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Smithtown Central School District

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File photo by Rachel Shapiro

By Leah Chiappino

The Smithtown Central School District 2023-24 proposed budget of $280,642,272, is an increase of 4.8% from this year’s budget of $267,786,882 with a proposed tax levy of 2.83% which is within the district’s allowable limit.

There are three seats open on the board, with incumbent Matthew Gribbin as well as challengers Vlad Pean and Nicholas De Bello running on one ticket, and incumbent John Savoretti along with Elena Guttieri and Kevin Craine on another. They are competing for three-year terms from July 1 through June 30, 2026. Trustee Jerry Martusciello is not seeking reelection.

The school budget vote and election will be held Tuesday, May 16, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. For polling places, visit the district website at www.smithtown.k12.ny.us and use the “Budget Information” tab.

The candidates discussed the issues at a meet-the-candidates night May 4 moderated by the Suffolk PTA.

Kevin Craine

Craine is a sixth-grade teacher at Lloyd Harbor Elementary School in the Cold Spring Harbor school district, and father of three children who attend St. James Elementary. He has also served as a youth sports coach, emergency medical technician and PTA volunteer.

According to his biography, he has taught at the elementary, middle and high school levels, and holds a school district administrative certificate from Stony Brook University. A Smithtown graduate himself, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology/education from SUNY Geneseo and a Master of Science in liberal studies/coaching from SBU.

“While I am very proud of all these accomplishments, it all pales in comparison to the pride that I have for this community,” he said.

If elected, he pledged to make his constituents’ voices heard and feel as though they matter through “increased transparency, administrative accountability and collaboration.”

Nicholas De Bello

De Bello said his father was a social studies teacher at Nesaquake Middle School and Smithtown High School East, and his mother was a social worker for the Sachem school district. 

 “I was growing up with that inspiration from my parents about the value of schools and how educators can make first-hand differences in the lives of children,” he said.

A former caseworker for Suffolk County Department of Social Services, he is currently a vice president for the Association of Municipal Employees. He noted that several school employees, such as crossing guards and early intervention specialists, are members of the union.

He pledged to fight for small class sizes if elected. 

Matthew Gribbin

Gribbin, the current board president and a gym teacher in the Half Hollow Hills school district, graduated from The University of Maine in 2000 with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology and physical education. He then earned a M.S. in educational technology from Long Island University. Gribbin’s three children attend Smithtown schools, and he said it is important for him and his family to give back.

“My wife and I love raising our children in this great community,” he said. “There’s so much to offer. With that comes responsibility. We feel that it’s important to be active contributors to make this community and district what it is.”

As such, Gribbin serves as a soccer coach with the Smithtown Kickers, basketball coach with St. Patrick’s R.C. Church of Smithtown, has coached lacrosse and baseball, and also assists with PTA events. He has previously served as a board member and division coordinator with the Kickers. 

Gribbin has frequently sparred with fellow trustees Stacy Ann Murphy, Karen Wontrobski-Ricciardi and Savoretti.

A particularly contentious moment occurred at the Oct. 25 meeting, when Wontrobski-Ricciardi questioned the athletic placement process which allows skilled middle school athletes to participate at the high school level. At the same time, trustee Michael Catalanotto’s son was up for consideration. Subsequent events led Wontrobski-Ricciardi to seek the removal of Catalanotto and Gribbin from the board through the New York State Education Department.

The complaint was dismissed, but in the decision NYS Commissioner of Education Betty Rosa encouraged Gribbin “to comport himself in the future in a manner befitting a holder of public office.”

Gribbin acknowledged that there had been challenges during his tenure. “Many people have thanked me for running for reelection this year knowing all that I’ve dealt with over the past three years as board president,” he said.

He chose to run again “because there is still work to be done.” Gribbin counted his chief accomplishments as board president as decreasing class sizes, increasing programming, adding mental health support, improving district security and building partnerships among the community, such as with the Town of Smithtown and Suffolk County Police Department among others.

“Over the past several years we’ve seen an unfortunate divide in our great community,” Gribbin said. “I’ve worked diligently to build relationships with many members of the community in order to return to a place of civility and respect.”

Elena Guttieri

Guttieri is a middle school English teacher in the Syosset school district. She has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in English from Dowling College, along with a professional certificate in literacy from grades 5-12. She is trained in nonviolent crisis intervention and has earned the SEPTA distinguished service award.

A mother of four, she expressed concerns about aspects of the curriculum in the district.

“As a classroom teacher for over 20 years, I feel qualified to tell you what the goal of education should be — prepare our students with basic truths,” she said. “We must always teach English and traditional literature. We must always teach American history and patriotism while admitting our mistakes but always emphasize the accomplishments that have made us the greatest nation in the history of the world. We must teach mathematics in a way that is comprehensible so that even parents can help their children with their homework.”

Vlad Pean

The son of Haitian immigrants, Pean is a graduate of CUNY Baruch College, and has been in the information technology field for over 25 years. He said he hopes to bring his technological experience to the board. A father of three, Pean has spoken at Board of Education meetings about his daughter being bullied and subject to racial slurs.

