(Editor's Note: Northport Patch will be begin running video profiles of candidates Friday, May 6.)
Voters will have four choices to make from a field of six candidates running for the Northport-East Northport School Board on May 17. Current Trustees Karen Wills and Joe Gannon, whose terms expire June 30, have joined with newcomers Tammie Topel and Kristen Gavin to form a slate of four.
Incumbent Jennifer Thompson, who filled the one-year position vacated by former trustee Arlene Munson, will run independently. (A previous version of this article mistakenly stated that Thompson filled the position vacated by Arlene Handel, who was a former Northport Village trustee. Patch regrets the error.)
Resident Joseph Sabia, who runs a local car care business, rounds out the field.
The following is a summary, in alphabetical order, of the candidates and their positions on a number of issues ranging from the weighting of students to class size to improving communication between the Board and the community.
Joe Gannon
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“Education is about as important a thing as society does.”
Gannon, a 25-year resident who has served on the Board for the past three years, supports the proposed . He notes that during his three years of service on the Board, tax increases have been held to an average of 1.78% per year – the lowest increase for any three-year period in more than two decades.
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The father of two grown children who attended Northport schools, Gannon believes small class sizes are more effective. When asked about the benefits of reducing the number of periods in a day from nine to eight, Gannon opted for keeping nine for the elective opportunities it affords students. “I don’t think that’s in the best interests of the students. They need to have that kind of diversity.”
When asked about the sometimes divisive issue of the high school’s IB (International Baccalaureate) program, Gannon compared it favorably to the AP (Advanced Placement) curriculum. “I think it does a better job of preparing students for the real world.” However, he acknowledged the importance of AP as well. “They’re two different philosophies. You’ve got different kids. You serve them all.”
Gannon acknowledges spending between 10-20 hours a week on Board business, even 30 when necessary. In addition to his Trustee duties, he is President of the Policy Committee, which meets 10-12 times per year, and a member of the Audit Committee, which meets on average 5-8 times per year. He is a supporter of FRIENNDs, a foundation which provides financial and creative support for the district’s educational and extra-curricular programs. He’s also an author, owner and president of Mulberry Tree Press, a publishing services company, as well as an adjunct professor of publishing studies at Hofstra University.
Gannon acknowledges the fact that his father-in-law is an attorney with Ingerman Smith, the firm which currently serves as Board counsel. During the last election, that relationship arose within the community as a possible conflict of interest but Gannon says otherwise. He notes his father-in-law is a partner in name only, and does not receive any benefit, in either profit or equity, from the firm’s relationship with the district.
With an eye toward sharing information with the public and reaching out to members of the community whose schedules don’t allow for attendance at Board meetings, Gannon suggests developing on-line forums. He also notes that volunteers might also be able to help assist with sharing information between the Board and the public. “We are responsible as a Board to do it.”
Kristen Gavin
“Our students deserve the very best education, and it is up to the members of the Board to make sure that it is delivered.”
The mother of a 19-month-old daughter, Kristen Gavin moved to Northport two years ago. A strong sense of community and a desire to give back to the area she now calls home convinced Gavin to run for a seat on the Board. She’s been an English teacher in a neighboring district for more than six years, and was named a 2008 New York State English Council “Teacher of Excellence.”
Gavin supports the proposed budget. “While it may not be the 0% that some would like to see, it will prevent the spikes in property tax rates that we have seen in neighboring districts.” She would also like to explore the potential of grant opportunities, legislative changes, and early academic intervention as ways to reduce the burden on the taxpayer.
A proponent of smaller class size, Gavin appreciates the diversity of electives available for students but suggests that they be evaluated for their usefulness with an eye on enrollment and interest.
She speaks highly of the opportunities for community involvement in school life through various programs and clubs. As an advisor for a local chapter of National Honor Society, she has participated in such clubs and programs, including the Breast Cancer Walk, Light the Night, and Relay for Life. To further expand that involvement, Gavin would like to see members of the community invited into the schools to share their achievements and talents with students.
Gavin in a believer in technology's ability to assist in the classroom. “The addition of technology would allow teachers to create new and exciting standards-based lessons while providing students with the technological literacy necessary to survive in the modern world.”
Joe Sabia
“My desire is for our district to provide the best education possible for the dollars spent.”
