Glen Cove School Board Candidates Speak Out

Two candidates are running for one vacant seat on the Glen Cove Board of Education. The special election is being held at Finley Middle School ONLY on Monday, Oct. 21 from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Dan Cox

Background

I am currently an Administrator at LIU Post. The Director of Broadcasting for the University Radio Station WCWP-FM and an adjunct professor of Media and Communications.

My background is in television journalism and education. I was an editor at NBC News in New York and worked for 9 years in the Glen Cove High School Television Studio.

Why He's Running

I moved to Glen Cove 23 years ago to raise my four children in a diverse community with a progressive school district. The community has always been diverse and vibrant but in my opinion the school district has lost its edge. We’ve been led down a troublesome road by previous superintendents and school board presidents with divisive and destructive agendas. I would like to help the board and administration move the district into an era of positive outcomes and success both in the classroom and on the balance sheet.

Where He Stands on the Issues

Academically the district is in a similar situation as all the other Long Island Districts. Implementation of the common core and improved test scores are the challenge. Cooperation and communication between teachers across grade levels needs to be improved. I will work with the other board members to assure teachers are equipped with the resources they need to comply with the common core standards and raise test scores.

We have an extraordinary teaching staff in this district. However many of our teachers have been placed in a difficult position by a school board which allowed an extended investigation which was poorly executed. This protracted inquiry has cost the district greatly. The final cost of this investigation will be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Unfortunately standardized testing has become a big part of the academic process and I personally support an opt-out option for parents. I will request the board craft a resolution to be submitted to Governor Cuomo, our state legislators, the Commissioner of Education, and the Chancellor of the Board of Regents to stop the overreliance on standardized tests as a measure of student performance and principal and teacher effectiveness. If adopted we would be joining Great Neck and other districts across Long Island in this effort.

The district needs to do a better job responding to the needs of all students. Students who are high achieving and self-motivated will succeed. Those who receive mandatory services are cared for. Those in the middle who need additional support must be given the opportunity to succeed through allocating resources to benefit the most students. This is not a call for new programs or costs, it is a call for our administrators to think differently and find ways within their buildings to do the most for the most.

Financial challenges can be tackled by taking advantage of multiyear planning. This includes personnel costs through long term contracts that are settled before they expire. We should be investigating and executing shared service agreements between districts for supplies, transportation, contract services, and academic programs offered in other districts which may benefit our students.

I believe in the progressive spirit that is the core of Glen Cove, a community unafraid of a challenge and never gives up on its children.

Maureen Pappachristou

Background

I've lived in Glen Cove for 27 years and have two children that graduated from Glen Cove schools. I currently work as the Account Clerk at the Glen Cove Police Department. I've been a school activist since 1986 when my oldest son first entered kindergarten. I've been involved in PTA and booster club at the high school and held numerous positions. I've also regularly attended board of education meetings and always been vocal. 

Why She's Running
I want to take all the knowledge I have and put it to use.

Where She Stands on the Issues

Common Core: Common Core is here and it's not going away. We have to make sure that our curriculum is aligned and our teachers are prepared. We also need to reach out to the parents and ensure the right tools, such as textbooks for the common core, are available for all grade levels. We need to make sure we're doing the right thing for our students and our teachers.

Standardized Testing: I don't have a problem with standardized testing because we need to be able to assess students, but I don't like teaching to the test. It's very hard because we have so many different types of learners at different levels, and some with language barriers. Every child has potential but we have to find how they can get to their potential.

Alternative Middle School: As long as an alternative middle school is done correctly and the right people are there, I think it's a good idea.

The Budget: With the two percent cap, it's extremely difficult because our expenses keep going up. We need to be more transparent with the budget process so people can understand it and make sure we provide the best education that our community can afford.

Test Coaching Investigation: The only ones making out on this are the lawyers. My two children got the best education and I believe in the education that our teachers provide for our students.

STEM: This is where the jobs are. We need to focus on this because our students will miss out on opportunities. Currently, we don't even have a science coordinator. 

The newly elected trustee will hold the seat from Oct. 21 through June 30, 2014.