“If I got on the school board I would never let what happened to her happen to her brother or sister or any other student,” Pean said.

“There have been a few bumps in the road but the one thing I learned is that Smithtown is full of compassionate people,” he added. 

John Savoretti

Savoretti earned a degree in marketing and finance from Adelphi University, and owns a real estate office in Nassau County and in Smithtown.

He has been active in the PTA, Little League, and was a Cub Scout leader. He said his strength on the board has been his community involvement. He counted security as one of his chief accomplishments 

“I don’t know why it took so long but we finally have security on the table for Smithtown,” he said. “It’s something that needs to be done. It’s scary but it’s true, and my goal now is education.”

Security 

When asked about security, Craine said he thinks the district needs to take further precautions for open events such as Field Day and the Halloween Parade, and institute safety drills. De Bello said that the district should ensure everyone is on the same page as to armed security, as well as combat bullying and ensure students feel welcome. 

Gribbin pointed to the security booths outside of the secondary schools and improvements to the vestibules enter the buildings, as well as the implementation of armed guards and improvements to district mental health services. Guttieri said cameras should be increased in the schools, and there should be an anonymous reporting app. She also noted a wellness room leadership students are implementing. 

Pean agreed that there should be improvements to technology, and that there should be drills for students, while making is clear the school is there to protect them. Savoretti said some improvements could be made to cameras, and that it’s important to teach students to respect each other.

Civility on the board 

When the complaint filed by Wontrobski-Ricciardi was referenced, De Bello said it’s important to bring respect and build consensus, also talking out disagreements while acknowledging politics has made its way to the board.

Gribbin said that “disagreements and disrespect” are two different things. The accusations against him were “an unsuccessful coordinated attempt to really try to discredit my character.” Guttieri said she was concerned about the treatment of female board members and
encouraged respectful discourse.

Pean said that even now at board meetings, he goes up to members with whom he disagrees to try to understand where they are coming from.

Savoretti said the board has been “a boys’ club” for too long, and he would like to
see more women elected.

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Photo from Wikimedia Commons
By Carolyn Sackstein

Given the nationwide proliferation of violence in schools, the Smithtown Central School District Board of Education recently voted to vet and hire a private security firm to patrol the exterior perimeter of all schools with armed guards. 

Long Island schools from Greenport to Copiague have experienced threats of violence made by students. Following the Parkland, Florida, school shootings in 2018, some districts opted to provide armed security personnel, including Hauppauge, Miller Place and Mount Sinai. With an ongoing public debate over the most effective way to protect children in schools and public spaces, TBR News Media took to the streets of Port Jefferson village Saturday, Feb. 18, asking people for their opinions on armed guards in and around schools.

— Photos by Carolyn Sackstein

 

 

Gannon Lawley, Anchorage, Alaska

“I am against armed guards in almost all places, especially schools. It doesn’t strike me as the kind of thing that would be good for a school or a learning environment. It arises from an aversion to armed guards in general. It’s a hippy peace thing for me.”

 

 

 

 

 

Nicole Carhart & Hector Monell, West Islip

When asked about armed guards on school campuses Carhart said, “It depends. It is good for people to keep safe. You want to make sure they are not using it against others.”

Monell thought Smithtown’s decision was “a positive outcome.”

 

 

 

 

 

Joseph Vergopia, Manhattan

When asked to comment on Smithtown’s decision to put armed guards on campus, he responded, “That’s the stupidest idea I ever heard, because more guns on the street are just a ridiculous way to curb gun [violence].”

 

 

 

Jeremy Torres and Xiao Han Wu, Stony Brook

Jeremy Torres from Stony Brook village was with his wife, Xiao Han Wu, originally from Beijing, China, and young daughter. Torres said, “With today’s crazy environment, I would prefer police on the campus. As long as [private security] has proper training and qualifications and gun safety, I would trust that. You can’t just have anybody.”

Han Wu said, “Because I see a lot of news like shootings in the schools and all that and having a kid, that definitely makes me more concerned about the safety in schools. I feel comfortable, they put armed guards [on campus]. I also prefer police.”

 

Louis Antoniello, Terryville

“There are better ways to protect the school systems. [Examples would be] electronic locks on the schools, where you have to use a pass key to get in, electronic locks on the classroom doors and gymnasiums. If there is an issue in the school, where somebody does get in, the entire school can be locked down with kids and teachers in the classroom through the main office. They can just lock it down electronically. Nobody can get into the classrooms. Would you rather have more guns where now you’re getting into a gun fight on the street? Doesn’t matter if it is someone who has been trained to use a gun or not. If you look at the statistics and the percentages of how many times you hit with your first or second shot, those percentages are very low. Where are these bullets going? They could be going into the windows of the school. They could be going into neighbors’ houses. The best thing to do is spend your money on securing the building, and electronic locks are the way to go. You can also have security cameras all around with people watching the security videos. They can see who is coming on campus. You’re stopped at the door, they ask what you’re doing there, you’re on camera, you show your ID. You sit and wait to pick up your son or daughter. You can drop something off for them at security. That’s how you secure a building. Leaving the building open without electronic locks and just having people walking the perimeter with guns is not the way to go.”