Joseph Sabia, a 32-year resident of Northport, has two daughters who recently graduated from Northport High School. The owner of in Northport, Sabia emphasizes his understanding of the business of education, and is the only candidate who doesn’t support the proposed budget. He expresses concern over the size of the current $22 million the district holds in reserves, and objects to what he perceives as “pre-taxing” the community by proposing a budget that is $10 million more than actual spending in 20009-2010. “We can have a 0% budget and maintain all of the programs and services currently offered.”
Sabia, whose “Vote For Sabia” signs have begun to sprout on neighborhood lawns, says he has never been a member of United Taxpayers of Northport-East Northport. However, he says he reads their literature and thinks the organization makes a good point. “Give us the whole cost. All we want is transparency.”
Sabia is a proponent of full-day K, and points to the as a possible location. He would like to see a language program added to the elementary curriculum, and is an advocate for technology, noting that he currently has six computers in his business.
With regard to class size, Sabia defers to Superintendent McDermott, who, he says, “has the knowledge and expertise to make the best decisions on the proper class size to maximize student learning” He would not opt to eliminate any programs or reduce electives without examining all of the options first.
Sabia likes the idea of an eight day period, saying the extra five minutes added to each period would mean a lot. Ideally, he’d like to see hour-long periods, rather than 45 minutes.
Sabia, who handed out flyers on Saturday morning at on Route 25, said many senior citizens who approached him mistakenly believed that taxpayers would foot the bill for , which calls for the improvement of two boilers at the East Northport Middle School, and repairs to the steps in front of the William J. Brosnan building. Money for those projects would actually come from the capital reserve fund; voters are only approving the use of the money.
To that end, Sabia would like to see more interaction between the Board and senior citizens. He’d also like to see the Board create more committees composed of community members who “could not only support the district’s ideas, but also be a source of fresh ideas for improving the current educational climate.”
Jennifer Thompson
“Children have gifts and talents that aren’t measurable on paper.”
Trustee Jennifer Thompson has served on the Board for one year, filling out the term of former Trustee Arlene Handel which will expire on June 30. Thompson, who has lived in the district for nearly five years, could find herself in an unusual position.
Should she place fourth in the May 17 election, she would again serve one year, filling out the term of former . She would be sworn in on election night, leaving the balance of Handel’s term open until the end of June.
“I feel like I’ve earned my stripes,” the mother of two elementary school-aged children says of her time on the Board, and her desire to serve for three more years.
A former Special Education teacher from California, Thompson supports the budget. “The current proposal at 1.83% represents a balance of voices in the community.”
Thompson emphasized the importance of technology in society, noting that “studies confirm that 8 of 10 of our students will graduate and go into fields that will require advanced skills. The interest and motivation that technology induces in students makes it an important tool that will benefit both our teachers and students.” She approves of MAP testing through the system which gives teachers test results within 24 hours, allowing them to provide lesson plans targeted to each individual.
She's comfortable with the current discussions which have taken place at recent Board meetings regarding the elimination of weighting if it were to be removed from the contract with the UTN. Noting that the practice can sometimes prevent a student who does not have special needs from taking a class because of the weighted class size, Thompson says there are now hundreds of more ways to meet the needs of students than there were when weighting was introduced. If a child would benefit from a smaller class size, Thompson said that can be addressed. “I would never want a child to be in a compromised position in a classroom.”
Thompson, who is currently a full-time home maker, a member of the Ocean Avenue PTA, a Girl Scout leader, and a Pioneer Girls Leader, is in favor of small class sizes. She appreciates the diversity of electives that are offered at the secondary level but adds that it shouldn’t be to the detriment of core classes.
Noting that there are two sides to every argument, Thompson would like to see more involvement from the public at Board meetings, which can sometimes be divisive. “With respectful conversation and collaboration between all parents, teachers, administrators and the community, the possibilities for our students are endless.”
Tammie Topel
“Every child is entitled to a free appropriate public education (FAPE).”
That quote, which refers to the right of children with disabilities as guaranteed by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), is one that Tammie Topel supports. She also emphasizes the need for average individuals – people like herself -- to become involved in the educational process to effect change if and when it’s needed.
A Northport resident for 17 years, Topel supports the current budget and calls the tax increase fair.”Programs will not be compromised and there is a technology component that is vital to the continued educational process to keep Northport-East Northport viable in the educational arena; to develop students who are technologically savvy and ready to embrace the competitive world when they graduate.”
That said, Topel favors an assessment of the technology program to determine whether all students have equal access to the benefits of technology, and if the oversight of the programs is appropriate. She also advocates for an evaluation of staff skill levels.
