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TBR News Media covers everything happening on the North Shore of Suffolk County from Cold Spring Harbor to Wading River.

By Chris Mellides

Shoreham-Wading River Central School District

Shoreham-Wading River High School will serve as the polling site for this year’s school budget and board of education election. File photo

The proposed budget to be voted on is $83 million, an increase of 2.87% and a tax levy hike of 1.70%, within the district’s limit. There will also be a Proposition No. 2 on capital projects of $2,898,040 with no tax levy increase.

Incumbents Thomas Sheridan and Meghan Tepfenhardt are running unopposed for reelection as trustee candidates.

Only Sheridan responded to a request for interview. He has been serving on the board of education for the past three years. His dedication to the district comes from a determined perspective to help ensure that his school district continues to build on its accomplishments and to better enable it to be recognized and celebrated for its points of pride. Sheridan said that the biggest challenge facing Shoreham-Wading River is the commitment from New York State to continue its funding for the district’s schools.  

The budget vote and board of education elections will be held Tuesday, May 17, at gym from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

Mount Sinai Union Free School District 

The proposed budget of $63.8 million with a 2.02% increased tax rate, does not exceed the tax cap. District funds are being earmarked for renovations, replacements and upgrading infrastructure. 

Mount Sinai Elementary School will serve as the polling site. File photo

Voters will be asked to vote for any two of the four candidates on the ballot, who are Alice Samantha Dreyer, Alexis Fliller, John Hnat and Anthony Mangione. Incumbents AnneMarie Henninger and Lisa Pfeffer (incumbent) are not seeking reelection. Only Dreyer and Mangione responded to requests for interviews. 

Alice Samantha Dreyer

Dreyer is a first-time candidate running for a seat on the board of education. A doctor of psychology, Dreyer’s focus if elected will be on mental health, as it relates to the rise of depression, anxiety and suicidality among students nationwide. Dreyer sees the importance in recognizing the needs of her district’s students and believes in inclusivity when it comes to students of all ability levels. She said that the biggest challenge facing her district stems from the COVID-19 pandemic and its ill effects on students’ learning and anxiety levels. Dreyer hopes to see her district continue to provide a broad-based, foundational education for all its students. 

Anthony Mangione

Mangione has never sat on the Mount Sinai board of education. The first-timer said that a large group of local residents take to social media to and ask why their voices aren’t being heard. This is the driving force behind what made Mangione run. His goal is to reverse the loss of learning that school students experienced while learning remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, Mangione promises to fight to end or prevent unfunded or underfunded mandates. 

The budget vote and board of education elections will be held Tuesday, May 17, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Mount Sinai Elementary School.

Rocky Point Union Free School District

The proposed budget to be voted on totals $88 million, an increase of 2.72%. Voters will also be asked to elect two trustees. The candidate receiving the highest number of votes will fill the seat for three years and the second seat will fill the seat immediately following the election, expiring June 30, 2023. 

The following candidate information was obtained from the district’s website.

Nick Contes

Contes has been a Rocky Point resident for the past 15 years, has two daughters in the school district and is risk and insurance manager at Henry Schein. Contes and his family have contributed to an array of local youth programs, including soccer, tee-ball and cheerleading. He has openly spoken at many BOE meetings and is an advocate for parental choice, improved school lunches and highlighting areas of cost savings for the district. 

Nicole Kelly 

Kelly is a Rocky Point resident and mother of a child attending Rocky Point High School. As a senior administrator at Brookhaven National Laboratory, her work experience includes project management, contract administration and compliance on the state and federal levels. She’s been critical in implementing various interactive events within the district to enhance learning and opportunity for students of all ages. If elected, Kelly plans to include increased strategic planning, safety and security for increased community communication. 

Jason Ford 

Ford has been a community member for 10 years and a father of three children who attend Rocky Point schools. Ford serves full time in hospitality management and volunteers his time throughout the community. He is an active PTA member as well as being a baseball coach for St. Anthony’s CYO and is a volunteer for both North Shore Little League and Rocky Point Youth Soccer Club. Ford would like to work collaboratively with fellow board members, teachers and administrators to provide the best education for the district’s students and be a voice for the community during these challenging times. His goal is to help bridge the gap between parents and educators. 

Susan Sullivan 

Incumbent trustee Sullivan has been a resident of Rocky Point for 37 years and retired from the district after serving as a teacher and administrator for a total of 40 years. She holds a B.A. in education, a master’s in liberal studies and a master’s in education. Sullivan said that it has been an honor to serve on the board for the past nine years. She looks forward to continuing as a trustee, representing the entire community, keeping in mind that she serves as one of a team. Sullivan will work together with her fellow trustees to offer an educational program that supports the needs of all students and is mindful of the fiscal responsibility to the community. 