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File photo by Rachel Shapiro

Smithtown Central School District recently made the decision to enhance security in its schools, which includes two high schools, three middle and seven elementary schools.

A decision to hire armed guards was announced in a Feb. 15 letter signed by Superintendent Mark Secaur and the Board of Education trustees.

“The safety and security of the students, faculty, staff and community members of the Smithtown Central School District has been, and will continue to be, a top priority,” the letter read.

It was stated that over time the district’s “security enhancements related to staffing, infrastructure, training, and operational protocols have evolved and improved.” The decision was made to “better protect the members of this school community.”

The letter said national news reports are reminders that “schools have occasionally been viewed as ‘soft’ targets and the scene of senseless tragedies caused by ‘active shooters.’”

“With this in mind and with a heavy heart,” the letter continued, “our district has made the decision to bolster our security detail by adding armed guards to the exterior perimeter of each of our schools to strengthen our ability to respond during a crisis, as well as to deter those who may seek to do harm.”

The superintendent and trustees said the security enhancement will improve response time in the case of an emergency in and around its buildings.

The district is in the early stages of the process, currently identifying security firms which will have to be vetted and approved by the Board of Education.

“The guards will be required to undergo multiple training sessions per year and will need to re-qualify through periodic performance based assessments to ensure they will perform at an optimal level if ever called upon,” the letter emphasized.

In addition, armed guards will work with the Suffolk County Police Department.

While the armed guards will be stationed throughout the school district, officials cannot “comment on specific details such as guard deployments, locations and working hours as it may compromise their safety and effectiveness.”

The superintendent and board members said in the letter that the guards will not be posted inside the buildings.

“This decision has not come lightly, but we believe that this is a necessary step to improve our approach to the safety and security of our students, faculty, staff and community members,” the letter concluded.

According to the district’s 2023-24 General Fund Budget Overview, $850,000 has been allocated for the proposal.

When TBR reached out to the district to ask if school officials could elaborate, a media spokesperson said, “The district is not providing any comments outside of the community letter.”

The Kings Park school district, which also is located within the Town of Smithtown, has permitted certain security guards employed in the district to be armed while on duty since 2018, according to Superintendent Tim Eagen. The district did not hire an outside armed security firm, and all of the security guards are retired law enforcement officers who carry law-enforcement issued firearms.

In a discussion thread about armed guards in the Smithtown school district on the Facebook group Smithtown Moms, there was overwhelming support of the proposal. While a few mothers said there have been instances that guards haven’t been a deterrent in past incidents in the country, many felt the decision was long overdue.

Members of the Facebook group Suffolk Progressives have been less supportive of the move and one member has started a Change.org petition, Remove Armed Guards from Smithtown Schools, with 110 signatures as at Feb. 22. Petition signers and Suffolk Progressives wrote that more needs to be done to fund mental health programs and ban the sale of assault weapons.

The Smithtown school district will hold its next board meeting March 14 at 7 p.m.

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Despite a few job openings, local school districts are ready for the new school year. Stock photo

With schools across the nation facing issues filling positions, including vital teaching jobs, local school districts, for the most part, are looking toward the new academic year in a good position with staffing.

While COVID-19 created severe obstacles for schools in the last couple of years, local districts are moving past them.

Some difficulties

Kevin Scanlon, the new Three Village Central School District superintendent, said the district is among those well staffed regarding teachers. Slight shortages involve jobs such as teaching assistants and monitor positions. Substitutes for teaching and various openings, including custodial, are also hard to find. Scanlon said that with more than 500 teachers in the district, 30 to 50 of them could be out on any given day.

Neil Katz, Smithtown Central School District assistant superintendent for personnel; Jim Polansky, Huntington school district superintendent; and Roberta Gerold, Middle Country Central School District superintendent, all said their districts are in the same position with permanent teaching positions being filled, but there are small issues finding noncertified employees.

Routinely, it can be challenging also to find candidates in the fields of English as a New Language, family and consumer sciences, technology and language classes. Scanlon added that it’s difficult to find certified American Sign Language educators. 

“Also, business teachers, which is unusual because 25 years ago you probably had your choice of teachers,” he said. “Some of the local colleges in New York also used to produce 120 candidates a year in tech teachers, now they’re producing maybe 12 to18. So, the numbers are quite short of where they were years ago in those specialized areas.” 

Scanlon added finding such teachers is even more difficult than finding math and science teachers.

“We are all competing against each other trying to find them,” he said.

Polansky said, from time to time, there can be last-minute resignations at the end of the summer.

“Those can present issues, but those are few and far between, and sometimes if you have an added aide position that comes up due to class formation, that doesn’t take place until late in the summer,” he said.

Gerold said, “One of the many byproducts of the pandemic has been a smaller pool of applicants, which has impacted the Middle Country school district’s ability — as it has school districts across Long Island and the country — to hire talented educators.”

