Meet Wantagh's 2020 Board of Education candidates

Tara Cassidy

Tara Cassidy, 46, a Wantagh resident since 2008, is currently running for one of the two open seats in the Wantagh School District Board of Education.

“As a board member, you need to be very in tune to the public,” she said. “The children are the most important thing. But I think being a member of the board of education is a delicate balance. We need to keep our district affordable and keep open up lines of communication.”

Cassidy’s eldest child, Randy Reif, graduated from Wantagh High School last year. She also has an eighth-grade daughter Abigail Reif. Cassidy is a certified public accountant and works at the Tin Box Company of America Inc. in Farmingdale. She is also a member of the Wantagh 6-12 Association and former member of the Wantagh Elementary School PTA. She is also a coordinator for the Wantagh Arrows Youth Cheerleading League.

Although unsuccessful in her attempt at a Board of Education seat a year ago, Cassidy became a member of the Wantagh School District Audit Committee, which she said truly expanded her understanding of district-specific finances.

“Being a part of the Audit Committee really gave me some unique insight on school financial statements and how our financial position is, the fund balances, things of that nature. I believe that will benefit me in this upcoming election.”

Cassidy said that one of her focuses is on the district’s fiscal stress score, which she said is a factor on the area’s housing prices.

Elizabeth Guber

Elizabeth Guber, 44, is the current Wantagh School District Board of Education President. This year marks the end of Guber’s first three-year term and is looking to seek re-election.

“It’s been kind of a weird approach. This is unlike anything we’ve encountered in the past campaigning traditionally. Given everyone’s predicament, it’s tough to reach out to community members.”

Along with being Board President for three years, Guber has served as a member on the Audit Committee as well. “I’m a business owner myself,” she said.

Guber owns G&M Tax and Accounting in Lake Success. She said that there were a few areas of improvement that she felt needed addressing on the board.

“When I first started, I advocated for further enhancing our district. One thing I championed was to seek out community feedback through community surveys. Our administration and teachers collected the feedback. We developed goals and strategies from there. I think that is one of the great things our district has done in the past few years.”

Guber added that she wants to focus the conversation on mental health, especially after students return to the school buildings next school year.

“Although we have done a lot, mental health is going to be the next piece we will need to further advance.”

Adam Fisher

Adam Fisher, 38, of Wantagh just finished his first term as a Trustee on the Wantagh School District Board of Education and is seeking a second term.

Fisher graduated from nearby John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore and attended SUNY Binghamton. He then graduated with a degree in Law from the Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School in New York City.

Fisher is a professional attorney and CPA, and works at Frankel, Loughran, Starr & Vallone LLP in Garden City.

“I am running on the idea of positive change for the district. There is a lot of visibility to incoming college graduates. One of the things we really needed was an updated and modified approach. The world has evolved so much since I graduated from high school, and I want the district to keep changing with it.”

Fisher said that he has been happy with some of the progress that has been made in the district in the past few years.

“There have been upgrades to classes, revamps at middle school, block scheduling. We’ve made great progress, but its more than just a three-year process,” he said. “Also, prior to joining the board, there was a lot of concern that there was a lack of transparency. Community surveys were big. There’s more of that that needs to come.”

Fisher also said he has seen the need for renovations and capital projects, and he aims to continue to work towards those district goals.