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Mandi Kowalik

Smithtown school district's administrative Joseph M. Barton building on New York Avenue. Photo by Kyle Barr

Across the Town of Smithtown, voters headed to the polls May 15 to show their overwhelming approval of their school district’s 2018-19 budgets. Many of the districts are planning to use funds to increase their security measures in schools or make critical infrastructure and building repairs.

Yet, threat of hazardous weather and early evening storms made for a light voter turnout, with fewer ballots being cast than in previous years. This disappointed school officials, who rely on their taxpayers’ votes for critical feedback and as a measurement of community involvement.

Proposed 2018-19 budget

Smithtown voters approved Smithtown Central School District’s $244.9 million budget for the 2018-19 school year by 1,873 votes to 800 votes Tuesday night. The budget represents a 2.3 percent increase, or additional $5.5 million more than the current year.


Smithtown budget results

$244.9M budget: 1,873 Yes votes to 800 No votes
Proposition 2: 2,090 Yes votes to 583 No votes

Board of Education
Seat of Christopher Alcure
Mandi Kowalik: 1,618 votes
Christopher Alcure: 935 votes

Seat of Jeremy Thode
Jeremy Thode: 1,790 votes

The school district’s security will receive a funding increase under the approved budget. The planned security upgrades include vestibules in all school entrances that will be constructed over the summer as well as full-time, unarmed security guards for all elementary schools.

“Full-time security guards began on May 1 in all district elementary schools and will continue as part of the budget moving forward,” said James Grossane, district superintendent.

 

In addition, the district is looking to add an additional school psychologist, one
social worker and a guidance counselor to its staffing to address students’ mental health and well-being.

The district’s spending plan maintains all current programs while transitioning to universal elementary school start and end times from 9:20 a.m. to 3:25 p.m. It also allows the district to offer new elective courses at the high school including adding Advanced Placement Capstone Research in addition to the existing AP Capstone program.

The approved budget will impose a 2.95 percent tax levy increase, which is within the district’s state tax levy cap.

Proposition 2

Residents passed Proposition 2 by 2,090 votes to 583 votes. The measure will allow Smithtown school officials to use the district’s capital reserve funds to complete a number of repairs and renovations. The project list includes repairs to the tennis courts at Smithtown High School East and West, window
replacement in the Accompsett Middle School and roof and skylight repairs at the Smithtown Elementary School.

Smithtown board of education

There will be a new face at the table of Smithtown’s board of education come July. Newcomer Mandi Kowalik, receiving 1,618 votes, managed to unseat incumbent trustee Christopher Alcure, who received 935 votes in Tuesday’s race.

“I am thrilled and honored to have been elected to represent the Smithtown Central School District as Board of Education trustee,” she said. “I thank every single one of my supporters, I absolutely could not have held this strong without all of you standing behind me.”

Kowalik is a 14-year Smithtown resident and a published children’s author. She worked as a school teacher for nursery school through sixth grade for 13 years before leaving to raise her three children. Kowalik has one son starting kindergarten this September with two younger daughters she plans to
enroll in the district.

“I am thrilled and honored to have been elected to represent the Smithtown Central School District as Board of Education trustee.”
– Mandi Kowalik

Kowalik said during her campaign for the board seat that she wants to focus on security as well as the mental and physical well-being of students.

“The security of our students and staff are the most important issue that we are
currently facing,” she said. “I am prepared to do whatever it takes to keep our school safe.”

Kowalik said she believes students need time to socialize without adults actively interacting and closely monitoring them. While she said the district has explored this at some levels, she would like to continue to explore further avenues for it.

“I have truly been enjoying all of the meaningful dialogue, and I hope that people will continue to feel comfortable approaching me,” Kowalik said. “Let’s keep engaging in these important conversations, and together we will make a difference.”

Current board President Jeremy Thode ran unopposed for his third term as trustee and was re-elected with 1,790 votes.

Both Kowalik and Thode will serve three-year terms through the 2020-21 school year.