Like other districts, Middle Country found ways to ensure it was properly staffed.

“While the hiring process has been particularly challenging heading into this school year, our human resources and personnel teams have worked hard to creatively find new solutions to attract the next generation of educators to lead our community into the future,” she said. 

There has also been a need to stay proactive regarding teacher retirements. While student enrollment has declined in some local districts, the number of teachers retiring has increased.

Katz said the number of employees currently retiring makes sense as the population was growing in the area 25 to 30 years ago and schools were expanding, which led to the need to hire more teachers at the time. Those employees are now meeting their retirement requirements.

“We’re hitting that point that there’s this balloon of the number of teachers that are eligible for retirement,” Katz said, adding COVID-19 exacerbated the problem in recent years.

Polansky agreed.

“You’re going to see more in the next couple of years because it is kind of generational,” he said. “That’s another thing that we need to take into account.”

According to New York State Teachers’ Retirement System, 33% of active members could potentially retire in the next few years.

Solutions

Some news outlets have reported states such as Florida dropping the requirements for people to secure a teaching position such as having a bachelor’s degree. Polansky said, “There’s a fine line between helping your teacher availability and compromising quality. You don’t want to be in a situation where actions are being taken that actually lessen the quality of the educator that’s in front of your children in the classroom.”

He added that such a move could cause more problems in the long run.

“We have to make teaching a desirable profession,” he said. “There are a couple of ways to do that, and it’s incumbent upon states and local school districts to make that happen.” 

Administrators said their districts always start the hiring process early in the calendar year to prepare for the first day of school, attending recruitment events at colleges in New York state, hosting their own career fairs and placing ads in papers.

Scanlon said the Three Village school district will run an ad in The New York Times at the end of January or early February. He added that advertising in the paper is something many high-caliber schools do. Looking toward the future, the superintendent said there are talks about bringing back a Future Teachers of America club to the high school to encourage students to choose teaching as a career.

Gerold said one of the Middle Country school district’s “initiatives has been our successful partnership with Stony Brook University to fortify our roster of substitute teachers. During the pandemic, the district partnered with Stony Brook University to place student-teacher substitutes in schools. Through this, we’ve been able to satisfy the substitute teacher needs throughout the district and identify strong educators who are poised to excel in leading classrooms.”

Katz said the Smithtown Central school district tries to reach out to different associations and offer more competitive salaries. However, even using various hiring methods and starting early, sometimes a new hire will get a better offer right before the academic year begins.

“We’re getting into bidding wars,” he said. “Candidates are pushing one district against the other in bidding wars. Kind of like the housing market.”

Despite a few job openings, local school districts are ready for the new school year. Stock photo

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Stock photo

Town of Smithtown residents who turned out to vote in school elections May 17 approved their district’s budgets. They also voted incumbents back in to retain their seats on the boards of education.

Commack Union Free School District

The $ 214,645,326 budget for 2022-23 was passed with 2,392 votes. There were 815 who voted “no.” Proposition 2 to decrease transportation limits in grades three through five from 1/2 mile to a 1/4 mile was also passed, 2,376 to 814.

The budget for next academic year is an increase of 4.64% over last year. This will result in a tax levy increase of 1.95%, under the tax cap of 3.82%. This includes a state aid package of $43 million.

Incumbents Steven Hartman and Justin Varughese retained their seats with 2,277 and 2,247 votes, respectively. Newcomers Pauline Fidalgo received 877 and Christopher Jurkovic 893.

Hauppauge Union Free School District

Hauppauge residents passed the $123,913,904 budget, 639-300. The budget reflects a 3.29% increase over last year and a 1.22% tax levy increase.

Three candidates ran for three seats, incumbent and board vice president Rob Scarito, 617; Michael Buscarino, 651; and incumbent and current board president David Barshay, 624.

Kings Park Central School District

The Kings Park $102.24 million budget was approved by voters, 2,229 to 1,125. The budget is 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.

Trustees Pam DeFord and Dan Tew did not seek reelection, leaving two seats up for election. Patrick Hanley, 1,879 votes, and Shala Pascucci, 1,737, will be the new board trustees beginning July 1. They defeated Jaime Lelle, 1,529, and Douglas Cerrato, 1,490.

Smithtown Central School District

Smithtown school district residents approved the $267,786,882 budget, 5,250 to 2,241. The 2022-23 budget reflects a dollar change of $5,467,217 from last year’s budget of $262,319,665. The tax levy is 1.2% and is below the district’s allowable tax levy.

Proposition 2, establishing a capital reserve, passed 5,249 to 2,241. 

Michael Catalanotto and Michael Saidens won back their seats, with 4,582 and 4,590 votes, respectively. This will be the second term for Catalanotto and the third for Saidens.

Charles Fisher, who challenged Catalanotto for his seat received 3,201 votes, and Angela Kouvel, who challenged Saidens, received 3,157.

In a joint statement sent May 18, Catalanotto and Saidens thanked Smithtown voters “for putting your confidence and trust in us.”

