ACCOMPLISHMENTS

When I first ran for the Board of Education, my goal was clear: strengthen our district and ensure every decision put students first.

Over the past three years, working alongside dedicated trustees, administrators, educators, and community members, we’ve made meaningful progress. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished—and even more energized by what’s ahead.

While challenges in public education continue to evolve, so do the opportunities. I remain committed to thoughtful leadership, fiscal responsibility, and doing what’s best for our students, families, and community.

This work matters—and I’m proud to be part of it.

LEADERSHIP

In my first year, we faced one of the most important responsibilities of any board—selecting a new superintendent.

After an extensive search that brought in candidates from across multiple states and backgrounds, we found the right leader close to home. Dr. Ray Blanche has proven to be an outstanding fit, bringing vision, stability, forward-thinking and common sense leadership to our district.

We are fortunate to have him guiding us into the future.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Over the past two years, our special education department has undergone a complete transformation.

We strengthened leadership, clarified roles and responsibilities, and improved organizational structure. While this work is ongoing, we are already seeing more positive outcomes for students and families.

This remains a priority, and we are committed to continuing to improve support for every child.

READING & LITERACY

We made a district-wide commitment to the science of reading—because literacy is the foundation for all learning.

Under the leadership of Assistant Superintendent Julia Drake, we:

Conducted a comprehensive literacy audit
Investing in best-in-class instructional resources
Providing extensive faculty training
Established a dedicated literacy committee

Our goal is simple: ensure every student can read, comprehend, and communicate with confidence.

VISION 2030: EMPOWERING ALL

We worked collaboratively with stakeholders across the district—faculty, staff, administration, parents, students, and community members—to develop our long-term strategic framework: KLSD Vision 2030: Empowering All.

This plan, built around six core pillars, now serves as the foundation for all educational decisions, ensuring alignment, accountability, and a shared direction for the future.

COMMUNICATION & TRANSPARENCY

Improving communication with our community was a key priority.

We:

Instituted weekly superintendent messages to the community
Made it a standard to respond more quickly and consistently to questions
Completely redesigned the district website for improved navigation, accessibility, and content

Clear, timely communication builds trust—and we’ve made meaningful progress in that area.

COMMITMENT TO SERVICE

I believe serving on the Board of Education is a responsibility that requires showing up—consistently.

I have:

Missed only 1 board meeting out of 90+
Missed only 3 committee meetings out of 100+
Served on finance, policy, safety, sustainability, and facilities committees
Attended every school tour, every year

I schedule my professional and personal commitments around this role because I believe it is that important.

FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY

As Chairman of the Finance Committee, I have focused on ensuring that every dollar spent delivers value.

Budget - while healthcare, utilities, etc. have had double-digit increases over the last several years and state aid has been cut:

We have remained under the state-imposed tax cap during my tenure
Many neighboring districts have not been able to do so
Our district has never exceeded the tax cap since its implementation in 2012

We also secured an Energy Performance Contract (EPC) with Honeywell to install solar panels at no cost to the district, helping reduce long-term energy expenses.

We are currently developing a 5-year financial plan to maintain stability and plan responsibly for the future.

FACILITIES &
CAPITAL PROJECTS

For the past three years, I have served on the facilities committee, helping oversee our capital project—now nearing completion on time and on budget, despite rising construction costs.

Looking ahead, the proposed LES Pre-K and Community Project will:

Provide 10,000 Sq’ of community spaces for all age groups: Rec Dept Programs, Seniors, Teens, Toddlers, etc
Support Free Universal Pre-K access for all (soon to be state mandated and state funded) with 9-10 Pre-K compliant Classrooms
Expand our Solar array project to cut down on energy expenses
Costs about $18/m for a home valued at $1,000,000.
Increases Home values estimated from $10,000+
We will be getting back 25% in state aide: $4-5MM
Multiple day care operators can be involved in providing Pre-K services
Finally makes positive use of an Asset Long underutilized

I'm not suggesting how you should vote on Prop 3, just wanted to lay out the facts. This investment strengthens both our school district and our broader community both in the short term and long term.

SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP

Our district has become a leader in sustainability initiatives in the Tri-State area.

Through collaboration between educators, administration, and community members, we are reducing our carbon footprint, reducing waste, instituting recycling programs, creating student “Green Teams” and educating all students on responsible citizenship.

As an example:

KES is now the first elementary school in New York State that will have a geothermal heating and cooling system—a milestone achievement.
KLSD was 1 of only 2 schools in NY State to receive the “Green Ribbon” Certification for our outstanding achievement In Sustainability this year

SAFETY & SECURITY

Student safety is a fundamental responsibility of every school district.

We have:

Installed single point of entry vestibules with controlled, double-point entry systems
Updated an added security cameras in all schools
Expanded district wide safety and emergency management plan
Conducted a full district-wide safety audit with an external firm
Initiated and emergency alert system with phone calls, emails and website updates
Hired a dedicated Safety and Security Coordinator to implement enhanced protocols
Exploring adding security personnel at school buildings

We continue to evaluate and strengthen safety measures across all schools.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING

Education is constantly evolving, and our educators must continue to learn and grow.

We have significantly expanded professional development through:

Professional Learning Communities (PLCs)
Cross-district and cross-grade-level collaboration
Increased access to training and shared best practices
Technology integration and training where appropriate
Project and inquiry based teaching methods
Training on Mental Health Awareness and Student Wellbeing

These investments are already improving classroom experiences and student outcomes.

ADDITIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS

In addition to these major initiatives, I have also been involved in:

Supporting leadership continuity during board transitions
Advocating for early restrictions on cell phone use to support student focus and mental health before it became a state mandate.
Improving and aligning the school calendar based on community feedback
Supporting the STEPS teacher evaluation model, which promotes collaboration and growth
Participating in “Brown Bag” sessions to stay informed and engaged with district initiatives

ADDRESSING MENTAL HEALTH

Now more than ever, our faculty and staff needs to diligently keep our collective eyes and ears open for signs that a student is not in a good place. Anxiety, depression, substance abuse, bullying, etc. are signals that a child needs help. Here are some of the things we have put in place to address these concerns:

KLSD explicitly and intentionally prioritizes social, emotional, and physical health as part of education
School counselors and Student Assistance Services provide one-on-one and small group support

Introduced a Northwell School Mental Health Partnership: Training to Parents, faculty and Students
Coaches are being trained to support mental well-being of student-athletes

Faculty and staff are thoroughly trained to recognize these signs and take appropriate action. Our schools have our children under their care, eight plus hours a day, in loco parentis. Concerns need to be addressed swiftly by trained professionals, getting the students outside help, if needed. It is imperative that all of our children belong feel good about themselves.

EXTRA CURRICULAR & ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES

For many children, extracurricular activities are the hook that keep our children interested and engaged in the classroom. We are very fortunate to have been able to enhance and expand our offerings:

Wide Range of Clubs & Student Activities-Student council, Yearbook, Cultural, etc
Strong Arts & Performing Arts Programs-Theater productions, Band, Orchestra, Jazz, Vocals
Athletics & Physical Enrichment-Interscholastic teams, Intermurals, fitness classes, etc
Academic & Research Enrichment-Science and Humanity clubs, Robotics, Stem Teams, Etc
Leadership, Service & Community Engagement-Student Government, Service Projects,

These activities provide students opportunities to develop and explore their passions outside of the school’s curriculum. It teaches them to become future leaders in society, how to manage time, and work together as a team. We need to ensure that our students are receiving the best opportunities, coordinators and instructors available.