Q: Tell me a little about your background and your ties to Elmont.
My husband, Michael and I moved to Elmont in 1998, and we proudly raised our daughter, Morgan, through the Elmont and Sewanhaka school districts. I have dedicated much of my time to serving our community, including six years on the Elmont School Board, three years on the Sewanhaka Central High School District Board, and more than fifteen years in various PTA leadership roles. My commitment to advocating for children and families extends beyond the schools. I have served as Treasurer of the Elmont PAL and held multiple leadership positions with the Argo Civic Association and the Girl Scouts of Nassau County. Supporting children, families, and the broader community has always been one of my greatest passions and continues to inspire my public service.
Q: What drew you to run for the school board?
One of the existing board members had asked me to run when there was a vacancy because one of the trustees was moving out of the community. So, I was just asked to do it. I didn't have any I felt like I was already serving the community. All the things that I was doing in my persistent volunteering with Girl Scouts, because my daughter was a Girl Scout, volunteering with PAL and doing other things. I really do enjoy the work.
Q: How do you think events like the district’s recent STEM festival are helping make STEM education more accessible and engaging for students?
The school does have STEM programs. We just enhanced our science curriculum, and we do have the STEM program for four or grades four, five and six, but as a trustee, we don't get involved in that level. We support those initiatives, but it's the superintendent and the teaching staff that really implement them. I think that it's never too early to start learning about science and technology. So, I support them at all grades, not just the younger grades.
Q: Are there any specific goals, initiatives or changes you would like to see the school district focus on moving forward?
We are on a good trajectory right now with the things that we're accomplishing, I would love to see us at the elementary level, finish up the construction for the bond work. In 2021 the community approved a $52 million bond, and we've been doing work in all six of the buildings to that. I'd love to see that be completed. There's always updating instruction to be done, but I can't wait for that work to be completed. And you know, our buildings are modernized as far as the high school, because I do serve on both boards the high school, we do have some capital projects going on there. At the end of this bond project for the Kindergarten through six schools, we will have air conditioning and all the buildings. I would love to see something like that at the high school level. We haven't gotten to that point yet. I think that the children are more comfortable, and they learn better when they're in cooler classrooms.
Q: What are some ways to ensure that parents, teachers and students have meaningful input in board decisions?
One way to ensure meaningful input is through strong and consistent communication between district leadership and the community. Our superintendent, Marlon Small, meets regularly with employee unions and PTA units and maintains a visible presence by visiting district buildings daily. These ongoing conversations give parents, teachers, staff, and students opportunities to share concerns, ideas, and feedback directly with district leadership. That input is then communicated to the board and helps inform board discussions and decision-making. Creating open lines of communication and encouraging community engagement are essential to making sure all stakeholders feel heard and represented.