“We are honored to be reelected with nearly 60% of the vote,” they said. “The parents and residents had a choice to make, and voted to keep Smithtown schools great, support all of our students and protect our property values. People were fed up with our children being used as political footballs, and roundly rejected efforts to destabilize our schools. We couldn’t be prouder of the hard work our teachers, administrators and staff do, each and every day, in running a world-class school district and they will continue to have our strong support.”

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North Shore residents stopped by their local polling places throughout the day May 17 to vote on school budgets and for board of education members.

Winning candidates are in bold.

This story will be updated as more results come in. Last updated May 18 at 11:33 a.m.

Commack Union Free School District

$ 214,645,326 budget passed

Yes – 2,392

No – 815

Proposition 2 to decrease transportation limits in grades 3 through 5 from ½ mile to a ¼ mile, passed

Yes – 2,376

No – 814

Candidates, two seats 

Steven Hartman – 2,277

Pauline Fidalgo – 877

Justin Varughese – 2,247

Christopher Jurkovic – 893

Comsewogue Union Free School District

The budget passed.

Yes – 998

No – 427

Robert DeStefano and Francisca Alabau-Blatter both elected for three-year terms. 

Cold Spring Harbor Central School District

$73,420,423 budget passed

Yes – 817

No – 276

Candidates, two seats

Amelia Walsh Brogan – 496

Alex Whelehan – 888

Bruce Sullivan – 648

Elwood Union Free School District

$69,181,071 budget passed

Yes – 804

No – 396

Candidates, one seat

Deborah Weiss – 965

Sean Camas – 183

Harborfields Central School District

$92,895,995 budget passed

Yes – 1,655

No – 353

Candidates, two seats

Hansen Lee – 1,490 votes

Colleen Wolcott – 1,530

David Balistreri – 603

Hauppauge Union Free School District

$123,913,904 budget passed

Yes – 639

No – 300

Candidates, three candidates

Rob Scarito – 624

Michael Buscarino -651

David Barshay- 617

Huntington Union Free School District

$142,968,343 budget passed

Yes – 834

No – 150

Candidates, two seats, incumbents unopposed

Bill Dwyer- 823

Michele Kustera- 838

Kings Park Central School District

$102.24 million budget passed

Yes – 2,229

No – 1,125

Candidates, two seats

Patrick Hanley – 1,879

Shala Pascucci – 1,737

Jaime Lelle – 1,529

Douglas Cerrato- 1,490.

Middle Country Central School District

The budget passed.

Yes – 2,036

No – 946

Robert Hallock – 1,500
Kristopher Oliva (Incumbent) – 1,452
Denise Haggerty (Incumbent) – 1,518
Leah Fitzpatrick – 1,440
Robert Feeney (Incumbent) – 1,513
Tifanny Lorusso – 1,434
Dawn Sharrock (Incumbent) – 1,481
Kimberly Crawford-Arbocus – 1,471

Miller Place School District

The budget passed. 

Yes – 1,394

No – 503

Proposition 2 (library budget) passed.

Yes – 1,590

No – 310

CORRECTION: It was originally misreported that Andrea Spaniolas received 628 votes. Spaniolas actually received 924 votes. 

Keith Frank – 830

Johanna Testa – 990

Andrea Spaniolas – 924

Jennifer Andersen-Oldenskov – 616

Kenneth Conway – 743

John Galligan – 625

Jenna Stingo – 782

Mount Sinai School District

 

Northport-East Northport Union Free School District

$177,856,084, budget passed

Yes – 2,285

 No- 1,674

 Proposition #2: Capital Expenditures: Passed

Candidates, three seats

Larry Licopoli – 2,528

Allison Noonan – 2,676

Thomas Loughran – 2,729

Frank Labate – 1,754

Port Jefferson School District

Budget passed: Yes – 642; No – 165
Proposition #2: Yes 673; No 130

Ellen Boehm – 550
Randi DeWitt – 563

Paul Ryan – 267

Rocky Point Union Free School District

Budget passed.

Yes – 1,017
No – 322

Proposition 2 – Capital Reserve
– 1,063 Yes
– 267 No

Susan Sullivan – 595 –  3yr term
Erin Walsh – 515 –  1yr term
Nick Contes – 514
Nicole Kelly – 485
Jason Ford – 221
Susan Wilson – 258

Shoreham-Wading River Central School District

Budget passed. 

Yes – 625

No – 167

Proposition #2

Yes – 652

No – 139

Tom Sheridan – 659

Meghan Tepfenhardt – 638

14 Write-in candidates received less than five votes each

Smithtown Central School District

$267,786,882 budget passed

Yes – 5,250

No – 2,241

Candidates, two seats

Michael Catalanotto – 4,582

Michael Saidens – 4,590

Charles Fisher – 3,201 votes

Angela Kouvel – 3,157.

