Uncontested school board races in Lynbrook and East Rockaway set for May 20

Dan Cullen, Lynbrook

Dan Cullen, 51, a biomedical engineering business owner and a Lynbrook resident for over two decades, is running for a seat on the Lynbrook Board of Education. A father of twins who recently graduated from the district, Cullen said he wants to expand career development outside of college preparation and boost community involvement.
“I wanted to maybe lend my expertise or my help in bolstering the already very good program of community service in the schools,” he said.
Cullen sees an opportunity to enhance support for students not following traditional college paths, he said, suggesting stronger trade and vocational options, potentially in partnership with Boards of Cooperative Educational Services.
He said he believes his experience operating a business can ensure that budgeting decisions reflect financial realities.
“You have to make every dollar count to keep your employees employed, and pay benefits,” Cullen said, noting how small-business principles can be valuable at the board level.
Cullen supports parental involvement in school curriculums, but does not advocate any kind of censorship. “I’m not necessarily for doing anything to restrict what’s taught or learned,” he said.
He added that there should be an “equal stance” between parents and schools on curriculum content.
“There’s going to be a learning curve,” Cullen said. “I would kind of sit back and listen and learn and interject when necessary.”

Andrew Lewner, Lynbrook

Attorney Andrew Lewner, 48, is seeking re-election, having served for three years on the Lynbrook board. With two children in the district, he said he brings both parental insight and legal expertise to the role.
“We’re dealing with complex problems, and analyzing them and trying to come up with creative solutions,” Lewner said. “That’s the skill set I try to apply to the issues that come up with the school board.”
He takes pride in having helped the district revise how Regents exam scores are factored into student transcripts, an effort aimed at equity with neighboring districts.
“We had the (lead teacher assistant), the teachers union and the administration. We all worked together,” Lewner said, calling the change a model of collaboration.
He said he remains cautious about top-down state mandates, particularly those affecting curriculum or technology use. “To me, the community decides what’s best for the students, not Albany,” Lewner said. “New York is very heavy-handed in trying to dictate all these things. They’re taking away local control over the schools. I think that’s horrible, personally, and it’s something we need to push back on.”
Lewner said that controversial issues should be taught with age-appropriate discretion and community input. He emphasized the importance of respecting diverse beliefs while maintaining educational integrity.
“They’re our kids during the school day, but they’re not our actual children.”
He said he also wants to ensure that new residents feel welcomed in the community, and able to be a part of long-standing traditions.
“I do think we need to be wary of integrating people who are new and may feel kind of like outsiders,” he said.

Maureen Doyle, East Rockaway

Maureen Doyle, a retired engineer, is seeking re-election to the East Rockaway Board of Education, offering a background in budgeting and a focus on equitable classroom resources.
“I feel I can be an asset to the school district with my understanding of the funding of the budget and my care and concern for our district,” Doyle, who graduated at the junior-senior high school in 1985, said.
Her top issues include ensuring academic excellence, directing more funds to classrooms, and supporting teachers. She said she also supports standardized testing as a benchmarking tool, though she acknowledges its limitations.
“I would like to see a higher percentage of our students taking the exams,” Doyle said. “I see no other way to see how districts are doing with academics.” She added that the iReady system offers helpful performance data.
She said she believes East Rockaway already offers strong support for arts, sports and students with disabilities, and advocates local control over curriculum in alignment with state guidelines. “Any concerns or issues would need to be discussed with school administrators, teachers, parents and BOE,” she said.

Peter McNally, East Rockaway

Peter McNally, a middle school technology teacher and an incumbent East Rockaway trustee, is running for a third term on the board. At 58, McNally has nearly two decades of teaching experience and an understanding of the classroom.
“Mental health for everyone — for the students, for the staff, for everyone involved — is my number one priority,” he said, stressing the importance of emotional well-being in a post-pandemic environment.
McNally pointed to the district’s partnership with Northwell Health as a major achievement during his tenure.
He believes that strong professional development for teachers improves classroom relationships and reduces student stress.
“Education is a people’s business,” he said. “It’s about relationships with people.”
McNally supports maintaining academic programs, and was proud that recent school budgets have not required cutting core offerings.
On hot-button issues like curriculum and race, he said that topics like critical race theory, an academic framework that examines how systemic racism has shaped laws and institutions in the United States, should not be a part of K-12 education.
He said he believes that curriculum should focus on topics that students will fully understand.

Where to vote
The Lynbrook budget vote and trustee election will take place from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on May 20. Residents north of Sunrise Highway can vote at North Middle School, on Merrick Road. Those living between Sunrise Highway and Scranton Avenue can vote at Lynbrook High School, on Union Avenue. Residents south of Scranton Avenue can vote at South Middle School, on Union Avenue.
Voting in East Rockaway will take place at the East Rockaway Junior-Senior High School, on Ocean Avenue, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.