr. David Sussman, 75, a Lawrence resident and a retired urologist, said he is running again to help ensure the entire district benefits and the education level is ad high as possible.
“The school board does whatever it needs to do for the entire school district, private schools and public schools,” he said. “We are still committed and really pleased with our administrators and do what’s best for everybody.”
As of press time, Ezra Glass declined to address the issues.
Tova Plaut, 55, another Cedarhurst resident, is an instructional coordinator for the NYC Public Schools supporting 23 schools across District 2 in improving instructional practices and outcomes for children. She is running again, she said to continue supporting the children and families in the school district, and to help ensure that all the children are receiving the education and services they deserve.
“I really think there are amazing things that the board has already accomplished yet there’s always more to do and ways to improve,” Plaut said. “I think as we move forward into the new term, supporting students with disabilities is most important to ensure they have appropriate environments in which to learn in the lease restrictive environments.”
The district’s financial health and how it’s success mirrors the community are important to her.
“I am also focused on fiscal responsibility carefully evaluating how our tax dollars are spent to make sure those funds are being used in ways that truly serve our children,” Plaut added. “Most of all, I want to continue building a school system that reflects the values of our community and supports every child’s success.”
Voting on the budget, trustees and propositions takes place on May 20 from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., at the Number Two School, 1 Donahue Ave., Inwood; Lawrence Middle School, 195 Broadway, Lawrence; Lawrence High School, 2 Reilly Road, Cedarhurst; and Atlantic Beach Village hall, 65 The Plaza, Atlantic Beach.