Three Village Central School District

$224,060,618 budget passed

Yes – 2,584

No – 2,518

Candidates, two seats

Vincent Vizzo – 2,715

Jennifer Solomon – 2,650  

Reanna Fulton – 2,283

Evan Proios –2,122

 

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File photo by Rachel Shapiro

Residents of the Smithtown Central School District will once again decide who will sit on the school board after a contentious race in 2021.

Last year Stacy Ann Murphy, John Savoretti and Karen Wontrobski-Ricciardi beat out incumbents Jeremy Thode, Mandi Kowalik and Charles Rollins in a race where the newcomers were inspired to run after disagreeing with the district’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic regarding in-person learning and masks.

This year newcomer Angela Kouvel will go up against incumbent Michael Saidens for his position and first-timer Charles Fisher will challenge Michael Catalanotto for his current seat. Voters will also decide on a proposed $267,786,882 budget for the 2022-23 school year which reflects a dollar change of $5,467,217 from last year’s budget of $262,319,665. The tax levy is 1.2% and is below the district’s allowable tax levy.

This year the district is set to receive $48,731,716 of state aid, an increase of $1.26 million. Residents will also have the opportunity to vote on a proposition to establish a new capital reserve fund. The fund is not to exceed $25 million over a 10-year period. If Proposition 2 is approved, residents will not have an additional tax increase. Funds would transfer from the general fund and would be used to make capital improvements to the district’s schools.

Candidate information

Catalanotto and Saidens participated in phone interviews with The Times of Smithtown for this article. Kouvel asked for questions to be emailed to her so she could answer them after returning from vacation but answers were not received before press time. Fisher did not respond to requests for an interview.

Michael Saidens

Saidens is an elementary school principal in the Sachem school district. Throughout his career he has worked as a teacher, including in the Smithtown school district, as well as a principal in other schools in Suffolk County. He also has experience as a special education administrator.

He is running for the third time.

“I think there’s still work to be done,” he said. “I think right now our community is pretty fractured, and I want to be part of the team to bring us back together to focus on what’s best for our kids in our community.” 

He said the last couple of years the board of education has received criticism from parents about the district’s response to COVID-19 state mandates. There have also been concerns that the district was including critical race theory in its curriculum, which it does not.

“We really need to focus on that every kid in Smithtown should count, and it’s our job as a board of education to make sure we’re not just educating like-minded kids,” he said, adding every child should be comfortable in school.

He said he believes his experience in education is an asset to the board.

“I’m there to focus on our school business and then also understanding that there are mandates that we need to follow, rules that we have to follow, and you’re not always able to do exactly what you want to do,” he said. “You have to work within the parameters and framework that a state education department sets and work toward working on curriculum that way.”

Saidens said that while the board is divided at times there are also issues they agree on.

He said a lot of times subjects brought up by members of the board and the public are “hot button topics that aren’t necessarily a part of our purview as a board of education.”

Michael Catalanotto

An attorney born and raised in Smithtown, Catalanotto is running for his second term. His first term was one that was filled with enforcing state COVID-19 mandates. Despite the controversies that may have followed a few of the BOE’s decisions, he said he is proud of many things the trustees have accomplished. 

“Despite the challenges that we had, we continued to add programs during COVID,” he said. “We made addressing learning loss a priority, and we’ve been able to come in below the tax cap, keep the budget below the tax cap the last two years.”

He would like to see foreign language programs in the elementary schools and the expansion of mental health programs. He said recently the school has partnered with the Suffolk County Police Department to offer programs in the schools.

As an attorney, who primarily deals with divorce mediation, he said he has experience dealing with tax records and getting two people on the same page.

He agrees with Saidens that the board can be divided at times: “There’s been this division on the board, lack of focus on the issues that really affect our children, and instead focused on what we can do to flip the board completely. That’s really been the focus of a lot of what’s going on right now. So, it’s a shame, but we’ve got to get back to what the real issues are and focus on our children.”

Both Catalanotto and Saidens said they were proud of the district’s partnership with Northwell Health that will provide more opportunities for assistance for families seeking mental health support for students.

Charles Fisher

During a Meet the Candidates Night via Zoom, Fisher said he is an attorney who deals mostly with real estate law. He and his wife moved to Smithtown when their oldest of three was 5 years old and beginning kindergarten 15 years ago, because they felt the Smithtown school district was a good one. He said he and mostly his wife have volunteered for many extracurricular school activities, which he said enables him to be familiar with what is involved in the school programs.

“I volunteered to run for school board out of concern due to the great slowdown of 2020,” he said, adding the pandemic revealed problems in the district describing them as when a river dries up you see what is laying at the bottom.

He said he feels he needs to be part of the board to address issues that were unforeseen before the pandemic.

Angela Kouvel

Kouvel, who is the mother of two, also moved to the district to provide her children with a better education. During the Meet the Candidates Night, she said she is married to a police officer, and she oversees contracts for a plumbing company.

With children in the district, she said, “I see now more than ever just how important a proper education is. They’re not only the children of today but they are also the children of our future and community.”

She added she believes in equality for every student, and the importance of enrichment and special education programs in every school in the district. Kouvel said she is not only a candidate for the students but also the community.

