NORTH SHORE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEET THE CANDIDATES - OPENING STATEMENTS

JOANNA COMMANDER

Good evening. 

Thank you so much for taking the time to participate in this very important process and particularly at a time when our district faces many issues. I want to especially thank my family for their support of this endeavor.

Our goal should always be to have as many different voices be part of the conversation-the decisions we make that will impact every child and every homeowner in our community. I am a firm believer that it  is through thoughtful and respectful conversation that we resolve our differences.

I have been a resident of Glen Head for 8 years. 

I have no children in the district, but as I have the opportunity tonight and over the next several weeks to share who I am and what I’ve done, I hope you will be convinced of my passion for the development and well being of our children as well as my appreciation that we must embrace fiscal responsibility. 

I am retired. 

In my previous life I was an educator for 33 years

I was a teacher and a coach for 15 years before spending the next 18 years as the Director of Health, Physical Education and Athletics for the Lynbrook and Harborfields School District.  

Following my retirement I became an adjunct professor at Adelphi University, School of Education and then moved to Hofstra to coordinate the student teaching program for the department of Health Services and Kinesiology.

I have served the community as a member of the and Superintendent’s Advisory Committee and am a member of the North Shore Athletics Booster Club.

Throughout my tenure in education I have served in significant leadership roles for my school districts, the county and the state.  I have a track record for being innovative and creative while honing a skill set of consensus building and mediation and problem solving.

I believe my experiences have provided me with great insights to help us in reaching the quality and success we all desire.  We know we have many challenges that face us: standardized testing, new program implementation and their respective costs and a tax burden that has frightened all of us.

I am a tireless advocate for children.

It is my hope that tonite I will have an opportunity to share my thoughts and vision for our school and community.  Thank you.

LARA GONZALEZ

Good evening! Thank you to the League of Women Voters and the North Shore Coordinating Council for hosting this event and for giving me the opportunity to explain why I am asking for your vote for Board of Education Trustee.

The word courage comes from the Latin word for heart and the original meaning of courage was the ability to speak from the heart and that is what I will do this evening. My name is Lara Gonzalez and I am a twelve year resident of Sea Cliff. My husband, John, and I have three children – a tenth grader, a fifth grader and a kindergartener. Next year we will have a child at each level – elementary, middle and high school. I have been a parent in this district for eleven years and intend to be here for at least the next twelve until our kindergartener graduates from North Shore High School in 2026.

I am passionate advocate for public education. For the past five years, I have served as a school supervisor. Prior to that transition to school leadership, I was a full time teacher at the secondary level. Currently, I supervise Social Studies and Career & Technical Education in grades kindergarten to 12th grade in Oyster Bay – East Norwich Schools. On a daily basis, I interact with students, teachers, parents, other supervisors, building principals, Central Administration, and community members. One of my strengths is bringing together different groups of people and coming to consensus on what is in the best interest of our students and the community. As Trustee, I would bring those skills to our district.

As Supervisor, I am responsible for ensuring that the district’s vision in Oyster Bay – East Norwich is realized. The district vision in Oyster Bay is to maximize students’ potential in a cost effective way. We have worked to do more with less. I have worked with the PTAs in Oyster Bay to bring special programs to students and collaborated on grants to enrich our curriculum. I have forged partnerships with organizations including the National Parks Service, and reached out to local businesses to create an internship program for High School students. I have worked with Nassau BOCES to add a new Business course for our students at the High School and more. As Trustee, I would bring those experiences to our district.

I am passionate about public service. As a public servant, I am accustomed to serving all constituencies in the district I work in.  As your Trustee, I will work on behalf of the entire district – not just one geographic area or group of people. My interest in serving on the School Board transcends a single issue. My motivation for running for School Board is based on a desire to give back to the community in the best way that I can, to share my expertise and create, with your support, a world-class school system that we can afford. Let us together have the courage to engage in difficult conversations and to discuss openly what matters most to us as a North Shore community.

I look forward to your questions.

ROB MAZZELLA

Thank you Judy! When I was talking to my wife about what I should do to make me stand out, my 8 year old daughter shouted from the other room “just stand up, daddy – you’re taller than everyone!”

My wife and I have lived in Glen Head for 11 years.  We have a son in Fifth Grade and a daughter in Third Grade at Glenwood Landing Elementary School.  We also have two nieces in the district and a third who graduated from the district several years ago.

Over the last couple of years, I have become very active in the area.  I helped reactivate the North Shore Acres Civic Association because we needed to raise money for a new sign.  We have kept the Association active in an attempt to stay involved in what was going on around town.  As a member of the Glen Head – Glenwood Civic Council, I have been helping with issues such as the condition/status of the Sunoco property, the closing of the Glenwood Landing Power Plant, outrageous water company bills, and the possibility of obtaining an artificial turf field at the community center.

I have also become very involved with the North Shore School District by regularly attending School Board meetings and informational presentations for the last two years.  I was on the recent Bond Committee and am currently serving on the Superintendent’s Advisory Council.

As someone who hopes to be a community member for many years to come, I really would like to help the North Shore School District area remain an amazing, affordable place to live for future generations.  Therefore, I believe it is imperative that the children of the North Shore School District continue to receive a top quality education with access to first rate extra-curricular activities.

I believe that my background planning, developing, and executing Marketing plans, managing extremely large budgets, and auditing Fortune 500 companies in my days as a C.P.A., all help make me extremely qualified to serve on the Board.  If elected, I will be an effective and passionate advocate for all segments of the community – parents, teachers, seniors, local businesses and, most importantly, the children!!!

Thank you for your time and consideration.  I hope you all spread the word about the election and vote – hopefully for me!

I am eager to answer questions as long as they are not common core Math problems.  My son said not many people would laugh but I promised I would say it for him anyway!!!