Best vote on Tuesday is for Tara Hackett

To the Editor:

I’m writing to implore the Rockville Centre Community to vote for Tara Hackett for Rockville Centre education board trustee on Tuesday.

While it’s true she is the incumbent and has six years of experience, these are just details that underscore the fact that she is simply the best person for the job.

An education board trustee has to be someone the community can trust. The person has to have great strength of character, no ulterior motives to serve, and have our children’s best interests in mind.

The person has to understand our district inside and out, be able to form mutually respected relationships, and work collaboratively with all stakeholders.

I know that Tara possesses these qualities because I have watched as a parent, resident and community member alongside of her service. She is level-headed, fair, reasonable and intelligent. She has led with grace and integrity throughout an unprecedented time, and has fully committed herself to our children. I am confident she is the person who best knows what the job entails, and what serving on the school board truly means.

If you look around right now, Rockville Centre schools is on a bright trajectory. Our new superintendent and his cabinet have done an incredible job jumping in with both feet and committing to our district. Now we need to keep them in place so we can keep climbing, and the only way to do that is to elect board members who will support and guide them while fairly questioning and challenging them.

There is no one more capable of doing these things than Tara. We have watched her do it for the last six years.

What struck me the most from the recent candidate dorum was not only Tara’s vast experience and knowledge, but her steadfast focus on the issues at hand. No one knocks her off her game. And yet, despite the curveballs thrown her way, she continued to rise each and every time.

In the end, all I could think of was how lucky our town has been to have someone so dedicated serving on our school board, and how grateful we are that she is willing to serve three more years.

Please vote for stability, experience and trust. Keep our children in mind when you cast your vote. Tara Hackett is their biggest advocate — and will always be.

Michael Mennella
Rockville Centre