Erin Walsh

A veteran of the U.S. Army Reserve, catechist, PTA volunteer and legal secretary, Walsh has recently completed her paralegal qualifications to bolster her advocacy and knowledge in law. Walsh, a 14-year Rocky Point resident and mother of two, looks forward to serving the students and families of the district through transparency and communication along with parental involvement in the schools. She focuses on making certain that every dollar in the budget delivers enthusiastic learning along with smaller class sizes, while eliminating administrative waste in her district. 

Susan Wilson 

Wilson is a retired teacher and administrator who has been part of the Rocky Point community since the 1960s. She is a married mother of two local Point graduates. She holds a B.A. in accounting, an M.A. in liberal studies/technology and an advanced degree certificate in educational leadership. She has served on the boards of the PTA, Rocky Point Civic Association and the North Shore Beach Property Owners Association. Wilson’s goals will be to continue being an advocate for a nine-period day, while also supporting districtwide improvements with a focus on increasing the graduation rate. She also seeks out perspectives on the issues helping in her consideration of the financial impacts of the budget on the taxpayer. She supports decisions that have the interests of the school community at heart.  

Rocky Point High School will serve as the polling site. File photo

The budget vote and board of education elections will be held Tuesday, May 17, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Rocky Point High School. 

Photo by Fred Drewes

Fred Drewes of Mount Sinai submitted this lovely photo on May 3. He writes, “The lilac shrubs in my yard have bloomed in time for Mother’s Day for 53 years. I’ve had the pleasure to cut bouquets and present these fragrant flowers to mothers of my life. Cutting lilacs from my own yard and presenting them to “Mom” makes the day a special celebration, as it should be.”

Send your Photo of the Week to [email protected]

File photo

By Chris Mellides

Ahead of the May 17 budget vote and board of education election, Northport-East Northport school district’s current trustees, along with a new contender, see a promising future for their community. 

Larry Licopoli

There are three open seats on the Northport-East Northport school board that will be filled later this month. Incumbents — current president Larry Licopoli, Allison Noonan and Thomas Loughran — have competition from Nassau County police officer Frank Labate. 

 Several issues are at play in the district from the Long Island Power Authority glide path woes, to declining student enrollment and unfinished learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, the candidates said they are resolute in their student-centric focus.

“While one answer is to protect our fiscal ability to preserve our programs by balancing the LIPA glide path, declining enrollment, anticipated increases in state aid and potential expense side reductions, the essential answer for a board and community is to always keep our eyes on the prize — our students,” Licopoli said. 

The proposed 2022-23 budget is $177,856,084, which represents a budget-to-budget increase of 1.81%. The tax levy increase is 0.61%, which involves an additional sum to average taxpayers of $49.79. 

There have been no tax levy increases for the last two successive fiscal years, according to Licopoli. 

“This year’s 0.61% increase on the [proposed] levy includes very modest reductions relative to overall staffing and shifts resources focusing on student needs,” he said. “We accomplished this through a revised educational planning and budget protocol, adding more detail and transparency for the board and community to consider.”

A significant portion of the funds have been allocated to the maintenance of the district’s aging buildings. There is also a large emphasis being placed on educational and extracurricular opportunities, the continuity of World Languages from grade five into grade six, along with increased physical education staffing in the elementary schools.

Allison Noonan

Additionally, there will be an increased access to the district’s alternative high school Program of Resilient Teens Academy and a focus on students’ mental health through a partnership with Northwell Health. Educational and extracurricular opportunities are also being championed by the district. 

The budget also includes monies for continued instructional technology upgrades including interactive display panels in classrooms.

TBR conducted interviews with the four BOE candidates

Trustee Noonan said that she has had a very positive experience over the past year and is “excited to continue working on the board’s goals.” She, like the other board members, knows the importance of mental health when it comes to the district’s students and claims that a huge challenge facing the district is the students’ emotional well-being. 

“It will be imperative for us to offer a multilevel, interdisciplinary support system that includes an emphasis on educational and emotional wellness for all of our students for the foreseeable future,” Noonan said.    

Trustee Loughran believes in the effectiveness of the board and said that from “day one” — when he was sworn in — he “hit the ground running at 100 mph.” 

