RSS Feed
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
Three seats open on Deer Park School Board; two incumbents not running
Running unopposed for Oddo's seat is Frank Wilkenson and three candidates are seeking Young's seat: Joe Salamoni, Tracy Robinson, and Keith Rooney. Elections are Tuesday, May 15. John Gouskos Gouskos said he is seeking reelection because he has enjoyed his work on the board and would like to continue serving the Deer Park community. A lifetime resident and a member on the District's Audit Control team, he also chairs the board's budget and finance committee. Gouskos is a Vice President at JP Morgan Chase, National Merger Integration Program Management with a 20-year career in finance. His objectives include improving student achievement with emphasis on State Standardize testing implementing solutions that are aligned with the results of the district transportation analysis. Gouskos would also like to enhance communication with the community and the Board of Education.
Louis Stone Hertzog, Jr. Hertzog, Jr., a ten-year resident of Deer Park, has two daughters who have graduated from Deer Park High School . A substitute teacher for the past six years, he is retired from the New York City Corrections Department. If elected, he said he would focus on bringing equity in education to all students in the district, monitor in a district's budget closely and reaching out to the community. "I want to shake things up real good," he said. Keith Rooney Rooney graduated Deer Park High School and earned an Associate's degree from Suffolk Community College and studied finance at Long Island University. He served in the US Marines, and has been married 15 years. He and his wife Kathy have three children who currently attend the Deer Park School District. He also volunteers as the coach to the Deer Park Little League baseball and soccer team is a member of the Knights of Columbus and St. Cyril & Methodious R.C. Church in Deer Park. If elected, Rooney said he would look to improve the efficiency and cut costs with energy conservation use those savings for educational programs and initiatives. He is also looking to tighten up the school security to keep the children and staff safer. Joe Salamoni Salamoni, a nine-year resident of Deer Park said he'd like to serve on the board and would focus on finding ways to cut costs and reduce spending as well as enhance school security. In addition, he said he would work to form a stronger bond between the board and the community. "There is a disconnect between the board and the community," he said, pointing out that better communication will result in getting the public more involved in school board meetings, where the regular business of the district takes place. As a student in the district, Salamoni was involved with the sitebased management team, helped to write school policies. After graduation, he attended Suffolk Community College and is planning to attend Stony Brook University to study Political Science. Tracy Robinson a five year resident of Deer Park wants an eclectic school system. She wants to bring about a proactive vision into the district by overseeing policy and procedures that are affective and do what is best for the children without burdening the tax payers. This is Robinson's second try at running for a seat on the board, the first time she ran three years ago for a trustee seat and lost by only 300 votes. Robinson is an elementary school teacher/literacy specialist in Suffolk County. She earned a Bachelor degree in Psychology and a Masters from Long Island University in Literacy in Education. She will face head on the challenges of increasing academic performance and test driven. "This will be an improvement in the long term." Robinson stated. Another challenge is showing where the tax money goes when the money is asked for in advance. She feels that using tax payer's money is justified for teacher's salaries and improvements. "We don't see where the tax money is spent." Robinson added. Frank Willkenson did not return phone calls for an interview.
Trustees are volunteers and serve without any financial compensation.
|
for larger version       Ads have a Patent Pending. Click Here for More Information |
||||||||||||||||||||