Voting information

To view the Meet the Candidates Night, visit https://youtu.be/w0iokgmcoEQ. Voting will take place Tuesday, May 17, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. For information on polling places, visit the district’s website, www.smithtown.k12.ny.us/boardofeducation/budget_information.

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Tackan Elementary School students officially got into the swing at their new playground on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Photo Smithtown Central School District
Tackan Elementary School students officially got into the swing at their new playground on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Photo Smithtown Central School District
Tackan Elementary School students officially got into the swing at their new playground on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Photo Smithtown Central School District
Tackan Elementary School students officially got into the swing at their new playground on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Photo Smithtown Central School District
Tackan Elementary School students officially got into the swing at their new playground on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Photo Smithtown Central School District
Tackan Elementary School students officially got into the swing at their new playground on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Photo Smithtown Central School District
Tackan Elementary School students officially got into the swing at their new playground on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2022. Photo Smithtown Central School District

Tackan Elementary School students officially got into the swing at their new playground on Jan. 13.

With the temperature reaching the upper-40s and the sun brightly shining with no wind, Barbara Beard and Kelly Bennis’ third grade students became the first of several classes to use the new playground throughout the school day.

Students shouted, “I’m so excited!” and, “This is so cool!” and, “It’s like a wild carnival ride!” as they approached and then began using the state-of-the-art new playground.

The playground includes eight swings, a pair of slides and several other climbing structures. One swing even resembles a car seat for those who may have accessibility issues with a traditional playground swing.

Staff, including the entire group of cafeteria workers, were so excited by the Tackan addition, they posed for photos on Day 1 of its use.

The playground is part of Director of Facilities Daniel Leddy and the Smithtown Central School District’s ongoing project to try to introduce one new playground annually around the district, provided the budget continues to allow it.

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As part of a STEM Partnership with the School District, Smithtown HS West Marine Biology students in Kimberly Williams’ class get an inside look at real world dilemmas, which Long Island must face regarding future solid waste and recycling concerns.

The Town of Smithtown, in partnership with the Smithtown Central School District, embarked on phase two of its first STEM program partnership. On  Dec. 2, students in Kimberly Williams’ Marine Biology class at High School West, got an inside look at the Town’s Recycling and Solid Waste process at Smithtown Municipal Services Facility as it relates to the environment and the major challenge Long Island will face, once the Brookhaven landfill closes in 2024.

Sanitation Supervisor Neal Sheehan and Smithtown Solid Waste Coordinator, Mike Engelmann led a hands-on experiential learning trip with marine biology teacher, Kimberly Williams. Students saw the process of what happens to waste once it leaves the curbside, the many different materials which Smithtown recycles, challenges of fluctuating recycling markets, and the harmful impacts which can occur without personal awareness and responsibility.

“This was the first of several STEM programs, together with the school district and it couldn’t have been better received. This generation is very conscious of critical environmental issues, like protecting the watershed, and Long Island’s impending waste crisis. Bringing their lesson plans from the chalk board to the real world, so students can witness the benefits of their hard work before their eyes, is not only exciting… It’s beneficial to the community they call home. I’m especially grateful for the School Districts partnership in this phenomenal learning experience for our youth,” said Supervisor Ed Wehrheim.

The day began with a basic understanding of where solid waste and recycling goes once it leaves the curb at home. Students learned about the recycling markets, recent changes the Nation was forced to make once China closed the doors to the U.S. industry and the consequences of contaminated materials being disposed of in a country without the same regulations as the United States. The Smithtown HS West marine biology students had an excellent, previous understanding of plastics pollution happening in our oceans. Neal Sheehan and Mike Engelmann gave an in depth presentation on the upcoming closure of the Brookhaven Landfill, the harmful and invasive environmental impacts of trucking waste off the Island, and the possible solutions to expand recycling and removing ash off the Island.

“This was the most fun I’ve had at work in years. First, I can’t believe how engaged the kids are. This generation is so aware of the impacts we as humans have on our local environment and they are eager to solve the problems at hand. I’m very excited to work with the class on the final stage of the partnership. I have a hunch we’ll have some excellent new employees working in the various fields of environmental planning, and engineering in the very near future!,” said Neal Sheehan, Sanitation Supervisor.

The class toured the Municipal Services Facility (MSF) where they saw cardboard and paper being sorted, and learned the do’s and don’ts of recycling properly. Students got an eagle eye view of the various material drop sites residents can utilize, such as electronic waste and ​​household appliances, construction and demolition, and glass. From the top of the hill, they observed the massive wood chipping operation, which is made from residential brush and tree branch collection and given away to residents for free. Additionally, students got to see groundwater monitoring locations, located at the former landfill site. The Town is required to monitor the underlying groundwater as a part of the post-closure care period. At the end of the tour, Smithtown Environmental Planner, Liam Trotta took a drone up in the air to show students the Solar array and wind turbine located on the grounds.