He also expressed the difficulties that he had to contend with when he became a board member, during which time he helped deal with a failing roof system at one of the district’s elementary schools, which resulted in the “complete reconstruction and relocation of two grade levels.”

Thomas Loughran

Loughran said he didn’t believe there were any problems with the budget.

“This budget is the right budget for our community,” he said. “It further enhances opportunities for students and provides resources to help bridge the gap left in so many students’ social-emotional development because of disruptions over the past two-and-a-half years.”

Labate said he is running because he wants to see changes made to his district. The 30-year-old police officer is a current East Northport resident and is a father of two. He said that the main reason for running in the BOE election is because he was asked by local residents to do so.

Northport parents didn’t think that their views were being represented in the district., so the young candidate has taken the initiative. “I believe in my values, and I believe that they are worth fighting for right now,” he said. 

Labate, who if elected will be the youngest trustee to ever serve on the board, recalled a recent BOE meeting where Licopoli sided with the New York State mask mandate for all students. Labate chose to “disagree with that moral choice.”

“Never again should children suffer because our local leaders didn’t stand up for what was right,” Labate said. “I will deliver a devotion to our children as our highest moral standard, and the values of this community will guide me in that pursuit.”

Frank Labate

As a law enforcement officer, Labate said that he deals with New York State law every day and firmly understands policy and how it shapes the community. 

“We learn in the police academy that if you find yourself in a fight, you never give up,” he said. “I will never give up when it comes to protecting our children and affording them the educational experience that they deserve.”

Still, Noonan reflected all the candidates’ agreement that Northport school district is well placed when she said, “I think the future for Northport is going to be with the new families moving to our community because of the school district’s opportunities and our willingness to embrace everyone in our community and schools — by creating a culture of care and dignity for all.”

Voting information

Voting will be held on Tuesday, May 17, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. at three different polling locations. For details see district website.

File photo by Rita J. Egan

By Amanda Olsen

Kings Park Central School District residents will vote on the 2022-23 budget and select two school board trustees when they head to the polls Tuesday, May 17.

Trustees Pam DeFord and Dan Tew are not seeking reelection, so two seats are up for election. These seats are at large, meaning voters can select any two candidates.

The budget for next year is $102.24 million, an increase of 1.94% over last year. This will result in a 2.99% tax levy increase, or $23.39 more per year for the average taxpayer. This includes a state aid package of approximately 19%. 

The budget allocates additional mental health resources, including an additional high school social worker and a regional behavioral health center for students. It maintains all sports, extracurricular clubs and activities. The funding also ensures each elementary school has a full-time librarian. It increases cybersecurity protections, internet filtering and security cameras, and supports the vehicle fleet, including the purchase of two new large gas buses, one smaller gas bus and one dump truck. 

There are also some cuts. From a staffing/teacher perspective, the district is reducing by three elementary teachers and three secondary teaching equivalents. This reduction is to adjust for declining enrollment, according to the district. 

Douglas Cerrato

Douglas Cerrato

Cerrato became more involved with the school district during remote learning. He is a financial adviser in Huntington village and this is his first time running for the school board. Cerrato is seeking more transparency in how the board is run and interacts with the community. He believes his experience and understanding of budgets will be an asset to the board. The candidate views himself as impartial and unencumbered by relationships with outside organizations. 

According to Cerrato, Kings Park has too many administrators when compared to neighboring districts serving more children.

“Enrollment is down 30 percent [over the last 10 years], but [in the same period] the budget is up 30%,” Cerrato said.

He outlined a plan to streamline administration by possibly eliminating positions and redirecting those funds.

“The goal is to reduce the administrative budget by $1 million, and redistribute the funds saved to front-line employees,” he said.

Cerrato also wants to form resident-led and parent-led steering committees that will increase community input and have a net-neutral or net-positive impact on the budget. He hopes to bring the average cost to educate a student [$28,411] down to the county average [$25,638] and reduce reliance on state aid. He plans to follow the desires of the community when it comes to mandates and divisive curriculum decisions.

Jaime Lelle

Jaime Lelle

Lelle is the mother of three boys, a parent and alumnus of Kings Park school district. She has been in an administrative role as the pediatric nurse educator of Stony Brook Children’s for the last two years and was a bedside pediatric nurse for the previous 14 years. She believes this career has made her a strong advocate and an effective listener. Her job often involves performing reviews and revisions of policies and procedures. 

“I believe I can provide those same skills to the Kings Park board of education creating a more just and fair representation of the community at large, while providing the appropriate checks and balances in decision making, ” she said. 