A parent of two children in the district, Topel is currently President-Elect of SEPTA (Special Education PTA) and founder/administrator of K.I.D.S Plus Therapeutic Recreation Programs and the “Just for Kicks” Special Needs Soccer Club. She’s been a guest speaker at other districts, including Elwood, to speak with children about Autism Awareness. She has served as Special Education Chairperson for the Suffolk Region PTA, and has been an active PTA member of Dickinson Avenue, Norwood, and Northport Middle School. An accomplished Triathlete, Topel has participated in various walks and fundraisers for breast cancer, autism, and other developmental disabilities. She is currently the Fitness Coordinator at the Huntington YMCA.
Topel said she felt comfortable with the idea of possibly eliminating the practice of weighting. “Because of the way our district has moved forward with inclusion and special ed classes, weighting is almost obsolete.” As for elective classes at the high school, where safety can be an issue, Topel said a student’s needs regarding an appropriate class size could be noted on the IEP (Individualized Education Program.)
“The goal of the district is to educate each child,” Topel says. “We can do that in our district.” Fiscal responsibility is a priority and Topel says she would request an evaluation of students placed outside the district to determine if a comparable program could be offered within the district at a lower cost.
Topel would not vote to increase class size. She’s interested in exploring the incorporation of music therapy and art therapy for students who can’t participate in the regular art/music curriculum or electives, as well as adding an organized recess program of cooperative games at the elementary school level.
Noting that Board meetings are not usually well-attended, Topel emphasizes the need for open diagloue. In an effort to improve communication between members of the Board and the public, she suggests adding Q&A sessions in collaboration with PTAs, the Drug and Alcohol Task Force, and senior citizens groups in the community. Other ways to communicate might be on the soccer fields or through the district’s website, which she feels is underutilized.“We need to think out of the box.”
Karen Wills
“It is paramount to go out into the community and listen so that all of the pieces of the equation are brought to the table before the Board makes a final determination on policies and decisions.”
Current Board VP Karen Wills has been a member of the community for 33 years. All of her three daughters have gone through district schools. A Teaching Assistant and coordinator of testing accommodations for students with special needs in another district, Wills supports the current budget. She notes that Board members “deliberated long and hard” to utilize returns to fund repairs to buildings and renovations to the two middle schools’ sports fields, at no additional cost to the taxpayer, and also returned $187,927 in state aid to residents.
Among her priorities: the continuation of close monitoring of the as well as maintaining a capital reserve fund balance so that a multi-year facilities projects can be scheduled.
Wills is in favor of keeping class sizes capped at the current limits, and emphasizes the need for targeted instruction. “Our current NWEA testing model allows for identification of strengths and weaknesses with both the Gifted and Talented and Special Education populations. Northport-East Northport has amended a G&T program and maximized student-teacher scheduling so that more students are identified earlier.”
With regard to electives, Wills is against eliminating them because it would limit students’ choices. She notes that if certain classes are under-subscribed, it has been the practice of the Board to “co-seat” the classes – meaning that a tiered-level approach to teaching can be incorporated so that different levels of students can sit in one class, thus meeting the requirements of minimum enrollment.
In addition to serving as Vice President at BOE meetings and executive sessions, Wills has also attended audit committee meetings, District-wide PTA and PTA Council meetings, NSSBA (Nassau-Suffolk School Board Association) meetings, FRIENNDS meetings, and BOCES Board meetings.
Wills attended the meeting organized by the . “I think this concept (of consolidation) will take shape over time,” she says. “But it would have to be a favorable solution.”
In addition to serving as Vice President at all BOE meetings and executive sessions, Wills has also attended audit committee meetings, District-wide PTA and PTA Council meetings, NSSBA (Nassau-Suffolk School Board Association) meetings, FRIENNDS meetings, and BOCES Board meetings.
Wills praises the initiatives that have come from student-run organizations as a way to increase community involvement in schools. She cites Relay for Life, the as perfect examples. A Relay for Life team captain herself, Wills says “I will continue to support these opportunities for community involvement because the benefits to students through teachable moments are infinite.”
Meet the Candidates
Members of the public will have two opportunities to meet the candidates. The first will take place on Thursday, May 5 from 7:00-9:00 PM at the Atria East Northport, 10 Cheshire Place in East Northport.
The second will take place at the Northport High School Library on Tuesday, May 10 at 8 p.m.