“It really makes all the difference when you get to physically see the whole operation right in front of you. We could see the concern and surprise on each student’s face, despite their face masks.  Concerned when they learned that the average Long Islanders is responsible for almost five pounds of waste in one day… Pleasantly surprised when they saw just how much we in Smithtown reuse and recycle, and even happier to learn that their solid waste was being recycled into energy at Covanta. But, when we explained the environmental and economical impacts of trucking the remaining ash and C & D off Long Island, you could hear a pin drop in the room. They understand that a clock is officially ticking to implement a solution… and they are very eager to tackle the issue at hand,” said Mike Engelmann, Smithtown Solid Waste Coordinator.

The STEM Partnership takes a hands-on approach to real world environmental issues affecting the community, utilizing the branches of science in order to apply possible ideas or solutions to improve the problem. Such topics covered include solid waste & recycling, invasive species, stormwater runoff, nitrogen pollution and water quality. Phase One is a simple introduction video presentation for students to understand the scope of each issue. Phase Two involves site and case studies where students witness each issue in person and have the opportunity to ask questions which are answered by official Town experts in each field. Phase Three is conducted in the classroom where students will present solutions to each concern. At every stage of the partnership, the Town and School district work in tandem to help students apply lesson plans to each real world scenario. The Town of Smithtown hopes to expand this program to all local school districts who are interested.

Photos from Town of Smithtown

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This year as students returned to the classrooms full time, school officials are facing problems hiring enough faculty members.

Even before the pandemic, organizations such as New York State United Teachers, known as NYSUT, addressed the decline of people enrolling in the state’s teacher education programs. According to its website, enrollment has declined by more than 53% since 2009.

Gary Dabrusky, Three Village Central School District assistant superintendent for human resources, said the district “has experienced a shortage of teachers, which is reflective of regional and state trends.”

He said there has been a general decline in “the number of employees who have chosen to seek employment in the educational field. This includes areas such as tech, family and consumer science, global languages, substitute teachers, monitors, aides and food service workers.”

Smithtown Central School District is also experiencing shortages of certified and noncertified staff members, according to Neil Katz, assistant superintendent for personnel. In the Cold Spring Harbor district, Superintendent Jill Gierasch said her schools are also among the ones facing hiring issues. The superintendent said while they haven’t had major problems with their teaching staff, finding substitute teachers, special education and library aides has been a challenge for the district that has 1,700 students, which she added is small compared to others.

“We even increased the salaries to try to draw more folks for the first time,” she said.

Reaching out

Gierasch said while they have advertised in local publications, the district has also taken out ads in The New York Times “to try to spread our scope.”

Dabrusky said he “created a human resources Facebook page to help cast a wider net in an effort to reach a greater number of potential candidates.” The search has also led to the Three Village assistant superintendent revamping the human resources tab on the district’s website and using other sites such as the BOCES online application system, SchoolFront and Indeed.

In addition to online and social media, Katz said the Smithtown district also seeks “new and creative ideas on how to promote our vacancies in an effort to attract the most highly qualified candidates to join our staff.”

He added recommendations are also welcomed.

“While many online sources attract candidates, referrals from current staff are also very helpful,” he said. “The use of virtual interviews has also allowed us to meet with candidates from a farther distance more easily and to interview more candidates quicker in order to expedite our onboarding process.”

Solutions

Katz said the district has been utilizing all staff members.

“Many part-time aides are working double shifts and covering various positions as lunch monitors and classroom aides,” he said. “We have hired a number of full-time aides to provide the necessary support. Teachers are covering classes during their lunch and preparation periods. Other certified staff are providing coverage in classrooms, as necessary.”

Gierasch said the Cold Spring Harbor district has put together skeleton crews to ensure each space is covered. In the past, for example, when the school librarian would go to lunch an aide would cover the break. Now, the library is closed during the librarian’s lunch period.

The superintendent said they have also looked at the IEP [individualized education program] aides for students who need them to see if they require someone for all periods or just certain ones so they can adjust who the aides work with throughout the course of the day.

Dabrusky said Three Village has been resourceful in managing the shortage as he described student instruction and supervision to be of “paramount importance.”

“For example, in our elementary schools, every teacher volunteers for two coverage periods,” he said. “In the secondary schools, extra class coverage is offered to our teachers to cover a class during their lunch and preparation periods. In addition, we employ permanent substitute teaching staff, and human resources leadership has expended robust effort to recruit and maintain substitute teaching staff.”

Possible reasons

Gierasch said some of the faculty positions aren’t always high paying and many people take them for health insurance coverage. With COVID-19, she feels many are hesitant to take a position due to health concerns.

“I don’t think it’s just germane to school districts,” Gierasch said. “I think, in all industries, staffing is an issue.”

Dabrusky agrees that many may be reluctant to return to the field due to the health crisis.

Katz also pointed to the overall decline.

“It appears that fewer people are entering the profession and that has caused some difficulty with securing teachers in certain areas of certification,” he said. “The number of vacancies that are posted for school districts throughout NYS is much greater now than I’ve seen in years. There definitely seems to be a supply and demand issue.”

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