Lelle believes the biggest issue with the district currently is transparency and representation. Some of her plans to address this need are developing an electronic system to gather feedback from the parents and community, and establishing policies focusing on communication would provide more transparency and address issues in an appropriate timeframe.

When it comes to the budget, Lelle wants to reduce the scope of the administrative costs.

“I believe the budget can be reduced with a smart strategic comprehensive review with either a net-neutral or net-positive impact on the students and community,” she said. “Looking at the budget and district through a lens of the private sector will bring in negotiation and competition by going out to market, therefore reducing the costs and overall budget.”

Patrick Hanley

Patrick Hanley

 Hanley has resided in the district for 15 years, has three children attending schools in the district and is section manager in electric operations for Con Edison. 

“I welcome the opportunity to help progress the district,” he said. “This would be a meaningful way to serve my community and make a difference.” 

In his current position at Con Edison, Hanley has been heavily involved in budgets, personnel and general management, skills he believes will benefit the district going forward. 

“There are some communication gaps that need to be addressed,” he said. “The last couple of years have been a real challenge. We need to connect with people on a personal level and get out beyond the board meeting.”

To that end, he said he plans to reach out to and engage with parents and civic organizations in the district for input. 

When addressing the budget, Hanley said he planned to be sensitive.

“There’s a lot of pressure,” he said. “We need responsible management to make sure we get the most value.”

Shala Pascucci

Shala Pascucci

She has been a resident of Kings Park school district for 22 years and has two children in Kings Park schools. She holds a master’s degree in social work and is both a social worker and a certified secondary education teacher.

Pascucci is a founding member of Kings Park Advocates for Education, a board member of the Smithtown Youth Bureau and sits on the New York State Allies for Public Education and Long Island Opt Out steering committees. 

She is also co-president of the Kings Park Robotics Club.

Pascucci was not available for an interview before press time. According to her campaign website, she “started advocating for whole-child learning almost 10 years ago because I hated the idea that education was moving in the direction of treating kids like they were no more than standardized test scores.”

Her website also states, “My goal is to help the community and our district heal, regroup and focus back on our kids and their education.”

Voter information

Cerrato and Lelle are campaigning together, so are Hanley and Pascucci.

Voting takes place on May 17 between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. at Kings Park High School back gymnasium, 200 Route 25A.

Candidates are vying for two seats on the Board of Education.  Each seat is for a term of three years, commencing July 1, 2022. Voters registered with the Suffolk County Board of Elections can vote on the budget and candidates.

Pixabay photo

The warm weather is here, which means more people will be out walking, many with their furry best friends.

It’s important to remember to keep your dog on a leash, whether when walking down the street, in a park or along the beach. Some may think that their dog is friendly and wouldn’t hurt a fly — and they may be right — but that doesn’t mean that other dogs share the same demeanor.

It’s important to note that dogs are territorial. In the April 28 Ask the Vet column by Dr. Matthew Kearns, the veterinarian explained that the animals are hardwired to protect their territory. If they feel threatened, they will feel the need to defend themselves. Certain movements may also trigger them.

Dogs can hurt other animals and humans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are an estimated 4.5 million dog bites to people every year in the U.S. Dog bites can lead to a need for medical care and even fatalities.

It’s also possible for a dog off-leash to chase after smaller critters. The chase could lead to danger to wildlife and animals running out into busy streets. It’s also healthier for dogs to be walked with a leash as it lessens the chances of them engaging with other dogs, which can increase the spread of diseases such as distemper, and they are less likely to sniff droppings from other animals.

Plus, if your dog does get away from you, the leash signals that it belongs to someone, and the person who finds the pet knows to first look for a collar and ID.

Walking your dog on a leash also shows courtesy to your neighbors as pet owners have more control over where their dog goes when they have a hold on them. The lawn down the road is not your dog’s bathroom.

Speaking of dogs and bathrooms, remember to bring a bag with you while walking your dog to clean up any mess they may make.

With just a little care, dogs, humans and other animals can enjoy the great outdoors together and lessen the dangers that can occur.

Mango Souffle

Mothers selflessly devote themselves to their children from infancy into adulthood. A mother’s love never wanes, and she’s always ready and willing to step in and put her children first. Mother’s Day is a great chance for men, women and children to honor the special women in their lives.

Delicious homemade treats can show mothers just how much they’re appreciated and adored. Try this tasty recipe for Cold Mango Soufflés Topped with Toasted Coconut from “The Complete Mexican, South American & Caribbean Cookbook” (Metro Books) by Jane Milton, Jenni Fleetwood and Marina Filippelli

Cold Mango Soufflé

Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 small mangoes, peeled, pitted, chopped

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon powdered gelatine

2 egg yolks

1⁄2 cup superfine sugar

1⁄2 cup milk

11⁄4 cups heavy cream

Grated rind of one orange

Toasted flaked or coarsely shredded coconut, to decorate

Directions:

Place a few pieces of mango in the base of each of four 2⁄3-cup ramekins. Wrap a creased collar of nonstick parchment paper around the outside of each dish, extending well above the rim. Secure with adhesive tape, then tie tightly with string.  Pour the water into a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle the gelatine over the surface. Leave for 5 minutes or until spongy. Place the bowl in a pan of hot water, stirring occasionally, until the gelatine has dissolved. 

Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the superfine sugar and milk in another heatproof bowl. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and continue to whisk until the mixture is thick and frothy. Remove from the heat and continue whisking until the mixture cools. Whisk in the liquid gelatine.

Puree the remaining mango pieces in a food processor or blender, then fold the puree into the egg yolk mixture with the orange rind. Set the mixture aside until starting to thicken.

Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Reserve 4 tablespoons and fold the rest into the mango mixture. Spoon into the ramekins until the mixture is 1 inch above the rim of each dish. Chill for 3 to 4 hours, or until set.

Carefully remove the paper collars from the soufflés. Spoon a little of the reserved cream on top of each soufflé and decorate with some toasted flaked or coarsely shredded coconut before serving. 

 

METRO photo

Mother’s Day is a great time of year to honor mothers and attempt to give back just a portion of the tireless love and devotion moms offer their children. For those needing a little inspiration on treating their mothers in special ways, consider these ideas.  

• Make mom a breakfast in bed with her favorite morning treats or bake a delicious dessert that mom will absolutely devour.

• Enjoy a movie at home with mom. Let her pick the flick and share her favorite film with you.

• Agree to not bicker for the entire day, especially if you are prone to getting into arguments with siblings.

• Put together a collage of photos from moments you have shared with your family.

• Cook a meal together and learn about everyone’s favorite recipes or the family history.

• Customize a coffee mug, tote bag or a blanket with a meaningful sentiment or photo.

• Treat mom to a day off from her chores. Tackle all of the jobs she normally does for the family. 

• Pamper mom with a gift card for her favorite nail salon or massage therapy location.

• Compile a playlist of songs and artists mom prefers and download them to her phone.

• Write her an email with an inspirational quote or special words of love.

• Tackle a task that she may not want to do herself, such as washing the exterior of her car and vacuuming the interior.

Mother’s Day gift ideas should come from the heart and can show mothers near and far how much they are appreciated and loved.

 

 

Pixabay photo

“Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed.”                           — William Faulkner

The founding of this nation would have been impossible without letters to the press. 

In 1776, Thomas Paine had captured the spirit of his times and wrote the most influential pamphlet of the American Revolution, “Common Sense.” Paine was not writing to the powers that be. Rather, he addressed his essay “to the inhabitants of America.”

The Revolution was fought and won because ordinary Americans — people like Paine — had ideas they believed were worth reading. They wrote down their grievances of British rule and shared them with their countrymen. Through these revolutionary writings, a common folk resurrected an ancient principle: unearthing democracy from the ashes of antiquity.  

So what happened? Why have we lost touch with this uniquely American tradition?

 In this Information Age, we find that access to information has become, paradoxically, severely limited. With the introduction of the internet, we were sold the hope that new technologies would educate the masses, that instant messaging and social media would create a wider forum for democratic participation. While this has happened, our era also is marked by censorship and misinformation.

Americans no longer trust their institutions. Everywhere we look, we find politicians who disregard our interests and tech executives who monitor and monetize our activity online. Globally, powerful interests invest billions every year to restrict access to information and keep the people in the dark. Our technologies have become the instruments of autocrats, used to subvert democracy rather than promote it. 

To the readers of TBR News Media and the people throughout this community, do not put your faith in tech moguls to represent you fairly. Regular people are left not knowing what to believe and what are the facts. This is why letters to the editor in newspapers are so crucial. 

Democracy depends on ordinary Americans speaking truth to power. We must remember the example of Paine and be unafraid to let our opinions be heard. We must present our own unique ideas to our fellow Americans, reopening the robust political exchanges of the past. The staff of TBR News Media welcomes letters. Write to us because our democracy requires it.